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The Battle is Not Yours–2 Chronicles 20:15-17

June 14, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, 2013 Journey, Depression, Divorce, Fear, Finances, Tough Times, Trials, Trust with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 22:10-28; 2 Chronicles 18:9-27; 1 Kings 22:29-35; 2 Chronicle 18:28-34; 1 Kings 22:36-40, 51-53; 2 Chronicles 19:1-20:30

He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! 

This is what the Lord says: 

Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.  Tomorrow, march out against them. 

You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel.  But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”  --2 Chronicles 20:15-17

What battle are you facing today?

This is what Your God says:

  • Do not be afraid
  • Do not be discouraged
  • The battle is not yours
  • It’s Mine!

Rest in that knowledge as you go about your day!

Heavenly Father, help us to remember You are in charge.  Lord, I have a battle that is impossible for me to win on my own.  I trust You to fight it for me!

Trusting You.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

© 2013 Dianne Guthmuller

 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 1:1-18; 2 Kings 3:1-27; 1 Kings 22:41-49; 2 Chronicles 20:31-37; 1 Kings 22:50; 2 Chronicles 21:1-4; 2 Kings 8:16-22; 2 Chronicles 21:5-7

4 Things to Do in The Tough Times—2 Chronicles 16:7-9

June 10, 2013 in 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, 2013 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, Choices, Depression, Failure, Finances, Tough Times with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:   1 Kings 15: 16-22; 2 Chronicles 16: 1-10; 1 Kings 16: 1-34; 1 Kings 15: 23-24; 2 Chronicles 16:11 through 17: 19; 1 Kings 17: 1-7

What do you do when times get tough?

  • Do you deny there’s a problem?
  • Does your problem paralyze you?
  • Do you look to other people to solve your problem?
  • Do you look for a substance, outlet, or person to make you forget you have a problem?
  • Do you try to fix the problem yourself?

King Asa provided a great lesson in right and wrong choices in tough times.  He tried two different approaches.

Which one will you choose?

 At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the Lord your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram.  Don’t you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers?  At that time you relied on the Lord, and he handed them over to you.  The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.” –2 Chronicles 16:7-9

In yesterday’s post we talked about laying down our idols so that we can find God.  One sure-fire way to discover the idols in our life is to look at what we do when times get tough.

The funny thing about Asa…

…early in his reign as king of Judea, when he fought the Ethiopians and the Libyans he relied on the Lord and his enemies were handed over to him.  He knew what to do.

What changed?

Why did he buy King Aram’s services instead of trusting God to fight his battles?

Looks like a serious case of pride to me.  After God specifically called Asa out on not seeking His help, Asa never changed.  How sad.  It is so easy for a successful person to think they are so powerful that they can buy, talk, or pressure others to get their way.

It seems to me that if God was offended by Asa replacing His power for manpower, then He’s probably offended when we go to people, substances, outlets, or to our own power to handle life’s tough times.

So what should we do?

1. Build a relationship with God when things are going well through prayer, Bible study, and corporate worship.

Friends, we’re either in a crisis, getting over a crisis, or headed into a crisis—we can’t wait until we’re in trouble to get to know the Lord

2. Get involved in some type of small group where you develop deep friendships—Godly counsel and encouragement are a lifeline in tough times.

3. Begin to look for ways to serve others—there’s no better way to survive tough times than get your mind off yourself by helping someone else.

4. Once the storm passes and God helps you through it, testify to His goodness—your testimony could be the encouragement that helps someone else get through their tough time.

 

Bottom Line:  When tough times come, run to your Heavenly Father first and ask Him what to do next.

Praying for you!

 

 

© 2013 Dianne Guthmuller

 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 17:8 through 1 Kings 20:22

Are You Plotting Evil or Planning Peace? –Proverbs 12:20

May 30, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Choices, Depression, Family, Finances, Health, Issues Women Face, Proverbs, Tough Times, Trials with 0 Comments


Today’s Scripture Reading: Proverbs 11:1-13:25

 

Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! –Proverbs 12:20

Do you have  joy in your life?

When I hear the word joy, I immediately think of two songs:

I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart

and

Joy to the World–Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog

*Clink on these links with caution. These songs will get stuck in your head, believe me!

