BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

God created you with a BIG Life in mind. A BIG Life with a mission. One things stand in the way of your mission … you. You with your doubts and fears. You walking around fully equipped, yet totally questioning your value and worth every step of the way. We like to think we’re being all humble when we play little, but all we’re doing is diminishing the power God has placed within us and delaying the mission we’re here to complete. How can we rise up to be all the almighty created us to be? How can we step into our destiny and overcome our doubts and fears? The story of Moses and a snake gives us 3 lessons to apply to our lives today. In Exodus chapter 3 we read about God and Moses having an argument. God is giving Moses very clear and detailed instructions on what to do next. How many of us would love for God to show up right now in our house and tell us exactly what to do? We think we would like that, but we would likely do the same exact thing Moses did … argue. God would tell us YOU do this and we would tell him WE can’t and then give him a laundry list of reasons why we’re not good enough, why we’re not ready, why we’re not able. This is exactly what Moses did. God tells Moses to go to Pharoah and lead the Israelites out of Egypt where they had been held captive. That was a big job with a whole lot of risk and Moses quite simply didn’t feel equipped for the job. He’s like “me, little old me? Oh come on God, you know I can’t do this!” So God goes proves his power at work within him. If you question your value, your worth or your ability to show up and do what needs to be done in your life, this is for you! So we pick up in Exodus chapter 4, verses 1-4 But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” 2 Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. 3 “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. 4 Then the Lord told him, “Reach out and grab its tail.” So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand. Understand what was happening here was God was preparing Moses to do things he himself couldn’t do. He was proving his power to him. He was giving him a taste of the miraculous things he would do through him to complete this mission he had been given. Now, let’s spend some time unpacking this lesson and apply it to our lives today. In my journal, I have 3 lessons on this small portion of Moses’ story. First, why was Moses arguing with God? Well, he was full of what if’s – God, you want me to go talk to these people, but what if they won’t believe me? What if they won’t listen to me? Have you ever had a strong case of the what if’s? What if they don’t accept me? What if no one likes me? Let me tell you what your what if’s are – they are simply a reflection of your own feelings about you. You fear others not accepting you because somewhere deep down YOU don’t accept you. You assume people won’t like you because there are parts of you that YOU don’t like. And let me tell you something, God doesn’t like this one bit. He looks at you and sees your full potential still inside you untapped. He sees you as the complete creation he made you to be from the very beginning and he’s willing to push you and stretch you until you finally overcome all your what if’s. And the only way to overcome a what if is to be faced with the very thing you fear and then find you can overcome it. You’re entirely too powerful, too beautiful, too special to go through another day of your life questioning who you are.

Oh yes, your God is being awesome today. He has straight up awesome plans and works in mind for this day! You need to know that. You also should know the Devil is being a butthole today. Uhhhuhh, that nasty old devil woke up in a bad mood on this Thursday and he’s trying his darnedest to wreck havoc in your life. You’ll likely see his buttholey works around you. You’ll see his attempts to twist and manipulate. You’ll see his offering of a bad mood, a bad attitude and a bad day. But if anyone is going to have a bad day, let it be him! He may have ruined perfectly good days for you in the past, but it doesn’t have to go down that way today. Not this time. You’ve been properly warned and you can be on alert of his buttholey ways. Remember last week in episode 434 I told you of his crappy plans for you? Oh please tell me you haven’t been falling into his plans. Please tell me you haven’t been believing his lies this week. The devil knows your name, but calls you by your sin. God knows your sin, but calls you by your name. You don’t have to be defined by your screwups and failures. If you are, that’s the work of your enemy. And remember, he’s just being a butthole so don’t let him ruin your day. Here’s the thing you need to know about this enemy you battle … he’s a wanna be … but he ain’t gonna be. He wants to rule your day. He wants to wreck your plans. He wants to stir up trouble. He wants steal your joy. He wants your focus to be on him. You’ve heard the saying “there’s no such thing as bad publicity”. If they’re talking about you, it’s good, even when they’re talking bad. That’s the plan of the devil. He doesn’t mind if you hate him. He loves it when you talk about how hard your life is and how bad things are. Because here’s the thing, if you’re thinking about him, you’re not thinking about God. If you’re talking about him, you’re not talking about God. You’re focused on his works and he receives the publicity. The truth is, we give him way too much credit! The enemy is just a butthole. End of story. He’s already been defeated by Jesus Christ on the cross. He is the loser. Don’t focus on the loser. Focus on the winner. The battle is real but spoiler alert, JESUS IS THE WINNER EVERY TIME. So I will speak of the enemy and his butthole ways no more. You’ve heard the truth about him. You’ve been warned of his crappy plans. Now let’s focus on the winner. You and I are on the winning team. We get to celebrate the victory that has been won on our behalf. We are covered, we are claimed, and we are celebrated. Hold your head high today knowing GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD. (1 John 4:4) Romans 8:31 says “If God is for you, who can be against you?” Deuteronomy 31:8 says “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Hang on to that today. God is FOR you, he is WITH you, he has already gone before you and made a way. What was impossible is now possible because God is in the middle of it. Today, God is being awesome. Yip, plain ol’ awesome is what God is up to today. He is being powerful. He knows your name and he is calling you. He is drawing you in to his great plans and your mighty purpose. He is directing your every step and he is aligning every detail. Let this be your focus today. Search out proof of his truths. See his fingerprints all around you. You don’t have to live in fear of what will go wrong, not when you have a God like this who reigns! Not when you have a savior like this who loves. Not when you have a Lord like this who works. All of heaven and earth is conspiring to bring out the best in...

