relationships
More intention, less obligation
A new year, a new decade, a new beginning. A clean canvas to fill. 358 days to paint within. What colours and word are you going to choose for the painting of this next chapter? What will you make space for within the framework of this year?
Beginnings hold potential; potential to transition you into a new trajectory in life; potential for blooming. It often takes boldness to begin, for beginnings can feel both bare and brutal, big and beautiful, blurry and bright all at the same time.
Whether your beginning to this new year feel beautiful, blurry, or brutal (or something completely else), I pray you're awake to your heart's desire.
One of my desires for the new year, and even decade, is to live more out of intention than obligation.
An obligation is defined as a duty, a debt (of gratitude for a service or favour) and being bound morally and legally to someone or something. Obligation is not all bad. The bible speaks about how we are obligated to:
- Take care of our families (1 Tim 5:4 AMP talks about it both being a religious duty and a natural obligation).
- Speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and profound respect for His precepts (James 3:10 AMP).
- Walk and conduct ourselves just as Jesus walked and conducted Himself if we claim Him as God and Saviour (1 John 2:6 AMP - moral obligation).
- Follow the Spirit's promptings instead of the flesh's demands (Romans 8:12 AMP).
- Walk in His ways, His statutes, His commandments, His precepts, and His testimonies (1 Kings 2:3 AMP).
- Righteousness (Romans 6:20 TPT).
Obligations keep us accountable to the ones we love; to our God and our families.
Where obligation gets unhealthy is when the vision for our own life is altered and others' agenda instead get to dictate our days. It affects our fruit and our freedom. Focus and effectiveness is rarely evident in our lives when we are dragged in different directions due to the pursuit of pleasing others:
"But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing!" Romans 13:11 MSG (my emphasis).
It's so easy to live unintentionally with no aim and just do what's demanded of us each day - to go about our errands, stay long for that birthday party because you feel obligated to, keep meeting up with a friend because you always have done it and so on. It's beautiful wanting to delight others. But when these above examples are done to earn approval or acceptance, you wear yourself out. God cares about the motive for our actions, though they look good on the outside:
"Though they fast, I will not hear their cry; and though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them [because they are done as obligations, and not as acts of loving obedience]" (my emphasis).
God doesn't wants dreadful, dutiful, dulled actions with no heart in it. He wants our loving obedience to the assignment He is waiting for us to steward. He wants our hearts, our all, surrendered before Him. He wants us focused and awake, not sidetracked by others' agendas, demands and expectations of you:
"Since we are approaching the end of all things, be intentional, purposeful, and self-controlled so that you can be given to prayer" 1 Peter 4:7 TPT (my emphasis).
He has an assignment for you this season which takes prioritisation. He wants to partner with you to give your dreams legs.
If you're up for that shift in life, I believe 2020 can be the year where you’ll live more out of intention and less out of obligation. Jesus' death marked the transition from the old plan to the new one, canceling your old obligations once and for all (Heb 9,16 MSG). Therefore you can resist and refuse those who try to tie oppressive burdens of religious obligations on your back (Matthew 23:4 TPT).
Instead, by your beautiful intentions you can continue to do what brings pleasure to him (1 John 3,22 TPT). You can finish what you started last year without intentions growing stale. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't (2 Corinthians 8:10 MSG).
As you're intentional with your time, treasure and talent this year, you'll make space for new births. It will move you out of being stuck in transition and into the trajectory for your life.
You've got what it takes to finish it up, so get to it. Your heart's been in the right place all along.
Whether you intentionally begun this new year or you have stumbled into it, the matter of fact is that it has begun! And though what you have intended to build into this year seem insignificant, know that the Lord delights in small beginnings and asks us not to despise them.
Remember the promise that “[...]Though your beginning was insignificant, yet your end will greatly increase” Job 8:7 AMP (my emphasis).
More intention, less obligation in Jesus' name.
Walk in His liberty.
All the best,
Sandra Hultén.
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Picture: Sophie Vestergård (instagram-handle: @sophvest).
Endless energy
Endless energy, boundless strength (Ephesians 1:15 MSG) Doesn't that sound attractive, appealing and plain amazing?
Well, endless energy is not normally the first thing that comes to mind when describing a new mum as I am. Quite the contrary, sleep deprivation is often worn as a badge of honour!
Nevertheless, endless energy was what my husband recently spoke over me to describe what he believed God would do for me in this season. Clearly he possesses the spiritual gift of faith 😜 (he actually does) and I do want to claim that word 🙋♀️Anyone else?
Energy is defined as 'the capacity for doing work' and it's God-given:
"It was God giving me the work to do, God giving me the energy to do it!" 1 Corinthians 15:10 MSG.
We've all been given a portion of energy to steward and we're promised that "...your strength will equal your days" Deuteronomy 33:25 NIV.
Our spiritual, emotional and physical energy levels are affected by how we steward it. When we spiritually keep ourselves ablaze, emotionally guard our hearts and renew our minds, and physically choose well regarding diet and exercise, we reap energy. Our energy is also positively affected by passion for what we do and can be negatively affected by mental or physical illness.
I 'm not naturally an energetic person. Part of me is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire, as Eugene Peterson paraphrases Mark 14:37 in the Message Translation.
Therefore, it encourages me that any believer can be energised for good works by the power of the Holy Spirit:
"Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure" Philippians 2:12 MSG.
Imagine one believer living like this, and then imagine a body of believers living an energetic life of salvation. The passionate energy of the church can make hell run out of breath! ( like it says in Matth 16,18 MSG"... a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.")
We can be like Stephen who "... brimming with God's grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them" Acts 6:8 MSG.
