Sherri Evans

Sherri Evans

Friday, August 30, 2013

The New Thing




 

    

Isa 43:19

 

19 Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert.

NKJV

 

 

Do you like new things?  For me,  it just depends.  I enjoy new clothes-tremendously!  I like fresh baked desserts.  I enjoy trying new foods and restaurants. I used to love the first day of school. I like to read a new book and open a new notebook.   But in other things, I must confess, that I like comfortable.  I enjoy fitting in, knowing the drill, what I need to do and what others need to do.  I like familiarity.

 

Recently my job has (once again!) been turned topsy-turvy and all of a sudden I have no idea what I do anymore!  There is nothing about that, that I find appealing.  I want to roll the clock back several years to when I enjoyed it and knew what I was doing.

 

But spiritually, I long for the new thing.  The next great exploit in Christ.  Greater
heights.  More intimacy.  More anointing.  Sign me up for all of that!  But before the new thing springs up, there is often a season of unrest, a season of plowing up and preparation. A season I feel I have been in too long already.

 

When faced with the new thing we can either be filled with anticipation or trepidation.  The former builds enthusiasm and hope, the latter builds dread and fear. Thank the Lord, that when  a new thing is on its way, God already knows about it.  He has already made plans, and sometimes in His providence, He allow us to catch a glimpse of what He is up to.  To sense a change of course, we must be sensitive to His leading and direction.  We must have our hearts attentive to His  voice.

 

God is always working the new things for our good.  He can level the path out through the densest wilderness.  He can bring provision in the dessert.   God is doing something new.  Will you be a part of it?

 

Thank you, Jesus, for making good plans for my life.  Thank you that I can trust you in the season of new things and rejoice in the good that you have in mind for me.  In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 
 
 
 
 


 


Thursday, August 29, 2013

Rattling Knobs




    

Luke 11:9-11

 

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."  

NKJV

 

My closest friends and family will tell you that my number one pet peeve in all of the world, is presumptuousness.  I detest it when people presume or demand something from me that I am not trying to give.  I am a generous person, but please, do not tell me to hand you something!  Ask me, and it's yours.  I just do not like it when people take it for granted that I was  born to do their bidding. (Come on, you have your hang-ups, too!)

 

Because of my repulsion to presumptuous and pretentious people, I go way into the other ditch.  I know that I am always welcome at my mother's but still I call and ask if I can come.  I  have friends that I know will listen when I need to talk, but still I ask if they have time and if it's  convenient.  Being considerate is super important to me.

 

That is why I feel that I sometimes fall a bit short in carrying out today's verse.  I ask.  But I do not always get pushy with it.  I pray, and I leave it to God. But lately, I have been feeling a desperation in my spirit to ask and keep on asking; to knock and keep on knocking.  Not being heard or not being answered is no longer a consideration!  I need God to show up.  It is reached a point that I am going beyond knocking to jiggling the door knob.  Frankly, I am starting to rattle them pretty good.

 

I am convinced that sometimes God hides, that we might seek him all the more.  He ordains situations and circumstances that cause us to become bold and daring in prayer.  If you are not finding what you are looking for, seek harder!  Bang on the door!  Cry out with a loud voice.  Ask Him!  He knows you need it and He has the resources.  How will you know where your open door is, if you are not rattling the knob?

 

 

 

Dear Lord, I just can't let this go.  I need you to give me a breakthrough.  I need to see you swinging open doors and answering prayers.  I put my confidence in you and rejoice already in your provision and action on my behalf.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

A Heritage of Defense


           

Isa 54:17

 

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord ,

And their righteousness is from Me,"

Says the Lord .


NKJV

 
She sat tensely in the straight-back chair.  She tried helplessly to pull her hands free.  Futile.  She was bound.  She looked across the room at her abductor.  Sneering at her in an evil way, he continued to sharpen his knife.  He approached the trembling girl, as she began to cry out for help, "Oh, God!  Help me!"  Her  enemy approached her, ever closer, she could smell  the rancid breath upon her face.  He reached for a fistful of hair, raising his sinister weapon in a threatening manner...

For the rest of today's devotional, come join me at "Laced with Grace."  Click on the butterfly on the right to be linked directly to the website.  Meet you there!


Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Where is Your Trust?


 

Ps 20:7

 

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

But we will remember the name of the Lord  our God.

NKJV

 

I have never trusted in a chariot- but I have put my faith in a Ford, a Chevy a Nissan and a Toyota.  And when they have  failed, I have been disheartened and frustrated.  There are so many things in life that I did not know I trusted in, until I no longer had it to trust in.

I did not know how much I trusted in my income until the recession resulted in a significant pay cut. I did not know that I trusted in health insurance, until I faced medical uncertainty and exorbitant medical  cost.

As a child of God we must trust the Blesser, while being thankful for the blessing.  We cannot afford to trust even in the blessings of God, because seasons change, and His provision may take a different form in our lives.