So, something has got you all stirred up. You’re not sure what to do, you’re searching for the right answer, you’re stressed on the timeline and you’re feeling the pressure. How can you calm down in the midst of chaos? How can you be certain in the middle of uncertainty? Psalm 139:23 says “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” If God were to search your heart this morning and examine your anxious thoughts, what would he find? Hmmmm, did you know he already has? Every moment of every day, God has been listening to your anxious thoughts. Your random worries – your stressed schedule – your stretched finances – your overwhelming choices – your distracted mind – your strained relationships. Yes, God knows about all your anxious thoughts, he has heard every one and he has an answer for you today. Our answer comes to us in Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 and 7. This scripture was written by Paul. Paul knew a thing or two about stress. After all, he wrote 4 chapters of the bible while in prison being unjustly persecuted. Oh yes, Paul knew stress. He knew how to turn a mess into a message. He knew how to use all his pain to lead him to his purpose. And here’s what he says: Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Don’t worry about anything, pray about everything. Calm down darling. Well that’s easy to say when things are going peachy, but what about when your stresses are real and your anxious thoughts are off the charts? Remember, Paul wrote this IN PRISON where he was beaten, neglected and mocked. Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Could this be applicable to you today? Let’s read both verses again and we will see a 3 step pattern here. If you have your bible open to Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 and 7, there are 4 words I would like you to underline in the New Living Translation. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. TELL God what you need, and THANK him for all he has done. THEN you will experience God’s PEACE, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” 4 words – Tell, Thank, Then Peace It’s a pattern. Tell, thank, then peace. We want peace. We want the storms in our life to be quieted. We want smooth sailing. We want to have money left at the end of the month. We want our relationships to be fixed. We want our bodies to be healed. We want peace, but look at the order, you can’t miss it. Tell, Thank, Then Peace. You must tell God what you need. Now does he already know what you need before you speak it? Of course he does – but this isn’t about God knowing what you need, this is about you knowing you need God. You are required to show up. You are required to work. But you are not required to be in control of it all. Tell God about your messes and stresses. Tell him what worries and overwhelms you. Tell him. Release it to him and tell him you’re counting on him to show up. Second, thank him for all he has done. Has God ever saved you from disaster before? Ahhhh, more times than you know. Has God ever provided in supernatural ways? Remember when you found that $10 bill in your coat pocket just when you didn’t have any gas money? Remember when you dug for change and you found it? Remember when you got that random insurance refund check in the mail? Remember when the food that wasn’t enough was somehow enough? Remember when that tank of gas just kept going and going? (Chic-Fil-A sandwich: 5 loaves & 2 fish that ...

This isn’t just another day of life. This is something remarkably special. This is day 1 of the 4th and final quarter of 2019. You stand on the cusp of something – on the cusp of your potential – and God wants to know if you will step INTO it. Will you step into the life he is offering you? Remember, God is offering you a BIG Life. Scripture says “I long for you to enter this wide-open spacious life. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively.” What does this mean … live BIG! And today is an opportunity to do exactly that. But most will miss it and believe it’s just an ordinary Tuesday sandwiched between an ordinary Monday and Wednesday. Will this day go unappreciated and unrecognized as the pure gift and tremendous opportunity it really is? Will you make your God look at you and say “Gosh I’m glad I gave that girl life!” Here’s my wish for you … Today, may you be led by what is IN you instead of what is around you. Around you are all sorts of distractions and drama. The invitation to mediocre living is everywhere. But you don’t have to go through life downbeat, down cast and down in the dumps. DOWN isn’t the direction you should be looking or heading. Here’s how I know … because of what is IN you. The title of today’s devotional is “Straighten Your Crown” As a follower of Christ and daughter of the King, the very Spirit of God is IN you. Romans 8: 9 says “You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. A few sentences later in verse 15 it says “You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.” God’s spirit is in you. Do you get that? His spirit is IN you. The mountain moving, sea parting, chain breaking, prison wall shaking, master of the winds and waves, creator of the Universe, IS IN YOU. The enemy wants to beat you down and remind you of your failures and shortcomings all so you forget who is in you. He trips you up with an obsession over your weight, your money, your job, your house, your image … all so that you fail to recognize what is most important and what is truly powerful. God’s spirit lives within you. If you’re obsessing over the size of your butt and the pooch of your belly, then you forget about the power inside of you. Hey if you’re upset about your butt or your belly, your house or your job, then woman DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ALREADY! You have the ability to change anything you want to change. If you don’t like it, girl get to work on it. Don’t sacrifice your power. I know I certainly have sacrificed my power at times and failed to recognize the most powerful thing in the entire universe living right inside of me. Every single time that sacrificed power came as a result of a focus on my problems instead of my power. You can be powerful or pitiful but you can’t be both. Why would we ever choose pitiful? Oh dang girl, pitty NEVER looks good on you. But power coming from the spirit of the Almighty living within in … you can rock that! Because of his spirit living in you, you should no longer settle for defeat. You should no longer wake up expecting nothing great. You should no longer be okay with mediocre. Not when the spirit of the almighty is in you. Oh heck to the no! This is why you should be excited. This is why you should get fired up about the new day of life being offered to you today. This is why you should anticipate seizing every opportunity that comes your way and being fully capable of slaying your obstacles, overcoming time and time again, and being more than a conqueror. BECAUSE GOD’S SPIRIT LIVES IN YOU.