We can be like Jesus who felt energy discharging from him when people came to him for healing and restoration (Mark 5:30 MSG).
We can spend our energy to get along and encourage one other as the apostle Paul encourages us to (Romans 14:19 MSG).
Practically, we can choose to fill ourselves with His living Word which will fuel us: "For we have the living Word of God, which is full of energy" Hebrews 4:12 MSG.
Are you ready for a Winter full of endless energy?
Then I pray that God will make you fit for what he's called you to be, and that He'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so it all amounts to something (2 Thessalonians 1:11 MSG).
Endless energy, boundless strength (Ephesians 1:15 MSG) is your portion in Jesus' name.
Picture by Sophie Vestergård.
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The road of revelation
“You are the revelation-light in my darkness, and in your brightness I can see the path ahead” Psalm 18:28 TPT.
Financial revival is in the air. That’s what my senior pastor Brian Houston has declared over the Hillsong congregation for the year of 2019.
Revival happens corporately when individuals personally experience revival.
Some synonyms of revival are advancement, comeback, improvement, upswing, restoration and resurrection!
Yes and amen. I want in on that.
The godly outcome of financial revival for believers is that it enables the church body to take care of their own families, share with their faith community, invest in good noble causes, leave an inheritance to the next generation and be generous - a blessing to the world.
Any prophetic word needs our partnership and decree to see it become our own personal reality.
For me, this word seems timely and strategic; right on point with what God is already up to in my life. It’s an echo of a voice already heard and a process already started. It rings true. Confirms and reassures. And how important to weigh a word like that. Against THE Word and your own Rhema words that are highlighted and quickened in your spirit for the season you’re in and about to step into by faith.
Let me testify to what practical partnership with a word of God can look like.
I am not naturally great with numbers nor money. I have to work at being wise and knowledgeable to steward well what God each month entrusts me to steward.
I’ve had to debunk some false beliefs around finances. One of them being that it’s selfish to take care of myself and my household. The great focus on giving in churches had me swing on the extreme pendulum of giving what I didn’t have for years! I gave out of weakness, not strength. The result was debt.
Even though the bible never calls debt a sin-issue, it is never mentioned in a positive light as the higher road, the wisdom way, either. It talks about it crippling and enslaving me though culture calls debt natural and necessary. Culture sells consumer debt as attractive to keep up with the Joneses so you can own a house, new furniture and a car at 30. But who says that’s where you need to be at? After all, mere appearances are not what we’re called to aim after. Nor to live similar lives. Rather, solid foundations and depth (not debt) manifesting from the inside out is how the upside down kingdom works. Integrity matters. Not what you have, when you have it or what it looks like to others.
Side note is, your debt spiritually speaking is paid for in full so no condemnation here if you have debt! Also, there are good and bad debt. There’s so much to say on this and nuances too I won’t go into here.
The point is, I needed a revelation of how a poverty mindset made me live in lack and neglect of my what was within my own yard to garden. I needed revelation-light to shine on the unhealthy parts of my heart that looked down on those not sacrificing in the way I did. I needed excuses to stop and false beliefs to be broken. I needed to believe I could get victory in this area. Maybe you need that too?
As my need for revelation in this area was revealed, I began to search for it and have hope that even though I’m neither a practical, detailed or math-wired person, I can learn to practically outwork the financial counsel of the bible in my life.
It’s not there to frustrate me but to free me.
As the counsel of the word and gifted people in the area of biblical finances began to guide me, divine design is beginning to protect me as the scripture below promises:
“If you choose to follow good counsel, divine design will watch over you and understanding will protect you from making poor choices” Proverbs 2:11 TPT.
A budget now makes me stay on track. Where guilt abounded with my nice-to-have spending, enjoyment now resides because nice-to-haves are planned for.
I’m aware of the temptations to rationalise emotional spending. There’s room for being spoiled once in a while but I don’t let it ruin the whole picture of the direction I’m going in my budget and ultimately what that finance empower me to do in life.
Living below my means does mean that my life no longer looks like I am somewhere in life I am not. I can no longer support all the causes I did beforehand. I live in a cheaper apartment and I go on holidays only if I can afford it.
Because I now have a long-term vision for what I want to spend my money on, I can better welcome sacrifice in my present.
Telling my money where to go is intentional, creates freedom and builds into my long term goals and dreams.
Life in the faith lane is beautiful. There are never-ending layers of revelation to tap into. Each layer gives new light to walk out life with wisdom.
“The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together” Psalm 19:7 MSG.
So, revival is in the air.
Where do you need to AWAKE to new revelation?
If it’s in the area of finances as it was for me, I declare and decree blessing over you that’ll cause ripple effects of momentum for the body of Christ all over. When Jesus’ body on the earth is strengthened financially, it can’t help but cause His light to shine brighter. As we lend our strength through our open hands, we’re reaching those who are still walking in darkness.
Let’s pray with King David… “Teach me how to make good decisions, and give me revelation-light, for I believe in your commands” Psalm 119:68 TPT.
Also, how good is mercy? We get what we don't deserve. As you start walking in your new revelation and abandon your old ways, I believe God declares over your former:
"Her debt of sin is paid for, and she will not be treated as guilty. Prophesy to her that she has received from the hand of Yahweh twice as many blessings as all her sins" Isaiah 40:2 TPT.
Let it be your portion. Bless you.
Picture by Sophie Vestergård (Instagram-handle: @sophvest)
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Your delivery has arrived
Have you ever been waiting for a package delivery?
When ‘track-and-trace’ updates me it's time to check my mail box for an arrived package, I get excited, and when the delivery is on time, it's just the best!
However, sometimes delays happen that cause anxiety as to when I'll end up receiving the product I ordered and is expecting.