 

When I got serious and tried to define joy I had difficulty, so I looked it up:

The Tyndale Bible Dictionary defines joy as a positive human

condition that can be either feeling or action. The Bible uses “joy”

in both senses.

When the Bible speaks of joy as a feeling, it’s is a feeling called

forth by well-being, success, or good fortune. A person automatically

experiences it because of certain favorable circumstances. It cannot

be commanded.

When the Bible speaks of joy as an action, it’s something that

Scripture commands. That joy is action that can be engaged in

regardless of how the person feels.  –Tyndale Bible Dictionary

 

“Planning peace” is joy in action and the sense of well-being we have when we “plan peace” give us joy as a feeling.

I’ve always had it backwards. I prayed for joy so that I could be joyful when I should have been thinking and planning ways to sow peace into my life and the lives of those I come in contact and then I would have joy!

Like so many things, joy is a choice:

Sow evil, reap deceit.

or

Sow peace, reap joy.

Heavenly Father, help to plan peace for this day! Help us to remember what we send into the lives of others comes back into our own. Use us as a peacemaker today. We want Your joy!

 

In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen!

 ©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Proverbs 14:1-16:33

Are You Like Vinegar and Smoke to Your Boss? –Proverbs 10:26

May 29, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Choices, Failure, Finances, Giving Our Best to God, Goals, leadership, Success, Workplace with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Proverbs 8:1-10:32

Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes. –Proverbs 10:26

The Bible has a lot to say about lazy people and none of it is good.  One of the worst things a professing Christian can do for the cause of Christ is to be lazy in the workplace.

You may be seen as lazy by your boss if…

    • You are often late for work or walk in the door at the exact minute you are supposed to be starting your day
    • You overlook things like picking up a piece paper in the parking lot or filling the copier with paper because “that’s not your job”
    • You stop working an hour before your day’s over so that you can watch the clock and walk out the door exactly at 5 o’clock
    • You have to be told what to do; you have no initiative
    • All you care about is your paycheck and never think about the success of the business
    • Your boss sees you standing around doing “nothing” when he/she comes into your area
    • You don’t work “as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23)

What would you add to this list?

If you said, “Yep, that’s me” to more than one or two of these statements your boss may see you as lazy.  You may be irritating her/him like vinegar to the teeth or smoke to the eyes.

The day-to-day, routine, and mundane things in life are where we show our character and integrity.  Excellence in the workplace is one of the ways we worship God…

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.  –Colossians 3:23

Heavenly Father, in this world of mediocrity teach us to stand out above the crowd as a child of the One, True, God who does everything with excellence!

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 ©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Proverbs 11:1-13:25

5 Things to Do When Life Doesn’t Make Sense—Proverbs 3: 5-6

May 27, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Depression, Divorce, Ezra, Family, Finances, Proverbs, Tough Times, Trials, Trust, Word of God with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Proverbs 1:1 through Proverbs 4:27

Have you ever had a time in your life when you just didn’t understand how God could allow something to happen?

I’ve been there many times in my life.

There have been things I’ve experienced that left me wondering…

“God, why would you allow this to happen to me?”

Or…

“God, why did you give me this beautiful gift and then take away?”

There are just some things we would rather not have at all than to have them for just a minute and then in an instant, they’re gone.

What do I do when I feel this way?

Remember

  • All of the tough times God has brought me through
  • How He has used those tough times to help me to minister to others
  • How God has worked my tough times out for my good and His Glory
  • That I see life through a pin-hole and my Heavenly Father, the God of the Universe sees and knows the big and eternal picture
  • The party is in heaven not on this sinful earth

Pray

Tell God all the details of my pain– every question, and concern

  • For God’s love and comfort to be greater than my grief
  • For my faith to be strengthened
  • For scripture to be brought to my remembrance
  • For God to be glorified during this difficult time

Read His Word

  • Expect Him to speak to me
  • Record it when He does
  • Hold my Bible, sleep with it when I need a physical reminder of God’s Presence

Be Alone With Him

  • I call it “Porch Time”
  • Not praying , not reading just being with Him

Wait

  • For time to pass
  • The unknown to be known
  • Heaven to make all things clear

Today’s scriptures in the Proverbs had so many  truths but Proverbs 3: 5-6 (This is one you should memorize) jumped off the page as the blueprint for tough times.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding

Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

 

Father, I trust you and I’m going to do my best not to depend on my own understanding!