We all come here today with a problem of some sort. Everything is not perfect. There’s a strained relationship, a stress or a mess, a potential threat, a worry, a hurt or pain. Hey, we’ve all got problems. However, it’s our PERSPECTIVE on our problems that determines our ability to get over it or get under it. What is your perspective on your problem? 2 Corinthians was written by Paul. Paul was a great messenger of God. God chose him, an unlikely candidate to leave such a legacy, then he changed him. I believe Paul’s past kept him humble and real, remember he was once Saul, the persecutor of Christians who went around beheading people. You think God doesn’t change the people he chooses, oh think again. And just in case you’re wondering if God has chosen you, the answer is YES. Yes, he has chosen you and he can change anything that needs to be changed in you. Anything. Lets read 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verses 7-10. Paul says: “To keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Honestly, that never made a whole lot of sense to me – for when I am weak, then I am strong. So I thought perhaps different translations of the bible would give me some insight. Could it really mean when I am weak, then I am strong. Seems like an oxymoron to me here people. So I looked in the New Living Translation, the New International Version, and the King James Version, and all 3 translations say it the same confusing way – when I am weak, then I am strong. Where are my girls at that are feeling a little weak on this Monday morning – a little beat down by the storms of life – overwhelmed by the demands and pressures – stuck in the messes and stresses – WELL GET READY TO BE STRONG. This is a different perspective of your problem. You really never know how strong you are until you have to be. When strong is your only choice, then you come face to face with what’s really deep down inside of you. God is making you stronger than you ever imagined. For when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength]. My human strength won’t get me through this – I must draw from God’s strength. And you must do the same. And this is why God allows storms in our lives. This is why he allows our plans to fall apart. This is why he allows difficult people and stressful situations. This is the purpose of many of your problems. So you become weak in your own strength and draw from His strength. Paul was given a thorn in his flesh, he called it a messenger from Satan to torment him and keep him from becoming proud. It wasn’t a literal thorn in his flesh, it was a symbolism of something that continually bothered him. We’re left to wonder what it might be. It could have been a physical ailment, many suggest migraines, epilepsy or seizures. Others believe it could have been a temptation he struggled with or a specific person always stirring up trouble for him. Why wouldn’t Paul tell us what his torn was? I believe it was left open ended to encourage us to consider our own thorn. What is the torn in your side? What is it that continually bothers you? What is it you have struggled with? What is your problem? Maybe you’ve begged God to heal you, take it away from you and yet you still struggle. Why? Because His power works best in weakness.

Did you know there are crappy plans on this day of life with your name on it? Oh yes, specially designed crapfest of frustration and overwhelm just for you. We can pretend as if it’s not coming, sister we must realize the battle we’re in and gear up to fight. 2 Corinthians 2:11 says ” … Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.” Are you familiar with the evil schemes of your enemy? My friend, don’t you know he’s been taking notes on you? All your life he’s been studying you and he knows EXACTLY what trips you up. He knows what steals your peace, causes you to flip out, and brings out the worst in you. God has a plan for your life and scripture tells us it’s a good plan, a plan to prosper you and fill you with hope. And you can be assured the enemy’s plans are the EXACT OPPOSITE for you. He wants you to be defeated – desperately defeated until you lose all hope. He wants you to wake up this morning and dread every part of this day of life. He wants you to be overwhelmed with all you have to do so you find zero blessings in it all. He wants you to be stuck in the routine of it all. He wants your first thoughts to be “oh gawd, I don’t want to get up.” Depression, anxiety, worry, jealousy and stress are all on his list of plans for you today. Why? Because they render you ineffective and leave you discouraged. Listen to me right now, don’t fall into the crappy plans of the enemy. Step intentionally into the good plans of your heavenly father who loves you and was up all night creating this day of life for you. Sure Satan is smart and cunning and crafty with his crappy ways, but we are familiar with his evil schemes and darn it, today he will not outsmart us. Remember 2 Corinthians 2:11 says “Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.” How many days of your life has the enemy’s crappy plans won out? How many perfectly good days have you wasted being angry, irritated, grouchy, lazy or absolutely clueless to the sheer miracle of simply being ALIVE? Sadly we’ve all wracked up a few days like that. Maybe we just weren’t aware before, but God is growing this awareness in us now and when you know better, you can do better! What are your triggers? What little things get under your skin and cause you to act irrationally? What trips you up? For some of you, it’s a rough start to the morning. It’s the snooze button and running late. Hmmmmm, did you face that this morning? Yeah, that battle was handcrafted for you by the enemy, part of his all too familiar evil schemes. Or maybe it’s waking up to a messy kitchen, a sink full of dishes and a reminder that the people you live with are 73% pig. That’s always a trigger for the wild eyed crazed ugly woman to come out in me. Yip, another handcrafted battle part of the evil schemes to trip us up. Maybe for you it’s not really things going wrong, but things going well for those around you. You feel threatened by their success and your fear causes you to act in ways you’re ashamed of. Jealousy and bitterness get the best of you and you’re showing up as a version of yourself you don’t even remotely like. This is your button and the enemy has been slamming it hasn’t he? For others the irrational actions are the result of assuming the worst in our overactive imagination where everyone is talking about us, against us, or leaving us. Our minds are filled with negative thoughts and Proverbs 23:7 tells us “as a man thinketh, so is he.” So we think crappy thoughts and of course we start acting crappy. Now who’s plan do you think that was? Ding, ding, ding, you’re right … not God’s! And here’s the sad thing, WE ALLOW IT. We fall for it, stumble right into it,

