Changing your Perspective!

The most powerful, longest lasting message I have ever heard was that centered around Leah. Leah; the wife of Jacob whom he was tricked into marrying, who wasn't loved by her husband and who was overshadowed by her beautiful younger sister. Yet she was the mother of Judah whom Jesus was a decent of. As women it's so easy to get caught in the here and now. What's going on in our immediate lives and more often than not we measure our worth based on the feelings of those around us. I have personally been where Leah was. There is a saying that there is nothing going on now that can't be found in the bible and I must admit this is a true statement. Leah loved her husband and no matter what she did she couldn't win his heart. In Genesis 29:32-34 it breaks down Leah's desire for her husband and  her desperation for his love. She gave him sons; a precious thing, something Rachel could not do for she was barren but her heart was in the wrong place. With Reuben's birth she said "... now therefore my husband will love me. (Genesis 29:32)". Followed by Simeon whom she said was a gift from the Lord because he knew she was hated. How many women do you know that have had children just to have someone to love them back. Not realizing that it's a one way street with a child for a long time and a mother's job consists of a lot more give than take. Lastly Leah bare Levi and said "... now this time my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons..." Leah's heart was not in the right place! She was baring children for Jacob to earn something that can't be forced. Leah desired her husbands love so much that she kept putting herself through labor and child birth simply for a chance that he may change his mind and love her back. If you have ever felt a contraction you know that this is not a small thing which solidifies to me the extent of her love for this man.This story hits home for me because I too have loved someone who didn't love me and there wasn't a tear, a talk, a plea that would allow him to surrender his heart to me. The more I tried to save the relationship the farther and farther he got until we became completely estranged leaving our son is in the mist of it. When you are in a loveless relationship things go from grey to grim very quickly and the only thing that can save your sanity, your heart and maybe your life is changing your perspective. Leah bore a 4th son to her husband but this time she says "... now will I praise the Lord..(Genesis 29:35)" Her perspective changed and God closed her womb. She no longer needed to be pregnant baring sons to be seen. She shifted her vision from gaining her husbands love to praising God and she became the bloodline of Jesus. That's just amazing to me. Someone who no one deemed important, the ugly duckling that was mistreated gave life ultimately to our Savior. No matter what your going through, no matter how people treat you or what they say about you know that God has a purpose for you. You may not even live to see your purpose fulfilled but paving the way for future generations is the plan. I don't know why I was hurt, mistreated, walked away from but if my testimony can help one person make it out of their dark days I know it was worth it.

I want to wish all the mothers a happy mothers day and shout out the fathers who are playing both rolls as well. It's a hard job and it's underpaid and overworked but we are building up our future generations to be heirs of the kingdom. If you have a Leah spirit strive daily to get to that perspective change. The moment I switched my focus from a man to God my life has gone from rock bottom to a place where I know I can make it. Trust in God completely and he will direct your path fulfilling your every desire and more.

Are you offering that of Cain or Abel?

Often times God asks us to give to him; to sacrifice for him. More often than not it's a lot easier to give less than what is being asked of us. When I think of this concept I automatically think of Cain and Abel. Abel was obedient to God and took the very best of the first that he had and offered it to God. Genesis 4:4 states ...And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering... God wasn't only pleased with what Abel presented but he respected it meaning to me that he went above and beyond what God had asked for. He had faith in God and wasn't squeamish with his sacrifice based on his circumstances. Cain on the other hand did not receive respect nor favor in God's eyes for his sacrifice. In biblical times sacrifices were blood offerings yet Cain brought fruit of the ground. He offered God what he had plenty of, being a tiller of the ground instead of trusting God and giving what he requested.

This passage means a lot to me in my daily walk with Christ because living holy is a daily sacrifice of yourself. I can give God praise and sing beautifully and attends church but if I am not giving God ME fully I'm not giving him what he's asking for. I'm skimming from the top! Are You giving him fruit when he's asking for a blood offering? Being a single woman I am not going to pretend this is an easy task. I fall and fall hard yet he still loves me, yet he still cares for me and presents himself to me.

