I Just Want To Go To Heaven – letting go of wanting to quit

 "Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord."
~ Psalm 27:14

 

It's been a long day and the pressure is too much. All you want to do is quit. If one more thing happens, you are going to loose it. You cry out to God – "Please take me home now." The thought of heaven; where it's safe, trouble free, and under the care of the Heavenly Father, is the only way you can be at rest. Oh, to be able to sit at His feet and see Him face to face; to worship and love Him. Then you will be happy. Then you will be able to fully live for Him perfectly without the stress of life.

 

When I was having one of these days, I prayed this very prayer to God. I didn't see any other way out but to be home, in heaven with Him. I felt all alone and helpless. After pleading with Him, the Holy Spirit placed in my mind Psalm 46:1, which says; "God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble (HCSB)." I stopped praying and just listened, while meditating on that thought. I realized that by praying for God to take me to heaven, I was; in a way, using Him. Yes, it's good to want to be in heaven, but not when I wasn't wanting to be strong and courageous anymore for Christ. What message was I sending to God – when it gets tough I just want to take advantage of the gift of heaven and quit? God is my refuge and strength here on earth. Philippians 4:13 is an encouraging verse, which says,  "I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me (HCSB)." To live in that moment that day for Him, I would glorify Him more with the strength and courage He freely gives. Deuteronomy 6:5 tells us to,  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength (HCSB)." Quitting wouldn't show God I love Him. I need to not give up. After this realization, I prayed for His strength.

While we are here on this earth, we wait for the Lord to take us home. This word wait in the Greek means to look for; hope; expect. It's good to look forward to going to heaven, but in the waiting time, we can be strong and courageous. So, when your day is long and you want to quit. Take refuge in Him. Scripture says in Psalm 105:4, "Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always (HCSB)." If you are a follower of Christ, God has control of when you will see him face to face one day in heaven. Let go of wanting to quit, and release it to the Lord. Take some time this week to seek Him and study scriptures on God's strength. You can get through this – don't quit!

"Oh, God, I can't wait to be in heaven with you. But, in my difficult days here on earth, please give me strength and courage to get through. I let go of wanting to quit. May I bring you glory all the days of my life."

© Carol Outhous Jones 2014 

"Fillers" – letting go of solely relying on blogs and devotionals

I am really not a pleasure reading kind of gal. Although, in the summer, I like to fill in down time by the pool or on the beach with a good Christian novel. When I started this blog in February of this year, I knew it was considered a "filler." This is what you read to fill in or add to your own personal time with God.

Some of you may not have your own time with God, in the Word, or you may not know how to study it for yourself. You may say to yourself, you can't understand it so, that's why you rely on someone else's studies. Therefore, blogs and devotionals may be all you read. There is nothing wrong with reading a good devotional or blog. They serve a purpose to spur one another along in our faith. It's encouraging to read a blog of how someone has gone through a similar path than you. An inspiring devotional reading can be just what you needed to get through the day. One of my favorite is the devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest" by, Oswald Chambers. But, there is nothing like reading and studying a book of the Bible for yourself. It becomes more personal and, therefore; what you learn stays with you. For instance, the book if Philippians helped me learn to surrender and let go and, the book of Hebrews helped me understand my faith better. Have you been relying on someone else's studies for too long? I would like to encourage you this week to open your Bible. Pray and ask God to teach you and help you understand. The Psalmist writes, in Psalm 119:26-27, "I told You about my life, and You listened to me; teach me Your statutes (laws). Help me understand the meaning of Your precepts (commandments) so that I can meditate on Your wonders (HCSB)."

When you are a believer in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit to help guide you. This is the only way to understand His Word. 1 Corinthians 2:12 says, "Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God (HCSB)." You can no longer say that you wont understand it, because God has provided His Spirit to help you. Plus, if you want to go deeper in understanding a word or a verse, then you can go to a website for help. I like to use www.mystudybible.com and www.blueletterbible.org for my helpful guides. Another reference that helped me study the Bible for myself, is the book, "How to Study Your Bible"  by, Kay Arthur.

So, start now! I recommend you start with the book of 1 John, in the Bible. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you. Let go of solely relying on "fillers" and watch the Word of God jump off the pages and into your heart.

"Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path."
~ Psalm 119:105 (HCSB)

"I will meditate on Your precepts and think about Your ways. I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word."
~ Psalm 119:15-16 (HCSB)

"Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word that is a light for my path. I let go of solely relying on fillers from others. May your Holy Spirit reveal your truth to me as I read Your Word."

© Carol Outhous Jones 2014 



"Left behind"– letting go of the fear of falling from grace

My husband, one day, was coming around the house from the back yard, to find our car doors open with the engine running but no one around. As he stood there wondering what was going on, he had a thought... "Was I left behind?" Just then, I came from the neighbors house and saw his stunned expression on his face. When he told me he thought the rapture came, we laughed.

Although that was a comical moment, it is a troubling thought. Maybe you are afraid that one day you might fall from God's grace. This scares you because you keep messing up; have lost the passion for reading His Word; or your faith is weak. You believe in Him but, question if you can be faithful to Him when the enemy deceives.

My first question I have to ask you is; do you believe Jesus is the only way to get to heaven? Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:8)(HCSB)."  Second, do you, in your own heart, believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again on the third day? And third, do you know that He saved you and living a life changed forever to serve Him?

