This could be the start of something beautiful...

So much has happened to me since the last time i blogged. Outwardly
it wouldn't appear so, but i truly believe i have grown. I used to
not be able to feel, God has released me of that... i feel again! I
am on this new journey of learning what it means... more than that,
Desiring... to find God. I feel like i haven't been pursuing Him to
the best of my ability... or should i said... to the best that He has
abled me to (i don't even know if that is correct english)!! I have
gained a bit of discipline recently, after many prayers; i now know
what it means to be faithful with the things you have...!! I hope
that this blog can be an outlet for my thoughts... my hope is a few
things... that i will come away feeling more complete, because i was
able to get thoughts out... that i can look back on this blog and
hopefully see where i have grown... or that someone will be blessed by
my blog if they happen to come across it (as of right now, that means
Barry or JB)!? I don't know much... but what i do know is this is for
the glory of God... He has put stuff inside of me that... to be quite
honest... needs to come out!! There are passions, that are getting to
strong or to overwhelming for me to just hold in! So here I go...
today's thought....

"If my people who are called by MY name, will humble themselves and
pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will
hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
-2 Chronicles 7:14

I was reading my word this morning and came across this scripture...
it is one that is widely known amongst most Christians. It is one of
those verses that you hear over and over in church... and sometimes i
believe when that happens it tends to lost its meaning. Or we tend to
skip over it, without giving it deep thought. God struck me this
morning as I was spending time with Him. He has instilled in me this
thought this last week, how us Christians (me included) have gotten
into a state that's stagnant and lazy. I am speaking on behalf of the
Christians i come into contact with! We were not created to sit back
and do nothing when it comes to this walk with Jesus. Action is
required!! This verse reiterates that very thought! The whole verse
depicts action. This is how God spoke to me this morning, He had me
break the verse up in my mind... first section... "My people who are
called by MY name..." WOW... honestly think about it... we are called
by HIS name... we are affirmed in Him!! When we accept to walk this
walk with Jesus... no longer does our life belong to us... I am not
longer Shannon, i am Jesus' daughter, Jesus Bride... I am a chosen
one.. one dearly loved...!! It's incredible to me... i don't have to
worry about loneliness, i don't have to worry about being accepted, i
don't have to worry about fitting in, because my identity and who i am
lives in Christ. Such a simple thought, but its a wonderful one!! We
are called by HIS name!! He has His tag on us!!

Next peice of the verse... "will humble themselves and pray..." Last
night at Mercy Street, Shabags sang a song and shared some truth that
spoke directly into this!! When we are low, we are closest to God!!
When we choose to recognize Him as Lord, He honors that. His word says
that He gives power to the Humble.. blessed are those who are
broken...!! He is God, we are not! That is what it comes down to! He
has shown us what is required of us, and it is to be on our faces
before Him!! I think we have come so far from humbly coming before
God! We say we do, but do our actions really speak into that! We Get
lost in this rut of being all about "me," when it should be all about
Him. I was talking with Shabags the other day, we tend to get so
wrapped up in me that we lose sight of HIM! And for Christians, we
mask the fact that we are so wrapped up in "me," by putting a
spiritual cherry on top! Its like we say, "I am doing this for the
kingdom of God, or I did that, Or the other day this happened to me."
And all the while we are ignorant of the fact that it is always about
us. Where did God go in that picture? The reality is, God was the
one that did anything through us, He is the one that will always do
something, we are just invited along for the ride. We need to come
before God knowing we are low and He is mighty. Knowing that the only
reason we are even alive is because of His mercy and grace. And
knowing that we are His servants. The other half of this verse
involves prayer. We should be on our faces, putting Him up where He
truly belongs. Coming before God in prayer requires action.

The next part is... "seek My face..." How often do we seek anymore?
When i think of the word seek, i think fervent effort to find! Do we
desire to find God? When I hear seek, i feel like it is a matter of
life and death (which it truly is)! That verb seek is different from
the verb look for. Seek means i am not going to stop looking till i
find! Seeking means having an overwhelming feeling that i will not be
complete until the object of me search is found! Do we seek after God
like this? The awesome thing is God promises that "if we seek we will
find..." Do we believe Him at His truths? Or do we just say that's
nice and continue to do our own things. He desires us to seek Him.
He wants to show Himself to us. And if we do, He will be found by us.
He longs for one glance from His people. There are mysteries that He
wants to unveil. There is love He wants to continue to pour out. He
has already drawn near. He made the first step... its our turn. It
is promised that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. His
arms are open wide with expectation!! Can we put aside ourselves and
welcome that embrace?? Seeking Him requires action.

The verse goes on to say... "and turn from their wicked ways..." That one is pretty self explanatory!! The only thought i had with this one is that I often try to play the line. I like to do what people call "how far is too far?" That is truly the question that runs through my mind everytime I began to do something that i know is riding the fence! But that is not how God wants us to live... He has given us a guide book... we have the Spirit of God, we should know right? I get caught up here far too often!! But this is what else I was thinking of... I don't have to be bound the wickedness of the world anymore! I have been set free!! It is a choice! God says turn from your wicked ways... i also love how the passage never says be perfect!!

The best part is the promise!! If these things occur, we then are freed from our bondage and our land is healed! This promise is wonderful! Simple steps that the Lord requires... Simple... and yet we over complicate it most of the time! The reason it is simple is because He is worth it! If you think about it, it is something that should be second nature. We just don't truly believe how worthy He is! This verse can be applied personally as well as corporately!! We have been given the action steps.. are we willing to take them?

To wrap it up...
There is one name that saves, and it's not ME!!! He is worth it, when are we gonna jump in feet first walking by faith, not by sight! All we have to do is say yes to the invite of Jesus... and by his unending kindness, grace, mercy, and above all LOVE, we are saved!!

ENJOY!