Posted on Wednesday, March 2, 2016

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.
When 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.

Posted on Saturday, February 27, 2016

Your Best Days Are Ahead

Those 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.

Posted on Tuesday, February 23, 2016

What Complaining Really Says

The 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.

Posted on Sunday, February 21, 2016

Grace Was Meant For Us

We 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.

Posted on Friday, February 19, 2016

Respect Yourself

Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer improves this better version you are becoming.

It’s a disaster to stay miserable because it’s familiar.

Fear will have you curling up to yourself. I’m asking you to reject the lure; it’s a trap to keep you fixated on the troubles.

If you know Jesus, then tap that reserve to the unfailing spring buried within. It’s time to show the natural life some supernatural power.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Posted on Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Now More Than Ever He Loves You

‘Not this time.’

Yes, this time.

‘You don’t know what I’ve done.’

It doesn’t matter.

‘But it was really bad. I knew better.’

It is covered.

‘How? Why?’

His love spreads wider and sinks deeper than anything you’ve ever thought about doing.

His compassion is the kind that chases you down with aging roots of longing.

His devoted affection has been waiting forever for you. Yes, you.

His ferocious, fiery passion is to shower you in favor; He has forgiven it all.

His gut-wrenching yearning for you paid a price in blood so that you could come home to be with Him.

His arms remain open with kindness. His friendship anticipates holding you closer.

His mercy desires the ashes you have to offer. Bring your brokenness and mistakes. Hand over your battles and the hurt. The grace of God intends to trade them all for abounding beauty and joy. He breathes resurrection into your life.

His unfailing love chose you before you could ever choose Him. His entire existence is made to love you. He longs to lavish and bathe you in a spring of all-consuming peace.

Leave behind your regrets. Don’t try fixing it yourself. Just come as you are.

He loves you now more than ever. The Father’s arms are open wide and waiting…

Posted on Saturday, February 13, 2016

Fools Rush In

Wait For Your Mate

The heartbreak of being lonely temporarily is far less painful than the heartbreak of giving your heart to someone permanently and then discovering they didn’t deserve it, leaving you broken and left to start over again.

You don’t even have to walk down the aisles filled with chocolate covered hearts to see that Valentine’s Day is around the corner; the heart-shaped balloons rise above the shelves while splashes of red and pink spill out over the endcaps and shout out with offers in checkout lanes.

If you’re single, the temptation is label your quiet nights as loneliness and exchange the peace in this place where God has you for the romanticized role the rest of the world plays during this time of year.

I want to challenge you to change your pout into praise.

He sees your pain but it’s His love that is keeping you out of the wrong relationship. It is His favor that is telling you ‘no’. He loves you too much. It’s His grace that is protecting you. He is saving you some time if you’ll wait and listen.

God has a significant plan for your life.

His love for you is specific and exclusive to you. He loves you too much to get caught up in writing your story the same as those surrounding you.

He’s working behind the scenes moving some things out of your life right now.

When we hurt, it’s easy to someone into the deep cracks of our heart because their smooth words soothe the aches. But here’s the problem. One day we may realize that the pain is still there and their words were just words, with no substance to hold us as we heal.

Hurting hearts attract other hurting hearts. If you’re hurting, here is your destiny.

A healthy heart attracts the reflection of healing and wholeness.

So let the Creator mend those broken places and bring the right one to you, in the right time.

Taking it one step further; be careful not to let this ‘loneliness’ lure you into platonic relationships that don’t hold you to being a better version of yourself.

You want someone who is encouraging but who also isn’t shy to ask the challenging questions. A friend who will sit with you in the slums of life but who also doesn’t let you stay there.

Every relationship needs filtering through the voice of God and the Word of God over your life. If they don’t fit, they don’t need to remain. Do you trust the Lord, your Provider, to bring you the right team in the right time?

Get direction from God on who’s in your life. Sometimes we forget that even Jesus had to pray about who He surrounded himself with.