Are you in fear of losing something? Perhaps your trust is misplaced.  God is our Source.  We must remember the Name of the Lord and all of the kingdom benefits contained within His Name.  We must remember that it is in Him, that we live, move and have our being. We must recognize that every spiritual or material blessing that we enjoy comes from His storehouse.

We all like to feel comfortable and secure.  It is the nature of our humanity.  But we must always hold on to the blessings of God loosely, recognizing that He must be relied upon alone.   It is not God plus my horse.  It is not God plus my retirement account.  At the end of the day, it is just God. 

Our economy continues to wobble and send shock waves through our hearts and bank accounts.  People let us down.  Sure things fall through, but bless His Name who is forever praised, God will not fail!!!

Dear Lord, I just need you today.  Life is too big and I can't handle it.  Show up. Be God in my life.  I trust in Your Name and not in what I possess.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

                                                                                                                                                         

Monday, August 26, 2013

Victory Over Rejection



 

    

 

    

1 Sam 17:28

 

"Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle."


NKJV

 

We all have heard the epic tale about how David, a young shepherd boy, slew Goliath, the giant warrior.  But the lesser known story is about the "bratty shepherd brother turned King".  In other words, prior to greatness, David dealt with a whole lot of minimizing.  When Samuel the Prophet came to his home to anoint a king, his father overlooked him and did not even call him in from the field to be considered. 

 

In the passage above, we see the pep talk that he received from what should have been his closest supporters- his family.  But as you can see David's oldest brother Eliab, saw him as a nuisance that rubbed him the wrong way.  When David tried to assess why Goliath was left to taunt the Israelites, David was reminded about his station in life: "With whom have you left those few sheep...?"  Talk about a put down!  He was reminded that he was only a shepherd.  And only a small-time shepherd with a few sheep.  When the big boys, the serious men of battle were talking about the enemy, David was made a fool of for even trying to assess the situation.

 

The remarkable part of this story is that David was not moved by his nay-sayers.  They never saw merit in him. Oh, well!  Still his zeal for God arose. If you read this account in full, you will see that NO ONE thought he had anything of value to offer the situation.  His oldest brother tried to shut him up.  The next people he talked to replied in the same manner.  Undaunted, he was taken to the king.  Finally!  He was being taken seriously.  Not so!  Observe King Saul's reply:   

 

33 And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."  (1 Sam 17:33)

 

His father did not regard him as valuable.  His brothers diminished him, and even the king told him he had nothing to offer.  And still David continued to stand in his confidence of what God could do through him.  When he finally came before his enemy, dressed simply and toting a sling shot, his enemy taunted him across the field:

 

    

So the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" (v. 43-44)

 

Have you spent your entire life feeling rejected, put down and overlooked?  Take heart! God sees you and your worth is defined by Him.  He alone knows the germ of greatness that he has planted inside of you!  He knows what He can accomplish through you!  The job He has called you to is greater than you are- but not greater than He is within you! 

 

What people speak over us, as well as their attitudes toward us, can cause us to struggle with low self-esteem and a sense of being rejected.  Those experiences and attitudes can be difficult to overcome.  But if we allow it, God can use it to  garner our God-confidence despite all of the obstacles that we face. After today's story David did not immediately rise to greatness.  Once he began to prove his worth, rather than being heralded a hero by the king, he found himself a target for the king's spear.  While he was playing music for the king's enjoyment and relief!

 

The road to destiny and greatness is often paved with rejection, ridicule and resistance.  Hold tight to what the Lord has promised you. He alone knows how the story ends!

 

Dear Lord, today I pray for the rejected, the outcast and the abused.  Help them to rise above the lies of their enemies, and hear instead, Your voice.  Your voice that speaks confirmation, affirmation and faith to their heart.  Arise O God, and let our enemies be scattered!  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.




 

 

 

 

Friday, August 23, 2013

Guilt-free Living

 

Rom 8:1

 

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,* who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (NKJV)

 

 

Feeling guilty.  It is a terrible habit that I am trying to break.  If everyone does not like what I cooked for dinner, I feel guilty.  If I take a day off from work, I feel guilty.  Some of us are just wired that way!  I am so grateful, that guilt is not a part of God's perfect plan for us!

 

When Jesus paid the price for our sins, He also removed the accompanying guilt.  We do not have to feel bad about past sin- it is completely obliterated under the super power of His precious blood.  Jesus could save us,  then hang it over our heads for eternity.  But instead, He says, "I forgive you.  I do not remember it any more.  Forget it."

 

Satan, the enemy of our soul, loves to remind us of our past sins.  The Bible calls him the "Accuser of the Brethren".  He can accuse, but his power ends there.  If it is under the blood of Jesus, if you have repented and walked away, there is nothing left for you to do but lift your head and rejoice!  You stand before God, guiltless and righteous.

 

If you struggle with low self-esteem...  If you feel like you can never be good enough...Beware!  The enemy is lying to you.  God has pronounced you clean, and you are what God says about you.

