Generational Blessings

Exodus 20:6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. (New Living Translation)

I love this picture of four generations from Pintrest

"To understand Abrams beginnings, we have to look back at the past.  Abram, who is later called Abraham, had a relationship with God.  He is recorded as one who walked with God on several occasions.  This is one of the defining generational blessings that Abram had received from his ancestry."  Path of the Blessing: Abraham, Issac, Jacob   

Pause for a moment and think about your family lineage.  Can you see how you are blessed today because someone in your past walked with God?

A Journey Begins with Vision

 Let your eyes look staight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.  Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.  Proverbs 4:25,26

A compass is the perfect example of a tool we can apply to our lives when choosing the right path to travel in life. -Just like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in "Path of the Blessing". These men discovered four specific ways to interact with God to discern which way was God's will for their lives.

Anxiety and Other Storms

Anxiety:

Distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune (Dictionary.com)

Anxiety is rooted in Fear.  We’ve all experienced one or both at some point in our lives.  Maybe you are experiencing anxiety right now?  Recently, I’ve been on some cold medicine and I’ve noticed anxiety afflicting me, especially at night.  I’m tired, but my thoughts seem to keep going.  My body feels hyper-sensitive along with my hearing.  I worry that I’m not sleeping, so then I find myself in a cycle of worrying that I’m not going to get enough sleep before morning which then causes me to think and problem solve the reason of why I’m not sleeping soundly which then keeps me more and more awake.  (Woah, I’m feeling anxious just reliving this!)

In Luke 8:22 this passage has been subtitled “Jesus Calms the Storm”.  It’s the familiar story of Jesus crossing over in a boat when a major storm arises.  Jesus is sleeping through the whole event as the disciples are fearing for their lives because the boat is getting swamped with water.  They wake him up, and he simply speaks to the storm and then peace occurs.  The way I’ve heard it, and the way I’m describing it here, makes it sound so simple.  You might end up thinking that the lesson might be, “You shouldn’t ever be afraid if you have Jesus in your life”.  This is a misconception of the life of a follower of Jesus.  Storms will still arise and storms are scary.

In this passage you can relate this to your life, so let’s take a look at what was really happening…The followers of Jesus, his disciples, are on a journey with Jesus and they were crossing over into something and somewhere new.  As they were moving forward a storm approaches.  A storm not only approaches but is bent on stopping the journeyers from reaching their destination.  Now in verse 23 we can see the character of Jesus and he had an attitude of peace with absolutely no fear of what lies ahead.  The disciples however felt total fear.

Fear wants to stop us from reaching our destiny.

Now don’t think too poorly of the disciples, after all, at this point the boat was being swamped with water as the wind and the waves were blowing over the boat.  They were going to drown.  This was the circumstances that they not only saw but the very tangible physical experience that they were feeling. 

Remember my description of my anxiety?  I was experiencing and feeling something very real.  This was my storm in the midst of my peaceful night’s sleep.  Fear was rising up with the purpose to overtake me, to have me drowning in fear so much so that I wouldn’t be able to function the next day and accomplish my destiny that I was moving toward.

The disciples wake Jesus and he speaks to the wind and the waves.  He calms the storm.

Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.”  The Holy Spirit revealed to me one of those nights in the midst of my storm to thank God.  Here I was, alert, my mind going, my body buzzing and I’m reaching for whatever I know to use to battle this anxiety.

I reach for prayer. 

So I am rebuking the spirit of anxiety and asking for the Lord to fill me with peace.  –I felt nothing.  I felt absolutely no change.  So I thought, maybe I need to repeat that prayer as if maybe I didn’t say it right, or God didn’t hear me…again, no change.

“Can’t you see I’m drowning here Lord? I just need to sleep!”

Now the more I think about it, the worse it gets.  I get up and walk around and pray again, but more simply this time, “Jesus, please tell me what to do.”  Then the thought of thanking him entered my mind.  As I headed back to my bed, I started thanking God for specific family members, I felt instant relief from anxiety, then friends and by the time I got two friends in, I was out for the rest of the night.  Jesus calmed the storm.  This same incidence happened again, except this time I started right away with the thankfulness.  I only was able to express my gratitude to Jesus for about three people and then total peace.  This is amazing, thankfulness is tied to experiencing the peace of Christ!

