Category Archives: Living the Christian Life

Living the Christian life is a journey of suffering and joy. It’s a road on the way to Damascus. These stories include what it means to live as a fisher of men in modern day times.

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When Deliverance Looks Different

What happens when delivery from the pain looks different than our request? Could you be missing out on the blessing because your sight is set too short?

On that day, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a borrowed donkey’s colt, one that had never been ridden before. The disciples spread their cloaks on the donkey for Jesus to sit on, and the multitudes came out to welcome Him, laying before Him their cloaks and the branches of palm trees. The people hailed and praised Him as the “King who comes in the name of the Lord” as He rode to the temple, where He taught the people, healed them, and drove out the money-changers and merchants who had made His Father’s house a “den of robbers” (Mark 11:17).

Jesus’ purpose in riding into Jerusalem was to make public His claim to be their Messiah and King of Israel in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Zechariah 9:9).

Jesus rode into the capital city on a donkey and the people praised Him, hailing “Hosanna, Hosanna”. They didn’t see Him as a Savior from sin, but as a deliverer from the trouble. They thought he would lead them in a revolt against Rome.

Jesus rode in on a donkey, the King of Kings came in on a donkey, trishakeehn.com, deliverance came on a donkeyBut Jesus didn’t meet their expectations, when He refused to rebel against the Roman authority by force, and the crowds quickly turned on Him. Within just a few days, their hosannas changed to cries of “Crucify Him!” (Luke 23:20-21).

They hailed Him as a hero when they thought He would deliver exactly what they wanted. They rejected Him when it looked different than their own desires.

It sounds strangely familiar to what we do with Jesus when He wants to do things differently in our lives. Sometimes our rejection looks like this: we stop praying when he doesn’t answer, we stop reading the bible when nothing is changing, we stop serving others when we feel stretched, we quit forgiving when we hurt, we stop sacrificing when we don’t get something in return, and we stop giving when our finances feel strapped.

Sometimes we discount the power in deliverance when it looks different.

 

Things may look differently with Jesus than you’d like them to be. Don’t let go. The Maker of Heaven and Earth created you for good things. He promised to supply every need (Philippians 4:19), cover every offense (2 Corinthians 12:9), and in ALL things work for the good to those who love and serve Him faithfully (Romans 8:28).

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What Are You Reflecting?

unwavering love of God, trishakeehn.comYou are made in the image of God, loved by God, and nothing can touch that. His love for you is unwavering.

God wasn’t any happier when your work got published or the nameplate was put on your door. He didn’t hold you higher in His heart because you created a charity, gave $100 to a homeless man or prayed on your knees for two hours.

God’s approval isn’t something you can earn.

When you make the decision to serve the Lord and be in ‘the house of worship’ on Sunday and Wednesday and sometimes Saturday, it’s actually for you, not God.

Being in church gives you a safe refuge to seek the source of unselfish love. Here you learn from others who have discovered the Truth and live it. Sunday is where you refill the reservoir of wisdom to love from His Word.

When you give from the love in your heart, this isn’t so that you receive better standing with people or God or get something tangible in return.

The love you share with others is simply a reflection of what you’re willing to accept and understand about God’s love for you.

The source of love will never let your well go dry as long as you keep coming back to receive His supply.

God will always love you the same yesterday, today and tomorrow… no matter what you’re willing to give.

 

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The Power Is In A Prayer

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. (James 5:13-18)

Just like Elijah prayed a supernatural prayer, you can do the same. When you pray, God hears that. When you’re sick or down, prayer is the powerful and effective elixir. Your prayers produce results. If you don’t pray, you don’t get results. You have not because you ask not.

Pray about everything.

Nothing is too small to bring to God.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

power of prayer, trishakeehn.comWhen we pray, God hears. If you have any need in your life, be encouraged; God is listening.

When you take a step of faith and join hands with a prayer partner, something shifts in the supernatural realm. The bible reminds us that prayer is stronger when there are more people petitioning to God on our behalf (Matthew 18:20). It’s hard to be honest about the struggles, but when you can set aside your fear and pride, there’s a level of power a team of prayers can tap into that a single prayer doesn’t have.

The healing power of God is available. The anointing power of favor from the Holy Spirit is present. Whether you feel it or not, the Lord is here.

Your prayers can bend the Lord’s ear. Your whisper for His help can break the bondage and every chain that has you hostage in Jesus’ name. If you’re looking for a mate, start with a prayer. When you’re in search of purpose, place your hope in a prayer.

You don’t need eloquent speech to come before God or lengthy paragraphs of requests. The only thing He asks is for you to come. Bring the genuine heart He created in you and the authentic words that come out of your mouth. That’s how He wants you to come.

If your struggle has you tongue tied, here’s a place to start…

Heavenly Father, I come before you in this moment and ask for strength in the struggle. I know that when I call on Jesus’ name, every addiction and power that has a hold on me must come down. And so I declare Jesus’ healing power over the things that are luring my mind and heart away from your best, Lord. Any ounce of me that is craving the old life, I denounce right now in the saving blood of Christ. I declare that it has no hold on me that Jesus hasn’t already overcome. And so I call on the strong tower of Christ over this stronghold and walk in His mighty power lifted high above any grip on my mind, on my soul, and on my will. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“Do not dwell upon your inner failings… Just do this: Bring your soul to the Great Physician – exactly as you are, even and especially at your worst moment… For it is in such moments that you will most readily sense His healing presence.” – Teresa of Avila

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Where Is Your Focus?

Jesus, we love you.

focus on God, where is your focus, trishakeehn.comI don’t know how you’re feeling, what you’re facing or how you’ve stumbled across this post, but when we make the decision to focus our attention on Jesus with all the adoration of our heart, it’s amazing how the things of the earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

It’s just like the captivating rays of the sun. When your eyes look into the brilliant spectrum of light, everything else on this earth fades in comparison to this glorious light.

A glimpse of His greatness, His grace and His great love for us can consume every heartache and disappointment. There’s something incredibly powerful when we’re magnifying Him in our mind and with our emotions. All the things of this world become small and insignificant in the light of His majesty.

What are you glorifying today; your schedule, your problems, the setbacks or something bigger than them all?

Where’s your praise today? Jesus is here. His presence is alive and He’s asking for your focus today.

We thank You Jesus for your grace, your love, your goodness, and your favor. We thank you that we can stand here in your grace and live in your free unmerited favor that you have bestowed on us.

Heavenly Father, we come here confident as your children, your sons and daughters. We know you are a good Father, who is for us and on our side. We thank you that You think of us. That your plans are for a future filled with hope and that you have plans to prosper us. We thank you that You are with us right now. We thank you that You are our present help in time of need. We thank you that You are our refuge. You are our strong tower. We thank you  that even now, in this season and moment of life, You are with us. We thank you for your goodness, your love and your grace, Jesus. Amen.

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Does Your Story Need A Rewrite

“I love you this much,” He said.

It wasn’t for the sake of being a martyr or making a scene with something so drastic to prove a point. They called it punishment.

Jesus Christ, sacrifice on the cross, symbol of grace, symbol of love, trishakeehn.comHe accepted the pain as a price so you wouldn’t have to know the excruciating death of sin.

The very things that try to tie your mind down to a cross of condemnation and shame have been defeated once and for all. Anything that has you bound to a beam of depression, negativity or addiction, I declare by the blood and unchanging name of our Savior Jesus, these too have been brought to the grave.

He marched up that hill and paid your entrance fee. It’s time to stop making excuses for why you can’t come to this place of freedom.

The end has already been written. This story doesn’t have a rewrite.

What was once a symbol of pain became a story of grace that day His love covered the ground we stand on. What symbol of pain are you still clinging to?

Reaching down from Heaven, the Lord is handing you a quill, filled with the crimson ink of Christ. It’s time to edit your story. And when you return to Him one day, my prayer is that your chapters have corrections marked in mercy and strength. That your page in His book will be packed with new paragraphs of peace, and extra spaces replaced with great purpose.

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” – Romans 5:1-6

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When You Want To Give Up

Isaiah 45:5-6, rising sun, the Lord is the Author, trishakeehn.comHe’s the Author and the Finisher of our Faith. He’s all about finishing what He began in your life. He’s more passionate about your purpose than you are.
 
When you look at what you’ve accomplished as your own doing, you must also accept your own unraveling. May I encourage you with this reminder that what He started, He will finish.
 
When doors don’t fly open in your timing, remember His timing is perfect and your time is coming! It’s easy to get overwhelmed by discouragement from “no’s”. Remind the enemy of your faith that the Author is the Finisher. God has a plan here. You can rest in the confidence of knowing that God is going to provide your “yes”.
 
The Lord will finish what He began. It might not look the way you want it to look, but He’s going to get the work done whether the people you had in mind want to be a part of it or not. Nothing can prohibit God’s purpose through you. No lack of support is going to move you out of the position of your purpose.
 