Are you offering God a Cain or Abel sacrifice... If your sacrifice isn't where it should be don't fret just bring it back into alignment with where it needs to be. Seek God and ask him to reveal in you where you are falling short, you can't fix what you don't know is broken. David said in Psalms 19:12 who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. When looking at the man in the mirror it's hard to pinpoint exactly what your doing wrong but would you want something you are unaware of to keep you out of the kingdom. My grandmother lives by the motto "I'd rather not do it and find out it was OK than to do it and find out it wasn't" ... Strive to make your life an Abel sacrifice; I am!

Where does your trust lie...

Every week I give my 8 year old a scripture to study, he memorizes them, I ask him questions on them and make sure he fully grasps the scripture in a way that an 8 year old can. I choose scriptures that are relate able to his present life yet can grow with him as he grows. This week his scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6 which states Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. In giving him this particular scripture I began to study it and notice the moment I put this scripture to work in my life it began to change.

The analogy I gave my son in regards to his trust in the Lord is his trust in me. If my son says "mom I'm hungry or mom I need you to pick me up" he does not have a doubt in his mind that I will do it. I know there are some children who aren't able to believe in their parents this way but that is a different story; the vast majority of children are able to trust their parents to supply their basic human needs if nothing more. My son KNOWS every day when he comes home he will eat dinner and every night he will be able to clean his body and sleep peacefully. He knows these things because I have provided them for him consistently his entire life. This is how we must trust in OUR FATHER. Ephesians 5:1 says be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children. God wants us to have the unwavering characteristics of a child when it comes to our walk with him. Trusting him completely and knowing that he has our best interest at hand. To be unwavering is to be unmovable; steadfast. Even when things are not going according to our plan we have to trust in God's ultimate plan for us. There have been so many times when I felt I had made a mistake, messed something up, was moving in myself but eventually the purpose of my actions revealed them self and it fit like a glove.

Your saved; you acknowledge God. So what? The word acknowledge not only means to know of somethings existence but to also to recognize the fact or importance or quality of. To recognize the importance of God is to live holy. Not a show boat life trying to display a life of Holiness but a real relationship with God (Matthew 6). When you have a real relationship with God no one can help but notice it. A relationship with God is like that of any other. When you have a new love interest or friend you spend time with them, do things they like to do, really get to know them. Relationships that last never lose this quality. Get to know God; read his word and talk with him daily. Prayer does not have to be this super big glamorous thing; just talk! When teaching my son to pray I told him to start with what your thankful for; then just speak from your heart. I talk to God constantly, he is the man in my life and if there was another God would be getting more time than him. Prayer doesn't have to be beside your bed, on your knees with your eyes closed and hands folded. I talk to God mostly in the car; I pray at work, in the closet, while I'm cooking. It's non traditional but God is constantly showing me that he's listening so I don't think he minds.

You gotta let go of control. I am a planner. I love to know how things are going, when they are going that way, and what parties are involved. I like black and white and that's it. Well God doesn't work that way. My life crumbled before my eyes and in order for me to pick up the pieces I had to trust God. Whenever I pray about a certain situation I remind God that my hands are lifted and he has to deal with it. Then I'm over it. No stress, no worries, nothing. Other people are usually more concerned with the details than me because I have put it completely down. Now faith this size comest from God working in your life. God has made many promises in his word and I call him out on it and I can say he's never once failed me. There was a point in my life where I had no job, my car was being taken away from me, I had lost the person I loved most in this world BUT GOD! The day after I felt I had hit rock bottom I got a call about starting a job, my car was fixed by a person who was a stranger to me at the time and I began receiving closure for the broken heart. God swooped in and saved me. Coincidence I think not. Only God can put you in a position where you have no experience, credential or references. He uses people to bless you; strangers if you remain faithful. Matthew 17:20 says ... If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove: AND NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE UNTO YOU. Look at the mustard seed below, I think you can trust God that much if not more.

The moment you truly anchor yourself in Proverbs 3:5-6 you will start to see God move in your life. Trust his word, his plan for your life, and his direction even in hard times and you will find true favor that can not be broken by anyone. God will take you to a place where nothing anyone tries to do will hinder you and your enemies will begin to back down. Erase your plan, your expectations and allow God to steer your life. We dream but our dreams are never even close to what God has in store for us.Acknowledge God and his importance to you through your daily walk with him and develop a sincere relationship with him. I constantly pray that through my life and the example of how wonderful God is souls will draw closer to him. Make that a part of your walk as well..