Back to the disciples in Luke 8, they too were now experiencing peace.  Peace was restored to their journey.  They now had a renewed confidence in who Jesus is, and how he is able to bring peace to any element that will rise up.  For the disciples at that time, those elements were the wind and waves, but for us it can be anything.  For myself, recently it’s been anxiety that Jesus has calmed through thankfulness. 

What elements or storms do you have in your life that are rising up to stop you from reaching your destiny?  Ask Jesus to tell you what to do.  It just might start with thankfulness.

Hearing God's Voice for Your Life

A grand scale of the childhood game “Simeon Says” is being played out all over the world.  The Lord is “Simeon” and he’s asking us to listen to his voice and do the simplest of tasks every day.  He’s asking us to hear the word and do the word.

Luke 8:21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

When we apply action to his commands, we move forward towards the reward.  The reward is having a closer relationship with Him.  The closer we get, the louder His voice is in our lives.  When we do something other than what the Lord is calling, then we learn that we have to go back to the start.  Just like in the game of "Simeon Says" we continue to do this until we train ourselves how to listen and obey.  Hear the word and do the word. 

It’s the simplest of games.  

The commands that are being called out are:

Love your neighbor as yourself

Love God

Have faith

Believe in Jesus

Pray for others

Serve

Be a light in the darkness

…and so much more!

If we want to move forward and gain the reward of a closer relationship with Jesus our Lord, then we must listen for his calling.  All of what he commands is found in his Word, the Bible.  Together, as one world, we can hear the word and do the word.

Are you ready to play?

Stability in the Storm {Part 4 of 4} Dig Down Deep

A popular Sunday school song I learned as a child goes like this…

The wise man built his house upon the rock, his house upon the rock, his house upon the rock.  The wise man built his house upon the rock and the rain came tumbling down.

Oh, the rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

The foolish man built his house upon the sand, his house upon the sand, his house upon the sand.  The foolish man built his house upon the sand and the rain came tumbling down.

Oh, the rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

And the foolish man's house went "splat!"

Isn’t funny how a song can stay with you your whole life?  This song is based off of a passage in Luke which speaks of the wise and foolish builders.  This section of Luke 6:46-49 is the final part of Jesus’s talk and not only concludes this series of Stability in the Storm, but concludes Jesus’ thoughts to the crowd of hearers.  These people listening were from all walks of life and all stages of faith, or lack thereof.  They came because they needed healing, deliverance, and a touch from the Messiah and the Word says that power was coming from him and healing them all. (Luke 6:19)  I think Jesus had their attention! 

This talk began in Luke 6:17 and to really understand what Jesus is trying to communicate can be found repeatedly throughout his talk and concluded at the end.  It is the message that if we call Jesus Lord, then we hear his words and then go do them.  Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?”  What is it that Jesus is saying that we need to do and put into practice?  Looking back over the entire talk, you will see that Jesus is saying this:

     Love your enemies

     Do good to your enemies

     Lend to others without expectation of them returning the favor

     Give to others

     Speak good things (words); agreeable, joyful, happy, upright, honorable

Want to explore these deeper?  Look back at Stability in the Storm {Part1}, {Part 2},{Part 3}. Take the time to read this talk in its entirety in Luke 6:17-49.  Read it with the thought in mind that the hearers of this talk, heard it in one sitting.  It wasn’t broken up into sections the way our bibles have done so.   Each paragraph related to the previous one in thought, just as a speech should.  Let the Word speak to you today as if you are one of the people in the crowd, hearing this for the first time.  Hear his words.

In the conclusion of his talk, Jesus says that the one who hears his words and puts them into practice is like (v. 48) “a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock.  When a flood came the torrent struck that house, but could not shake it, because it was well built.” Jesus is also saying that the person who hears and does his words, had to dig down deep to attain stability for the coming storm. 

He put in the effort, and did what it took by doing what the Word says.

That’s the digging!

The obedience is the effort, stability on the rock is the reward!  The storms of life will come but because the one who is wise has heard and put into practice what the Word says, that person will remain stable.  Unshakable. 

This passage isn’t just for the people of that day, but now, more than ever, we need stability in our unstable world.  Everyone has the same opportunity to reach out towards Jesus, to dig down deep and not only hear his words, but apply them and do them as well.  When the storms come, and they always come whether you are a Jesus follower or not, will you be ready?  He’s told us how to become stable; unshakable when the storms do strike.  It’s up to you, are you willing to dig down deep?