Who are you hanging out with? Remember yesterday’s episode about space … who’s been getting space in your life? Is your time with them taking you further down the path to becoming your best self, or leading you off the path on a dangerous detour? Oh yes, show me the people you’re hanging out with and I’ll show you your future. Isn’t it important to stop and ask yourself if that’s what you really want? Peter and John hung out with Jesus. They were among his closest friends. Because they hung out with him, they became more like him. In Acts chapter 3 we read of them healing a lame man in the name of Jesus Christ. As a result of this one person being healed 5,000 men came to believe in Jesus that day. Peter and John had done a good thing, the right thing, and then a bad thing happened to them. They were thrown in prison. Hey listen to me sister, just because bad things are happening in your world right now doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. The very troubles around you may very well be a sign that you are doing a darn good job. The enemy doesn’t attack things which are of no threat to him. So don’t you be discouraged. If God is on your side, who can be against you? Ask God to help you differentiate between problems which are the result of being on the wrong path, and problems which are the result of doing the right thing and now being under attack. These problems can appear the same so be sure you’re asking for wisdom. When in the middle of problems here’s a powerful, simple prayer, “God, if this is problem of my own wrong doing, please show me a different way. If this is a result of doing the right thing, please give me courage to keep going.” The disciples of Jesus spent a lot of time in prison. They were constantly under persecution for doing the right thing. God gave them courage to keep going. So here Peter and John are in prison after doing nothing more than healing a lame man and then helping lead 5,000 men to believe in Jesus in one day. That’s really good day that ended real sucky. But God was still working! The rulers questioned the disciples and in Acts 4:13 it says “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. COURAGEOUS, ORDINARY people who had BEEN WITH JESUS Let this be us. Let us be known as courageous ordinary women just hanging out with Jesus. Does God hang out in your house? Do you hang out with him in HIS house? Something special happens when you hang out with someone long enough, you become like them. I remember in high school I had a friend named Holly. Holly had the sweetest southern accent. After 1 week with her at camp, I came home talking like her. I also remember having a friend with a real potty mouth and one time I came home talking like her. Whoever you are hanging out with IS influencing you. Look around – would you want to BE like the people you are with? Would you want marriages like they have? Would you want morals like they have? Would you want a life like theirs? THEY ARE INFLUENCING YOU. Be wise in your relationships. It’s been said you’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. They are rubbing off on you. Let one of them be Jesus. Hang out with him. Let him rub off on you. Let his thoughts influence your thoughts. Let his words influence your words. Let his ways influence your ways. Pretty soon you’ll start making different choices, all because you’re hanging out with him. I have a group of listeners who are high school and college students. I’ll be honest they’re kinda my favorite listeners because they reach out to me on Instagram and send me messages telling me about the exciting changes they’re seeing in t...

Today we’re talking about space. I have a space issue in my cluttered, busy, loud life and it seems to me I’m not alone in my problem. We all seem to have a real space issue. Here’s what I’ve found, if we can remedy this issue, life will start working! Interested? Listen up! James 4:7 (MSG) “Let God work his will in you.” You hear people talk about God’s will all the time. What the heck is God’s will? Well, plain and simple, it’s his plan. It’s his way. Scripture tells us his ways are higher than our ways, and his plans are to prosper us and give us a hope and a future. So, why wouldn’t we seek God’s will with every ounce of our energy? Why would we resist him? Why would we insist on doing things our own way? Sometimes I believe it’s a trust issue. We are afraid we won’t really like God’s plan as much as our own, so we fight him. Other times I believe it’s simply a space issue. We’re busy doing our own thing just trying to make ends meet and we honestly forget we were never meant to do this on our own. We have been given direct access to our almighty creator, we have the ability to allocate his power through prayer, and yet we don’t. Instead we opt for worry over prayer. We opt for pity over power. We opt for our own 2nd rate plan instead of seeking the BEST way. We push him right out and we don’t even know it. We leave no space for our great big powerful God in our life. Are you ready to try this thing God’s way? Are you ready to let him work his will in you? I’m telling you he’s been waiting for the opportunity to prove he has goodness in mind for you. He’s been eager to jump in the middle of your mess and start fixing, but you haven’t let him. Today, we let him. So, let’s put together that game plan for this Wednesday. Whatcha say? First, we gotta remedy this space issue. We must create space for God. If we will create space for God in our lives, he will show up and do something awesome. But the truth is, we’ve cluttered and complicated our lives to the point that there’s just not a whole lot of room for God. And then we wonder where he is? “God, where are you in this whole mess?” And God says “Girl, you crowded me out a long time ago.” But what I love about our God is if we will offer him the slightest open door and invitation back into our lives, he will come running. He will be there in no time and he will snuggle right up to you. He never wanted to be distant from you. That was your own doing. And it happens so gradually and naturally that we don’t even recognize it. We elevate relationships that crowd him out. We fill our days with obligations, distractions, and noise. Now when there’s a moment not dedicated to something specific, we whip out our handy dandy little distraction device and we scroll. What was an opportunity for God to fill us up and work on our behalf is now replaced with our incessant need to stay connected while we are painfully DISCONNECTED. There’s no space for God. Where in your day is there an opportunity for God to speak clearly to you? When is there not noise and distraction? Have you crowded God right out of your life? Sleeping in until the last minute possible not leaving any real time for him? Resisting silence as if it’s some sort of cruel punishment to your mind. Refusing to slow down long enough to realize what you’re doing simply isn’t working. And not only have we allowed no space for God in our distracted, overwhelmed, stressed way of life today – we’ve created the perfect environment for our enemy to thrive. You bet your butt the devil plays in your distracted mind. He’s filling your head with negative thoughts, doubts and fears because you have left your mind unguarded.