 

Amen and Amen!

 

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Proverbs 5:1 through Proverbs 7:27

How to Get Your Prayers Answered—Psalm 79:9

May 19, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Biblical Principles, Depression, Divorce, Failure, Family, Finances, Health, leadership, Marriage, Parenting, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines, Tough Times, Trials, Workplace with 1 Comment

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Psalms 79 through 82

Do you struggle in knowing how to pray?

Do you question the discipline of prayer when your prayers aren’t answered?

Then I would encourage you to read Psalm 79 out loud.

As you read this imagine Asaph as a mediator between the Israelites and God. His way of talking to God in this psalm reminds me of Moses.

Asaph gives God the gory details of everything that is going on in “His” (God’s) land.  It’s the same old story:  complaint, prayer, and promise to be good next time (Does this sound familiar?)

But in verse nine it takes an interesting turn.  Here’s the prayer we can learn from Asaph—

Help us, O God of our salvation!

Help us for the glory of your name.

Save us and forgive our sins

For the honor of Your Name.

Psalm 78:9

What could happen–

–if–

the only thing we cared about was making sure our life glorified and honored the name of Jesus?

I know Asaph wanted God to go in and kill their enemies, so his motive may not have been entirely pure, but there’s still a lesson for us to learn.

This life is not about our glory.

It’s not about our leaders’ glory.

It’s not about our country’s glory.

It’s about pointing EVERYTHING and EVERYONE to Jesus so that He receives the glory and the honor.

What if our prayers sounded something like this…

  • when we prayed for finances– we prayed for God to intervene so that He would receive glory and honor
  • when we prayed for a spouse– we prayed for God to divinely place us with the person in whom He could get the most glory
  • when we prayed for a career change– we believed God for His Glory and Honor to be noticed is His career choice for us
  • when we prayed for our healing –we first asked God what we needed to do to facilitate the healing process and then we asked him to intervene in our health in a way that would bring His Kingdom the most glory

Friends, make no mistake, I am not here yet!

But I want to be; I’m moving toward this goal by “Knowing Him More.”

The bottom line: 

If every prayer we prayed asked God to work the circumstances so that He received the glory and the honor, ALL of our prayers would be answered!

 

To God Be The Glory!

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Psalm 83; 1 Chronicles 29:23-25; 2 Chronicles 1:1; 1 Kings 2: 13 through 3:4; 2 Chronicles 1: 2-6; 1 Kings 3: 5-15; 2 Chronicles 1:7-13

1 Possible Cause of My Tough Times? –2 Samuel 12:11-12

April 27, 2013 in 1 Chronicles, 2 Samuel, 2013 Journey, Choices, Depression, Divorce, Failure, Finances, Forgiveness, Health, Sin, Tough Times, Trials with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  2 Samuel 12: 26-31; 1 Chronicles 20: 2-3; 2 Samuel 13: 1 through 14:33

In yesterday’s reading Nathan spoke for the Lord and confronted David of his sin of murdering Uriah and sleeping with Uriah’s wife.  As we discussed yesterday David was sincerely repentant.

The Lord immediately forgave him

but

there were consequences to his actions that would go on throughout his life and into the next generation:

  • The child that he fathered with Bathsheba died
  • From that day forward David’s family would live by the sword
  • David’s household would rebel against him
  • David’s wives would be given to another man and  he will go to bed with them in public view
  • All these things would become public knowledge

As we move into today’s reading we begin to see these things come to pass.

I found an interesting article that helped me to understand how these hard things could happen to someone who was forgiven and set a part for God’s service.

Here is an excerpt from The Law of Sowing and Reaping  by Don Rousu:

In the Book of Genesis we find the expression of a seed principle that runs throughout the scriptures, and a principle that will endure as long as the earth. Chapter 8, verse 22 reads, “As long as the earth endures, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” In other words, seed-time and harvest, that is “sowing and reaping”, will be as unchangeable and predictable as day and night.

