El Roi - I See You

Genesis 16: 13 (Hagar says) “You are the God who sees me;  I have now seen the One who sees me.”

As a mother of only one child, I try my best not to miss anything that my son is a part of.  This is challenging at times since I am also a mom who works full time and is involved in church ministry.  

I found myself in a dilemma this Palm Sunday.  My son was going to take part in a Palm Sunday Parade of Palms in our first worship service.  Because I teach my own Sunday School class during this time I didn’t even really consider being able to see this grand event.  But God….who sees me, his child, knew that I needed to see my child that day praise Him. 

Once the classroom helpers were there I hurried to the sanctuary where the only open place was in the very back.  As it turned out, when the kindergarten class paraded into the back of the sanctuary, they stopped right in the doorway where I was standing, my son stopping exactly in front of me.  He saw me!  He knew that even though I was in the back, I was still there and would get to see him. 

I was pleased with that “gift” from God.  But it doesn’t stop there.  All of the children stood in the front waving their palms and singing their praises.  From my spot in the back, I couldn’t see any of their faces at all.  None of them, except my son’s.  His was the only face I could see.  And better yet, he could see me!  We waved to each other.  Through the crowd of hundreds of people in the audience, to the very back of the sanctuary, my son could see me there, watching him. 

I’m so thankful that my God sees me.  Through the needs of millions of people, my God made a way for my son and me to connect that Sunday.  He sees me and He loves me that much. 

As a mother, I am eternally thankful not only for the privilege of being a mom but also that I am not alone in the journey of motherhood.  God and I walk together.  Hagar was not alone either in her quest to provide for Ishmael’s needs.  God saw her and God sees you and me also.  He is El Roi, the God who sees. 

How has El Roi interceded in your life lately?  If you can’t think of a time, begin watching now.  Look for God-sightings today.  Then share your God-sighting with someone else and bless their day.

Lisa Barber

Our Defender

Do you ever feel like a failure?  I know that as a teacher I am supposed to say that there aren’t any dumb questions.  But this might be one of them . . . because we all know the answer.  Of course you have! 

I recently came through a period of time where I was really dwelling on my failures.  It seemed that no matter what area of my life I looked at, I wasn’t measuring up.  I was failing at being a good mother, failing in my prayer life, failing to have self-control, failing to serve others selflessly, and so much more.  And when I really started to dwell on all those things, I started to despair.

But thanks be to God, He chose to look down at me in my estate and speak words of hope into my soul.  I was at a worship service on a Sunday morning at church and we were singing Natalie Grant’s song “Your Great Name”:

“Lost are saved, find their way, at the sound of Your great name.  All condemned feel no shame at the sound of Your great name.  Every fear has no place, at the sound of Your great name.  The enemy, he has to flee, at the sound of Your great name . . . Redeemer, my Healer, Lord Almighty, My Savior, Defender, You are my King.”

And as I sang, the Lord just gave me a picture of Jesus standing at the throne defending me.  Defending me.  Me.  And tears starting streaming down my face as I pictured the sight.

Think about it.  Think about the Lord standing there beside the throne of God, defending the attacks of the enemy against you by saying things like, “She is mine.  I love her.  I died for her.  She is beautiful.  Look at her faith!  She has my righteousness and you cannot take that away.  She is my daughter and she is precious to me.”  And as the enemy tries to say that you are a failure, the Lord Jesus is there defending you.  He is your DEFENDER.  The thought of that is just mind-blowing to me.  That He would love me that much.  Undeserved, amazing grace.

There is a picture of a very similar scene in the beginning of chapter 3 of Zechariah.  (Joshua here is a supposed to be a representative of Jerusalem.)

“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?’”

And then the Scripture goes on to give a picture of Joshua standing there in filthy clothes and the angel commanding that they clothe him in new clean clothes, and a command is given to Joshua to walk in the Lord’s ways.

Try putting your own name in that Scripture and picturing the Lord fending off the enemy for you.  He has plucked you out of the fire and now he will defend you until the end.  Amazing!

I’ll close with two last Scriptures, both in the New Testament, where it speaks of the Lord Jesus interceding on our behalf:

“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn?  Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us”
–Romans 8:33-34  

“He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” –Hebrews 7:25

He LIVES to make intercession for YOU, dear sister!  Soak in that truth today.  He is your DEFENDER.