Stability in the Storm {Part 3 of 4} Speak Good

In the early 90’s Martha Stewart had her own cooking and crafting show which she always ended it by saying, “It’s a Good Thing”.  She had all of us viewers instantly agreeing with her that what she said was a good thing.  That is a powerful phrase that Martha Stewart coined.  It was positive and it got everyone to think positively about what she had just demonstrated and said to us.  Words have the power to change our world for the good of mankind or for the worse.

Luke 6:45 “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks.”

Are we speaking good or are we speaking evil?

When I pondered this, I certainly didn’t think that I ever spoke anything evil.  When I think of evil, I think of images of the Dragon in Sleeping Beauty trying to destroy everything beautiful, or impish demonic creatures running around trying to lure people into temptation, or people who pre-meditate murder.  No, I’m not like these things, I’m sure I don’t have anything to do with evil.  But, when I broke down the Greek meaning of the words for “good” and “evil” in this passage, I find something different than what I considered “evil”.  It’s not as distant from my life as I first thought.

English/Greek

Good/Agathos:  1. Of good nature 2.  Useful, salutary 3.  Good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy 4. Excellent, distinguished 5. Upright, honorable

Evil/Poneros:  1. Bad, of a bad nature

The key to this passage is found in the last part of the verse “For out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks.”   To find out what’s in our heart, good things or bad, all we have to do is listen to what we are saying.  In the King James’ version of Luke 6:45 it is expressed this way, “…out of the good treasure of his heart…out of the evil treasure of his heart…”

Our mouth is the gauge to our treasure room

What is your heart speaking today?  What has it said in the past?  It’s time to re-evaluate the treasure room.  Clean out the areas holding onto the evil and release that to Jesus and fill up our hearts with “Good Things”. 

How to release those dark areas:

-Begin with a relationship with Jesus by asking him for forgiveness, believing that you are forgiven and ask him to change you.

-Whether you’re a brand new follower of Jesus or not, say these words, “Jesus, I give you permission to clean out the dark areas of my heart and I release those areas to you.”

How to fill our hearts with “Good Things”:

-Read the Bible (It’s full of good words for our lives)

-Pray these words, “Lord Jesus, fill me up with more of you and the good things you have for me”.

Now when the storms of life come, I’ll already have my heart full of good prepared to encourage not only myself, but others.  “It’s a Good Thing”.

 

Stability in the Storm {Part 2 of 4} Live a Giving Life

Give and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  Luke 6:38

I’ve heard this passage preached on several times and from what I remember it has always been used in reference to finances and wealth.  Although that is not totally inaccurate, because that verse does hold true concerning wealth, I believe Jesus is touching on something broader. 

Give and it will be given to you

This giving, is giving to others which is different than giving to God. God is good to us regardless of our giving to him.  

Psalm 145:9 The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

In the previous verses in Luke 6:30, Jesus says to give to everyone who asks you and then in verse 35 he says to give without expecting to get anything in return.  Jesus is specifically referring to what he was just speaking about, which is loving others without expectation. Then in verse 38 Jesus explains this supernatural law: when you give, it will be given to you in the same measurement you originally gave.

Since God’s word is true and this is one of his laws, then ask yourself, what measurement am I using to give and what can I give to others?  Here’s what I’m working on:

                 -forgiveness

                -mercy

                -kindness

                -compassion

                -time

                -finances

                -love

                -friendship

                -acceptance

Now consider reading this list as what you will receive back, in the very same amount that which you gave.

This week, I’m challenging myself to use a bigger measure to give out to others.  Will you join me?  Make your own list of what you are able to give and what you want to receive back.  

This is a life of balance.  This is a life of stability; the life we are meant to live.

You can reach me on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pathoftheblessing

Stability in the Storm {Part 1 of 4} Live a Life Free of Expectation

This is a tough one.  

I have been in friendships that have had unrealistic expectations placed on me, and I’ve placed unrealistic expectations on friends.  

I’ve been in churches big and small that have had unrealistic expectations placed on me, and I’ve had unrealistic expectations that I’ve placed on leaders at churches and church structures.  

Oh in my mind, my expectations were very realistic…as I’m sure that’s what others would say from their perspective as well.  

