Momentum

I sat in my favorite chair, praying over my lackluster state and confessing the selfishness and self-centeredness that had crept back in to my life the last week. I felt ashamed of how I'd handled many things of late as well as how I'd lost my focus on God. Not a pretty picture.

Without focus we wind up running on our own steam. And that's when I received a clear picture of momentum from God. It's like being in a soapbox racing cart at the top of the hill. You get that push to get you going and then you sail down the rest of the way, relying on the steepness of the road and gravity to keep you going as long as possible.

But then things level out a bit and your momentum begins to wain. Before long, your cart peters out and you come to a stop.

As I received this imagery I could hear God say, "You went back to relying on your own strength." Yep, I did. And I didn't even realize it until my cart came to a stop.

That's one of the dangers we have to be aware of. We have these great starts in whatever area God is calling us to walk. All the pieces seem to flow together and we can see so clearly the path God is calling us to walk. We move forward and take off, but then seem to lose our oomph.

Somewhere along the line we've shifted from functioning in God's strength to using our own. It's subtle and sneaky. I think this is one reason why God doesn't give us the complete picture when He draws us to a path because He knows how easily we switch to our own ability and perspective.

Our reliance on Him for every step may feel like weakness, but I find it takes greater strength, commitment and focus to wait on God in this manner than to barrel forward with my own plan.

And waiting on God is by no means a lack of movement or direction. It is our most challenging state of action as Believers in Christ and our highest form of trust and worship.

You know, God has the best ways of letting us know He's right there with us. As I sat and worked through this and prayed for His strength, my phone buzzed.

This was on the screen: "@JesusStrength is now following you."

I’m shaking my head and laughing. God even uses Twitter. There are no true barriers to God's presence and strength. I'm reminded again of that verse that says we have not because we ask not (James 4:2-3).

I firmly believe God loves it and is highly honored when we ask for more of Him, of His strength and His presence. He knows our own momentum will only carry us so far and He loves us so much that He will allow us to peter out to understand the difference between His unending strength and momentum verses our own limited capacity. In fact, I sense His great delight when I step back into His presence and ask Him to take over again. And that delight never seems to wain or diminish either. No matter how many times I have to ask.

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. — 1 John 3:21-22

And what are His commands?

This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. — 1 John 3:23-24

I think we complicate things sometimes, thinking we have to meet a performance standard. I know I still struggle with this at times. I judge the state of my relationship with God with how I feel, what my circumstances look like and from my own perspective of how “well I am doing things.”

Where is my focus when I do this?

God breaks it down so easily for us. Believe Jesus and love each other. It’s all about abiding in Him, focusing on Him. This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about keeping our focus on God and it won’t be the last, I’m sure. We need constant reminders.

So, my precious friends, I leave you (and me!) with this mental image as a reminder. You’re in that go cart and God is about to give you a mighty shove down the track. That cart holding and protecting you along with that surge of excitement is the Holy Spirit in and around you. And Jesus is there at the finish line, cheering you on. As long as you hunker down (abide) and keep your eyes on Him (focus), you won’t lose momentum.

Grab your helmet and get ready to fly!


Love you!

Dineen

Image credit: 3quarks / 123RF Stock Photo

Weekend Worship — God Won't Let Us Go!

My friends, how has your week been? Have you faced some "giants" this week? I know I have and I'm feeling a little battle weary, but gave me such joy through it this week. I love how our God does this, right in the middle of our circumstances. 

I want to share a little verse I stumbled upon this week and find HUGE meaning in it. 

"What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs." — Matthew 10:27

Jesus spoke this to the Twelve as part of what He instructed them to go out and do. In this I see two key truths. One, remember what we know to be true. God spoke this to my heart this week when I cried out to Him in a dark moment, "What do you know to be true." It came not as question but as a statement. This is our strength, to take the truth and speak it out. It brings God's light into the darkness. 

In this moment, I literally spoke out loud—God is good, God is in control, God is an equipper and God is a redeemer (Romans 8:28). The darkness lifted and my peace was restored.

And two, that's what I'm doing right now. I'm proclaiming the truth from the rooftops of the internet, namely our blog. We can share God's truth more easily now than ever before. We live in amazing times!

So, my friend, remember what you know to be true and go shout it from the rooftops! God won't ever let us go!

Love and treasure each of you so very much!
Dineen 

Weekend Worship — God is Calling Us!