The same anxiety can show up in our spiritual and emotional waiting room of life whether the delivery is something we're about to be given (like a package), something we're about to give birth to physically or spiritually or we're waiting for something or someone to deliver us!
For me personally, I'm waiting for the delivery of our baby who is due tomorrow! However, I don't know when that delivery will happen exactly so this bible-dive into what the scriptures have to stay about delivery and deliverance is timely for myself.
What kind of delivery are you waiting for right now?
It could be that you're waiting for restoration in a relationship, a healing in your body or a promise/ dream in your heart to be delivered to you?
Whatever the type of "'Your delivery has arrived'- email" you're waiting for, I believe we can do three things in the meanwhile to stay in hopeful expectation!
Metaphorically speaking:
- We can check our package order request to see if it's correct
- We can check the email spam filter to make sure the right message is reaching us
- We can check the order confirmation and promise the store has given us.
Let's dig deeper below.
1.Check your order request
The first thing I do when my package delivery is late, is to check my order to see if I got the right memo about the date and if I ordered the product to the right address.
I believe we can do the same when we're waiting in expectation for God to deliver something to our lives. We are encouraged to make our requests known to God, so what have you requested of God? Or what do you need to request of Him you've only wished for this far?
"And all the time you don’t obtain what you want because you won’t ask God for it! And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires" James 4:2 TPT.
When we "check our order" metaphorically speaking, we can make sure we've actually asked God and not only wished for it. We can also give God access to search our hearts to make sure we requested a delivery to our lives with the right motive. Sometimes, we might also already have received what we asked for but we haven't had eyes to see it because the delivery arrived in a different package than we expected it to look like.
One thing is sure. God is always active in our lives as these scriptures reveal. He is sending out orders and working for our good:
"God sends angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go, defending you from all harm" Psalm 91:11 MSG.
"He sends out his orders throughout the world; his words run as swift messengers, bringing them to pass" Psalm 147:15 MSG.
"He established the cosmos to last forever, and he stands behind his commands so his orders will never be revoked" Psalm 148:6 MSG.
God is in the business of sending special orders out to protect us, and what He orders for our lives will be impossible to change.
2. Check your spam filter
One of the more frustrating messages to receive when trying to deliver an email is this one: "Delivery Status Notification (Failure) I learnt that one of the reasons for this delivery fail is because the email is landing in a spam filter!
I've been reminded of the importance of having an internal spam filter in this season of waiting to deliver my baby into the world. An internal spam filter is helpful in sorting out unhelpful comments from taking root in my heart and mind.
Whether the negative comments have been about bad birth experiences, comments on the belly or others simply projecting their fears on me, my internal spam filter has helped me let the good opinions, comments and remarks stay and the negative ones go.
We can't put our hope in people's words to deliver us: "Give us help against the adversary, For deliverance by man is in vain [a worthless hope]" Psalm 108:12.
When our spam filter is working, we set ourselves up for a win so only the authentic and real, honourable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind (Phil. 4:8 TPT) words gets to stay and get attention in the inbox of our hearts and minds.
Let your mental spam filter help sort what words to hold on to and which ones to let go of as you await in hopeful expectancy on your delivery.
Even when our own deliveries fail to be sent properly, we can rest knowing that God's deliveries to our lives never get lost in a spam filter. His deliveries are timely and we need open hands and hearts to receive the new He has for us:
"Is anything too difficult or too wonderful for the Lord? At the appointed time, when the season [for her delivery] comes, I will return to you and Sarah will have a son” Genesis 18:14 AMP.
3. Check the promise
To stick with the package delivery-example, I do check the order confirmation whenever my delivery is delayed. I make sure that what I think has been promised from the store is actually what the order confirmation-email says I can expect.
I believe the exact same principle goes for our relationship with God. When we haven't received what we've been waiting for, it can be helpful to go back and check what God actually promised? Did he put a date on it? He rarely does as His ways are not our ways. If your journal entry does not recount what He has specifically promised you in the area you're waiting for a delivery on, go to the bible to see what He has promised in terms of deliverance.
When I did a word-study on "deliverance", I found that God is the ultimate deliverer! He delivers us from death (Psalm 30:1), God delivers nations (Isaiah 27:1), God delivers justice (Hebrews 10:30) and He has delivered us from the consequences of sin (Ephesians 4:30). This general, big perspective on deliverance helps me wait on the specific deliveries!
Costly deliveries
I must admit, I certainly have my favourite delivery service! That would be free, express delivery right to my door! No cost, short waiting time and no hassle to pick up the package is such a joy.
However, this is not always how our packages arrive, and it's not always how our other deliveries in life come. For example, I don't expect my birth delivery to be with no cost and with no waiting time. I'm prepared that there will be a painful cost to pay in birthing my daughter but I trust it will be absolutely worthwhile and beautiful anyways.
Even if your spiritual/soul/physical delivery might come with a cost, know that God's presence will go with you. He will battle for you. You just need to stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you (2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV).
If He has brought you to it, He'll enable you to go through it:
“Shall I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God" Isaiah 66:9 AMP.
Surprise deliveries
Another favourite delivery service of mine would be surprise deliveries. People have been kind in this pregnancy journey to surprise us with deliveries of clothes and baby gear we didn't expect to receive.
Jesus himself came as a surprise delivery through a virgin birth and what He continually does in people's lives around the world are surprise deliveries - the exceedingly, abundantly above our wildest requests-kind of surprises. He has done these surprise deliverances since he entered the scene as the prophet Isaiah prophesied:
"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows— light! sunbursts of light! [...]The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants— all their whips and cudgels and curses— Is gone, done away with, a deliverance as surprising and sudden as Gideon’s old victory over Midian[...]For a child has been born—for us! the gift of a son—for us!" Isaiah 9:2 MSG.