Sowing and reaping is a law, like the law of gravity. The law of gravity always works the same way for everyone. So does the law of sowing and reaping. It’s a fixed principle that God built into his creation. In Galatians 6:7, we are told, “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

Essentially, this means that every action has a predictable consequence. If I sow corn, I’ll get corn, not potatoes. If I sow radishes, I’ll get radishes, not squash… It also works the same way in the spiritual realm. If I sow (give away) life to others, I will reap life myself.  If I sow provision for others, I will reap provision for myself. If I sow forgiveness toward others, I’ll reap forgiveness for myself…

And I’ll add to that…

If I sow hate for others, I will reap hate from for myself.

If I sow unforgiveness toward others, I’ll reap unforgiveness for myself.

Today the rebellion of David’s household begins:

  • The tragic rape of Tamar
  • David becomes angry but does nothing to address this family sin
  • Absalom determines to kill Amnon and conceals his intentions for two years
  • Absalom begs his father David to attend a feast at his house but for some reason he refuses
  • Amnon goes in David’s place; Absalom’s servants kill Amnon
  • David refuses to see his son for two years
  • Absalom forces Joab to intercede, and David welcomes Absalom home

There have been many times I tried to pray away Satan, the enemy of my soul, out of my life when in reality  I was reaping what I had sown.

Here are a few examples that come to mind:

  • Financial problems-trying to live beyond my means
  • Health Issues-Not treating my body as the temple of God
  • Scheduling Issues- Over-committing and wondering why I can’t get it all done
  • Bitterness-Lack of Forgiveness that was sucking the life out of me

I know that there are times God makes an exception and minimizes the reaping process but many times He does not.

As a disclaimer, I must say that there are many examples in the Bible where God’s people reap good AND bad things that they didn’t sow but when we go through tough times we must self-assess with the help of the Holy Spirit our responsibility to our circumstances.

As I look back on my life I may have made the same mistakes again if I had not had to do some reaping!

Heavenly Father, I don’t want to reap tough times and tough situations.  Help me to sow good things into my life and the lives of others.  Lord, when I make a mistake and sow the wrong thing, help me to learn from my mistakes and move through the reaping as quickly as possible.

In Jesus’ Name!  Amen and Amen!

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  2 Samuel 15:1 through 17:14

Can You Pass The Success Test? –1 Samuel 13:14

April 14, 2013 in 1 Samuel, 2013 Journey, Failure, Finances, Goals, Holy Spirit, leadership, Pride, Psalms, Success with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  1 Samuel 17:32 through 19:17, Psalm 59, 1 Samuel 19:18-24

Two amazing men chosen by God—one has the title of “a man after God’s own heart” and the other an everlasting example of what not to do.

Let’s go back to the beginning of David and Saul’s lives and see what we can learn from them:

Both were chosen by God:

  • Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin.  Anoint him (Saul) to be the leader of my people. –1 Samuel 9:15-16
  • And the Lord, said, “this is the one; anoint him.”  So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil.  –1 Samuel 16:12-13

Both had the Spirit of the Lord upon them:

  • When you (Saul) arrive at Gibeah of God…At that time the spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. –1 Samuel 10:6
  • So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil.  And the Spirit of the Lord cam powerfully upon David from that day on.  –1 Samuel 16:13

Both started out as humble men:

  • When Samuel met Saul and told him that “he and his family would be the focus of all Israel’s hopes” Saul replied, “but I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe!  Why are you talking like this to me?”  –1 Samuel 9:20-21
  • When Saul offered David his daughter Merab, David replied, “Who am I, and what is my family in Israel that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” David exclaimed,  “My father’s family is nothing!” –1 Samuel 18:18

What happened?

Both of these men got off to a great start…

If you know the Bible stories you know that David did some bad things as well.  In my eyes they seemed as bad or worse than what Saul did; what was the difference?

The condition of the heart—when Saul was disobedient the first time, Samuel told Saul that his kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.  –1 Samuel 13:14

So God’s number one qualification for king was for that person to be “a man after His own heart.”

Success is one of the greatest tests of the heart, even more than failure. 

Saul’s immediate success and fame led him to forget who made him king.  Saul’s became filled with pride and arrogance instead of humility.

The heart is still the most important thing the Lord looks at.  We can say and do the right things but it’s the heart that God judges. A heart full of pride cannot totally follow after God!

Holy Spirit, show us the areas of our heart that aren’t pleasing to you.  Help us to repent, ask for your forgiveness and cleansing and then help us to have a heart like David!