What is in your way? What is blocking you from moving forward in your life? Are you ready and willing to start climbing over that today? As a teenager growing up I used to bellyache to my mama about any little thing I didn’t like in my life and she would sit and listen, then once I was finished going on and on about how bad it was she would say “ahhhhhh, get over it.” Every time that was her advice. Get over it. What’s wrong in your world today? Will you get over it, or will you get under it? Will you rise above it, or will you lower your expectations, hunker down in fear and lay low while life passes you by? Why would you ever get UNDER your problems? Yet, that’s exactly what we do when we chose not to get over it. Whatever is in your way, I’m telling you today is the day to start getting over it. Start climbing. In Luke 19: 1-6 We read about a man who got over the things that were in his way. “Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd.” What did Zacchaeus want? He wanted to see Jesus. And scripture says he wanted it desperately. When you want something desperately you’re willing to do things you wouldn’t normally do. What do you want desperately? Oh, there’s the problem. We’ve learned to insulate ourselves out of fear of failure and rejection so we’re not even allowed to want anything desperately anymore. We feel it’s safer to just “kinda” want something. If you only kinda want it and you don’t get it, then it only kinda hurts. We kinda live the life we want. We kinda find our purpose. We kinda feel fulfilled. We’re kinda getting better, but kinda not. And it’s all a result of kinda wanting it. Where’s your “desperately”? When you desperately want it, you’ll be moved to action. You’ll find the courage to do big things. That’s what Zacchaeus had. He had some desperate want in him. He wanted to see Jesus. But there was something in his way. Every time you desperately want something, there will be something else in your way. Obstacles are part of life. God never said it would be easy, in fact he promised you otherwise. He told you “in this world there will be trouble.” Well, he nailed that one didn’t he. Jesus you were right, in this world, I do have trouble and every time I really want something, there’s something in my way. Hey that’s life … and maybe it’s by design. Let’s pick back up in verse 4 of our story: “So Zacchaeus ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.” Zacchaeus was a small man. So small he couldn’t see over the shoulders of the people in front of him. The crowd of people was in his way. It was stopping him from that which he desperately wanted. So he did what could do, he climbed up in a tree. He climbed above the very thing blocking him from his vision. He climbed above it. Did you get that? He got over it. Just as my mama always told me – whatever your problem is, GET OVER IT! Mama, that was scriptural! Her advice was grounded in the words of Jesus. Get over it! Some of us need to do some climbing today. We’ve got a problem and we need to get over it – literally. What’s the first step in climbing? Well, you gotta get up, again literally. Your feet need to hit the floor. You can’t be laying around all lazy and drag butty expecting to overcome your obstacles.

Where are my people that like to shoot it straight? Don’t beat around the bush, don’t give me fluff, just tell it like it is? Well I hope you’re listening this morning, because today’s devotional is for you. We’re reading in Matthew 22 and Jesus is being trapped with a trick question by people who wanted to make things more difficult. The truth is “difficult” serves some people. Some people make a living by making simple things really difficult. And some people make their lives miserable by making everything more difficult than it really needs to be. So an expert in religious law (enter my own gagging motion here) lays out his snarky question to Jesus “Teacher, tell us, which is the most important commandment in the law?” And Jesus’ reply in verse 37 & 38 – “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Well that’s not what they wanted to hear. And the truth is, that’s hard for us to hear today. Honestly it would be a whole lot easier to have a list of specifics like “wake up at 5 am – make your bed – and keep your toilets sparkling clean at all times.” But this whole “love God with your everything and love others as much as you love your own self” – oh dang, that’s hard. But Jesus’ reply is still true today, here’s the line up for this Monday. If you want to do this day right, LOVE GOD AND LOVE PEOPLE. This is the most important thing. Love God and love people. And here’s where we’ve potentially gone wrong. We’ve covered up the 2 most important things with all the details and routines. We’re just going through the motions and we’ve lost our heart to love. Maybe you’re even listening to this right now more out of obligation than out of an act of love for God. Are you seeking to check that “devotional” box on your daily checklist, or are you here to draw close to your creator and love him more? It’s so easy to fall into the trap of our routines and habits and make everything seem like an obligation – ALL WHILE WE ARE LOSING THE HEART OF IT. God doesn’t need your devotional time. He wants your heart your soul and your mind. ALL OF IT. He wants all of it, all of you. Why? Because he ultimately wants what’s best for you and he knows YOU NEED HIM. Why do you need him? Because you were created to need him. You can never get this thing called life right without him. Maybe you’ve been trying to do this without him … and you wonder why it’s not working. It never will. The relationship you’ve been trying to fix won’t work without him. The business you’ve been trying to start, grow or save won’t work without him. The goal won’t work without him. The dream, the hope, the change won’t work without him. Exhaust yourself trying, but you’ll see it’s true. Revelations 2:4 says Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Remember when you were once hungry for God? When you would sit down and get lost in your Bible? When you would pour out your heart in prayer? Have you forgotten how you used to love Him? How you used to worship? Remember back when you weren’t so DISTRACTED. Ahhhh, yes, that’s a big word. Distracted. Are you so distracted that you’re unable to love the way you used to? Now let’s talk about our love for others. Do you remember a time when you used to do things for people from a loving genuine heart? When your yes was truly yes and you didn’t regret it 5 minutes later? Remember when you didn’t dread doing those loving deeds and acts? And now,