I pray for the last three months of this year that you’ll receive surprise deliveries that would be the kind only God knows you're longing for; the kind that'll be infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination!
These kind of surprise deliveries energises us as we wait for full deliverance.
Full deliverance
While you wait on your delivery, know that the hope set before us as Christ-followers is not only the specific deliverance you're waiting for - it's the full deliverance of heaven in the not-yet kingdom where there will be no more tears and pain!
"All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance.
That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy" Romans 8:22 MSG.
Be encouraged! Deliverance is here already, deliverance is on it's way, and deliverance will come!
“Pay attention, my people. Listen to me, nations. Revelation flows from me. My decisions light up the world. My deliverance arrives on the run, my salvation right on time" Isaiah 51:4 MSG.
As you await your specific delivery, check out your order request, check your spam filter and check out God’s promise to you. He’ll provide for the costly deliveries, He loves to surprise you with His deliveries and He is a God who has secured your full deliverance through Jesus.
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I am crossing over
Recently, I was thinking about the crossovers of life as I literally was on a boat crossing over from Sjællands Odde to Aarhus. On this particular crossover, there were high waves and it made me nautious. The weather was foggy and it was hard to see the horizon.
In the same way, spiritual, mental and emotional crossovers can be surrounded by lack of clarity about what's waiting on the other side. As we navigate the transitions of endings, in-betweens and new beginnings, it can make us a bit nautious too.
A snapshot of my own recent transitions include ending a two-year-season at an apartment and ending my season of six years of studying. Currently I am transitioning out of a study-job I've had for the last two years, and I am in the process of handing over Citycare while I'm on maternity leave, which is the social justice ministry in our church which my husband and I have started and have served at the last three years since we got married. I'm also waiting for my baby girl to arrive and our family to expand while searching for my first full-time-job. We just finished the in-between time of living with my generous parents for one and a half month, and now we've entered a beginning with a new apartment in a new neighbourhood.
All of these crossovers I'm experiencing are a natural part of progression in life. Some of the endings (that naturally beckon a new beginning) happened due to perseverance and diligence in finishing up an education for instance, and other endings happened because of intentional faith-steps that's part of the Christian pilgrimage journey.
If you are also navigating transitions with all its bends and curves, I pray that the following insight into the Israelites' transition - from captivity in Egypt to crossing over the Red Sea into their promised land - will help you in your transition.
🔑 Keep your mouth shut
In the in-between when we've left something behind and is moving over to something new, our season can seem odd to others, and even to ourselves. We might not know where the steps we're taking are leading. For the Israelites, the in-between caused some doubt, insecurity and distrust in their leader:
"As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw them—Egyptians! Coming at them!
They were totally afraid. They cried out in terror to God. They told Moses, “Weren’t the cemeteries large enough in Egypt so that you had to take us out here in the wilderness to die? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt? Back in Egypt didn’t we tell you this would happen? Didn’t we tell you, ‘Leave us alone here in Egypt—we’re better off as slaves in Egypt than as corpses in the wilderness’” Exodus 14:10 MSG.
In the in-between, the Israelites spoke from a limited perspective because they couldn't see the full picture yet. Their words were full of complaint, blame and wishing themselves back to the past. The great part of their complaint was that they directed it towards the source, God, who can work with where we're at.
God's answer of reassurance and calm to their panic came through the Israelites' leader, Moses, whom He had put over them. Moses exhorted them:
“Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you’re never going to see them again.
God will fight the battle for you.
And you? You keep your mouths shut!” Exodus 14:13 MSG.
If you're doubting like the Israelites were, be comforted that this is normal in transition. But don't let that become an excuse for staying in a rut of negativity and distrust. If you don't know what to declare yet over your new beginning and how to explain it to others, simply don't.
*However, with new decisions, definitely talk them through with a counsellor in your life for perspective and accountability, and a couple of trusted friends.
Instead of focusing on how others perceive you and your life in the change, worship your way through the fog. As Moses counselled the Israelites, keep your mouth shut, lean back and see what God will do. Keep gathering the puzzle pieces of glimpses you do have into your future. The dizziness is normal as you cross over. It will all get clearer as you move towards the horizon.
God has got you. You are crossing over.
🔑Get moving
When we've gotten the revelation instilled in our hearts that ultimately God fights for us - that He'll make the way and prepare the land we're crossing over into - we don't have to justify, rationalise or explain what might not even be clear to ourselves yet - we'll have to then get courageous and start moving:
"God said to Moses: “Why cry out to me? Speak to the Israelites. Order them to get moving. Hold your staff high and stretch your hand out over the sea: Split the sea! The Israelites will walk through the sea on dry ground" Exodus 14:15 MSG.
Faith requires action. To cross over, we need to put one foot in front of the other. What can hinder us from stepping out and get moving is the awkwardness. The stretch and the unknown can look a little messy as we are walking where we haven't been before.
As you process how you'll get moving, what do you discern need to be crossed off your to-do-list and left at the foot of the cross instead? Not everything of the old can coexist with the new.
I've found that some giants in my life - some struggles that I've only gotten partial deliverance from - often resurfaces as I'm about to enter something new that requires faith. Even though the giant - in this case of old memories of rejection and pain - will try to make me shrink down from rising into the new, the resurface is actually a great opportunity to receive deeper healing so that the new God is birthing can be enjoyed in greater ways - with no yuck from the past trying to haunt me and ruin the new wine.
When the Israelites' went in to scout out Canaan - the new land God had for them - they noticed some giants in the new land too that made them shrink back and feel insecure, unworthy and incapable.