In Jesus Name, Amen and Amen!

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©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  1 Samuel 20:1 through 1 Samuel 21:15, Psalm 34      

Sometimes It’s Best to be Under-qualified–Judges 7:2

April 2, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Fear, Finances, Judges, leadership, Pride with 3 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Judges 7:1 through Judges 9:21

“You have too many warriors with you.”  That’s what the Lord said to Gideon. (7:2)

If I were Gideon, a farmer who was trying to lead an army, I probably would have said, “Excuse me, I need all the help I can get! You can never have too many warriors!”

Before Gideon had a chance to object, the Lord explained it perfectly:  If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. (7:2)

Friends, this principle  didn’t just apply in Gideon’s day.

Has God said to you?

“I want to accomplish my plans for you with…

  • Less money
  • Less education
  • Less equipment
  • Less people
  • Less confidence in your ability
  • Less praise from others

…because I want to receive all the Glory.”

While Your Heavenly Father probably didn’t speak to you audibly, He definitely speaks those words through the ways He answers our prayers.

I remember a time in my life when I was having great success in my career.  In the beginning I knew the Lord was blessing me but as time moved forward and more and more success came my way I began to think it was my personality, talents and hard work that made everything fall into place.

I’m sad to tell you that this was one of those times the Lord said, “If you think you’re so hot then do it by yourself!”

Once the Spirit of the Lord (yesterday’s reading) left me to do it on my own, all that “self-confidence” quickly disappeared.

It was over fifteen years ago but the memory is still vivid.  Talking in front of groups of people had been so easy, but without “the Spirit of the Lord taking possession” (6:34) I began to dread the thought of any type of interaction with people.

I’ve always heard that success is a bigger test than failure; I think it was true in my life.

The best place to be is under-qualified AND full of God’s anointing.

Gideon found this to be true in today’s reading. It’s interesting that the Lord weeded out the majority of the extras with one word:  fear

That’s what our enemy, Satan is hoping for—our fears to overtake us so we won’t do what God has planned for us to do.

I pray that we will be like Gideon; once we hear the Lord call us out, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you,” we will step out with less and give all the Glory to the Lord.

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 9:22 through Judges 11:28

Do You Have an Israelite Attitude? Numbers 14:1-4

March 3, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Choices, Failure, Finances, Jesus, My story, Numbers, Obedience, Tough Times with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Numbers 14:1 through Numbers 15:41

After the Israelites heard the report from the twelve spies the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night…Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt.” (14:1-4)

When I read today’s passage I thought, “How stupid can you get?”  My hindsight vision was a perfect 20/20 as I critiqued the Israelites’ many mistakes.  But what if I change the name, situation, and outcome and insert my story…

How many times have I heard a report and immediately began to cry, bawl, kick, and scream and THEN take matters into my own hands and craft a plan with my limited information?

…Too, too many times I’m sad to say.

The first mistake that comes to my mind is about 18 years ago, I felt the Lord speak to me to resign from my position as a Mary Kay Sales Director and wait on Him for the next step.  At first I was obedient but when a major life change came along I thought, “surely God doesn’t want me to resign NOW”, so I changed my mind and retained my status as a Senior Sales Director.  After two years of struggling in areas that had always been so easy, having no passion for my job, and getting myself into serious debt; I finally realized I had to resign.  Things would have worked a lot better if I had just listened to the God who parted the Red Sea!

Thanks to Moses’ intervention the Lord forgave the Israelites.  This is huge!  God was ready to disown and destroy them (14:12).  This is a picture of God’s forgiveness of our sins today…

Jesus is in heaven interceding to God on our behalf!  I love that!

Let’s face it, we mess up and need God’s forgiveness just like the Israelites.  And just like the Israelites there are consequences (not one of those people entered the Promised Land) to our disobedience.

Thankfully God forgave my disobedience just like He did the Israelites.

But just like the Israelites I had to deal with the consequences.

It took years for me to recover from that time both emotionally and financially, but I did recover.  I think too many times we ask and expect God to get us out of places we got ourselves into.  Sometimes He does but many times, especially in the area of finances we have to grow our way out of it!

Thank you Lord for your forgiveness!

 

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©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Numbers 16:1 through Numbers 18:32

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