All glory be to Him,
Stephanie

My Deliverer

Have you ever gotten stuck?  I can remember when I was about 5 years old we had just moved into a new home in Cranberry Twp.  This was before all the stores, restaurants and everything else was there.  My mom had gone into the back yard for some reason.  It was very muddy, no grass had yet been planted.  I remember looking out the back door and seeing her stuck up to the top of her boots - almost to her knees - in mud!  I then watched my aunt go out to try and rescue her.  She got stuck as well!  The two of them out there trying to figure out how to get unstuck and trying with all their might to do so.  Those boots were so stuck in the mud that they could not move.  They could not get unstuck unless they left them behind.  Somehow they got out of their boots and were able to get back to the house.  I found out later that our home had been build on a former cranberry bog.  That was the reason it was so wet and muddy in our backyard (and why they call it Cranberry Twp :)

Isn’t that the way we are in our sin?  We venture out without knowing what we are doing.  Leaving our Father behind.  Getting bogged down in muck!  We get stuck and try to get out, but try as we might we cannot.  It is only when we let him free us of our sin, that we let it go, leave it behind, and move forward! He is the only one who can deliver us from that mess! 

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  Psalm 18:2 

He has been showing me this year that I can not deliver myself.  (Although I have tried many times, unsuccessfully I might add).  Try as I might to ‘do the right thing’ I will never be able to do it without Him!  I need to be totally dependent on Him for the victory.

For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. Deut 20:4

God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt.  But because of their grumbling and complaining about their circumstances, God kept them wandering in the desert for 40 years.  They had been freed from slavery, but they did not recognize or appreciate it.  They kept themselves in slavery wandering around the desert, circling that mountain over and over again.

When it was time for them to be delivered, God used Joshua to lead them out of the desert. 

Be strong and courageous, do not be frightened or dismayed for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go!  You are to pass over this Jordan and go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess!  Joshua 1:9-10 

God told Joshua when deliverance would take place and how it would be done.  All Joshua needed to do was obey!  The next step was for them to take a step in the Jordan.

When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.  Joshua 3:8  ...as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away... Joshua 3:15-16 

God had stopped the flow of the Jordan the minute they put their foot in the water.  He was taking them into the promised land! All they needed to do was take that first step.

As I have prayed and looked to him this year, he has been showing me that he can give me victory.  He is breaking strongholds that have been holding me for years.  Ones that I have tried to overcome on my own.  It is only as I have stopped and trusted HIM for that victory and realized that he has already given me possession of the land that the battle is being won!  All I needed to do was stick my toe in the Jordan and he has been doing the rest.

Are you ready to get unstuck?  God is ready to deliver you!  It’s time to leave the wilderness.   Do you trust him?  Be strong and courageous because he is with you!  All you need to do is take the first step into the Jordan.  He will do the rest, because he wants to take you to the promised land! The victory is HIS!

But as for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God.  You are my help and my deliverer; LORD, do not delay.  Psalm 70:5

Linda

How has God been victorious in your life? If you continue to struggle, what is holding you back?

What name have you chosen?

God reveals his character to us in his names.  Did you know that there are over 600 names of God in the Bible?  

We are going to take this year to study who He is through his names.  

Have you chosen one for this year?

Here is a link of Jehovah names and another link for names of Jesus.  Take some time to pray over them and see which names God is putting on your heart.  Make a list and as you continue to pray through those names He will reveal one to you (and sometimes more than one!)

Here is my story...One of the first names I chose was Jehovah-Jireh (My Provider) in 2007.  Little did I know what lay ahead that year.  My husband suffered from a massive stroke in May.  Our world turned upside down.  During the year we had so many needs and at times I had no idea how they were going to be taken care of.  Time and again Jehovah-Jireh provided for each and every need.  I came to know and trust him in ways I did not think possible.  I have learned that He is my provider.  He always knows what I need.  He is always on time.  He also does it in unexpected ways that you could never imagine!  By holding onto that name I came to know His character as my Provider.  In the years since he has been faithful to reveal his character in so many other ways as I seek Him.  Don't let this story scare you!  God loves you so much that whatever plans he has for you is not to harm you but to bring you into a closer love relationship with himself.  I am thankful that he gave me that name to hold onto and how beautifully he revealed himself to me in that way.  Our God is amazing!

Claim a name for 2012! Begin to seek Him and see what he wants to teach and show you through the name you chose.  He wants to reveal himself to you in new and real ways.  Are you willing?  Believe me - you will be glad you did!

So what name will you chose?  Let us know by leaving a comment! (Your comment will automatically enter you in the February contest!)

Linda