"There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight" Numbers 13:33 NIV.
No matter if the giant you're facing as you get moving towards the new is something old resurfacing or a new challenge trying to squeeze the courage out of you, continue moving! Know that this is only confirmation you're moving in the right direction, being courageous with your life. Other people's deliverance is tied to your obedience. Fight through with them in mind.
God has got you. You are crossing over.
🔑 Declare who God is
As you fight the urge to having to explain the change that's upon you - as you get moving with the directions you've got and conquer giants on the way - declare who you know God to be.
I love the context of the psalm below, by the Levite and musician Asaph. In the midst of the temple being destroyed in Jerusalem, Asaph is believed to have penned this Psalm to give praise and declare dependence on God in their hard situation. He is looking back at the Israelites' breakthrough in the past to be encouraged in what's in from of them now -the crisis of the temple being destroyed:
By Asaph's example, I'm encouraged to remember God's past gracious supplies and even search out others who have gotten a breakthrough in the area I'm believing to cross over into.
The cross has ensured that you can cross over - from death to life, from emptiness to a life beaming with purpose in your every step.
Remember, Moses led a whole people to cross over with only a staff in his hand. When God says 'go', go empowered in His strength and trust that what you have is enough!
God has got you. You are crossing over.
All my love,
Sandra.
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Keys to receive a blueprint part 2
You can read part one on blueprints: "A blueprint for the new year" here.
In the last post, I unpacked how a blueprint is more than a vision. It is a plan on how to live it out. There are countless examples of this in the bible.
God revealed to Noah how exactly the ark was to be built to carry out God’s rescue plan from the flood for the righteous: "This is how you are to make it: The ark will be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high..." (Gen. 6,15 CSB) David received the exact blueprints from God to pass on to Solomon to build the temple of God: "The plans contained everything he had in mind for the courts of the Lord's house, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of God's house, and the treasuries for what is dedicated" 1 Chronicles 28:11 CSB.
And on and on the instructions go.
Like Noah and David, we can position ourselves to receive a blueprint for an assignment we've been given so we can partner with God and not only fulfill our assignment, but fulfill it in His loving, wise ways.
For you, God might want to give you a blueprint for the vision He has given you for 2019 whether it be for a certain project, a blueprint for your team structure, or your family's rhythms for example.
What were Noah, David and Jesus' blueprint for?
Noah's blueprint was for building an ark that could rescue the righteous from the flood God had sent to wipe away the wicked from the earth. The purpose was to partner with God for a reset on earth that would serve the future generations.
David's blueprint was for rebuilding the temple of God. After the Israelites had resettled in Jerusalem after the exile, they needed to reconnect with their identity as the people of God. The temple should direct them back to God's presence in their midst. The temple would later remind many Christians of the importance of the presence of God.
Jesus' blueprint on how to pray in Luke 11 served the purpose of intimacy with the Father and it showed the way for other people to connect to God.
In all three examples (the reset on earth, the rebuilding of the temple and the model of prayer), the blueprints helped serve other people, the future generations and forge relationship with God. 🔑
Let's look on some other keys in scripture that unlocked a blueprint from heaven:
- Ask 🔑
"He was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray..." Luke 11:1 CSB.
A new testament example on a blueprint is Jesus teaching us a model for prayer in Luke 11. Before Jesus prayed, "Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come..", he was asked by one of his disciples to be trained on the 'how to'.
Where do you need to ask God on the 'how' to carry out a certain assignment, face a challenge, or maybe reconcile a broken-down relationship?
2. Walking consistently with God 🔑
"Noah walked with God" Genesis 6:9 CSB.
Noah is described as a man walking with God and David's faithful heart towards God is also evident many places in scripture. When we walk consistently with God, He can align our hearts with His, and He can speak to us about the specifics on how to carry out His heart in a timely manner on the earth.
A blueprint is not about getting a plan and then moving on with the job without God. No, God shares His secrets with friends who consistently abide in Him.
3. Failure does not disqualify 🔑
"Then David prayed, “I have sinned badly in what I have just done, substituting statistics for trust; forgive my sin—I’ve been really stupid.” 1 Chronicles 21:8 MSG.
Before David received His blueprint he had just been seduced by the enemy to make a prideful leadership decision in counting his warriors.
The key is David’s hearts after his failure. He repents for his lack of trust in counting his warriors and in obedience he builds an altar to worship to God. Like Noah, He is walking with God, not perfect though, but with a repentant heart, willing to bear the consequences of his stupid choice. After David repented, he did not cut corners in building God an altar (1 Chronicles 21:18)
Failure does not have to qualify in partnering with God when we repent and in obedience goes forward with what He has called us to do, now done in His way without cutting corners.
4. A grateful attitude 🔑
In David's prayer (1 Chronicles 29:10 CSB), we see David go public with his honor to God: "Then David blessed the Lord in the sight of all the assembly" and we see David explain how they had received provision from God to carry out the blueprint of the temple: "Lord, our God, all this wealth that we've provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand..."
When we do receive a blueprint from heaven, we can learn from David's example of telling his testimony publicly and recognising where the provision for the blueprint came from. A grateful attitude is pleasing to God.
Promises attached to the blueprint
1 Chron 28:19 tells how God not only gives David the blueprint on how to build the temple, but also the understanding on how to then carry it out: "By the Lord's hand on me, he enabled me to understand everything in writing all the detail of the plan."
That's a comforting fact. We can in the same way believe God not only to give us a blueprint but also to give us the understanding to carry it out.
Let's learn from Noah, David and Jesus and...
- Ask for a blueprint,
- Walk consistently with our Father
- Remember failure does not qualify when we repent
- Carry a grateful attitude
Bless you,
Sandra.