I’ve always told my kids, everything is a lesson. A lesson on either what to do or what not to do. We all like the examples of what to do, show me what works. But I believe even more powerful are the lessons on what NOT to do. Let me know in advance what doesn’t work, then I’ll make sure that’s not what I’m doing. Today we’ll dig into a story in the bible and learn from a few mistakes that will save us a year (or 40) of walking in circles with no progress. This is the real life stuff of what causes us to get stuck, what causes us to settle for less, what causes us to miss out … and how can we NOT do that?!!!! This is a lesson on what NOT to do. God has a plan for each of us. A life he envisioned from before he ever formed us. Then he created us equipped with everything we would need to step into the life he made us for. His plan is always complete. His way is always good. And the path is always ours to choose … or not, and there’s the problem. While we are guaranteed that God has a good plan for our lives, we are not guaranteed that we will follow it. We may be wasting time on a path God simply can’t bless. We may be creating obstacles for ourselves. Our being stuck may be of our own doing. That was certainly the story of the Israelites. These were God’s people whom he cared about. These were people who God had personally rescued from slavery in Egypt and set free. He had a beautiful plan and a great destination in mind for them. A promised land flowing with milk and honey was waiting for them. And God had given them a great leader in Moses. Moses had just parted the red sea with a stick and saved them from the army hunting them down, so they had fresh proof God was with them and for them. They had an 11 day journey through the desert to their promised land. 11 days is what it would take if they would trust God and keep moving forward. But they didn’t. Instead of 11 days in the desert, they got stuck there for 40 years. For 40 years they wandered around miserable in a place they didn’t want to be, in a place they were never meant to stay. An entire generation died in that desert. How did this happen? How did they turn an 11 day journey into 40 years of wandering? Let’s learn this so we don’t make the same mistake. I don’t want to miss the promised land in my own life. I don’t want to miss God’s plan. I don’t want to wander and get stuck. What caused this? FEAR. Fear of opposition. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. Fear they weren’t good enough. Fear God wouldn’t take care of them. This is what kept them stuck and caused them to miss out. This is what caused an entire generation to miss what God had available for them. It was FEAR. And the same will happen to you and I. Where is fear causing you to live less than you could be? Where is fear holding you back in a little life when you were created for a BIG Life? Here’s the lesson on what not do do. The land the Israelites wanted to go to was Cannan. It was only 11 days away, but it was the land of the unknown. Moses being a wise man sent out 12 leaders ahead of the crowd as spies to see what they were up against. How hard would it be for them to get to Cannan and what were the people like? For 40 days the 12 men stalked out the city. They tasted the grapes and the pomegranates, indeed this place was way better than the dessert, but there were obstacles. They would have to fight to get what they wanted. It wouldn’t be easy. After 40 days the 12 leaders return and make their report to Moses. 10 of them said it was impossible. The people there were giants. They were so big they looked like little grasshoppers in comparison. But two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb said in Numbers 13:30 – “Let’s go now and take possession of the land. We should be more than able to conquer it.