My friends, no matter where I go I keep hearing this same message. Special thanks to a friend who shared that a specific verse was on her heart and mind. When I read it, I knew it was meant for us and for all of God's daughters whom He's calling forth in amazing ways right now all over the world.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, Gods special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. — 1 Peter  2:9

Right before the last conference Lynn and I spoke at, God gave me a dream that I shared with the women who attended. I've had prophetic dreams before, just a couple that were directed just to me. But this one, this is the first one I've received that related to a global scale. I believe He wants me to share it here as well.

I was half awake, half asleep (it's possible it was a vision...I honestly don't know). I stood before a tall crop—corn I believe. Jesus stood next to me.

He gestured to the crop and said, "This is the Great Harvest."

I said, "Lord, I can't see past this, can you show me more?"

Suddenly I was up higher and could see tall mountains in the far distance. The crop spanned all the way to the mountains!

My friends, pray and seek God for how He is calling you forward. These are exciting times! God is moving in such a large scale right now. Many of us are hearing the same things! Share in the comments what you are hearing. I'd love to hear your thoughts and impressions of what God is doing.

I am so thankful for each one of you. That I can share this amazing journey with my fellow SUMites. God has so much and even more for us! 
Love you dearly!
Dineen

This is the entire worship session with Jesus Culture from the 2013 Power & Love Prophetic Conference at Bethel Church in Redding. Listen to all or bits and pieces, but do listen to Beni Johnson's message at about the 59 minute mark. You will be blessed with hope!

Weekend Worship — A Story of God's Faithfulness

Mr. and Mrs. Keith Silva

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. — Psalm 17:6

My friends, this is a special day for me and my family. It's my oldest daughter's wedding day. For me it's also a testimony to God's faithfulness.

For years as I prayed over my girls, I have also prayed for the future men in their lives—for their future husbands. I prayed for men of integrity—godly men who knew Jesus and lived it out in their lives. I also prayed that God would prepare my girls and help them to be godly wives and helpers to their future husbands.

Today my daughter, Rachel, will walk down the aisle with this young man, Keith, who started "courting" her six years ago and is more than I prayed for or imagined. God answered my prayers far beyond my expectations. He is so good to this praying mama.

I'm so excited to see these two start their lives together. Already they exhibit the love and respect for each other as God intends it to be. I am so very proud of both of them and will now continue to pray for them to be united in their marriage and to love and respect each other as Christ tells us in Ephesians 6. 

So, rejoice with me, my Sumite family. Besides seeing my daughter and son-in-law speak their love and unite as one in marriage before family and friends, nothing gives me more joy today than sharing it with you.

I treasure and love you all so very, very much. Thank you for sharing this special day with me!
Dineen

Weekend Worship — Come Away!

My friends, Lynn and I are speaking at a women's retreat at Rancho Community Church in Temecula, CA this weekend. We are anticipating an amazing work of God in the women attending. As I write this, I'm days away from the event and Lynn and I are both anticipating the rebirth and renewal of faith, the release of the Holy Spirit and healing on so many levels. It's all part of what we've been sharing on the blog—God is moving in HUGE ways and calling His daughters forth.

In other words, a completely astonishing work of God!

I am already in awe of what our Almighty God does when we just let Him into our hearts and lives and give Him everything!

Have an amazing weekend drenched in the love and power of Jesus, my friends. I'm praying for the fire of the Holy Spirit to burn brighter than ever before in all of us! Amen!

Hugging you tight with love and prayers!
Dineen

Related articles

The Surrendered Life

Live With Intention

What is God's Will For Each of Us?

A Keen Perspective

A God Encounter Changes A Marriage

Weekend Worship — Overwhelmed by God

Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servants house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Lord God. What more can David still say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant. O Lord, for Your servants sake, and according to Your own heart, You have wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things. O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. — 1 Chonicles 17:16-20

I love this part of David's story. He wanted to build a house of cedar for the ark of the covenant, to create a permanant home for the presence of God. But God totally turns it around and basically says He will establish David's kingdom through his family line and even speaks of His plans for David's descendants. God promises David He will never take His presence away from David and his family lineage.

Then David goes before the Lord and says, "Who am I, Oh Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?"

As I read this I felt myself overwhelmed by God's goodness. Imagine how David felt in this moment? He desired to honor God in the best way he could think of and God takes his offering and turns it completely around and multiplies it back to David. Our Lord is that GOOD!

Wow. Now think of our offering of ourselves. We become the temple of God's Holy Spirit, not a home of cedar but a home of the heart. And God takes our humble offering and multiplies it over and over again. We are blessed to be this "temple" to His Holy Spirit in ways we will not completely understand until we are made complete in Christ and stand in His presence.

