The Short Timers

I created an audio version for the visually impaired or those who prefer to listen instead of reading.

http://yourlisten.com/Sheryl.Fielding.Driggers/when-the-battle-is-bigger-than-you

As I was studying this week, I found myself in 2 Chronicles 20. I read, re-read, and re-read and as I continued to read this chapter the Holy Spirit spoke to me (not audibly) and said this is how to fight battles that are bigger than you. I feel like I have been in battles bigger than me for over 2 years. As I continued to read this chapter, I began to journal on how I have victory over battles that are waging war against me. It does not look like what culture tells us. We don’t have to carry the weight of the outcome of these battles. Yet, that is where I find myself each day. It is so ingrained in me to go figure out how to fix it all; go, do, be, get it done, figure it out, get it checked off, get it resolved, come up with a solution. Please don’t get me wrong, there are times and places for all of that in one context or another, but that is not the formula for success or for victory in the battles we face. We all have battles, they look different, but we all have battles. Maybe a marriage falling apart, a child who is making one bad decision after another, maybe a financial battle, maybe it is at work or maybe a diagnosis that feels like a punch in the gut and you don’t know how to quite catch your breath. What I found in 2 Chronicles 20; is how I desire to fight my battles.

We see in this passage, King Jehoshaphat was told that an army was coming against him.

The first thing Jehoshaphat did was Resolved to inquire of the LORD. He decided the first thing He was going to do was go to God. Not try everything on His own, then go to God when He couldn’t figure it out.

The second thing we see is Jehoshaphat Pray. In his prayer we see him:

Remind God of who God is – “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, no one can withstand you.

Next, he Reminds God of what He has done in the past – He says “Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel…” For me, I see this as more reminding myself what God has done in the past. Reminding myself of all the times God has delivered me, protected, blessed and provided. It is so easy to forget, especially amid the turmoil.

Then we see him Proclaim to God that we will cry out to Him – “We will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.”

Now he Declares to God, we will keep our eyes on You – He says “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Then we see the LORD speak! The first thing we see Him say is

Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. God knows us so deeply. He knows how fear overcomes us. He is speaking to us today, do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast ____________. You fill in the blank. What is it for you? Read it again, do not be afraid or discouraged because of whatever it is that is in front of you. Whatever that is sitting in front of you that is bigger than you can possibly face on your own; do not be afraid.

Then God says “For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Now put your battle in that context. It is not yours! It is God’s!

For a long time at this point, I thought okay the battle is God’s so let me go hide and let Him fight. But that is not what He says here. Immediately after saying to them the battle is not yours, but Mine. He says, “Tomorrow march down against them.” Now in my mind, I’m sitting here saying, What? You just told me the battle is not mine but Yours, and you want me to march down against them? And then the light bulb went off! Yes, march down! We see this all through scripture. We see Abraham march down with Isaac (trust and faith in God), we see the Israelites march around the city of Jericho (trust and faith in God), we see David march down against Goliath (trust and faith in God).

God then says, “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you.” Then He repeats again, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” “Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.” What is it that we have not been willing to face because of fear, maybe pride?

Now I really get excited to see how God delivered them. It says some of them stood up and praised the LORD, in a very loud voice. As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against their enemy. When we sing and Praise the LORD, it unleashes God’s army to fight our battles.

As I continued to study this chapter, I began asking God, what am I hiding from? The “easy” part is to declare and proclaim it is God’s battle, but there is more. We must march down, take our positions, stand firm and watch the LORD deliver us. What is it that I am hiding from because I don’t feel qualified or I am afraid? Go face it and watch the LORD’s deliverance.

Mix – Raise A Hallelujah (LIVE) – Bethel Music | VICTORY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awkO61T6i0k&list=RDawkO61T6i0k

We are excited for another opportunity to go to Haiti November 9-14, 2016.  We held our first Google Hangout Call for those interested in joining us on this trip.  This is the recording of the call for those who were not able to join us live.  If you are interested in going to Haiti with us or would like more information about the trip, please email me at [email protected]

In just a couple of short weeks I will be traveling back to Haiti to work along side Hands International organization in what is being called an Extreme Orphanage Makeover.  We will be working at the orphanage God’s Children which is currently the home to about 20 beautiful children.  You will see in these pictures the current living conditions.

We are excited to spend the week with these beautiful children, share the hope of Jesus with them and transform their a home to a healthy living space.  Supplies have been donated, shipped and awaiting for our arrival in Haiti.

This orphanage was started July of 2012 by David Baptiste and is the newest partnering orphanage with Hands International. David pours his heart and soul in efforts to provide for these  children both physically and spiritually. Now with over 20 children he struggles to find the monthly support to provide the basic necessities of food and clothes.

Our goal is to have each and everyone of these children sponsored by time we arrive in Haiti on February 14th.  Would you be willing to help?  

