Month: November 2017

Have you ever wondered why some prayers go unanswered? Are there some strongholds in your life that you just can’t get breakthrough? Have you ever wondered why the same situations keep following in your family line? It may be because the enemy has been given legal rights to a strategy meant for your harm.

King Xerxes promoted Haman as his highest official and commanded that the people bow down to him in respect. When the officials who worked with Mordecai saw he didn’t bow down to Haman they asked him why he didn’t obey the king’s command and when he didn’t listen to them they told Haman about it. Mordecai’s answer isn’t recorded, but he did them that he was a Jew, and perhaps he told them that he only bowed down to God alone.

When we chose to worship God and God alone we will be persecuted by accusations.

“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.” Revelation 12:10

“When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.” Esther 3:5-6

Haman was filled with rage, a rage that wasn’t going to be satisfied by just destroying Mordecai… it was a rage that rose up against all the Jews. 

Haman went before the king with accusations against the Jews to obtain a legal right to destroy those he hated.

“Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury. The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. The king said, “The money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit.” Esther 3:8-11

This story reveals two kingdoms;

the heavenly Kingdom of God, represented by Mordecai as a man chosen of God who worshipped Him alone.

and the earthly kingdom of Satan, represented by Haman who brought an evil plan, a plan of rebellion against God and His people, to King Xerxes to obtain a legal decree of destruction.

These two kingdoms remain today.

The hatred and rage Haman had towards Mordecai and the Jews is still at work bringing accusations into the heavenly throne room to obtain legal rights to bring destruction to the people of God.

Sins committed by past generations opened doors that led to lifestyles and mindsets and are passed on through families. These lines of iniquity give the enemy legal rights to bring accusation and keep his lies and deception working in the lives of all who are in that bloodline. That is why we see addictions, poverty, fear, lust, sickness, disease… follow through many family members from generation to generation.

Word curses; spoken over us or by our own mouths give the enemy permission to bring accusation against us. Words like, “You never do anything right.” “You’ll never amount to anything.” “I’m so stupid.” “I’m afraid…?” The enemy uses these words, what we believe to be true, as legal rights to bring these very things upon us.

Just like Haman, Satan hates those who belong to the family of God. Satan mocks, belittles, and accuses with whispers of doubt and unbelief so we lose sight of who we are as a child of God and give up on God completely.

Those unanswered prayers…

The block to your breakthrough…

That same situation that has plagued your family for generations…

May have their root in a legal right that the enemy has obtained.

Thankfully the story doesn’t end here! As this story continues there is much to be learned from how Mordecai and Queen Esther respond to the evil strategy that was meant to destroy them.

 

 

Thanksgiving –  It began as a day of giving thanks for the Pilgrim’s first harvest, and became a national holiday day set apart to give thanks for the blessings of the preceding year.

How much of my celebrating Thanksgiving is about truly being thankful? How much of my celebration is spent giving thanks to God for the blessings of the preceding year?

The Lord impressed this upon me the other day…

Wilma, the ways in which you celebrate Thanksgiving Day shows how you give thanks on every other day of the year.

At first I tried to justify why this wasn’t a good barometer of my thankfulness, but as I continued to ponder it I had to agree that there was truth to it.

So I began to take a look at how I celebrate Thanksgiving…

I begin to plan…

Who is coming?

What time we should eat?

What should the menu include?

Then I begin to prepare…

Look up recipes…

Make a grocery list…

Go grocery shopping, several trips…

Clean the house…

Decorate the house…

But, Lord, these are all good things.

These are what keep the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving with family.

What is it that You want me to see about thankfulness?

“Wilma, these are good things. They are part of tradition and celebration, but it is the value you place on them that is what I want you to see. Whenever you put more value on your plans and on your preparation than upon Me it isn’t about being thankful, it is about striving and meeting expectations. Remember what I spoke to Martha…

“As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me. But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

Oh, Yes, the Mary, Martha story!

Martha was caught up in the plans and preparations, striving to have her house look immaculate, and her food taste delicious. Martha’s heart was caught up in the things that didn’t matter, things that didn’t have eternal value. It was her heart that was revealed when she went to Jesus and asked Him to tell Mary to help her. Martha became overwhelmed with all the work and when she wasn’t able to meet her expectations she became offended toward her sister. It was her heart that Jesus responded to. Martha’s heart wasn’t focused on the one thing that was worth being concerned about.

A heart that is driven by expectations becomes easily offended when those expectations aren’t fulfilled.

Thanksgiving Day, just as any other day, can become all about my plans and my preparations, my striving to fulfill expectations that keep me from sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to His words.