I am overwhelmed by God's grace, generosity and goodness. We can't outgive God. His delight in us exceeds perception and understanding. His faithfulness endures forever!

Oh Lord, who are we that You would give us Your very Spirit to live and dwell in us? We are Your children, Your chosen and loved ones whom You bless over and over again with Your very goodness. Thank You, Lord, for bringing us this far. Thank You, Lord, for regarding us and loving us in such high degree. Thank You, Lord, for Your greatness and all that You do in and through us. Abba, there is no one like You! We adore you, Jesus! Amen!

Love you, my friends, so very very much. We belong to the Most High God and we are His delight! 
Dineen 

Related articles

What is God's Will For Each of Us?

God is an Equipper

Weekend Worship — A New Twist on Loneliness

My firends, we've talked a lot about loneliness in our mismatched marriages over the years, but I heard a new twist on it while listening to a podcast by Pastor Nathan Edwardson. It's amazing. Are you ready? This is what he said:

"Loneliness is an invitation to know and pursue the One who will never abandon us."

Wow. Talk about flipping your thinking to a new dimension. It's turning a negative into a positive. What a stunning idea, to think of our lonely moments as an invitation to know and pursue our Lord! Let's do it!

And now for some weekend worship. Here are two songs by the group Salvador. (Joanne, this will get your feet moving in your kitchen!) Turn up the volume and get ready to dance, my friends, because it's time to worship Jesus with some foot action!

Have an amazing weekend seeking the One who absolutely adores you!
Dineen

Related articles

Weekend Worship - FREEDOM!

Weekend Worship — Lord, I Need You!

Happy weekend, my precious friends! This song by Matt Maher is getting a lot of play time on the airwaves and on my playlist. The words Maher croons out, "Lord, I need you" is the common cry and song of our hearts, isn't it?

What's so profound is what happens when we tell Jesus, "I need You." He swoops in like the hero that He is and saves us. We are forever transformed and changed. And He doesn't stop there. He continually responds to our needs, doesn't He? He is our friend and comforter. 

He is our very righteousness and right-ness with God. Amen?

Lord Jesus, we need you. We need you every hour of every day. Every moment of our lives. And we are so very, very grateful that You hear and answer our cry—each and every one of them. Every time. In Your precious and awe-inspiring name, amen!

Have an amazing and love-filled weekend, my friends! I love you!
Dineen 

Related articles

The Surrendered Life

Weekend Worship - Lay Me Down!

Weekend Worship - FREEDOM!

Weekend Worship — Lay Me Down!

My precious Sumites, I love this song by Chris Tomlin because it's about the surrendered life and the JOY of living like we belong to Jesus. Because we do! We are His and He is ours. This is also what Scripture means when it says, "the joy of the Lord is our strength" (Neh. 8:10.)

When we walk in this place of surrender and obedience, we know freedom, joy and peace. To the world it makes no sense, but we know better, don't we? And oh, my spirit longs to share this with everyone! We want everyone to know our amazing healer and comforter, Jesus. Especially in light of the horrible events this past week.

We have the Holy Spirit and God is calling us to share Him! Have an amazing weekend, my dear sisters and brothers in Jesus. May His presence fill and rest upon you, may His blessings rain down over you and your family and may His strength, courage, love, power and authority reign supreme in your life!

We adore You, Jesus! Amen!

Love you so much, my friends!
Dineen

 

Weekend Worship — FREEDOM!

My precious friends, since our conference I am more and more convinced that God is moving is a big way and His message is all about Hi love and freedom—the freedom that comes when we walk in faith, trusting Him for our lives and knowing who ecactly we are in Jesus.

Recently I wrote a couple posts about steps of faith and I'm seeing that same message everywhere. God is speaking the same things to people from all over the world—people who don't even know each other and it's big, big, BIG!

When I catch a glimpse of that big picture (thank you, Lord), I am awestruck and struck by God's GOODNESS. All that He does comes from His goodness. That's His nature and the only way He works. He is completely truthworthy and faithful!

I chose the lyrics version of this song from Jesus Culture because someone out there needs to see these words and accept them as God's truth for them. Let's worship together, my friends, and praise God for our freedom in Jesus and ask Him to do even more in our lives so that we can share it with others. 

Our Abba wants us FREE!

Love you so very, very much!
Dineen

 

Related articles

The Path of Faith

The Surrendered Life

Is Your God too Small?: Three Radical Changes To BIG Hope