So how do we hear from God and how do we know it is God speaking to us? How can we be sure that it is not just my mind?  Would God really speak to me? All of these questions are valid questions. Especially when we are praying for our children and it seems that we are not being heard and especially when it seems God is not responding to our prayers. The truth is: God created us for relationship and that requires communication. We were all created with a basic need for communication. Problem is, sometimes we elect to stop trying to communicate or are unable to believe that God would communicate with me.
 
In 1 Samuel Chapter 3, God starts calling Samuel in the night time, the quiet time, and Samuel doesn't recognize the voice and assumes it is Eli (oh, this is just in my mind?). Three times he responds to Eli until he is instructed to wait and listen and respond to the Lord. Samuel had to learn to recognize what God's word sounded like (looks like in dreams or pictures) and then had to learn to trust that God was talking to him. Then he had to overcome fear, to be willing to believe what God had told him was going to happen. Finally he had to be willing to be obedient and tell Eli what God had told him was going to happen to his children and his ministry.

As a parent or spouse when we get that "gut feeling" or a picture that something isn't right....that is usually the Holy Spirit speaking to us about something. The very thing "that I fear the most" (my kid's on drugs, my daughter is depressed, my husband is unfaithful) often times is being revealed to us but we spend the next four months talking ourselves out of believing that until something really big explodes in our relationships.....then we look back and remind ourselves, "I should have listened to that voice inside of me....the Lord WAS talking to me."

So here's the point of all this. Psalm 9:10 says, "Those who know your name will trust you, for you, Lord have never forsaken those who seek you."

If you are struggling with a child or spouse that is making very bad decisions, and you are worn out trying to figure out what to do, maybe you need to get still, get quiet and ask the Lord this very simple question.
"Father God, is there something in my life that is hindering me from knowing your name and trusting you completely in this situation?"

What the Lord showed me was I needed to believe three things in order to really trust his name.
One, I had to believe that God is Perfect Love and all He wants to do is bless me. All the other stuff in my life that is happening is a result of spiritual principles, like you reap what you soul or judge not lest you be judged...or things resulting from the hand of satan because there is sin in the world.
Second, I had to believe that He has Infinite Wisdom. He has a plan and that even if I don't understand it, have to believe that it is what it is because He is God and he loves me.  Ultimately what ever happens, it will be good for me.
Third, I have to believe that He is Totally Sovereign in my life and in my family's life. That He is totally in control and that I can willingly give up my control. This means I believe that he has the power to enact the plan so that I may receive the fullness of his blessings in my life.

If you can believe these three things then you will be able to understand the nature and character of God and you will be able to begin trusting in his name. He told Moses in Ex.3:14 that he was, "I Am who I Am...tell them that "I Am" sent me to you." He
 was showing Moses that He was the God of everything and that He would take care of them. 

So if today, you are in a struggle with something, and you find it hard to trust God in what is going on, then maybe you should stop asking for answers to what's going on... and start asking God to help you to believe he is perfect love, has infinite wisdom and is totally sovereign in your life and your family's life. If you struggle to believe one or all of these three, that's OK, but now you know what to pray for. Ask God to reveal himself to you and bring you to the place where you can believe them. For in your believing that he is "I Am" in your life, then you find his REST.                          

 

           "How do YOU Spin the Ball?"  

   

  I was watching a family bowling the other day and it occurred to me that religion and bowling have a lot in common.  First, there is the basic truth.  If you roll the ball down the alley to a perfect spot, then all the pins will be knocked over and you will be happy and get a good score. If you're not a very good bowler we'll even put up some bumper- guards to keep your ball out of the gutter enabling you to at least hit something.

   I think "religion" says the same thing. If you come to this building every week, give money in the offering, follow the rules, accept what our church believes as the only way, then you may have a chance at knocking down all the "pins of life" and having a happy and fulfilled life. And as in bowling we don't want anyone in or from the gutter so we will put up guards to keep those kind out of our church and direct you to the church more fitting down the street.

 Second, I have noticed, that the good bowlers put a spin on their ball. What looks to be a gutter ball shot for sure at the last minute turns sharply towards the middle of the lane and smashes directly into the center of the pins, scattering them in all directions. That spin is put on the ball with intention and is controllable. The bowler has a choice whether to put that spin on the ball or not.

  Sometimes I think Christians do that with God's word. They put their own spin on it. They make the truth of God's word kinda roll down the "lane of life" with a bit of a curve to it. So it almost goes into the gutter, but not quite. Then at the last minute it explodes on the scene at just the right spot with lots of "religious(pin) action". Again the spin is intentional and the individual has a choice in what spin they are choosing to believe.

 Because of the insidious deception that can creep into our lives because of "spin" we must be very vigilant in filtering out all the erroneous "spin" through an ever increasing knowledge of God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. He will bring us wisdom (James 3:13-17) and allow us to know the truth. 

  Finally, in bowling a lot of effort is put into keeping a very accurate score. If you mess up or miss the spare it will cost you dearly on your total score and may even cost you the game.  In religion people do a lot of things with motives of good intentions.  But the things are often  looked at, counted, and measured as a "standard for your faith".  This results in score keeping and  a lot of judgment by the people in the church. The more you do with the least amount of mess-ups the more you win in the game of religion. And the bystanders will watch and cheer you on.

  Here's my spin and the reason for this whole article. God's calling His church back to a place of Grace. He wants a people that understand what  intimacy in relationship really means. He wants our hearts not just our working hands.  For the many of His children that struggle with strongholds of addiction, pornography, anger, unforgiveness,and the list goes on, The Father is calling you to a place of Holiness which is founded on Grace.
 1 Peter 1:13-16 calls us to prepare our minds for action and for us to live in holiness. The truth is Grace says I accept you and love you no matter what you have done. And I love you enough to not leave you where you are. All I ask is that you repent, change your ways and walk in relationship with me. God says, come to me all that are burdened and suffering.....and I will give you rest.

  So you see, it's not about the spin that we can put on the ball or that we knock down all the pins every time. It's about an attitude of heart that says no matter what, each time I step up to roll the ball down the "alley of life" I will do it to honor God and bring glory to his name. That people will see the love of God in me each time I step up and roll the ball. And our Father in Heaven will then say, "Good job, my good and faithful servant!"

God Bless,
Rock