Believe God has your best in mind.
 
“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
 
“I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:5-6
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When Life Is Difficult

Life may have you competing for better positioning, or standing at the edge of your patience right now. Maybe it has you on the floor with fear or drowning in your own tears. I can’t take away the pain or turmoil, but as your sister in Christ, I want to point you to the One on the throne who is listening even now, standing ready and willing to encourage you today.
encouragement of the cross, the cross sits is at the center, look the crossWhen the day intersects with difficulties, may you land on the fresh encouragement of the cross there at the center of your decisions. Refocus. The cross is always at the center when you shift your gaze. May you be empowered to rise above the rough places to see the perspective here; the Lord has already paved a straight path to victory for you. It’s covered in grace and certainty. Be expectant when it doesn’t look the way you thought it would; He’s a God of surprises and delights to bring even better things than you can comprehend.

There is power in your stance. So pull your shoulders back, feel the strength in your body and lift that head up knowing whose we are. He is the Author and Finisher, and He’s penned your story with the good things. (Proverbs 28:10)

Jesus, we’re thankful for your grace. It means there’s no amount of human effort that can change the ending. We are covered by a love that paid the price with the blood of Jesus, once and for all. Signed, sealed and delivered for the freedom of God’s children. The chains of addiction, shame, and depression have been broken. The strongholds of negativity, anger and negativity have no power over the Lord’s purpose and plan for your life.

Grace has put us in the winner’s circle. Our strength comes from the Lord who has already overcome anything and everything that should come against us today. Breathe new life into us, Lord. Restore hope and purpose in us. Help us to be quick to resist temptation and make decisions that honor you. Thank you, Lord for the wisdom to make great decisions in life. Thank you for going before us and making our path straight.

Lord, we ask that you open the right doors and close the wrong doors. Bring the right people and weed out those who should not be there. Help our spiritual ears and eyes to be open and sensitive to your voice so we can clearly hear what the Spirit is saying.

You are the true and living God and we thank you that you are bigger than anything we are facing. You are fighting for us, Almighty God, and all those against us will fail by the power of your strong arm. I thank you Lord that every force of darkness is broken in the name of Jesus. And we thank you for bringing healing, peace and joy to your children.

Help us to let this light of yours shine brighter in us this week, Lord. Help us to restore the broken and lift the fallen. Lord, you said you would be a friend who sticks closer than a brother. So I pray that anyone experiencing loss or unfair situations may feel the comfort from your arms wrapped around them today.

Thank you Lord, for joy that comes in the morning. Thank you for a new day of victory and hope that is springing up inside. Thank you for restoring a vision of new beginnings. We thank you for restoring health physically, spiritually and emotionally.

We declare we are strong in the Lord and the power of Your might, Jesus! Amen.

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Your Best Days Are Ahead

best days are ahead, trishakeehn.comThose who live by the law also live in the land of ‘what if’. It’s time to stop rewinding the reel of your broken dreams.
 
The law says, ‘look at what I did’. Grace says, ‘look at what Jesus did.’
 
The devil can’t stand to see you free. He might be surrounding you with discouragement and disappointment now. Hang on, Friend. Wait on the Lord. You shall have your strength renewed soon and mount up on eagle’s wings.
 
Trust the Father with your future. Your best days are not behind you, they are still out in front of you.
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What Complaining Really Says

complaining, your problems are under God's palm, God's power is bigger than your problemThe most powerful words in the world are the ones you use to talk about yourself and your situation. When you choose those words to be praise first, you put your problem in its proper position; under the palm of the Lord.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. (Psalm 100:4)

And if it’s that kind of day and you don’t know where to begin praising Him, Psalm 104 will give you a good start.

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Grace Was Meant For Us

grace, love of God, Jesus gave us graceWe celebrate Love today. Love that woke you up this morning even after…
 
Some of you are still standing at the cross with your hands full of shame; the enemy has you holding onto the pain of your wretchedness. It was really bad what you said, what you did.
 
But Love. Love reached down from the Heavens and asked for everything in your hands and said, ‘it is covered’.
 
The enemy’s primary weapon against you is shame. If he can get you to walk in shame, you won’t come to the altar and ask God for forgiveness. Accepting the high gift of grace draws you closer to the Father and that’s exactly what the devil doesn’t want you to do. The enemy wants you walking around expecting punishment.
 
Here’s what I want you to know: Jesus already went to the cross for that. You can come boldly to His throne with the tears and the pain and leave it there and He’ll be glad you came. His love and grace was meant for you and me.