Jesus told Martha that Mary chose what was best, and that it wouldn’t be taken from her.

A heart becomes thankful in the presence of God. Sitting at Jesus’ feet, and listening to His words instills perspective and brings a deep appreciation to God that results in an outflow of thanksgiving. Jesus knew the importance of sitting at His feet, listening to His word. Jesus honored Mary’s choice, He affirmed what she had discovered, and told Martha that it would not be taken from her.

Lord, thank You for challenging me with Your word about thanksgiving. May this Thanksgiving Day truly be a day of thankfulness expressed towards You. And may I rediscover the importance of sitting at Your feet, listening to Your words, each and every day so that my heart is filled and overflows with thanksgiving to You.

 

 

 

Queen Esther’s cousin, Mordecai, served at the king’s gate. One day he over heard two of the king’s eunuchs devising a plan to assassinate the king. Mordecai passed this information on to his cousin, Esther, and as queen, Esther was able to relay the information to the king. She included that it was Mordecai that heard of the plot, and it was recorded in the history book.

Mordecai was at the right place and responded in the right way to make the difference of life and death for King Xerxes’

An evil plot had been formed to kill the king.

But, God had salvation for the king, and positioned Mordecai to be the one to save him.

This evil plot to kill the king is one that is still against every person alive today. In the story of Esther the enemies were of flesh and blood, but today our enemy is in the spirit realm. We don’t battle against flesh and blood, but the powers of Satan who come to steal, kill, and destroy us.

Like King Xerxes’, we aren’t aware of the evil plot against us. Satan uses lies and deception to keep us unaware of his strategies.

We need a “Mordecai” to expose the evil plot.

Because God loves us and wants us to be saved He works in ways to reveal the evil plot. He positions “Mordecais,” in our lives to tell us. It may be a friend, a family member, a pastor, or the Holy Spirit that tells us of the evil plot the enemy has against us.

When we realize there is an evil plot against us; the sin nature that we have been born with, meant to steal, kill, and destroy us…

When we realize there is nothing we can do to stop this evil plot against us, and that we need a Savior…

When we realize the truth in John 3:16,

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

And choose to believe that God loves us and sent Jesus to die on the cross so that our sins are forgiven and rose again so that we too will rise to new life…

That’s when we stop the evil plot of Satan devised against us.

That’s when we are saved and begin to live the abundant life Jesus gives us here on earth, and we receive the promise of living forever in heaven with God!

That is the game changer, the difference of life and death!

The positioning of Mordecai saved the life of one man, the king. Yet, it was the game changer in this story that takes it from being about the salvation of one man to the salvation  of the Jewish people.

Sometimes we can take our salvation for granted. We can forget the evil plot that was against us and how God showed us the truth that set us free. We can take the “life” that God gave us through Jesus’ death on the cross for granted and keep living as though nothing has changed.

King Xerxes’ did just that. He put to death those who plotted evil against him, but then went on living for himself. He forgot about the evil plot and the one who saved his life.

But, God didn’t forget! 

God had a perfect plan!

God’s salvation of one, lead to the salvation of many!

God doesn’t save us just for our own sake. God intends that our salvation brings salvation to many!

He wants to position us in places so that we expose the evil plots against others so they too will be saved.

It was a normal day of work for Mordecai when he heard the two men discussing the evil plot against the king. Mordecai could have responded differently…he could have chosen to not listen, thinking it was none of his business. He could have ignored their words, thinking he didn’t want to get involved, or he could have been afraid of what might happen to him of he told anyone what he heard.

One thing I have learned is that the enemy will go to many extremes so that others won’t hear of his strategies against  people. He will wrap his evil plots in deception, in secrecy, in shame, or even pride so that they stay hidden, so nobody else finds out.

What about you?

Are you as King Xerxes’ who has an evil plot formed against you that needs to be exposed so that you can be saved?

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.” Romans 3:23-25

Or… Is God calling you, positioning you to be a “Mordecai” for someone who has an evil plot formed against them?

