"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Resist

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!

Today's word: resist

What does this phrase mean to you? - "...resist the devil..."

"...Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

"Stand firm against him [the devil]..." (1 Peter 5:9)

Let me know what you think!!

(P.S. Taking a poll: Do you like seeing the "word for the week" in the title - or do you prefer being surprised when you read the post? Appreciate your input!!)

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:6-7)

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

ARE YOU READY?

Last weekend, I was watching the Sunday Night football game between the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants. (I’m not picking sides…)

The starting quarterback for the Bears didn’t return for the second half – he had suffered a concussion. Second-string quarterback steps in…a whiplash tackle from behind…he’s out of the game.

OK, can you imagine what it felt like to be that THIRD-string quarterback on the sidelines? He threw a total of 7 passes all last season – yup…SEVEN! And now he’s warming up, getting ready to take the field.

Made me think…

Was he ready?

I’m sure when he suited up Sunday evening, he did not anticipate having to play.

But had he kept himself ready? Did he dedicate himself to playing his hardest in practice scrimmages, did he keep lifting weights, keeping himself in shape; did he listen to the coach, and continue to try to improve his skills?

Do you think he ever got discouraged?

In my women’s Bible Study, we’re learning about David. Did you know that it was 22 years from the time Samuel anointed him until he finally became King of Judah?

Did he ever feel like that third-string quarterback?

Did he try to rush God’s timing – or did he continue to faithfully do what God asked him to do? Did he complain under the yoke of preparation and training – or did he have faith that God was still working during that time? Did he give up – or did he persevere, knowing that God would fulfill His promises and purposes for his life?

I think we know the answers…

David was a mighty example of a faithful person.

He dedicated himself FULLY to whatever God was doing in his life…AT THAT TIME!

No wonder God called him a “man after His own heart!”

Sometimes God calls us to a season when it doesn’t seem like much is happening – a time when we feel like we’re sitting on the sidelines.

How do you react?

Are you like me? Have you ever prayed, “Lord, I’m ready. Why isn’t (fill in the blank) happening yet?”

How often do I begrudge the “training” seasons of my life? How often do I complain about “waiting?” How often do I get caught up in the mundane, and see no GRAND purpose in any of the small details of my everyday life?

How often do I wonder – Where is the great “break-through” in my life?

I’m a third-string quarterback…

But am I doing my best to stay in spiritual shape? Am I trusting God like David did?

Dear God,

Please help me to have the grace to “stand by” – knowing that the lessons I learn during times of waiting, will give me the courage to “step up” when You call. I want to be ready, at all times, and in all things. Teach me, train me, Lord, mold me into the person you want me to be – a person that can be used fully by You – for Your purposes. Even if I’m on the sidelines, show me how to “stay in the game” – so when the RIGHT time comes along, I can say, “Put me in, Coach, I’m ready to play…”

Are you ready?

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

A DIALOGUE WITH GOD

Psalm 142 – “A psalm of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.”

“I cry out to the Lord…”

Oh Lord, please hear me –

“I plead for the LORD’S mercy.”

Lord, I don’t deserve it, but please be kind to me –

“I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.”

This life is hard, Lord. I have so many problems. So many things are difficult. I don’t know where to start –

“When I am overwhelmed…”

Lord, it’s all too much. I feel like I’m drowning –

“…you alone know the way I should turn.”

Please show me what to do, Lord. I just want to follow You –

“Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.”

Lord, Satan is after me. It seems like he’s there all the time with defeating thoughts, or discouraging doubts. Sometimes I feel like I’m caught up in a snare –

“I look for someone to come and help me…”

I can’t do this alone. I need help –

“…but no one gives me a passing thought!”

But sometimes I just feel so alone –

“Then I pray to you, O LORD.”

I finally pray, Lord – the one thing I should have done from the very start –

“I say, ‘You are my place of refuge…”

Lord, you are a shelter from the wind, a quiet place in the middle of

the storm –

“…You are all I really want in life.”

When it comes right down to it, Lord, nothing really matters to me

besides You –

“Hear my cry, for I am very low.”

Even so, Lord, I feel so down, so sad, so hopeless –

“Rescue me from my persecutors…”

Help me, Lord. Only You can rescue me from the “enemy” –

“…for they are too strong for me.”

I don’t have the power to fight him. He’s too clever, too mean –

“Bring me out of prison…”

Sometimes this world makes me feel trapped, like I can’t escape its suffering and hardships –

“…so I can thank you.”

But oh, Lord, how grateful I am that You love me – I know that this world is NOT all there is – and how glad I am for that –

“The godly will crowd around me…”

Thank you for giving me other believers to help me along my journey –

“…for you are good to me.”

I love You, Lord – and I know that You are good – all the time.

AMEN!

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

A "GOD'S EYE" VIEW

Heavenly perspective…

I talked about it in yesterday’s post.

I must admit, though I get the concept intellectually – and know that I’ll never fully understand what things look like from God’s point of view – I still find myself trying to figure it out.

Yes, I see the irony – a human trying to “see like God!”

Impossible, yes…

But still…

Maybe it’s the English major in me – I’m always trying to find “word picture” examples that help me grasp Biblical concepts. Not answers, just tools –

So, heavenly perspective – what might that look like?

I had an experience about a year ago that helped me understand a little bit better.

My dad and I were flying home from Chicago. I’m not a big fan of flying – so fortunately, I don’t have to do it very often! But when I do, I always try to grab the window seat! I just love looking out at the country passing by underneath. It’s fascinating to me. It’s so cool how everything grows smaller as we take off and climb – how everything grows bigger as we prepare to land.

So, on this particular trip, I was looking out the window as we began our descent to the local airport here in Orange County. The approach to John Wayne Airport requires a heading that comes over mountains, and then foothills, before reaching the suburban landscape of thousands of houses and buildings.

On this flight, I noticed a little road that wound its way around the foothills. And on this road, was one little car. I had a moment of clarity (they are few and far between – that’s how I notice them!).

From my perspective, I could see the WHOLE road. I could see where that little car had been 10 minutes ago, where it was now, and where it was going to be 10 minutes from now. In one glance, I could “see” the car’s past, present, and future. In some way, I was “removed” temporarily from the time and space that that little car occupied.

WOW! I thought…kinda like how God can see our WHOLE lives at the same time.

He doesn’t exist in time and space – so His view truly IS all-knowing. He sees the past, present, and future in one eternal “NOW!”

I got to thinking – what if there was a roadblock up ahead that temporarily closed the road? That little car wouldn’t know about it right now. It would be ten minutes before they encountered the delay. I knew about it – of course. From MY perspective, that roadblock was happening now.

But in ten minutes, that little car would encounter this circumstance.

And then there would be a choice to make.

Wait for the roadblock to clear, turn left, turn right, or go back the way they had just come, looking for another route.

The car could choose how to reach its destination, but the destination was still waiting at the end of that road.

In some small way, this really helped me understand heavenly perspective.

God sees EVERY moment of my life. He knows what’s “in the past.” He knows what’s happening “now.” And He knows what’s “up ahead.” The entire “road” of my life, if you will, is under His watchful care.

He knows, He SEES.

Me? You? We’re just driving the road, one mile at a time, with decisions to make along the way.

So what should we do?

I’m making sure that I have radio contact with that guy in the plane!!

I’m praying – all the time, in every moment, for each circumstance that comes along – “Lord, what should I do?”

The One who sees the ENTIRE road – the Sovereign Lord of Heavenly Perspective – will be gracious to lead us, to guide us…

…all the time, in every moment, for each circumstance that comes along!

And the destination??? An eternity in God’s Presence!!!

PRAISE GOD!!

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"