Coffee Talk Chapter 5

Coffee talk this past week was great. We covered two chapters and today we will talk about Chapter 5 “What Keeps Us from Saying Yes to God”. Lysa encourages her readers to think about the things that keep us from doing what God wants us to do. The fear, doubt, naysayers (Christians and non-Christian’s both), and two big challenges that I have, which are dealing with acceptance and rejection. It was a very get down to the meat of it and look at the real reasons, not just “I don’t have time, money, resources, or the education, etc. to do what God wants me to do.” All excuses I have used over and over again.

God doesn’t want to hear why we cannot do something, because the second we say we can’t, we are not trusting in Him.

One of the nuggets of truth, okay, I get a lot of those nuggets, it’s like I have a party pack from McDonald’s, was a quote Lysa shared,

“Never let others compliments go to your head or their criticisms go to your heart.”

When we are placed in leadership at work, in our church, or just on the kid’s soccer team, that position can quickly go to our heads. I am just as guilty as the next person of “believing my own press” sometimes, but I am even quicker at believing the negative because I’ve told it to myself so long. “I’m not good enough to do this…if “they (who are they anyway?) only knew the real me they wouldn’t believe me, I’m too emotional, too sensitive, too ______ (just fill in the blank with what your own battle).

Well friends, as I have said before, it’s time to stop it.

The best way to battle each of the blockades that satan puts in our path, and it is satan, is to go to God’s word and writing His promises on our hearts.

Isaiah 26:3 says “You (God) will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”

God will keep us, (never let go, never leave, never throw us away) in perfect (perfect, without flaw, without error) peace (without doubt, fear, or worry) him whose mind is steadfast (firm in purpose, unwavering, established, fixed into place and direction), because he (me, you, each one of us, not just the pastors, and the leaders of the Christian world, not just the ones who you think have it all figured out, every one of us) trusts in You (leans into, believes, relies on, knows that God’s wants the best for His children).

So here are some application steps for this chapter. Read Galatians 5:17 and John 8:32. Write them down and put them somewhere that you can study and memorize them. Come back and leave a comment about what those verses meant to you.

I challenge you my friend to become a woman who says yes to God in all things no matter what. In order to do that we need to keep our focus on our Heavenly Father (Psalm 141:8).

In closing chapter 5 of “What Happens When Women Say Yes To God” Lysa shares a prayer that Saint Patrick from Ireland wrote:

Christ shield me this day:

Christ with me,

Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

 Christ in me,

       Christ beneath me,

        Christ above me,

      Christ on my right,

         Christ on my left,

         Christ when I lie down,

     Christ when I arise,

    Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,

            Christ in every eye that sees me,

              Christ in the ear that hears me

                                                                                       

                                                                                                   This was from St. Patrick’s breastplate.

As we step out of the comfort zone, out of the boat, into the unknown and face our fears, our doubts, worry in all it shape and form, cling to the words of God and rely on Him for all of it. He is our shield and I know I am striving every day to just say yes.

Coffee Talk Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of "What Happens When Women Say Yes To God" covered how we will never know how God will use us until we let him. 

This chapter really stretched me while I was reading it.  Gave me a lot to chew on, think about and pray about.  I had to ask myself the question, "Do I praise God in all that happens, good and bad?"   Do I trust God with my daughter, with my family and friends, with my finances, with my job, etc.  With every aspect of my life, do I trust God or do I have it all under control until I get overwhelemed, frustrated, or scared?  Is God my go-to person in all things in my life or only when things get hard? 

Really, truly, and in all honesty.

Sometimes I get it right and sometimes I don't. 

But God knows that.  He knows that I'm going to run around like a chicken with my head cut off and that I'm going to get overwhelmed and that I'm going to doubt and that sometimes I'm going to miss it.  Just like we as parents know that when our children try to walk, run, ride a bike, drive a car, manage a checkbook, go off to college, etc. that they are going to make a mistake.  Do we expect it, yep.  Do we love them less because of it, no, No, NO.  We don't.  We love them through it. And that's exactly what God does with us.  but we have to trust Him and His plan for our lives.

Lysa and Art had one of a parents biggest challenges when their daughter became very ill.  They had to give her to God and "we had to get settled in our hearts that we will love God no matter the outcome".

No matter the outcome.

You lose your job, you lose your car, your home. You become sick.  A loved one becomes ill.  Pain, regrets, mistakes.  No matter what the outcome. 

Settle in your heart that you will love God no matter the outcome and see how that changes your perspective.  

Sounds easy to say but it is hard to practice but it is so much better to live a life that says yes to God every day and deciding now that you will love God through it all, then it is to wait until it is tested to decide that you will do it.   Satan wants to worm his way into our thoughts, and undermine our belief, not only in ourselves but in our God as well.  

"I got mad at DD and WH today, lost my temper and said some awful things.  What kind of Christian am I?  How can I profess to have Christ living in me when I can't even control my temper?" 

Ever had those thoughts?  God knows it, He knows we will never be good enough on our own, and Lamentations 3 tells us "His compassions are new every morning."  Every morning I get a new day, a new chance, and yesterday is gone.  Instead of allowing my thoughts to run rampant with "I'm not going to get a gold-star in Christianity today." I need to ask God for forgiveness, those that I offended and hurt for forgiveness and move forward.  Satan loves nothing more then to get us immersed in the quicksand of our mistakes and short-comings so that we are not able to step out onto the path God desires us to walk with Him on. 

God wants to use us my friend.  We all bring to the table a plethora of experiences, life-lessons, and stories of how God worked in our lives, how His promise and love are real, and He will use ALL of our experiences, not just the 100% gold-star, yeah I'm a good Christian moments, but also the "I messed up, I was wrong, I'm sorry, major oops, moments of our life too."  

There are people all around us that have bought the "I'm not good enough, God can't love me, I've made too many mistakes" that satan has been feeding them.  It's a lie. 

Did you hear me? 

IT IS A LIE!!

Don't believe it for one more second.  Don't waste one more day buying into it'  I did for too many years and all it got me were ulcers, gray hairs, and worry lines (not attractive at all).  Say yes to God starting right now, this moment.  Settle it in your heart.  I may sound bossy but I truly believe that it is that important. 

God, 
You are awesome, amazing, astounding, and we love you.  God thank You that Your compassion is new every morning and help each one of us settle in our hearts that we will love and trust You no matter what we are going through.  God, help me to continue in my pursuit of You and Your desires for my life and God no matter what You would have from me, give me the strength, the courage and the ability to say yes to you every single day.

Amen

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