Not just a healer

God spoke to me pretty clearly this morning… I read a bible study last night and it didn’t mean a whole lot to me…until this morning. Something happened that turned me to lean on God & He reminded me of what I read last night in John 15:11.

I have copied certain sections from the scripture that point out the main parts of the story.

11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

The reason Jesus didn’t heal Lazarus & allowed him to die, wasn’t because He didn’t love Lazaras. It was because He knew Mary & Martha KNEW He could heal…They knew Him as the healer. Jesus wasn’t being hard hearted or selfish to allow Lazarus to die, no, he wanted to wait until all thought it was too late.

Lazarus had been in the tomb FOUR DAYS… to the point that there was a bad odor. Everyone thought it was the end, he was dead & there was nothing anyone could do about it. They got on Jesus because they knew that if He was there, He could have healed Lazarus…so why wasn’t He there?

Jesus wanted to show Mary & Martha a different part of His character. He wanted to show them that he is the resurrection & the life. That He can do what you think he cannot. 

Is there something in your life that you feel if God moved now; in a way you know that He CAN…things would be OK!? And the fact that He’s not, you’re thinking it’s too late… It’s never too late, God wants to show you a different side of Him, He wants to show you that He is the great I AM & He can do immeasurably more than you could ask or imagine! Just wait… My favorite line in this chapter is:

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

Believe Him, trust Him, come with an expectant heart & watch what He is about to do…

Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets. You do not know about things to come. – Jeremiah 33:3

POTENTIAL

I got a glimpse today of how God must feel when He looks at me sitting in doubt, discouragement & fear; standing in my comfort. Because when I look at people & see the GREATNESS that’s inside of them & then see the place that they live from… I want EVERYTHING in me to grab them by the face & tell them “Look at yourself! Look at how great you really are… you have so much inside of you, EMBRACE IT!!!! Live in it!!!! Walk in it… stop bowing down to fear and letting yourself do meaningless stuff to try and fill that void and just allow Jesus to pour into that hole & make it whole!... “

I think to myself “If only they could see what I see in them…” Then my next thought is… Well God must look at me that way when I think I can’t do something. He knows what He’s placed inside of me, because He created me! Who am I to tell him who I am or am not!? What I can or cannot do!?

Since I have started walking with Jesus, I have allowed others to speak into my potential; I have allowed HIM to be my rock & guide when I feel as though I can’t do something. He did not give me a spirit of fear! He made me to be fearless!!!! My emotions should not control my actions.

Ezra 3:3

“The people who built the alter were afraid of the nations that were around them. But they built it anyway”

…But they built it anyway

That’s a bold statement… They pushed past their fear; they didn’t allow their emotions to control the way they acted. They pushed against what was natural & did the unnatural with the strength of the Lord. He put something in them that if they let go of their fear & keep their focus on HIM, He will use what’s inside of them to accomplish what needs to get done!!!

Our natural tendency is to stay where it’s easy & comfortable… It’s hard to step out of your comfort zone & do something that scares the life out of you…but when you do, God will unlock a place in your heart & free you from a fear that has been holding you back!

Face that fear today, reach inside to grab a hold of that which you didn’t know you had & do what you have never done before…so that God can show you things you’ve never seen before.

You are better than you think you are. 

SO SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS SATURDAY!!!! ABOVE IS THE FLYER THAT A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, ERICA POTTER, DESIGNED WITH THE HELP OF HER HUSBAND!!

As I sit here soaking in all God has done in my life in less than 4 years...I am blown away, it's crazy!
I started out at rock bottom 3 & 1/2 years ago... absolutely couldn't have gotten any worse... and He has restored me, lifted me up to where I never thought in a million years I would be. 

~I am the founder of a non-profit (WHAT!?) 

~I am a part of a phenomenal movement (Elevation Church) right in the middle... and I mean RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. I get to learn from the best & as intimidating as it may be to be placed in the middle of these people, I am right where I am supposed to be. God is using them to help prepare me for what He has prepared for me! 

~I have the most amazing friends! More than I could ask for and better than I could ever ask for! 

~He has created a team of people for SOUL 139 to walk along side me...and they are incredible! INCREDIBLE!!!!! 

~I even got asked to guest blog on YouAreC13.com ...now 4 years ago...I not only hated reading, but didn't like to journal & sure as heck didn't know how to blog... God has completely given me a new passion to read, soak in knowledge and an ability to put it into words to share with others how He moves in my life. 

~I have the best job & couldn't work at a better salon! I have been there 6 years and still love it like it was my first week. He has given me the gift of cutting hair and I get to go to work everyday to a job that I LOVE.

