If My People

Annette Coffey1 Comment

“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 will I hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

I have quoted this verse many times. But I never really understood the verse till I heard someone teach on it. It meant so much more to me when I saw what each word was saying to me and I just had to share it. I hope it can bring some light to you too.

‘If my people ,’ this at one time meant the Jewish people. They were known as God’s people. He had special things for them his special people. The promised land was a good and rich land where they would be free to worship God the way he wanted. Because they were his people they should want to spend time with him. Especially after all they saw him do for them. And in such mighty and awesome ways.

‘ who were called by my name,’ these were not just any people. These people had a calling on their lives. God doesn’t just call everyone. There are some that will never accept God. No matter what he does or who he is there is evil in this world that will always be there. He is not going to spend much time on those who will never change. He has too many who he Can reach that he wants to reach. They are a priority. He doesn’t expect the last group to pray. They are too proud they don’t need nor do they want any help.

‘ will humble themselves and pray,’ get our minds off ourselves and back on the God of the universe. The one who made us and knows us. He knows what we need and what’s best for us. If we will just turn back to him.

‘ and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,’ we are an imperfect people. On our own we can do no good thing. But we are called by him. He wants to help us. He wants us to seek him and his ways. To help others and to see that their needs are met.

‘then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin,’ to make an effort to sin no more. To obey his laws. If we make that effort then he will forgive all of our sins. See us as righteous before him. The people he died for and greatly loves.

‘and I will heal their land.’ This nation was at one time founded on the principles of God. We were a very blessed country. He did so much for us but the sin of his people has brought us down. We are no longer that great and Godly country. Pride has taken over and we have rejected our first love. Younger generations have rejected the God of their parents. Serving themselves above all. They no longer need God. But our land is in trouble. So much violence and sin. We need to wake up.

Do you want to see our land be great again?

Master Creator

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“Since the creation of the world Gods invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what is made, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:20 NIV

When the world began things were simple. God made Adam and Eve and they were with God from the beginning and so they knew God. They walked with God and all was perfect. The world was good and they enjoyed each other’s company. God had made all the animals on earth just for Adam and he had total charge over them. Giving each a name as seemed best to him. Everything was for his pleasure. All they would ever need was there. Their surroundings were perfect and they had no need for anything. Then one day Satan changed everything. He convinced the woman that what they had was not enough. He got them looking at themselves and thinking that things could be better. It was just a little doubt. They could have gone to God and he probably would have gladly shown them that what they had was all they needed, but a little doubt can and will separate us from all God has for us. They ate the apple and we all know what happened next. It was never the same. Slowly as the people on earth grew in numbers they thought more and more about themselves and their needs. The God who had been so important in the beginning became less and less important to people. Living their lives and pleasing themselves became more important. That did not stop them from knowing deep down there was a master designer that had created everything. No, it was all around them every day in everything they did. He had provided everything for them. Food in abundance to eat. Animals for food and everything they might need. But they thought of themselves and their wants first. After time they grew farther and farther from God. Enjoying themselves and living for every moment was very important to them. Finally God had had enough and told Noah to build an arc. He would destroy the earth he had made and everything living on it. Just Noah and his family would remain. Him and all the animals he had with him inside the arc. And God promised him that he would never destroy the earth again. A rainbow stood in the sky as a covenant between God and Noah that whenever they saw the rainbow in the sky that it would remind them of Gods promises. We still have that same promise today as we look up into the sky on a rainy day. We can see his rainbow and know he cares for us. Science has shown us so much about all God has done for us even though some scientists refuse to believe what is right in front of them. One day we all will stand in front of a righteous God in judgement . Nobody will be able to say they didn’t know. It was all around them. All along.

Do you know the master creator?

I Have a Maker

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“But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter shaped it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Jeremiah 18:4 NIV

God is the ultimate designer. Before we were ever born he knew us. He knows who we will be and all we will do and become. He designed our personalities and all the life experiences that end up making us who we were meant to be. We don’t ever need to think of ourselves as mistakes or worthless because great thought and planning went into all of us.