A blueprint for the new year part 1
Have you ever received a blueprint from heaven?
Synonyms for a blueprint is a model, design, strategy or template. Blueprints are used to describe the detailed, blue, photographic prints which architects used for their buildings since 1942. 🏠 I love the word ‘blueprint’ is also used in the paraphrased, modern translations of the bible.
A blueprint is more than a vision. It is a plan on how to live it out. There are countless examples of this in the bible.
God revealed to Noah how exactly the Ark was to be built to carry out God’s rescue plan from the flood for the righteous (Genesis 7). David received the exact blueprints from God to pass on to Solomon to build the temple of God. (1 Chronicles 28:11 MSG) Jesus taught us the blueprint on how to pray (Luke 11:1 NIV).
I believe in the strategies of heaven. I believe God has designated plans for us and I know He wants to share His secrets with His friends: “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him” Psalm 25:14.
With 2019 just around the corner, we can draw near to God to receive blueprints of heaven for our new year: 🎆
“Or, to put it another way, you are God’s house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ.
Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won’t get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive—but just barely.” 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 MSG.
I love the analogy of our lives as a house, and I feel the weightiness of the scripture too. God is serious about the foundation and the materials the house is built with. Why? Because the house we are building with our lives is the home He dwells in, His sanctuary.
Therefore, regular heart-check-ups are healthy. Is our foundation still Jesus Christ? Are we co-builders of His house building something of eternal value? Are the materials we use silver and gold that will stand the test of fire?
Or is it rather hay and straw that will make our house come burning down by the exposure of time?
In The Passion Translation commentary, it says that “there is an allusion here to the temple of Solomon, which was built using gold, silver, and costly stones. Wisdom will build her house with divine substance (gold), redemption’s fruit (silver), and transformed lives (costly stones). See 1 Chronicles 22:14-16; 29:2.
Wood, hay, and straw are emblems of the works of the flesh, the building materials of men, not of God.
It is both quality and durability that God commends. Fire will cause the better material to glow brighter, but the inferior material will be consumed.
How we build and what we build matters to God. Note that it is possible to build on the true foundation of Christ but with wrong materials. We need God’s work done in God’s way.”
We need a blueprint to build something of quality and durability in 2019. Are we building with His wisdom, His insight, His understanding, His provision and His perspective?
I hope you are encouraged that God is a God of blueprints. God has a blueprint for the wicked (Job 20:29 MSG), God used wisdom’s blueprints to build the earth’s foundations (Prov.3:19 MSG) and God has a blueprint for your life and season! You are heaven's assignment. You are believed in and dearly loved, and your life has purpose.
With your wise strategy for 2019, you can wage war and confuse the enemy’s blueprint for your life. (Proverbs 24:6 TPT; Psalm 55:9 CEV)
Be encouraged to build your life on the foundation of Jesus Christ with materials that will last and stand the test of time:
“You will find true success when you find me, for I have insight into wise plans that are designed just for you. I hold in my hands living-understanding, courage, and strength. They’re all ready and waiting for you.” (Prov. 8:14 TPT)
Let's press in and receive what God has for us. He has exciting things in store!
Bless you,
Sandra.
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Nudged out of the nest
To watch and listen to the message, click here: Nudged out of the nest
Have you ever felt like you've been nudged out of your nest?
With your nest I mean that place that has become your retreat, refuge and resting place. We all need a resting place for refuelling to go back to and recharge. But we need more than that. We need risky faith and gutsy courage in order to grow our known zones and comfort zones and be about the purposes of God.
To step out of our comfort zone is necessary to mature in God and to start adulting! Childlikeness is awesome in the kingdom but our childish ways should be abandoned in order that we might be trustworthy and able to carry others to the throne of grace.
"My righteous ones will live from my faith. But if fear holds them back, my soul is not content with them!
But we are certainly not those who are held back by fear and perish; we are among those who have faith and experience true life!" Hebrews 10:8 TPT.
The scripture above tells me that my God is not content with me when fear holds me back. He is pleased with my faith. Therefore, I've experienced His gentle nudge out of the nest, my comfort zone, to trust the freefall.
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The definition of nudging is to gently push someone or something into a place or position. I experienced being gently nudged into a new place when I stepped into developing a new outreach department within my church.
Even though I was anxious as I can be about change in life, both God and myself knew I needed this transition to grow. So I gave Him my hesitant consent to take me where I had not been before, and trust He wold develop my wings on the way down; that His grace would carry me and give me wind in my sails.
Moses' freefall
Moses knew this gentle nudging of God as well. Moses' excuses to stay nesting were great (I'm not good enough, I don't have all the answers, people won't believe me, I'm a terrible public speaker and I'm not qualified - see Exodus 3 and 4) but he overcame his excuses and stepped out in obedience.
So can we.
Moses' obedience and courage even helped the next generation do the same. Through a song Moses wrote on his deathbed, the people of Israel, and their new leader, Joshua, were taught about God's faithfulness in the past. The testimony and wisdom from Moses gave them hope to step into the unknown freefall future without Moses by their side, and eventually they got to experience their promised land.
Moses' song has the potential to launch you into your promised land as well. It can help you put words to a season you are going through and courage to let God do and be the same for you as He was for Moses.
I have inserted 'me' in Moses' song below where it originally says 'him', referring to Moses and the people of Israel, for you to personalise and receive it for yourself:
"He (God) found me out in the wilderness, in an empty, windswept wasteland. He threw his arms around me, lavished attention on me, guarding me as the apple of his eye. He was like an eagle hovering over its nest, overshadowing its young, Then spreading its wings, lifting me into the air, teaching me to fly. God alone led me; there was not a foreign god in sight.