If you answered "yes" to the above questions, then you are a believer in Christ, and you have hope! If you answered "no," than it's not to late – the rapture has not happened, yet. Pray for Jesus to come into your life. We climb up high mountains and fall down deep valley's in life. At the top, we can get too comfortable and begin to take control of our own lives. When we see that this doesn't work, we fall down into a deep valley and realize we need a savior. This can feel like failure. The more we are on this ride of life the more it looks like we can never measure up. This is sin and why we are undeserving of God's grace. Despite our imperfections He gave us the gift of eternal life through His son, Jesus; who was without sin (Rom. 6:23). If you believe in Him, you are not a failure because Christ died for all your failures. Keep following Him no matter how many times you mess up. Ask Him for forgiveness and know he will never leave you. Deuteronomy 31:8 tells us, "The Lord is the One who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged (HCSB)."

Not only has God given His own son, Jesus, to die on the cross for you but he rose again to prepare a place in heaven for you. Have comfort that He loves you and is coming back for you. Jesus says in John 14:1-3,“Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also (HCSB)."

Now that you know He loves you and will be back for you, you need to know you can never be plucked from His hand. Jesus as the great Shepherd, takes care of His sheep. He tells us this in John 10:27-30, "My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish —ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one (HCSB).”

Take some time this week to read these scriptures. The more you meditate on His Word, the more you will thirst for it. Then you will be comforted and encouraged and your faith will grow. Let go of your fear of falling from His grace. You have God's gift so live as though you received it. You will not be "left behind."

"Jesus I am a sinner and I need forgiveness. Thank you for forgiving me through your sacrifice on the cross. I know that you have prepared a place for me in heaven. I let go of my fear of falling from your grace. Thank you for keeping me in your hand forever."

© Carol Outhous Jones 2014

"I Wonder" – letting go of the lack of confidence

One of my favorite scenes in the movie "The Sound of Music," is when Julie Andrews, as Maria, walks to uncharted territory with suitcase in hand – singing. She starts out unsure and timid... "What will this day be like? I wonder. What will my future be? I wonder." As she sings her own pep talk, the music builds upon itself and her skipping swings her suitcase by her side... "I have confidence in sunshine. I have confidence in rain. I have confidence that Spring will come again. Besides what you see I have confidence in me." (I know you were singing☺)

Okay, so you might not have sung your own pep talk before but, I bet you have talked yourself into becoming confident. We all have. Whether it's going to an interview, new land, or some unknown situation we sometimes need to prepare ourselves to have boldness. Have you ever needed to do this in regards to living your life for Christ? Maybe it's a prayer in tune with Maria... "What will this day be like, My Father? What will my future be, Lord Jesus?"  As a believer in Christ, we realize that we can't do it on our own so, we pray.

In Ephesians, chapter three, Paul writes to the Gentiles that he is in chains (house arrest) for them to know the Messiah. He tells them they are apart of the body of Christ and that he has boldness and confidence in the message of Christ through his faith, no matter his chains.

  "In Him we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him." ~ Ephesians 3:12 (HCSB)

We all have something that we can't control; like being in chains. Sometimes, we wonder how we are going to make it and still keep our faith. In the verse above, Paul says "we" – we can have boldness and confidence. This isn't just for the apostle Paul. We can have boldness to live our lives for Christ through our faith. No matter the unsure situations we may face, God gives us confident access to Him. Pray to your Heavenly Father for boldness to live for Him. Have confidence in Him. Let go of your lack of confidence to God and let your prayers be like the end of Maria's song... "I have confidence in Jesus. I have confidence in God. I have confidence that He will come again. Even though I don't see I have confidence in He." 

"Oh Heavenly Father, thank you for including me in your family. I let go of my lack of confidence to you. I pray for boldness to live my life for you in the midst of my chains."

© Carol Outhous Jones 2014

"Hopes Up" – letting go of mind games

Have you ever watched someone go through a terminal illness with such grace? As everyday got harder and the pain increased, they had an amazing peace. I have, and what I saw was hope. As life took them though what looked like an impossible situation, one thing kept them going to the end – Hope.

The word hope, in the original Greek, means: to anticipate, usually with pleasure. It's positive forward believing – not just thinking. The book of Romans takes us though different aspects of hope. Starting with Abraham's hope that came from believing in God (Rom. 4:18), to our hope in believing in Jesus Christ. It's expressed beautifully in chapter 5:1-5."Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (HCSB)."
Romans 8:24,25 says, "Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience (HCSB)"
Romans 12:12 tells us to, "Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer." (HCSB)

We have enough afflictions in this life to become discouraged. If we believe in this hope, that is from God, we will not be disappointed. Have you ever thought that if you don't get your "hopes up" on something, than you wont be disappointed when it doesn't work out? I have. We think it acts as a protection plan. Only living life with that plan, doesn't give God the benefit of the doubt. It's driven by thought not heart. We try to trick our heart with negative mind games. Yes, mind games. You know what I mean. Thoughts like: "I'm not going to believe it till I see it;" or "I bet it won't work out." When, in our heart, we want to believe that it will all work out. We are scared of being disappointed. The hope that is in Christ Jesus, is a hope we can count on. This doesn't mean that if we have this hope, God will give us all we dream of. But, it does mean we can rest in His hope that He loves us and will provide what is best for us even when it looks impossible. So, don't stop praying and believing in eternal hope. Scripture says, in Revelations 21:4, that in heaven; "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away (HCSB)."

This is how my terminally ill family member had peace. This is how you and I can have peace. Let go of trying to play mind games and believe in the hope that is in Jesus Christ. He does not disappoint.

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

 ~ Romans 15:13 (HCSB)

"Heavenly Father, I believe in the hope that is in Jesus Christ. I let go of the mind games I play that doubt you in the midst of my affliction. I know you love me and I pray for peace."

© Carol Outhous Jones 2014