Jagged, Dull, Sharp or freely give to Father?

Before I started reading my Bible for today my sister, Angi, called me and said, “Wendi, I know you’re going to be sitting on the first verse. You’re going to want to plant there. Be ready.” We both laughed because she knows how I can read a verse and get stuck on a word  or phrase in the verse, sit and chew on it, then write a whole bunch about what it means to me. Well, I am here to tell you this is exactly what occurred as I was reading the first verse. I texted her to tell her I was ‘planting’ on 2 Kings 10:32 (which was the first verse of today’s reading) and she sent me a text back saying, “I’m sooooooo chuckling.” The following is how Holy Spirit and I communicated to each other when I read it.

2 Kings 10:32 “In those days the Lord began to cut off parts of Israel; and Hazael conquered them…” (Side note: when I read the word Israel, I often like to replace it with the words the Church, His people or my name.)

            Sometimes we don’t understand the why’s and how’s of God but one thing is for sure, He has a master plan and we are a part of it. Today let’s release anything He is asking us to cut off of our lives. Let’s let it go freely, trusting in His master plan and that He will either return it or replace it with something far greater.

Sometimes we hold so tightly to the things, attitudes, emotions, and people of this world, which causes us to lose our focus. We hear Father graciously asking us to let them go and hear His warnings to be careful with what we have so it doesn’t replace His right standing in our lives. When we choose to keep these things He’s requested then He comes and divides those parts from our lives. He often comes gently first and He sometimes comes with a mighty penetrating sword because He knows these things we have held so dear will cause such devastation to ourselves, others and our relationship with Him.

When we offer God our lives, every part, and do not hold anything too tightly (except our undying love and affection for Him), He never has to come with a knife, sword, or blade. He simply approaches us and asks for what He wants and we freely hand Him what He desires. When we do this we are telling ourselves, others, the world and our enemies we are trusting Him to take care of what we have been given, no matter what it is be it our children, hopes, fears, or other precious commodities. I can hear Him saying after He asks for the items from us, “I got this.” He does, you know. He’s embraces us so close and securely we cannot help but understand and know we are knitted into His Kingdom and His being.

Let us be vigilant to give Him liberally of all He asks and not use our jagged knives to separate ourselves from the safe position of being hidden in the shadow of His wings. For when we use our rough daggers the cuts are often tragically more profound and harder to heal than when He comes and slivers away the things that distract us from Him, His Kingdom, His principles, His love, His people and more.

Father longs for us to be the conquerors and not the conquered. Let us then take time to solely and soul-y surrender the things He asks for so we can walk in newness of life. Let us rely on Him to even heal the jagged wounds we have done to ours and others minds, hearts, bodies, will and spirits by what we are continually doing, thinking, saying, hearing, tasting, feeling and more. Let us, by His power and His might, tower over our flesh AND our enemies and boldly proclaim, “Not today! Not this minute! Not this hour! My flesh will not have all dominion, all power, or all authority over me today! But TODAY Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, You Three will have all power, dominion, voice, and authority over, in and through me! Today is Your day, o Lord! Yours is the kingdom. Yours is the power. Yours is the glory, forever and ever. Today, this very minute of this hour, I choose. . .FREEDOM!” We can say boldly today, “The Lord reigns in every territory of my life, not just for a brief moment but for the length and breadth of my days on this earth.”

            11:2 Let us realize that when Father asks for an area of our lives He is stealing us away from those things and enemies who long for death to manifest in and upon us. Let us grasp our Father hiding us and tending to our needs, longing for us to be nestled in His arms. Let us heed His cries for our safety. Let us listen to Him through others He has sent to care for us as well.

            Let us resolve to stay within the house of the Lord. Let us allow the Lord to keep watch, guard and escort us for He will not allow us to be broken down when we are fixing our eyes completely on Him. He surrounds us entirely on all sides with every weapon necessary to defeating those ideas, desires, and habits that we have chosen to cast away from to our death! Let us remember, He is with us when we come in, and when we go out!