God lifted me onto the hilltops, so I could feast on the crops in the fields. He fed me honey from the rock, oil from granite crags, Curds of cattle and the milk of sheep, the choice cuts of lambs and goats, Fine Bashan rams, high-quality wheat, and the blood of grapes: I drank good wine!" Deuteronomy 32:10 MSG
This is who God was for Moses. He can be the same for you. He wants to lavish His attention on you. He can find you in your wilderness. He wants to protect you and discipline you; treat you like his beloved child. He is interested in your character more than your comfort. Therefore, He will teach you how to fly, even though it might be scary and there might be a long way down. If people do not or cannot stick with you to the next level you are going, you will be trained by God alone and learn that He is enough. God might allow you to let you fail temporarily but He will lift you up again and take care of your needs. He will give His finest to you because you are His beloved.
Name your nest
I do not know what your nest is called, but your nest can look noble and courageous in others' eyes and still be a nest for you.
My work as a team leader in a interdenominational café for sex trafficked women at night became a nest with time. There at night on my shifts, I was in my sweet spot, hidden away in a basement doing what I loved doing. But the grace also lifted from the work and I saw a mental picture of Jesus standing with a big watch on His wrist, pointing to it and saying to me: "Time is up, I am shifting the season."
As I transitioned into a new beginning ministry-wise and tried to navigate pouring new wine into new wineskins, I got this timely prophetic word that is strikingly alike to Moses' song in Deuteronomy 32:
"I feel like you need a little nudge. Yes a little nudge to push you over. It reminds me of the eagle pushing the baby out of the nest so the baby can learn to fly on its own. But the eagle as the Father lets the baby fall but the eagle/Father swoops the baby up before it lands. This process is done over and over until the baby learns to fly on its own."
This word might be for someone else too in your season if you feel God's gentle nudge to rise to what He is asking of you. And with rise, I simply mean to lean over the edge, and do the freefall, trusting that your Father will swoop you up before you land on the ground. He is developing deep trust in you. Trust in Him. Trust in your relationship; that you do hear Him rightly as He is calling you out.
Your perspective and trust might be tested when it feels like you are just about to land hard on the ground in the freefall, and your faith will probably soar as you experience the Deuteronomy 32-experience of God lifting you to the hill tops for perspective and provision. All the in-between feelings will probably arise too of doubt and insecurity when the roots developed back in the nest are tested.
His heart is not to shame you, humiliate you or push you away. Rather, He wants to teach you to face giants when it seems like you are on your own in the freefall; to trust His Holy Spirit is with you even when you cannot see Him. Your own prophecies over your life can be used as weapons as you wage spiritual warfare by faith and with a clean conscience (1 Timothy 1:18 TPT).
When you find it hard in the freefall, remember those days right after you saw the light - those were the hard times where you stood your ground for your new-found faith! Do not throw away your confidence. It has great reward and God delights in your faith, even when it is feeble.
As God is developing well-formed maturity in you, a confidence will arise that the roots developed in the secret place with Him, will carry you wherever He is leading you.
The future is so exciting. We've got this. Fall, we welcome you!
Love,
Sandra.
Your turn
- What is God asking of you that's pushing you out of your comfort zone?
- Where are you nesting when you are supposed to be flying?
- What is the first step you can take to jump and let God grow your wings on the way down?
- How can you trust the process and provision in the freefall?
- What can you do to actively remember the faithfulness of God? (Moses wrote a song that helped give him the confidence to leave the nest and develop wings on the way down.)
Having done all, stand
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Sometimes we just need to get eternal truths applied correctly to the situation that's making us unsure if we can keep standing steadfast in our convictions and assignments.
I can feel like the prophet Isaiah is uttering, that my wrongdoings pile up before God and that my sins stand up and accuse me! It's like my wrongdoings can stare me down, because I know in detail what I've done. (Isaiah 50:12-15 AMP)The most important truth we can let us be penetrated with, is that of our standing in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3 AMP). We stand on His salvation through faith, and not by our works. Such an amazing grace. We are safe when we desire like David to fall into the hands of the Lord when we are in great distress over our own mistakes. His mercies are very great! (1 Chronicles 21:13)
We want to fall down at Jesus' feet, because only when we put Him at His rightful place by worshipping Him, will we ever be able to stand victoriously:
This is how God tackled Israel's disobedience after Israel was defeated at Ai. He approached Israel's leader, Joshua, for his lack of standing, and He might say the same to you:"Get up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face?"
God's questions are so tender and convicting at the same time. His questions remind us of our convictions about getting back up and stand tall, even when life-and kingdom battles seem to knock us down.
Like God exhorted Joshua and the people, I believe He is exhorting us today to rise up and consecrate ourselves, because God knows we cannot stand victorious before our enemies until we walk in obedience to what He has said to us. Get back up and take courage!
So divinely loved one, let's be on our guard, so we can stand instead of fall from our own steadfastness of mind, knowledge, truth, and faith. (2 Peter 3:17 AMP)
The two only places in scripture it's speaking about withstanding is concerning God's power that no-one can withstand! That's why we can stand. We can be secure and trust in the Lord's withstanding against evil. He will resist it and stop it's progress in our lives. The weapons will be forged but they will not prosper:
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand]." Psalm 91,1 AMP.
Sanda.
⬇️⬇️
If you need an extra boost to STAND, whether it is to stand up for righteousness, to withstand the enemy or standing tall on your convictions and assignments, read these scriptures loudly over yourself and experience faith arise as you preach gospel to yourself: 💥💥💥
"Cast your burden on the Lord [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail)." Psalm 55,22
"When He arrived at the place [called Gethsemane], He said to them, “Pray continually that you may not fall into temptation.” Luke 22,40 AMP."Therefore let the one who thinks he stands firm [immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous], take care that he does not fall [into sin and condemnation]." 1 Cor. 10,12 AMP.