He knows the number of hairs on our heads. Who our parents will be. Where we will be born and when. We are all well thought out. God does not make junk. His is only perfection. Just what he wanted all along. He knows what you will do and everyone you will meet. You were made for a reason. The number one reason is to get to know Jesus and to learn to love and worship him with all you are.

He wants to be in every area of your life. But to do this he will have to purge out some of the junk. Sin, hurts and trials that have consumed us. He wants to take them for us. Give them to him and he will carry them. Don’t try to take them back just because you weren’t done fretting over them he needs room for his presence to dwell.

Helping you discover all you can be. That is the Holy Spirits job in you. He has a career all planned out for you and gives you the wisdom you will need to do it well. Maybe he wanted you to be a scientist and you discover cures for disease that will change many lives for the better. Maybe you were meant to be a chef. Creating awesome new meals that others will love and rave about.

Will you have children? Helping them discover all that God has for them throughout their lives is a rewarding job. I know from having three beautiful daughters that are wonderful inside and out how blessed I am to have them. Then they have grandchildren for you and the blessings in this cycle of life just continue on.

Each and every person makes a big difference in each life they touch. It can be in positive ways or in negative ones and the choice is up to you. Every area of our lives was well thought out and how it will work to make the best of our lives come from it. We are not here just for ourselves but to be a blessing to other lives as well. We need to make an effort to make a difference in every life we come in contact with. Saying a kind word or a simple act of kindness. The more I learn how much I am loved, the more I want to show others how much they are loved.

What can you do today to make a difference in your world?

Fear

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“For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

F. False

E. Evidence

A. Appearing

R. Real

Today at church the pastor spoke about fear. This is something I would have sworn I had taken care of in my life. I had answers for how to deal with fear. I knew God was in control and always was taking care of things. Well God spoke differently to me this morning.

The pastor talked about several things we do when we are fearful. Procrastination. We tend to ignore what we fear hoping it will go away. Avoiding it just like Adam did after he had a bite of the apple and didn’t want to face God. So he hid. We ignore something we don’t want to deal with.

Well that hit home. Several things I have been facing just hit me in the face. Things I had not seen as fear but I had been pushing aside and trying not to think about. I told myself I was not going to worry about them. Whatever happened happened. Whatever God wanted.

The problem was they were not going away just because I ignored them. They just came lurking into my life more each day I ignored them. Things I wanted to do but felt I couldn’t do of myself. Things that might get better if I just sought the help of a professional. Just doing what God had called me to do because I felt inadequate.

The only way to overcome these fears is just to confront them head on. Ask Gods forgiveness for doubting. Ask for help overcoming and understanding these fears. And finally wisdom for how to proceed.

First thing was trying something I knew was going to be difficult for me. I had prayed believing God could help me do all things. But I had doubts. Doubts that he might not want that for me. But how could I actually succeed if I didn’t at least try it.

Another thing was a health issue. I saw myself getting worse in a couple areas but instead of seeking medical help and seeing if there might be a cure or a quick fix to my problem I assumed that I would just have to live with it and the negative side effects that came along with it. God showed me things I could do to help. After I realized I needed to face it.

Lastly he had called me to write a book and I was having doubts that I could do it right. So I was procrastinating. But then I felt writers block. Trying to fit everything in a certain design I wanted that just felt awkward. So I kept finding other things I needed to do first.

God showed me I needed to give these things up to him and he would help me get on with dealing with them. In his ways. Not by myself and in my ways. His help would help me do just what he wanted in each area.

Hadn’t he helped me write three successful books already. I didn’t even struggle to write them. Just the opposite. Words just flowed out of my heart. It wasn’t hard it was blessed.

Then I tried what I wanted to try doing. I got a little frustrated and set it aside. I decided to do a puzzle instead. As I was zipping through it enjoying myself I felt God say, you are enjoying yourself a lot. And you are really good at it. Yah, I thought. Doing something i love and enjoy and am really good at describes several hobbies I’ve been doing lately since my stroke.

I don’t need this one thing like I thought I did. He’s given me other things I can do and do well. These things aren’t bothering me anymore. God opened my eyes to see that they aren’t really problems after all.