We all expect that if we do something for someone, then we deserve to be treated the same way if not equal, then more so.  The problem with that formula is that it breeds disappointment.  If our friend doesn’t meet our expectations or that church leader or church structure, then we feel hurt and unimportant.  We feel discarded and so we start over again seeking out a new friend and a new church that will meet all of our expectations.  Like I said, I’ve been on both ends of this cycle and have learned that these expectations are one of the traps that the enemy, the Devil, loves to use to cause us as a people pain. 

In Luke 6:32-36 Jesus is speaking about this very subject.  In verse 35 he says, “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”

Jesus himself is letting us in on something that is key to stability in our lives.  Not only are we to love our enemies, but we are to lend to them without expectation.  Even though Jesus is speaking of our enemies, you could easily substitute the word “friend, church, church leader, neighbor, co-worker” anyone really.  Our enemy is so much harder to love, so start with the people who aren’t your enemy, because that’s super easy…right?  –I think you get the point.

When we lend to others without expecting to get anything back, what does that really mean? 

                -lending my “things”

                -lending my time

                -lending my money

                -lending my emotions (caring for others)

When we do these things, Jesus says that we will be rewarded greatly!  (Glance back at verse 35)  One of those rewards is freedom.  When we don’t place expectations on others to return what we’ve done for them, the enemy cannot bring disappointment and THAT is freedom!  Another reward is a spiritual reward, that we will be sons/daughters of the Most High.  Jesus is saying that when we do these things, we are displaying our spiritual family traits.  Our rewards go much further and they are given to us in this lifetime on earth and beyond into eternity. 

What other ways can we lend to others without expectation?  Let’s challenge ourselves to live a little bit more free this week.

I welcome all comments posted here or on my Facebook page Tasha Johnson, Author, Path of the Blessing

Perspective

A view of the sky from our vacation in Maui; closest thing to Heaven.

In another blog, I had written about my friend Jesse.  Here's a link to that blog:  FAITH WALK  He’s afflicted by a disease that is trying to claim his life.  I’ve been part of a large group of family and friends that have been believing for his healing.  I do believe he will be healed and fully restored either on this side of eternity or the next.  The hardest part about this process is knowing that the door of death is involved in reaching the rest of our lives beyond this earthly existence.  I’m exercising my faith and trying with all that I have to see beyond and gain heaven’s view instead of my own time restricted earthly view.  This isn’t the first time I’ve had to stretch my faith concerning a friend who’s facing a deadly illness and I suspect it won’t be my last. 

What I’m trying to overcome is my natural earthly instinct to see life’s trials and afflictions as finality and with that comes the thought of “no hope”.  I’m in process of getting my mind to grasp hold of God’s truth and to get in alignment with heaven’s perspective; that life will continue on for all of us, either in the eternal presence of our Creator in Heaven, or in eternal torment in Hell.  One path gives us hope of full restoration, including our bodies, living a life void of pain and suffering. The other path without Christ offers no hope, no freedom from pain. 

All of us are eternal beings and whether we choose to believe that or not, life will continue on forever for all of us.  Ecclesiastes 3:11 …He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. This verse clearly states how all of us feel; that we can’t even fathom the scope of eternity.  That this earthly existence is a mere speck of time compared to eternity.  

Every trial and hardship we face on earth is like a drop of water in a vast ocean that never ends. 

Many are facing divorce, losing their house, have lost a job, struggling with addiction, and are contending with illnesses and injury.  Jesus sees us within our earthly time restraints and in his compassion is with us through it all.  Job 28:24 for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.  Nehemiah 9:27 …But when they were oppressed they cried out to you.  From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them… For us, a hardship can seem forever, but in heaven’s perspective it’s just a fleeting moment.  I remember when my first child was born, and that first year was so hard.  My husband and I wondered if we would ever be able to sleep again, eat a meal on time, or have time for ourselves.  It seemed like a very long year.  Now that same child is 15 yrs. old and taking Driver’s Education.  Where did the time go?  What I perceived at the time was an unending season of hardship turned out to be such a small amount of time in my life.  Perspective. 

Whether you’re hardship is illness, finances, loss of marriage, loss of a child there is HOPE.  We have an eternal hope through Jesus Christ.  This time spent here is nothing compared to the joyous future we are heading towards if you are in relationship with Jesus Christ.  Are you in need of hope today?  If you want to experience the hope of eternity then choose to be a follower of Jesus.

Pray this prayer with me, it’s not so much the words as it is your heart attitude.

Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for me, forgive me for my sins, wash me clean.  I choose a new path now, to follow you all the days of my life, and to honor your name.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

If you’ve just prayed that prayer, congratulations!  Your next step will be to find a local church to encourage you in your relationship with Jesus.  Now that you are a part of God’s kingdom, you too can begin to gain a heavenly perspective to help you navigate life’s hardships.

Go to the iTunes store and download and listen to the song, There is a HOPE by Life Center for further encouragement.  “There is a hope and his name is Jesus.” –Life Center Ministries

You can reach me on Facebook here:  Tasha Johnson, Author "Path of the Blessing"  and through Amazon.com you can find my book, Path of the Blessing to help guide you to staying on course with your relationship with God.

Pennies from Heaven

Art from Heidi-Malott

Wouldn't it be great if money really did rain down on us whenever there was a storm?  Frank Sinatra made this song famous based on this one idea. (Pennies from Heaven Lyrics) What Frank didn't know is that it’s TRUE!  

Malachi 3:10 … “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”  This blessing that is poured out from heaven can come in many forms depending on what you've brought into it. If you've given God your money, then you will be blessed financially.  If you've given God your time serving others, you’ll be blessed with more opportunities to serve at a higher level of influence. You see, Malachi 3:10 begins like this:  ^“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty. 

My husband, Troy and I serve as lay marriage counselors at our church.  A couple that we meet with was going through a huge financial burden to the point of eating once a day, if that.  After discovering this and the fact that they hadn't eaten yet that day (it was almost 8 pm), my husband took out all the cash we had with us and it was a $20 bill.  The husband’s eyes filled up and he and his wife told us that they had just asked Jesus for $20 on the way to the meeting.  They had been feeling like God didn't see their need and that he didn't hear their prayer.  Only Jesus could have set that up.  Earlier that day, I had been searching for lunch money for my girls, I had seen the $20, but decided not to send it with them and so I took the $3 out instead, leaving the $20.  That night that couple really did get money from heaven, and my husband and I got to be a part of it.

Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

Could you use blessings from heaven?  Whether you are going through the storms of life or days full of sunshine and happiness, God’s word stands true.  Jesus has blessings from heaven waiting for you; so much so that you won’t be able to contain it.  Ask Him, it’s really that simple.

If you want to know more how you can live a blessed life, then order my book, Path of the Blessing on Amazon.  Find the Compass that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob used to discover their most blessed path, and how you can utilize that same compass today!

Faith Walk

Myself, Jesse, and Dee

This is my friend Jesse.  He has Machado-Joseph Disease.  It’s a rare disease that takes away all muscle control.  Jesse is 28 years old and I've had the privilege of getting to know him the past year.  In this picture, Jesse is standing with the assistance of my friend Dee and myself.  The last few times we have met we've been taking Jesse on a faith walk out of his wheelchair and around his room in the nursing home.  The three of us are believing God for a miracle healing and for Jesse’s strength to return as a part of that healing.  Jesse is unable to walk.  This past year, Dee and I have been spending every Monday at 1:00 praying with Jesse, singing over him, reading the word, and assisting him with painting.  You could say that Dee and I are on a faith walk as well.

 

Just yesterday, Monday, after visiting with Jesse and Dee, I was deeply stirred in my spirit to seek the Lord on Jesse’s behalf.  This morning the Lord prompted me to read Mark 2:1-12.  It’s the story of four friends that were trying to get their friend, a paraplegic, to see Jesus for healing.  The house where Jesus was, was completely packed out, so they dug through the roof and lowered the man down to him.  Jesus then responded to these friends and the paraplegic after seeing their faith.  Jesus was moved by their faith towards healing, not just physical but spiritual as well. 

That is the sort of faith I want to surround others with.  A faith for healing that will move the heart of God. 

As Dee, Jesse, and I continue on this faith walk –as well as many others who are praying for him- would you consider coming along side someone you know who is on a faith walk themselves?  Let’s decide to position ourselves to move the heart of God and see healing take place.  Let’s join together in unity and risk believing for something extraordinary and impossible; something only Jesus can accomplish not only for ourselves, but for others.

Are you on a faith walk right now?  If so, and you need others to surround you in faith and have no one, then please leave your first name in the comments and I will be praying for you.  You can also reach me on Facebook here:  Tasha Johnson, Author "Path of the Blessing"