            How incredible You are, O Lord! How merciful and righteous You are! Your love knows No bounds, nor does Your protection. You alone are God and our hope is in You once again. We are giving You all that we are, all that we have, all that we have done for You to tend carefully. Our lives are forever in Your hands and loving arms.

            11:11You guard and protect us as far left is from right and up is from down from ourselves, others and our enemies. When we allow You to do this, it enables You to show the true King of kings and Lord of lords, Who has the most glorious of all crowns, through our lives.

You have placed kingdom authority upon and within our hearts and lives as well. 12 You have crowned us with righteousness and anointed us for Your name’s sake. You have saturated us in Your kingdom and Your kingdom has no end! Long live Spirit! Long live Jesus! Long live Father! We choose to make You KING over everything today.

11:17 Let us also choose to renew our covenants (commitments) with the Lord that we should be His people. 18 As He exposes the areas He wants let us break them into pieces. Let us slay them to their very cores thus assigning (19) Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit as Rulers in our lives on their rightful thrones. 20 It is then when we can truly rejoice! It is then when our souls are at peace.

12:1 Since we have chosen to do these things, let us again choose to continue to do what is right in the sight of Father all the days of our lives. 12 Let us trust Father to take care of all damages, gaping wounds and scars that occur to us, for we live in a world where pain, unfairness, broken heartedness, sickness and death are prevalent. It is essential for us to remember He is big enough and strong enough to restore everything the enemy drives our way whether it is through illness, tragedy or people.

17-18 Let us be careful to keep the possessions Father gives us and not walk up and hand it to our flesh, others or the enemies of our souls. Yet, if Father asks us to give these gifts to others, let us do so accordingly, knowing that every good and perfect gift is from above and He will either replace it or grant something fresh in its place.

Acts 18:5 Let us also be very watchful to keep the blessings, teachings, convictions and promises Father gives us near and dear to our hearts while we expectantly wait to be compelled by Holy Spirit in all that we do. Let us also tune our ears to Holy Spirit’s leading to share with others Jesus is the Christ. We must remember although we are led by the Spirit to minister to people they may not receive our message and we, like Paul, (7) can choose to depart from them and go tell others who WILL (8) believe on the Lord with all their households as well as others. Father will send us to those who will hear, believe and be.

9 The same words Father spoke to Paul He speaks to us, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with You and no one will attack you or hurt you, for I have many in this city.” Let us continue where he has positioned us, teaching God’s word among the people. 13 Let it be known of us that we persuade men, women and children by the power of Holy Spirit to worship Father and trust in Jesus as their Savior, which is contrary to the passions of this world.

Psalm 145:1 Let us praise His works to one another and declare His mighty acts. 5 Let us meditate on His glorious splendor and wondrous works. 8 How gracious and compassionate is the Lord? Has He been slow to anger with us? Has He been great in mercy? 10 Yes! All His works praise Him, let us join in the anthem, join in the song of those whose hearts and lives are fixed on Him.

11 We resolve to choose to speak of Your glory, talk of Your power and (12) will make known Your mighty acts. 14 For You uphold us when we fall and raise us up when we are bowed low. 16 You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living creature. You and You alone are the only One Who can and delights to do so. How glorious! How priceless! How majestic! How magnificent You are!

18 You come even nearer when we call to You and again fulfill every desire for those who fear You. You hear our cries and save us! HALLELUJAH!!! We agree to engage every ounce of our body, soul and spirit to bless Your Holy name forever!

Proverbs 18:1 “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment.” This is exactly what I was doing when I was overeating in the months of March, April, May and June. This is what I do when I prefer my will over His will; I willingly isolate myself from the BEST He has to offer me. I thank God He is faithful, just and forgiving of my sins as I confess them to Him throwing them as far as the east is from the west.

Selah (means pause and think about this).

  

*The italicized portions of this note are prayers.