God does his greatest work in the face of the impossible. Show me your impossible and I’ll show you the area of your life primed for God’s intervention. Are you ready for God to intervene? Are you ready for him to rescue you from your mess? This is what God wanted me to tell you today – IF YOU WILL BE FAITHFUL, GOD WILL RESCUE YOU. IT IS YOUR CONTINUED FAITH IN THE FACE OF DANGER, DISASTER AND DOUBTFUL THAT SUMMONS GOD’S GREATEST WORKS. But here’s what we typically do in the face of danger, disaster and doubtful, we play pitiful. We replay the story over and over again in our head of how unfair life has been. We tell our sob story to everyone who will listen. We recount the ways it has gone wrong and plan for the ways it will continue to go wrong. And we begin believing that somehow this is all our almighty, powerful, relentless God has for us. That somehow you are unworthy of the miraculous in your own life, but you’ve seen it in the lives of others. Where is there danger in your life? A serious threat to your family or your future. It’s a reality you’re too scared to even look at. Where is there disaster in your life? A real mess you can’t quite see your way out of. A mess that only seems to be getting worse. Where is it now doubtful in your life? All good reasoning and common sense says this isn’t going to end well. It’s too late. It’s too far gone. It’s just doubtful. If you will be faithful in the face of your dangerous disaster … if you will be faithful when it all looks so doubtful … God will be pulled like a magnet to do his greatest work. You remember the story of Daniel in the lion’s den, right? That was a dangerous disaster that looked mighty doubtful. This morning, let’s look closer at this story and remember God can be trusted, even when we feel everything has been lost. Even when we feel everyone is against us, God is for us. And our God is willing to pull off the impossible for us. Daniel was a good man. He worked hard, he did a good job and he was liked by the King. Seems life should go grand for good ol’ Daniel. But how many of us know that’s not the way life always goes. Our success often attracts jealousy. And when people get jealous they do stupid stuff. Well let me tell you what stupid stuff these jealous people did. The other men working for the King hated how Daniel was favored. His success was a threat to them. And the fact that Daniel was so obedient to his God angered them. They noticed that 3 times a day Daniel would bow down and worship God and they would use this against him. If you think for one minute you won’t come under attack if you’re doing everything right, think again sister. Haven’t you heard, new levels new devils? The better you get at living well, the bigger the attack to bring you down. So these jealous men convince the King that he should decree anyone who bowed down and worshiped anyone other than the King himself should be thrown in a pit of lions. The King liked the sound of this and made this a new law. Daniel continued to stop 3 times every day and worship his God. He continued to be faithful. Now you think this wasn’t hard for him? You think there wasn’t some internal conflict over the right thing and the easier thing? Of course there was. And there will be for us too. Will you keep doing the right thing when the wrong people are watching? And if you do, what will happen to you? So Daniel was caught breaking the law and thrown into the pit with lions. Understand this, the King liked Daniel, he didn’t want to do this to him, but his law was clear. In Daniel 6:16 the King said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” And you likely know how the story goes. God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.

God does his greatest work in the face of the impossible. Show me your impossible and I’ll show you the area of your life primed for God’s intervention. Are you ready for God to intervene? Are you ready for him to rescue you from your mess? This is what God wanted me to tell you today – IF YOU WILL BE FAITHFUL, GOD WILL RESCUE YOU. IT IS YOUR CONTINUED FAITH IN THE FACE OF DANGER, DISASTER AND DOUBTFUL THAT SUMMONS GOD’S GREATEST WORKS. But here’s what we typically do in the face of danger, disaster and doubtful, we play pitiful. We replay the story over and over again in our head of how unfair life has been. We tell our sob story to everyone who will listen. We recount the ways it has gone wrong and plan for the ways it will continue to go wrong. And we begin believing that somehow this is all our almighty, powerful, relentless God has for us. That somehow you are unworthy of the miraculous in your own life, but you’ve seen it in the lives of others. Where is there danger in your life? A serious threat to your family or your future. It’s a reality you’re too scared to even look at. Where is there disaster in your life? A real mess you can’t quite see your way out of. A mess that only seems to be getting worse. Where is it now doubtful in your life? All good reasoning and common sense says this isn’t going to end well. It’s too late. It’s too far gone. It’s just doubtful. If you will be faithful in the face of your dangerous disaster … if you will be faithful when it all looks so doubtful … God will be pulled like a magnet to do his greatest work. You remember the story of Daniel in the lion’s den, right? That was a dangerous disaster that looked mighty doubtful. This morning, let’s look closer at this story and remember God can be trusted, even when we feel everything has been lost. Even when we feel everyone is against us, God is for us. And our God is willing to pull off the impossible for us. Daniel was a good man. He worked hard, he did a good job and he was liked by the King. Seems life should go grand for good ol’ Daniel. But how many of us know that’s not the way life always goes. Our success often attracts jealousy. And when people get jealous they do stupid stuff. Well let me tell you what stupid stuff these jealous people did. The other men working for the King hated how Daniel was favored. His success was a threat to them. And the fact that Daniel was so obedient to his God angered them. They noticed that 3 times a day Daniel would bow down and worship God and they would use this against him. If you think for one minute you won’t come under attack if you’re doing everything right, think again sister. Haven’t you heard, new levels new devils? The better you get at living well, the bigger the attack to bring you down. So these jealous men convince the King that he should decree anyone who bowed down and worshiped anyone other than the King himself should be thrown in a pit of lions. The King liked the sound of this and made this a new law. Daniel continued to stop 3 times every day and worship his God. He continued to be faithful. Now you think this wasn’t hard for him? You think there wasn’t some internal conflict over the right thing and the easier thing? Of course there was. And there will be for us too. Will you keep doing the right thing when the wrong people are watching? And if you do, what will happen to you? So Daniel was caught breaking the law and thrown into the pit with lions. Understand this, the King liked Daniel, he didn’t want to do this to him, but his law was clear. In Daniel 6:16 the King said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” And you likely know how the story goes. God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.

