If Jesus Were to ask, “Who Do YOU Say I am?”, What Would You Say?

Like others, rather than creating New Years resolutions, I seek a word that will brand my life by year end if kept in the forefront of my days.

We nice I have a word, I ponder it through 4 lenses:

FOCAL POINT = an attribute / name of God that serves as fuel in my tank to follow Him

FILTER = a Divine discipline that requires effort of me

FORMER / FUTURE = this is like a character trait branding iron. I ask what WAS former Kimberly & what WILL future me be marked by if I focus on the name of God & filter my decisions through discipline

FRUIT = I ask what fruit of the Spirit will be evident in me if I allow my life to become branded by this word?

I love that👆🏽process. It’s always a wrestle to 1st listen for the word & then ask:

👉🏽Which attribute of His charter will be my focus?

👉🏽What discipline will be required as my filter?

👉🏽What character trait will I leave behind & which will become evident?

👉🏽Which fruit of the Spirit will be like a fragrant aroma around me by year’s end?

This year, however, was different. Instead of a word, the Lord gave me a phrase:

“Make Room”

My Focal Point is Yahweh, my Lord & Master. I want to know Him & make elbow room for Him.I want to be so branded by His Lordship that people will proclaim, “Wow, now she makes way for Yahweh!”

Today I read a profound question posed by Jesus:

“But who do YOU say I am?”

Peter does Peter & is the 1st to eagerly reply, “You’re the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!”

Jesus tells Peter how blessed he is that God revealed this to him. The word “revealed” literally means to pull back the covers to make manifest what is immaterial.

As the first month of 2022 comes to a close, how might the next 11 change if we let Jesus ask us, “Who do YOU say I am?”

If we focused on just ONE name of God or Jesus over the coming year, how might our days become transformed into something we thought was unimaginable?

Father, pull back the covers on our busy & limited perspective to make manifest what is immaterial. Reveal Who You are, what is required of us, what you’d like us to leave behind in 2021 so we can be branded by something new! May our lives in December of 2022 become fragrant with the fruity aroma of Your Spirit!

#OneYearBible

January 25th One Year Bible Readings

GENESIS 50:1-26

EXODUS 1:1-2:10

MATTHEW 16:13-17:9

PSALM 21:1-13

PROVERBS 5:1-6

Don’t Forget About The Father While Factoring The Future

Matthew 16 tells of a quarreling time among the disciples. They’d just crossed to the other side of the lake only to discover that they forgot the food.

I find it kinda funny that they panicked about it, forgetting that Jesus had JUST miraculously fed the 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread & then ANOTHER 4,000 with 7 loaves! It’s so easy to forget what our God can do when a very real need presents itself, right?

They’d just witnessed Jesus give sight to the blind, strengthen the legs of the lame, give words to those who couldn’t speak & healing to the crippled. It was such an astounding event that “The crowd was amazed!”

It’s so easy to stand in awe when we witness the awesomeness of our good God. Sustaining that wonder can be difficult, however, when the mundane things of life settle & surround you.

The guys simply forgot the bread.They became laser focused on the need & bickering broke out, no doubt blaming each other for forgetting.

I picture Jesus a little flabbergasted in the moment when He says, ”You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? Didn’t I just feed the 5000…?”

I sometimes wonder if He’s like that with me when I’m in panic mode about provision.😳

Current circumstances scream that our family may have a pretty big squeeze in our finances over the coming months.

This morning I began strategizing how to cut costs & pull back on our budget. It is wise & good to plan ahead, but sometimes I do so while forgetting to factor in the faithfulness of our Father Who owns cattle on 1,000 hills.😬

I sense Him not so much flabbergasted with my forgetfulness, but rather yearning for me (& you) to remember His nature & name. He is Jehovah Jireh, our God Who Provides & never leaves our side! Our faith need not falter when we remember the multiple times He’s revealed His faithfulness in tangible & awe-inspiring ways!

Father, we are all in need of something at any given point in time, but our biggest need is to remember You.Thank you for this tangible example of how everyday needs can distract us from our Savior Who is ever with us. We entrust our very real needs unto Your care & ask for wisdom on Your best Way forward.

#OneYearBible

January 24th One Year Bible Readings

GENESIS 48:1-49:33

MATTHEW 15:29-16:12

PSALM 20:1-9

PROVERBS 4:20-27

There are Many Books That Provide Information, but There’s Only One That Creates Transformation

“If my voice were never heard, what would my life proclaim?”

👆🏽That’s the question that surfaced this morning as I read Psalm 19.

David begins by declaring how the heavens proclaim the glory of God & the skies display His craftsmanship.

What caught my attention, however, were the next 2 verses:

2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.

3 They speak without a sound or word

their voice is never heard.

Isn't verse 3 good? I love rhymers 🤗

The sun, moon & stars need not give word to their message…their very presence simply declares the glory of their Creator!

We, however, are made in His image AND we are given voice to make Him known. The problem surfaces when our words don’t match His Word.😳

I love words & the underbelly of that gift is that I can just as easily use them to hurt as I can to help 😑

Jesus talks about words in Matthew 15, quoting Isaiah when He says, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

It’s easy to proclaim our love for God, but unbridled words in the hear of a moment reveal what’s hidden in our hearts.

I think this is one of the whys behind my desire to sit & soak in HIS Word every morning. I’m aware of the temptation to wield words for my advantage & the pull to speak words that make me known more than my Maker! It takes a continual soaking in His Word to keep my heart pure.

David tells us of the benefits of this! He writes that the instructions, decrees, commandments & commands of the Lord are:

✨Perfect👉🏽reviving the soul

✨Trustworthy👉🏽making wise the simple

✨Right👉🏽bringing joy to the heart

✨Clear👉🏽giving insight for living

I dare say we all desire that our words match His Word, but it cannot happen without spending time WITH The Word!

Father, there are many books that can inform, but there’s only one that will transform!

Your Word reveals the hidden places in our hearts that need healing. It revives our soul, brings us joy & gives us wisdom to follow Your Way!

May the words of our mouths & the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to You, oh God! May we become Kingdom Carriers of Your Word! Speak through us & wield our words to make You known!

#OneYearBible

January 23rd One Year Bible Readings

GENESIS 46:1-47:31

MATTHEW 15:1-28

PSALM 19:1-14

PROVERBS 4:14-19