This past weekend I had the opportunity to be a “Mordecai” to a friend. We were sitting at the breakfast table just chatting when she began to tell me some things she experienced which she had never told anyone about. As she shared what others had done and spoken over her, anger rose up within her. I saw her hurt and pain. I could see how those experiences kept her in a prison of fear; living defeated. But as we talked she began to realize that it wasn’t the people in her life that hurt her, it wasn’t the experiences she went through that defined her, but it was an evil plot of the enemy that was stealing from her life and destroying her. Then she saw something she never saw before, she saw it was jealousy of others that brought their hatred and accusations. It was the “Jesus” in her they didn’t like because it made them feel “bad.” By putting her down, accusing her, speaking evil over her, it made them feel better. Once she realized it was a battle in the spirit realm her anger turned from people, to Satan. It was no longer a conversation of how awful people had been to her. Her real “enemy” was exposed. His evil plot was revealed. It now became a matter of prayer before the throne of God. Together we renounced the lies, the word curses, and the generational lines of iniquity, that were meant to destroy her and  we took those evil strategies of the enemy to the cross of Jesus. We proclaimed the words of Jesus over them, “It is finished!” We applied the blood of Jesus to wash and cleanse her. And we called forth the truth of God’s word, and claimed the promises of abundant life over her.

I’m so thankful for God’s positioning. For giving the opportunity for Holy Spirit to reveal the hidden secrets and lies that my friend experienced in her past. What seemed like a normal day, sharing breakfast together, turned into a game changer…a matter of spiritual life and death!

And I am confident it wasn’t just to save my friend, but it was intended for the salvation of many others who will hear her story and be forever changed!

Who is God calling you to be a “Mordecai” to?

 

What little girl doesn’t dream of being a princess; a queen, one day? We all have within us the desire to be favored, to be chosen, and to be significant! I don’t know what Esther dreamed as a little girl, but God’s dreams set her on an incredible journey that included all of these! Esther’s journey had many twists and turns that took her out of her comfort zone, challenged her faith, and even threatened her life, but it taught her that she was favored, chosen, and significant; that her life had meaning and great purpose!

Esther was born into a Jewish family that had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon. When she was young her parents died and her older cousin,  Mordecai, adopted her and raised her as his own daughter.

“This man (Mordecai) had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.” Esther 2:7

Esther “happened” to be of the right age when the king of Babylon was in search of a new queen. She was one of the many young virgins who were brought into the palace to receive beauty treatments in preparation to be chosen by the king.

When Esther was taken into the king’s palace the eunuch, Hegai, who was placed in charge of her, was greatly impressed with Esther. He was kind to her and gave her extra special treatment. When it came time for Esther to go to the king, Esther accepted only Hegai’s advice. He instructed her in ways that would be pleasing to the king.

“When it was Esther’s turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was admired by everyone who saw her.” Esther 2:15

“And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen” Esther 2:17

Esther was a beautiful, lovely young woman, who was admired by everyone.

Esther was a delightful young woman who won the heart of the king, and he chose her as Queen of Babylon.

Esther was a woman of God who had His favor upon her and was specifically placed to fulfill His purposes for her life and for the salvation of many.

The favor of God brings the favor of man.

Besides her outward beauty…

Esther had an inner beauty that radiated from her. 

Tucked within these verses I see some clues of Esther’s inner beauty…

“Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had directed her not to do so.”  Esther 2:10

“Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home.” Esther 2:20

“she accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested,”

Respect, trust, and obedience radiant inner beauty!

Though she went through the trauma of losing her parents, though she was taken from the comfort of her home and family, and though she was highly favored and given special treatment, she remained humble and submissive to those God placed over her.

She followed their directions, and she accepted their advice.

So often life situations can bring about fears, independence, or pride that keep us from respecting those God places over us. We can allow our past situations to give us permission fear, and not trust. We can allow our “outward appearance” to make us proud; keeping us independent of the advice of others.

Fear and pride don’t bring the favor of man or of God.

Respect, trust, and obedience are game changers!

What happened next in the story of Esther gives us an example of why it was important that she respected her cousin, Mordecai, and followed his instruction. This seemingly small incident holds great significance and becomes a game changer as the story unfolds.

“One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king’s private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report. When an investigation was made and Mordecai’s story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes’ Reign.” Esther 2:21-23

It is only when we know we are fully loved by God that we can respect, trust, and obey those in authority over us. It gives us a confidence… not in ourselves, and not from others, but from knowing God loves us, is for us, and holds the whole story of our lives in His hands.

God’s perfect love casts out all fear so that we can respect, trust, and obey others, knowing that God ultimately has our back.

Trust in God, lived out by trusting others, is what gives us an inner beauty that radiates from us through our words and actions.

A heart that loves and trusts God…

is humble, respectful, and obedient to those in authority over them…

radiates beauty…

and experiences God’s favor!

Picture of the “inner beauty” of Paterson, NJ. God’s beauty in the midst of chaos!

It has been twenty-five years since I answered my sister’s question with those three desires; “I would like to home school the boys, be in ministry, and adopt a little girl.”