Have you ever gotten your hopes up over something specific happening and it’s a big ol’ let down? You’re excited thinking “finally, this is it” then wa-wa-wahhhhh it’s a sore disappointment. What do you do when you’re disappointed? What do you do when time and time again life just doesn’t quite work out the way you imagined? What do you do when your hopes come crashing down to a reality that doesn’t measure up? Well, I don’t know what you do, but I know what the majority of us do … we stop getting our hopes up and we start settling. We start believing that good things just don’t happen to us. We buy into the belief that if it’s too good to be true then it’s not for you anyway. And somewhere along the way we become disenchanted with God’s care over our details. We begin expecting the other shoe to drop at any moment. We begin looking around every corner for what could go wrong. And let me just be blunt with you … that’s NOT God’s doing. God didn’t create you to be a pessimistic downer. He did however create you to NEED HIM. He did create you with weaknesses that are made perfect in his power. Where have you been disappointed and therefore began settling? Where have you been lowering your standards all because it’s too exhausting to demand better? The enemy works in disappointment. He weasels his way into your let downs and whispers his lies. He tells you this is all there is. He tells you it will never get better for you. He tells you this is a result of your wrongdoing, you’re being punished. He tells you God is too busy to be burdened with your cares. So you carry a little more weight on your shoulders and hang your head a little lower. Don’t you see how this renders you ineffective? Don’t you see how this is a work of the enemy to derail you from the BIG and powerful life you’re supposed to be living? All the while God has THE BEST in the works for you. Nothing can stop God from working. Nothing is impossible for him. And it’s not a NO until God says it’s a no. When you serve a mountain moving, chain breaking, sea parting, life saving, God like our God, then girl you better prepare yourself for things you have not seen yet! Ephesians 3:20 says “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory…” Oh yes, whatever your biggest request and grandest thought is, God can blow it out of the water with SO MUCH MORE. He is willing and able to do exceedingly more (meaning to the extreme level, totally and completely lacking no detail) and he is able to do abundantly more (meaning big time not just once, but again and again). And it’s all for you. What God is offering you today is on the extreme level and it’s not a one time deal. God wants to blow your mind with his provision. He wants to amaze you with his works. He wants to leave you in awe with how he works in the details. BUT HE WON’T FORCE IT ON YOU. If your answer is always no, then you miss out. If you’re too scared to step out of the boat, then sister you never get the opportunity to walk on water with him. If you automatically dismiss every opportunity as not for you, or a future let down in the making, then you will spend the days of your life living less than you could, experiencing less than is available to you … and I know this … you will regret that. The enemy has been working in your disappointment to make you believe this is all there is for you. But the devil is a liar and you gotta stop believing him. If God is telling you he can do exceedingly and abundantly more than you ever asked or imagined FOR YOU PERSONALLY, then your response should be BRING IT ON!

What would happen in your life if you showed up? Really, what would be possible if you started showing up every day with all you can do in your own life? The truth is, the battle has been won, you just have to show up. God won’t give you the victory sitting on the couch. He won’t give you the victory with your little half-hearted efforts. He won’t give you the victory with your hot one day, then cold the next attempts. But if you will show up with your best and just keep showing up, the victory is yours. I wonder how many victories we’ve walked away from because we weren’t willing to be faithful? How many victories have we missed because we became lazy or discouraged? How many victories has God lined up for you and you never tasted that sweet success because you allowed the enemy to defeat your mind first? We all want that breakthrough where everything changes, but sister first you have to BREAK THROUGH. You must break through you old tendencies of giving up. You must break through your crappy excuses and demand better of yourself. You must break through the layers of who you believe you are to the core of who you truly are. When will you stop walking away and instead step up? You’re beginning to receive the calling on your life. Oh yes you are. You’re listening today by great design because God wants you to hear him loud and clear. GOD IS CALLING YOU TO BE GREATER. He has been preparing you for a bigger purpose and next level of living, and my sister it’s time to step into it. You can’t stay where you are when God has called you to be greater. Throughout scripture we see how God prepares one person through their life experiences, then they break through to the next level where they show up and begin living as the person they were created to be, fulfilling their purpose. Look at David. The little Shepard boy who was too young and too little to be in the Army like his brothers. But he was chosen to fight the giant Goliath and he won. What did David have to do? He had to show up. The battle had already been won. God had already provided a way. The way seemed rather unimpressive, just a sling shot and 5 smooth stones, but that’s all it took. David showed up and used what God provided, and the victory was his. How many times do we miss the answer to our very prayers because the answers seem too ordinary. We’re looking for the magical and mysterious answer when God is saying, “here’s 5 rocks … throw them!” Time and time again, we already have what we need to break through whatever is holding us back, but we miss it because we believe big problems require big solutions. Understand this, big problems require a big God. The good news is, we’ve got that. Not only do we have a great big, powerful God, but he is on our side. The battle has already been won, God’s just been waiting on you to show up. Deuteronomy 20:4 says “For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” Maybe you feel this scripture doesn’t apply to you. Maybe you don’t have very many enemies lined up with weapons ready to fight you on this Monday morning? Maybe you didn’t wake up this morning preparing for battle. But maybe you should have. You are in a war. Every day of your life there’s a battle over your potential and your purpose. Every day obstacles are put in your way to detour you from the plan for your life. Today God is calling you to be greater and that means you can’t stay where you are and keep doing what you’ve been doing. You have to step up. You have to drop the excuses and show up today. God wants to give you victory, but the victory will always be out of reach when you aren’t even reaching for it! Oh if you could only see what God has available for you if you’...