Being a Disciple

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“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 NIV

What does it take to be a disciple? First you need to know what a disciple means. This is someone who is a pupil or a student learning the principles and disciplines of another. Not just an interested bystander or a follower. You have to become a student. Learning to be just like your teacher. Following all their ways.

Jesus was the only perfect man who ever lived on this earth. Can you think of anyone else worthy to try to be just like? He told us while he was here on earth that he was here for one reason. That was to do all God told him to do and say. Can there be anything more important.

None of us will ever be perfect. We have all sinned. No matter how hard we try we will still make mistakes. God knows that but he still loves us. He just wants us to try. We do not have to do it alone. He has promised to be with us always. Never will he leave us or forsake us. He has promised to send his Holy Spirit to live in us and to help us.

We need to read his words regularly because these are his ways. How can we keep his commandments and what he thinks is important if we do not read what he has said in his written word. What would Jesus do? This is what we need to ask ourselves every day of our lives.

If you want to know in every circumstance this question can direct you back to his words and his ways if you ponder that question. While he was here on earth, Jesus was a living example of what God is like. He showed great love for everyone he ever met. They were very important and so were their problems.

We should act the same way. Loving others more than ourselves and seeking to help others in any way we can. He saw those with sickness and infirmities with great compassion. He never worried that he might get sick or that their problems might rub of on to him. He just wanted to help.

When Lazarus died he knew the outcome of what he was about to do. He was planning to bring him back to life. He still wept when he saw the grief and pain on the faces of his sisters. He had more compassion. The more you follow his words and his ways the easier it becomes and the more you have that same compassion.

I know myself I get emotional over the simplest things when God is involved or someone else is hurting. Being a disciple is not attending church or reading your Bible just so you can check them off your to do list. An obligation done. We do it because we truly love him.

Thy Will Be Done

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“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the father is not in them. For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2: 15-17 NIV

As I grow in my relationship with the Lord my ways have changed so much. Things that used to matter don’t matter anymore but his ways matter more and more to me. I just don’t care much for things anymore. I like nice things don’t get me wrong. I just don’t bust my butt to get things anymore. I’ve come to learn that who I am and where I’m at is more important.

I moved to this retirement home in 2006 and was looking forward to hard work and getting my life back. Going home. I struggled to do little things. My legs just did not want to do what I wanted them to do. It was depressing. I remember when a case worker told me one day, “Get used to it your not getting out of here.” That comment ate at me for a long time.

I felt like God had punished me and even if I deserved it my life stunk. I was getting out of here one way or another. I kept an open mind and tried to do everything I could. I was always finding ways to help out around here. I wrote a book about what happened to me. About my stroke and what I went through. It helped so many people see it from different eyes.

I got to know so many people here. They kept asking when I was going to write another book. Me? I’m not a writer? But after time God gave me another book. It was like being dictated to. God spoke and I typed. It was good I loved it. It was a very awesome time. People loved it. I followed it up with another one. Currently I am working on a devotional with a good friend. God taught me so much over time.

The more I trust him and pray that he will use me in his ways, the more he does and my life is so blessed. I may have lost many things in my life but my life is better than ever. He is using me and blessing me more than I could imagine. I see things differently now. I have so many friends who have become family. I love doing whatever I want and being retired. I don’t even have to do the cooking and cleaning. I feel at times like a spoiled kid.

A spoiled Kings kid.

Do you want to really live? And know it’s forever?

He Cares for Us

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‘In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.’ Isaiah 63:9 NIV

When we suffer he cares. In this life we will have trials. That is a given. But when we suffer he blesses us with his presence. Knowing he is with us can bring comfort. Knowing we are not alone and that he will help us is important for strength. When we are weak he can be strong.

When I am dealing with hard things such as my health and pain it always helps to know he cares and he will in his time bring about what is best for me. His best is always more than I expect. He loves me and as I focus on being the best me I can be for him he wants to bless me.

He always is doing special things for me. Whenever I think I am going to need something a special gift I never expected will show up. Like this week the bag of chocolates I got for Christmas was almost gone. I had really enjoyed having a little treat after lunch each day and even though I can do without. A package came from my daughter of a large bag of chocolates.