Throughout these years I have learned that God is very intentional in the dreams and desires He gives His people. While I once thought that receiving my desire was most important, I have discovered that it is the journey, from the time a desire is first put within my heart, until it is fulfilled, that God works in me to change me and prepare me for the fulfillment. For without the experiences along the journey I would not be walking in the good works that God created me for.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

The good works that God prepared for each one of us are wrapped up in the dreams and desires He puts within our hearts. 

God dreams are intended to take us to places we could never go on our own.

God desires give us courage to climb out of our boat among the wind and waves so that we learn to keep our eyes on Jesus.

God desires require we take off our shoes and leave our ways and our insecurities so that God can equip and empower us to do what we considered impossible.

God desires are intended to refine and purify our hearts to take the “us” out of our desire so that others see God’s power, love, and glory!

God desires lived out in the lives of His people create stories that tell of the ways God took a once ordinary person and made them extraordinary!

As I think back to the woman I was when I first spoke the desires into the atmosphere I realize that because of those dreams I am a very different woman than I was. What I thought, at the time, were just three desires…

homeschooling, youth ministry, and adoption, were actually the journeys of life that changed me from the inside out.

They have changed me from a quiet, insecure woman who looked to things and people to fulfill, satisfy, and validate me… into a passionate, fairly confident woman who finds my fulfillment, satisfaction, and validation in doing what God created me to do.

I have been stretched way out of my comfort zone to find that what I thought was “comfortable” is nothing compared to the joy and enthusiasm I get when the Holy Spirit enables me to do things I never thought I could.

They have provided opportunities for my sin to be exposed, like when I got so frustrated at the boys when they didn’t do their school work, or when I allowed what others said to bring doubt so that I wanted to give up on my dream, or when I was jealous of other leaders…

My heart was convicted, like when God showed me the lies I believed about myself, when He revealed my shame and pride, and how subtly I had made Kayla an idol. I needed to confess believing the lies, repent of my shame and pride, and cast down my idolatry, and replace the lies with truth, and put God alone on the throne of my heart.

And I was humbled many times when I chose to trust in my own understanding and took things into my own hands, trying to fulfill my own desires in my way and in my time, only to be disappointed and frustrated.

But as difficult as those were they were the things God worked together for my good, they brought me to the end of self, because ultimately God wanted me to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and to trust in Him alone!

Twenty-five years ago we had just moved to “the country.” The eleven years prior were bitter sweet for me. Mark and I enjoyed the birth of our three sons, the printing business Mark and his father began was providing well for us, we were surrounded by family and friends from our church… but my insecurities… they had produced some bitter fruit in my life. So the move to “the country” came with hopes of a “new beginning.” It also happened to be the first year the boys were all in school so I had several hours a day alone… with peace and quiet. In those hours I found myself diving into the word of God. I couldn’t get enough. The bitter fruit my life had produced left me dry and thirsty.

But God’s word was so refreshing!

His love, His hope, His promises began to fill up my dry, thirsty heart.

A heart filled with God’s word is ready to receive God desires!

God looked down on this young mother who desperately needed to learn how to love her sons and train them up in the way they should go,

on this young woman who had been insecure and afraid of speaking her convictions all through school,

and on this daughter who had never had a close relationship with her mother,

and He placed within me three desires that He used to fulfill the purposes I was created for!

Now twenty-five years later…

it is with great joy to see that our sons love the Lord and are living their own journeys of faith as they fulfill the dreams and desires God gives them,

it is with great joy to confidently share the word of God  with teens in Community Bible Study with an awesome team of leaders.

and it is with great joy to have an awesome relationship with my daughter (God’s “Joy”) and to see her growing into a beautiful young lady.

These verses have proved true…

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” Romans 8:28-29

Writing these blogs about my three desires has taken me down memory lane and God has reminded me of how He worked all things together for my good. I have been reminded that it was when I allowed Him to have His way, when I surrendered my will for His, and when I chose to trust Him and not my own understanding, that I saw Him do amazing things within me and within the situations I faced. I realize it was when I chose to love Him above myself and my own ways that His ways were so much better. I’ve learned that the desires He gives are not about promoting me or bringing me glory, they are given so that God is seen in my life, so that His purposes are fulfilled here on earth,  and so that He receives the glory! I am thankful that I am not the same woman I was twenty-five years ago. I would ‘t have changed anything along those journeys because they have formed me more and more into the image of Christ and have given me a story that gives God glory.

Thank you for coming along and I hope that in some way they have been an encouragement to you and most of all a tribute to God’s faithfulness and goodness!

P.S. I just heard another gentle whisper from God….

 

“It’s time to dream again!”

How about you?

Is it time for you to dream again?