Do you want to please people at the expense of your own destiny?

Hold your ground in trusting the Lord to work it all out in His perfect timing.

Posted on Thursday, February 11, 2016

Travel Light If You Want To Go Far

If you want to go far, you’ve got to learn to travel light.

We all have baggage to some degree hanging around from the last journey. Part of you will want to stuff what’s familiar into your bags ‘just in case’.

But picking up the weight you had on the last trip will only be a burden on this road to where you’re heading now.

Where you’re going requires freedom to jump into new opportunities.

You need a clear mind and alertness to dodge the casualties up ahead.

A humble heart is your guide to accepting direction from those who’ve been on these roads before.

My best advice for those looking to travel far in life is to pack light.

Take off all your pride and selfishness, the envy and unforgiveness, and leave fear behind.

Posted on Monday, February 8, 2016

When You Lose Your Enthusiasm

When you have no vision from God, no enthusiasm left in your life, and no one watching and encouraging you, it requires the grace of Almighty God to take the next step.

Just to take a step to the table to receive His Word, you need His grace.

To lean into your family life when the demands are mundane and never seem to end, you’ve got to have His grace.

To press in for more community and the pursuit of friends when everything in you wants to pull back… it is absolutely necessary to have His grace.

When you lose interest in the things around you and everyday life seems filled with the trivial tasks, it is by the grace of God that you can persevere.

Receiving His grace takes a greater awareness of drawing nearer to Him.

The only way to live an undefeated life is to live looking to God. Ask Him to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the Heavens, and it will be impossible for drudgery to discourage you.

And be cautious of thinking that some tasks are beneath your dignity or too insignificant for you to do. Remind yourself of the example of Christ.

May your heart unfold and the petals of your spiritual devotion, family life and community of friends blossom in this fresh light today, and may all your dreams take flight.

Posted on Monday, February 1, 2016

Do You Love Me

This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. (John 21:17)

The hurt here described the questioning from Jesus to our souls, do we really love him? This isn’t a physical pain, but a soul searching suffering. It’s a deeper hurt that questions our desire for Jesus.

The devil can’t inflict this kind of soul pain because he cannot read our thoughts or know the deeper things.

Sin can’t cause this kind of hurt and human emotions can’t even touch it. The brokenness from a heartbreak in an earthly relationship has nothing on the piercing of Jesus’ question to our soul, ‘do you love me?’

I picture myself standing there, here, and Jesus is saying, ‘do you love me?’

The immediate response from my lips is, ‘yes!’

And then he asks me again, ‘do you love me?’

And now I start to look back over my day to find the proof that when I said ‘yes’ the first time, it wasn’t just a reflexive word; I’m looking for evidence.

I examine the motives behind my work because wisdom tells me He doesn’t just want a list of deeds. ‘Lord, you know that I love you. I rise early with the DESIRE to be alone with you, not just out of a habit or duty.’

But then he asks me a third time, ‘do you love me?’

And at this juncture, I don’t think I’m standing face to face with Him anymore. I can feel the painful questioning sink my body like an anchor. My knees hit the floor, it hurts too much to respond because I think that I do and yet I know that I don’t, fully.

Between the tears, I still say ‘yes’.

Do you love me? This was Jesus’ question to Peter, yet He asks us the same thing. Is there a conviction of love in your soul that propels your hands and feet and compels your entire being to reflect love?

It’s easy to confess with our mouths the revelations we have had or testify how much we love God, but he’s asking to ‘pour yourself out’ to the sheep who can’t take care of themselves, the ones who get pushy and on your nerves, those that look filthy and it’s hard to touch, and every single one that has gone astray.

Human emotion will get you into trouble here. God’s love does not operate out of your understanding.

Lock eyes and love lavishly to every last one.

It’s impossible to exhaust God’s love, and it is impossible to exhaust your love if it flows from the Spirit of God within you.

Trisha Keehn

Living in the midst of gravity and grace. Biblical perspective for when life doesn't make sense.