Just God’s way of sending blessings my way. Extra special blessings. I always say thank you. And I feel that he cares always.

I had pneumonia a few months back and it came on quickly and strong. One minute I was enjoying time at church with friends and feeling fine. Then at dinner I felt dizzy and nauseous. I had to go to bed. I kept feeling worse and worse. This had never happened before and I thought I was having a heart attack.

I had to trust that God knew what was wrong and that he was in charge. But that didn’t happen at first. I gave myself a panic attack first. I felt my heart race and knew I needed to relax. God helped me fall asleep when I thought I couldn’t. He helped me rest over the next few days even when my roommate was loud.

They did lots of tests and assured me that in time I would be fine. It took about three weeks before I got to feeling like myself again. Dizziness and plugged ears almost drove me crazy. God was with me though. It just took a lot of rest.

Recently as I prepared to go to the conference at church I awoke In the night worrying about everything that could go wrong. My ride being late. Not being able to open doors and get around on my own. I laid awake for quite some time thinking of everything that could go wrong.

I finally said a prayer that he would take care of all my needs. I reminded myself that he had it under control and I had nothing to worry about. As the conference came and went it went off without a hitch. Better than I ever expected. I had a great time.

Let him take your cares for he does care for you.

You Can’t Out-give God

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Psalm 3:5 NIV

” And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 4:19 NIV

God spoke to me this morning as I was talking to him. He has been opening my eyes to his ways a lot in the last fourteen years. I can understand how blind we can be at times. Going through life day by day it’s easy to get focused on ourselves and our daily struggles. It took him bringing me to a place where my every breath was up to him.

He has taught me so much about how he works. As I was growing up my father and grandfather taught me so much about giving to God first. Tithing was something they had learned was very important and they always saw his blessings through it. So as I began working I tried to continue that tradition.

When I got married and it was no longer just my money I felt it was more important to submit to my husband and let him be the head of the house. He always felt there were so many bills and never enough left over for God. That’s where he was wrong. But it wasn’t up to me to correct him. That’s God’s job.

What we need to understand is that God has commanded us to give and he has very good reasons. We also need to understand that God knows everything. He is not ever going to ask us to do anything that is not good for our best. He has promised to work everything for our best. That’s all the good and bad.

I had to get to a place where I had nothing so I could see that the little I gave was blessed.

I remember the story of the widows mites from when I was a child. This poor widow gave two copper coins as her offering, they were only worth less than a penny but it was all she had. Jesus saw how much it was to her when others gave large amounts and didn’t even miss it.

Many people have been blessed with a lot of money. Some aren’t Christians and know nothing about tithing but they give large amounts away to hospitals, research, even feeding children in other countries. They have learned the blessings of giving. God can use them just as easily as Christians.

First we need to understand it is not our money anyway. When we were born we had nothing and when we die we take nothing. Who was the first person? Adam but everything he ever had was given to him by God. God promised to always give us all we need. He knows all so he knows how to do it. We don’t need to know how.

If you try to make a budget first it will never make sense. His economy does not work the way we can understand. He is looking out for billions of people’s needs all at once. This last week I got to go to a convention for leadership training. They spoke of a need in one of our churches for a food pantry. This remote city had limited resources and great needs.

I felt God speak to me to give an amount. My mind told me how will you do that? My heart told me, ‘God can use me as well as anyone else and I want the blessings he has for my life. He obviously knows more than me. So I gave.

He can bring blessings into my life through unexpected sources. Gifts, inheritance, unexpected money from many places. I am supported by social security. They pay for all of my needs since I became disabled. Leaving me with $100 a month for clothes and miscellaneous needs.

That is not much but after Christmas last year I felt so blessed. I got so much I did not expect from others that I have no needs. The food has been great lately and I haven’t even needed the snacks I used to buy and keep around. My shampoo and other supplies seem to go a lot farther than normal.

I give my tithe every month and wish I could do more. Some months he does ask me to do more. I give and he supplies the need. It is so much more blessed to give than to receive. You can even test God in this one area and see just how impossible it is to outlive God.