I AM GRATEFUL

I would love to write a book on my life, coz God would be made HUGE through it... If He can change my life around the way He has done, He can change anybody's.

I was too shy to even talk on the phone when I was 18.... now I get to stand up infront of people and speak.

I used to get nervous meeting new people... now He placed me in a job where I meet new people every 30 minutes...He also placed me in a MASSIVE Church where I knew NO ONE...and when I look around me, realize that He somehow filled my life with amazing people. 

He took me from the lowest of low to the best place I could ever be... and it only gets better! If this is what He's done in less than 4 years...what the heck is He capable of in 10!?!?! 

To all who are a part of this journey with me...I'm glad I get to do this with you & I cannot wait to see how God moves from here on out in your life, mine & those around us!

If you don't have your tickets yet for Saturday...better get them FAST!!! You don't want to miss out on this one!!! We have prepared the way for God to move in a BIG way!!!!! Keep your eyes open!

My competency is in Him

Abram was 100 & Sarah was 90. God promised them a son...people around them probably thought they were crazy and would most likely tell them "God doesn't work like that...that's not realistic"

But God told Abram that He was ALMIGHTY and powerful, that He is God and can do anything... Abram BELIEVED Him and when God came through, it gave Abram the experience to TRUST God and to KNOW God IS almighty and powerful.

God reveals His character to you through scriptures so that you may SEE & BELIEVE who He is so that you can trust Him and step out in faith when He asks YOU to do something. It is then that you will get to EXPERIENCE who He is for yourself and that He will do what He says He will do.

MARK 10:27 “Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking it is impossible; but not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

He reveals his purposes and his plans to you so that you will know what to do. But he doesn't reveal them all at once; or the way you think he would reveal them. If he did, you would no longer need Him.

He wants you to lean on Him to find the way through His plan. It’s HIS plan.

When God asked me to starts SOUL 139 He did not ask "What do you want to do for me!?" He revealed what He was going to do and invited me to be a part.

God will come and speak to you with a purpose in mind...he's not asking you to create some plan...He will tell you what He wants to accomplish and it's your choice to respond to that.

Maybe you have already heard from God, He has told you what He wants to do through you but you are feeling incapable. That is a lie my friend. God would never share with you such an intimate secret of what He wants to accomplish, if He didn’t see the potential in you. He created you. He designed you for this. Protect yourself with scripture when such thoughts occur in your mind.

Satan's Lie: I'm not capable to do this job. I don't have the right gifts. 


God's Truth: Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant. (2 Corinthians 3:5)

Trust that He has you right where He wants you.

He has already equipped you for this job. He will teach you along the way all there is to know for what He is calling you to do. You don’t need to plan it all out ahead of time so that you feel comfortable with where you are going.

In the book “Experiencing God” I read that planning is a good tool, but only when it is motivated by Gods guidance. Our plans often reflect our own priorities and we trust more in our plans than in God.

That blew my mind…because I am a big planner! I plan EVERYTHING! From what time I get up to what I’m going to eat, to what I am doing next week, next month and sometimes 3 years from now. But what about when God wants to interrupt my plans? I reject it because it does not fit in with MY plans, I don’t have room, I’m too busy, it won’t work or it was not what I had intended, it was never meant to go this way, right? Wrong… when you have your long-term plans set in stone and know exactly where you’re heading, you no longer have a need for God.

I read a quote: “Be careful not to plan more than God intends for you to do”

Meaning, leave some wiggle room in your schedule for God to rightly interrupt your life with a surprise mission for you.

He will use you HIS WAY to accomplish HIS PURPOSE, not YOUR WAY for YOUR PURPOSE.

When you hit that wall of doubt (Which you will) & wonder, “did God really want me to do this?” Go back to HIM to clarify what He has told you. Do not depend on other people’s opinions. If you feel God has told you something, proceed & watch to see How He confirms. He will confirm Himself through His word. Remember, His ways are not our ways.

Isaiah 55:8 “Your thoughts are not my thoughts, neither your ways my ways”

I wonder what people’s opinions were about Abram & Sarah when they told everyone God told them they would have a baby. All things are possible with God. 
STAND. TRUST. WATCH & SEE

Seasonal struggles

Sometimes I don’t understand what God is doing in my life… it doesn’t make sense & I think “It’s not meant to go down this way…what are you doing!?” but who am I to tell God how it’s supposed to go down? That’s not my job!

Life isn’t always smooth and easy; it has some bumps in the road and is somewhat of a fight & struggle. I think those are the times that God wants to see if you will put to use what He has taught you in the last season of your life.