If you would like to support a child you may due so by giving a monthly contribution. The cost for David to provide for child with all necessities for one month is $50.  For more information visit http://www.handsint.org/godschildren/

Jesula

Studying through the book of 1 Samuel, I’ve noticed a repeated pattern of David to “inquire of the Lord” when faced with decisions to make.  What really resonated with me was reading through these passages and imagining me in those circumstances, I think it would have been easy to react to situations with what “felt” right in the heat of the moment.  A number of these decisions came from the constant threat of being killed by the King of that time, King Saul.  Saul would gather thousands of men to go search for and kill David.  And when David would find out, he would “inquire of the Lord”.  He would talk to God, the God of Israel and say “I pray tell your servant”.

Now if I was being hunted and feared death, I’m not sure I would take time to “inquire of the Lord”.  I would either run for dear life or try to gather my own thousand men army to fight. After all, isn’t that what makes sense?  I can’t tell you how many times I have been faced with decisions; ones I felt were pressing and had to be made in reactionary fashion and just made them.  Not once, “inquiring of the Lord”.  After all, decisions have to be made and lets get them made and move on, right.  Evaluate the circumstances, figure out what makes sense, and do it.

But that is not what scripture teaches, we see even Jesus go to God in prayer before making decisions.  Look in Luke 6.  We see Jesus went away to pray all night before day came where He chose His twelve apostles.  12It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. 13And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles:…

So today, my prayer is I would slow down, and learn to “inquire of the Lord” with everything.  Not just some things, not just the things I can’t figure out on my own, but also go to Him with the ones I think I have figured out on my own.

Universal Collision Center will be collecting items for Christmas Hope Packs for Haiti the entire month of September.  These packs will be shipped to Haiti in October in order to be ready for distribution during the month of December.

We are working with the non-profit organization, Hands International to provide these special Christmas packs to the families in 3 villages of Haiti, Duclos, Piatre and Montrouis.

 

Over the last several weeks I have been doing the workout program T25 with a friend of mine.  We get together each morning, plug in the T25 DVD for the day and work hard.  Shawn T, who leads the workout, says each morning, give me the best 25 minutes of your day, because this is the most important 25 minutes you will spend each day.

Now, I love to work out, I don’t have many hobbies so I would say fitness ranks as a hobby for me.  But, as much as I love working out, I love how it makes me feel, I love the pain that comes along with it, because I know it is working, it is not the most important 25 minutes of my day.  The most important 25 minutes of my day is my time with God.

As much as I want to stay in shape physically, I rather be in better spiritual health.  The time I spend alone with God trumps everything else.  There is nothing more fulfilling, nothing more energizing, nothing that can create the peace that comes from spending time with Him.  I want to know Him better, I want Him to transform me, I want Him to guide me and I don’t want to miss what He has to say.

But please don’t get me wrong, I have days where life gets busy and the first thing that is dismissed from my schedule is my quiet time with God.  Why?  When I know it is the source of everything I need for each day.  And then I wonder why I can’t figure out what the right decision is, or why I lose my patience so quickly, or why I can’t seem to get focused.

I am learning, I am a work in progress, I am so thankful His mercies are made new everyday.  I am so thankful He meets me where I am.  I am so thankful He will never leave me or forsake me.  I am so thankful He is El Roi – the God who sees me, El Shaddai – the All Sufficient One, Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider, Jehovah-Raah, my Shepherd.

I know it has been a while since I have posted on my blog.  I believe we go through different seasons in life and I have been in a season where I found myself needing to be quiet.  I am reading a book called Anonymous:  Jesus’ Hidden Years and Yours and it is helping me understand a little bit more about this time of life.

I have faced some health issues over the last year that has taken me out of my element and reminded me I am not in control.  God has taught me a lot, one of which is how important it is for me to spend time with Him daily.

So here I am today and wanted to share something God is teaching me now.  Life is a little chaotic right now.  A lot going on and I seem to have a lot of “I’m not sure what to do” moments.

I find myself lying awake at night wondering what to do.  I so desperately want to make good decisions; and not just good decisions, but ones that are led by God.  And as I lay there trying to figure things out in my mind, God quietly reminds me, this is not for you to figure out.

In those quiet moments, He said trust me, keep your eyes on me, spend time with me, I will light your path every step of the way.  Did Moses have things figured out?  What about Esther, Ruth, Naomi, Abraham?  Did they know how the plan would unfold?  No!  They did not!  I wanted them to trust me and that is what I want from you.  Please trust me.

Barrett, my 9 year old son is a lot like me in that he always wants to know the plan and if he thinks there is not one, he is happy to set one in motion.  Oh how often I find myself doing the same thing.  Sometimes we must wait patiently and simply trust God.

I find if I start out my day spending time with Him, He prioritizes my chaotic to do list and lights my path one minute at a time.

The scripture that inspired this is 2 Chronicles 20:12  …….We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.

My prayer today is that I keep my eyes on Him!