Heritage

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‘And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers.’ Acts 3: 25 NIV

‘It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes through faith.’ Romans 4:13 NIV

‘If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.’ Galatians 3:29 NIV

‘So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.’ Galatians 4:7 NIV

‘This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.’ Ephesians 3:6 NIV

We are chosen to be heirs of this great world. Not everyone but those who have believed by faith in the one true King ‘Jesus Christ ‘.

Just think about it. The true king, creator of heaven and earth. Everything that ever was or will be. He has called us to himself. He loves us soooo much and wants us together forever. He is drawing us closer to himself each day.

I looked into royalty as a definition. It means status, dignity, power, prestige and belonging to a royal family. We are nothing special on our own. We are after all just sinners condemned to die from those sins. But we were ‘called’. Just as thousands of years ago God called Abraham to leave his home and family and to follow him. We have been called.

We are not heirs by blood from birth. But as heirs we are special to the King. Not being British I can’t really understand what it means to be royalty but I do see the favor and power on children in the royal family.

Since I was young I have followed those in Queen Elizabeth’s family. Kings, queens, princes and princesses. Dukes, duchesses, lords and earls. Being given an important heritage that follows you through life. Their actions are highly scrutinized. Their position warrants it.

I am a child of God. Not just a famous family. An heir with Jesus Christ to inherit this world and live in it forever with a select few. This is very much an honor and I do not take it lightly.

My behavior is also watched by many. I want to be as much like my King as I can be. Doing what my King has asked of me. It is always possible with his help.

How many of you realize how important that we really are to the final outcome of the kingdom of this royal family.

Being Blessed

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“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived ” — the things God has prepared for those who love him –” 1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

We all want good things for our lives and will spend all our time and money trying to get just that. It really is much simpler than that. Our Heavenly Father wants just that for us already. He has told us in his word how much he loves each and everyone of us. With a love we could never begin to imagine.

Before we ever were he thought of us and every day he had prepared for us. How he would bless our lives. Destined for a good and blessed life if we just follow him and his ways. He is after all the wisest most powerful creator that ever was. Everything that ever was or will be was created by him for us. He is also our father.

As our father he wants to bless us and see us happy. Have you known any good parents that didn’t want so much for their kids. We want so much to give them way more than we had and see their excitement when we give it. As a parent I always enjoyed Christmas morning when they had been begging for that special gift and I knew they were getting it.

Seeing the joy on their face when they opened that gift was priceless. We couldn’t always afford to give them everything they wanted but God can afford anything that is good for us. He has no spending limit. We are priceless to him and nothing is too good for us.

Growing up we may have picked some bad ways of seeing our God. Thinking we don’t deserve his love because we are not good enough is the worst. Even on our worst day he looked down on us and decided to make a way to be together forever. As parents whose kids act out. We know how frustrated we can get. We don’t like their behavior but we could never stop loving them.

We are not perfect and can make mistakes but he is perfect and could never want anything but the best for each of us individually.

So many people come to God with a list of I wants … That good job, that perfect spouse, or to win the lottery. We bombard God with constant requests. Have you ever stopped to think how much this might be limiting him? We may be dead set on one important want. And wanting it just how we see it.

But what if God wants something so much better for us. It is like asking God for $5000 and getting so adamant about it, that you just have to have it. When all along he wanted to give you $1,000,000.

That is why he taught us to pray: “…thy will be done…”. We do not know all he wants to bless us with, but it is more than our simple minds can fathom. I have never known anyone who walked with God who was disappointed in God. I have known others who preferred to do it their way that have had major regrets.

Even when I was living life my way and going for all I could get it was never enough. I had my stroke in 2005 and thought it was the worst thing I could ever face. I lost everything that I saw as important to have a good and happy life. Now I know he gave me the best thing ever. It was a time I sought after him and meaning in life. He gave that to me and so much more.

My life is so good right now and I have been so happy lately. For Christmas I had a list of wants but when it was all over I got so much that I hadn’t even begun to think about. I had been so blessed again. This is going to be a good and blessed year.