These are the times that push me closer to God, because I can’t walk through it on my own. I end up feeling an emptiness that only HE can fill. I feel weak, tired & somewhat worthless… I feel as though I have a few big holes in my soul that are hollow & I’m looking to anything & everything to fill them, but that’s only something Jesus can do for me.

Some days I get that fulfillment, other days I don’t & I think “Is God even listening!? Doesn’t He care that I’m hurting, that I’m stressed out or tired?” The answer is yes, He cares… but until you stop and sit at His feet, He can’t talk to you.

God wants to tell you how He sees you, that you are beautiful & perfect in His image, a prince or princess, His precious son or daughter, that is what you are, no matter what YOU feel about yourself. But in order to hear these things you need to STOP and listen. Look at what He is doing in your life already, look at the people He has placed around you who encourage you & who love you. Even better, what are some things you are grateful for?

Change your perspective & start appreciating what He HAS given you…when you start to look at things in a more positive light, your soul starts to feel more thankful and little by little God fills those empty voids with each glimpse of His creation…of His plan.

As much as you don’t feel like you are where you are meant to be right now…God has you here for a reason, what does He want you to learn from this situation? What perspective does He want you to gain from this circumstance? What steps does He want you to take in faith? Does He just want you to learn to walk WITH Him in a situation? Or to realize that no matter who you are, what you’ve done, the fact that you DON’T (And never will) have it all together, you can still come to Him & He will walk WITH you.

Some of you think you can’t be a Christian because you’re not good enough, don’t have it all together, not worthy or just plain selfish… WE ALL ARE… That’s what Jesus died for, We will never get away from our nature, but loving Jesus means experiencing His never failing faithfulness, the one true love that no one can give like He does & responding to that love by being grateful for all He has done & IS doing in your life… trust Him & allow HIM to fill those gaps.
Remember that you already are and you already have it...now walk in it

You don't have an obedience issue, you have a love issue.

 “When you know Him, you will love Him. When you love Him, you will believe Him & you’ll trust Him, when you trust Him, you will obey Him.”

“You don’t have an obedience problem, you have a love problem”

I stole these two lines from the book ‘Experiencing God’

Sometimes in life we get so caught up in the living in the future (For what’s to come, what we want to achieve, or what we want to get eventually) that we don’t fully embrace where we are now…when we don’t do that, we don’t see God working. Our eyes are too far off in the distance.

How to you expect God to PROVIDE when you won’t give sacrificially?

How to you expect God to PROTECT when you won’t step out of your comfort zone and do something that you don’t feel comfortable doing? Like putting your heart out there to get hurt again…

How can you expect God to show you that he LOVE’S you when you’re not willing to be vulnerable & work through your shortcoming like He’s asking you to?

How do you expect God to MOVE if you won’t let go of control?

  “When you know Him, you will love Him. When you love Him, you will believe Him & you’ll trust Him, when you trust Him, you will obey Him.”

What is He asking you to work through that seems daunting to even bring up again? You’ve been down this road a million times, why does the same thing keep coming up?

Because you’re not allowing God walk it out with you.

He wants to surface it, so you acknowledge it…then He will place you in a situation to give you an opportunity to walk it out, He will be right there with you the whole time, don’t be scared.

Stand and face what you do not want to face.

Someone said to me the other day “Run towards what you fear the most”

God is saying:

“I want to show you something you have never seen before...but you have to be willing to do what you've never done before. 

I will keep bringing situations in your life until you fully embrace one... I want you to walk it out with me... trust me... lean on me, place your heart in my hands.”

Are you willing?

What makes you weak, is also what makes you powerful

“What makes me weak is also what makes me powerful…”

I’m not sure if I got that line from one of Pastor Stevens sermons or not, but it’s been running around in my head for the past few days.

In life, I tend to strive for perfection and nothing is ever good enough. I get mad at myself for failing or not living up to what I think should have happened. I look too far ahead, over think and scare myself out of situations…

I plan & prepare so much that I leave no room to be available when God wants to use me with something unexpected…& I over think EVERYTHING… to the point that I drive myself insane going around in the same circles.

BUT…

What makes me weak can also make me powerful!

My passion & my need for perfection, my ability to see far ahead, to plan, to over think in detail… all are great things for starting my non-profit (SOUL 139)

To have that passionate drive keeps me going to strive for perfection in how I deliver things. To see the final goal that I want to reach for helps me persevere. To plan ahead and be prepared is what keeps things in order and moving. To think about the small details that most forget about is what makes SOUL 139 what it is…these all can be weaknesses when used in the wrong way, but God instilled them as strengths in me when used the way He intended.

What kind of things do you look at as weaknesses in you?  God wants you to see them as treasured strengths that He placed in you