"A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But danger will not come near you." Psalm 91,7 AMP"I will set no worthless or wicked thing before my eyes. I hate the practice of those who fall away [from the right path]; It will not grasp hold of me." Psalm 101,3 AMP
"For You have rescued my life from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from stumbling and falling." Psalm 116,8 AMP.
"You [my enemy] pushed me violently so that I was falling, But the Lord helped me." Psalm 118,13 AMP.
"Do not rejoice over me [amid my tragedies], O my enemy! Though I fall, I will rise; Though I sit in the darkness [of distress], the Lord is a light for me." Micah 7,8 AMP
Photo by Lasse Hultén.
From watch-watcher to map master
Have you ever impatiently waited for the clock to turn to the time you wanted it to turn? When we are aching for a moment to come about, it feels like time can only go too slow.
At Easter I went with my family to Geneva where we visited the famous Patek Phillippe Museum. The museum showcases thousands of different watches. The first pocket watch was made in 1540.
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There is a market for watches, obviously because they can be pretty accessories and a fine piece of craftsmanship. But there is a market for watches because we all care about time! We don't like being behind or even too far ahead of ourselves. We want to be right on time. We are watch-watchers, watching the clock and waiting, dreaming and hoping for something to come to pass.
I think this desire to be right on time is godly. We are created to follow a rhythm of grace and a timing.
What is not godly is when we try to take the matter of time into our own hands.
Jesus told the disciples in Acts 1:7-8:
“You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”
Because timing is the Father's business, we'll benefit from loosing our glance on the clock and follow the directions of a map instead; the map of the word of God. <3
Psalm 19,7 MSG tells us that the life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree.
Proverbs 4:11 MSG also tells us, "I am drawing a map to Righteous Road. I don’t want you ending up in blind alleys, or wasting time making wrong turns."
I personally know the pain of being a watch-watcher, staring down the clock for the minute hand to move in areas like starting to date, get married and finishing up studies.
The result has been the same - wasted time and ending up in blind alleys, as the Proverb above teaches us.
When I change focus from passively being a watch-watcher to actively studying the map of God's transforming word, I set myself up to receive what I'm hoping for in the Father's perfect timing.
Below are three keys which can help us see why and how we must go from being watch-watchers to becoming map masters:
1 - Sow your seed
"Go to work in the morning and stick to it until evening without watching the clock. You never know from moment to moment how your work will turn out in the end."
(Ecclesiastes 11:6 MSG)
This verse speaks about hard work and persistence. It speaks about us not needing to evaluate our job every single day to check if it's producing the fruit we are hoping to see from our labour. Instead of evaluating if we are getting the results we want, we are better off getting on with sowing the seeds that are moving us in the direction we are heading to. That will make sure we are not living short-sighted, but for the long haul. (even though getting regular wins are key as we move forward.)
As my pastor, Thomas Hansen, will often so brilliantly say, it's not our position in life but our direction that counts. As we sow the right seeds in the direction of God's principles mapped out in the bible, we will eventually get where we need to go in His timing. Our job is sowing the right seeds. His is the timing.
2 - Map it out
What do you already have in your hand that God has given you? For the Israelites, they had been given Jordan, their promised land, and a courageous leader in Joshua, who asked them to map the land, so the seven tribes yet to receive their inheritance could get their portion:
"So the men set out. As they went out to survey the land, Joshua charged them: “Go. Survey the land and map it" Joshua 18:8 MSG.
The bible speaks over and over about the principle of offering God what we have, and then God will add His miraculous power to it. So whatever you have been given, map out how you can best put it to use, just like the Israelites mapped out the land they had been given.
The meaning of mapping something out is with other words to outline, plan a route or course of action in detail, sketch out, rough out, block out, draw up, formulate, work out, frame, draft, plan, plot out, arrange, design, programme, think out, think through and to organise.
This is right in line with the scripture in Habakkuk 2:2 MSG that frames it this way:
"Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait. And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time."
When we map out our dreams and resources, we can do what God tells us. We can walk in the paths He shows us. We can follow the life-map absolutely. We can keep an eye out for the signposts, His course for life set out in the revelation to Moses; then we’ll get on well in whatever we do and wherever we go (1 Kings 2 MSG).
3 - Expect His timing to be only good
When I fell into being a watch-watcher recently, I was tempted to doubt God's heart and if He even wants to give me what I purely and godly desire. When I started doubting in the waiting, my mum wrote out this amazing encouragement to me: "We must learn to trust that God will give us what we need, when we need it. He is ALWAYS timely."
That dream of yours you might be watching the clock to see happen, remember so much more is at play than you can even imagine! God is attentively, intimately aware of your heart's longing and aching in the waiting and at the same time He is working hard to connect all the dots. Because when your dream comes to pass, it will help a lot more people than you imagine! So many puzzle pieces will be put together for the kingdom to advance in and through you, and the testimony will be wild!
"What a Day that will be! No more cold nights—in fact, no more nights! The Day is coming—the timing is God’s—when it will be continuous day. Every evening will be a fresh morning." Zechariah 14:6-7 MSG.
The timing is God's for your life, and the timing is God's for the bigger picture it's speaking about in the verse above on that day when heaven comes to earth for good.
Our part is becoming great map masters of His word & revealed will, so we can align ourselves with what He has for us in the future.
His love is poured out for you and His timing is only for your good.
So let's dare going from being watch-watchers to becoming map-masters in Jesus' name.
In this together,
Sandra.