 
Dear Lord, thank you for forgiving and removing my guilt.  Help me to walk before You in confidence of Your complete work on Calvary.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

Sherri

 

 

 

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Free. Indeed.


    

John 8:36

 

"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."  (NKJV)

 

 

There have been times in my life, I have been around some "name-droppers."  I have been told to do something on my job, "per ___"  and they would list a superior's name.  Usually, the authority had, indeed, spoken.  Occasionally, however, people use someone else's name amiss.  Using it where they do not have the right or authority to do so.

 

That is one of the things that I love about this verse.  Jesus himself is saying, "If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."  The Son is referring to himself.  He does not come with another's authority.  No!  A thousand times no!  He comes in his own authority and says,  "Look, if I set you free, you are definitely free."  (My paraphrase.)  There is no mistake in what is being said.  If Jesus cuts you loose from the chains of bondage, there is no power that can hold you back.  If Jesus overcomes your drug addiction, you are free.  If Jesus opens the prison doors on your child abuse and pronounces you whole, you are whole!  If Jesus washes away your sins, you are as pure and clean as the driven snow.

What Jesus says-  what Jesus does- is irrevocable by anyone else.  He knows the past, present and future.  He is the great I AM.  Who was, who is and who is to come.  He knows all, therefore He can truthfully pronounce the outcome of any situation.

 

Whatever you have struggled with, if you have given it to Jesus, you must believe that you are free just as He says.  Walk free!  He has opened the prison door- get off your cot and start marching out! You are free.  You have been released!  Walk in it, in Jesus' Name.

  Dear Lord, thank you for being my Liberator.  Thank you for freeing me from all of the bondage of sin and the lies of the enemy.   In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Finding Joy


 

 


Ps 16:11

 

11 You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  (NKJV)

 

Joy.  Everyone wants it; not everyone can find it.  People fill their lives with substitutes- shopping, hunting, eating, drinking, the list is endless.  But nothing else can truly satisfy man's soul like the joy that is found in Christ. 

 

Knowing that Someone loves us enough to die for us lends a tremendous sense of security and stability.  The commodity of true spiritual joy is unquantifiable and priceless.  It is has no comparison.  True meaning in life cannot be found apart from an intimate, personal relationship with Christ.

 

Sometimes as Christians, we still fail to walk in the fullness of joy that is offered  in Christ. Anytime that I find my joy slipping, I can go back and trace it to a lack in my devotional time spent in His presence. I cannot fill my days with everything but Him and expect the same level of anointing or joy in His presence.

 

Sometimes people depict Christians as being boring and no fun.  But the truth of the matter is that walking with Christ includes pleasures that no one can imagine without experiencing it themselves.  There truly is a "high on life" that can be found in the Lord.

 

 

Dear Lord, restore my joy.  Help me to find the fullness in your presence that satisfies above all else.     In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, August 19, 2013

Are You in the Game?


 

    

Ps 53:2

 

2 God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,

To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. " (NKJV)

 

Will you confess it?   Have you ever pretended to play with your kids?  I have.  Sometimes I will forget our little guy is hiding from me, and I will continue with the laundry or washing dishes. Before long, his dejected little voice will ring out, "Mama are you looking for me?"  That will make you feel like a dog in a hurry!

It makes me feel so horrible to think of God sitting up in heaven, looking  around, desiring to have one of His children seeking him.  Finding no one- just people involved in selfish pursuits who have forgotten Him.  Forgive me Lord, for the times that I fail to seek you!  Forgive me for neglecting my prayer time; for not seeking your direction and guidance for my life.

How will we ever walk in understanding, if we do not seek the Source of all Knowledge?  How will we ever find His best for our life, if we are not actively pursuing it?

Dear Lord, please forgive me of unfaithfulness.  Please give me the grace to diligently seek your face.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Friday, August 16, 2013

Know my Anxieties


 

 

    

Ps 139:23

 

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;  (NKJV)

 

I was in a situation one time,  where I said something, tongue-in-cheek, for comedic effect.  Later, however, I became concerned that the person may not understand that I was only joking and may be offended with me.  I called them to apologize.  I was immediately assured that they were not offended in the least.  Their response was reassuring, as they said, "We know your heart."  I was grateful that they did not think my heart to be mean-spirited or unkind.

 

There have been other instances in my life where I felt like I knew my own heart in a situation, only to find out that my motives were not pure in the least.  Sometimes I was shocked to find areas of my heart that I locked the Lord out of, keeping them for me alone.  Who can really know our heart, but the Lord alone?

 

God knows my heart, He senses my anxieties, He knows what makes me tick- and yet He still loves me and extends mercy to me.  Sometimes I need Him to shine the spotlight of the Holy Spirit in my heart and show me the contents- whether they are pleasing or displeasing in his sight.  Sometimes I am not even aware of the anxieties that I am entertaining and the negative impact that has on my heart.

 

 

Dear Lord, take control of my heart and mind.  Drive out the thoughts that displease you and breed anxiety.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri