Dayspring's Thursday Thoughts...

I was one of just a few people to receive a suicide note that day. By the time I actually found it the event had already passed...unsuccessfully. 

He had lost all hope. Had lost all will to carry on. He does not know my life-changing, hope-giving, unconditionally-loving God. 

But I do. 

He wouldn't let me come see him at the facility. He wasn't willing to talk to me. And I had only one place I could go to be heard...on my face. 

So I did. 

"I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one." Ezekiel 22:30

FOUND NO ONE?? FOUND NO ONE!!

Right under that verse in my Bible I wrote "see me!" because I didn't want God looking around and seeing no one standing in the gap for my friend. 

I was called to be his gap-filler. 

I begged God to save his life and I fought spiritual wars on his behalf. It was during this time that my friend felt God's hand for the first time as he attempted to kill himself again a few days after the last incident. He told me later about a "spiritual presence" that saved him. (It a truly miraculous story I don't have the space to share here.)

But did that supernatural, hand-of-God, moment change his life? 

Nope. 

He wasn't ready and he may never be, but I can know I did my part.  

What about you? What kind of gap filler can you be? Who should you stand in that gap for? 

Ask God. Then do your part to be seen so He doesn't have to say He found no one! 

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written by: Dayspring Boldt Broxon

Stolen Moments...

Stolen moments...

“And when He had sent the multitudes away,

He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.

Now when evening came, He was alone there.”
Matthew 14:23

Jesus knew the unrelenting press of thousands day after day, yet He found time to steal a few minutes alone in the Father’s presence. He, being fully God, yet laying aside His godly prerogatives to walk earth as a man, knew the joy of stolen moments to be refreshed in the Holy Spirit.

One time, Randy and I were waiting in a restaurant to be seated. A young man walked in with a single, red rose. He waited silently next to me until a cute, young waitress momentarily left her duties to greet him with a quick kiss. The red rose was for her. It brought light to her face, sparkle to her eyes, and I’m sure made the rest of her long evening special.

We need those red rose, stolen kiss moments with the Lord, too. Next time you are impatient, frustrated, or weary, find a minute...somewhere. Call out to the Lord, crack open the Word, pray in the Spirit. Be revived in His presence. Stolen moments with the Lord can be just the ticket we need.

At the Start of This Week...Orlando...

At the start of this week...

Should the events of the day in our nation and around the world rock us to our core, this is when the Comfort of the Holy Spirit surrounds us. Ask for a fresh infilling of His presence to drive fear and anxiety from your soul. He is our peace in any storm.

Should the world seem darker and more desperate, we are seeing exactly what King Jesus told us would happen. It is time for us to be sold-out for His Kingdom; standing completely upon His Word, knowing it for ourselves; and be comfortable walking in all nine gifts of the Holy Spirit which are necessary for this day. And most of all, we need to be walking in Jesus' love for everyone.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because He Who is in you is greater than anything!
1 John 4:4

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Hmmm...Money Matters...

How much money do you have right now? How much is in your savings account? Perhaps you just never have enough. Well, you aren’t alone.

Old Testament law describes how after a woman gives birth she must bring a lamb offering to God. It goes on to say, “and if she in not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons…” Lev. 12:8.

Flash forward to the New Testament to one of my favorite verses. I am so deeply touched by something that can be easily missed. After Jesus’ birth, His parents go to make their offering. Want to guess what they took?

Two turtledoves and two pigeons! Luke 2:24

That’s right. The Son of God, the same God with cattle on a thousand hills, was poor. Flat broke. His family had nothing to offer but a poverty sacrifice.

I find such comfort knowing that I’m not alone when it comes to money matters. I mean, who hasn’t been stressed out about money, or stayed up all night worrying about how to get more, or figuring out the best way to “rob Peter to pay Paul” at least once in their life? I can find safety in taking all my financial concerns to the Lord because HE understands, He cares and He loves me. He is my safety in my insecure financial world.

And He is yours too. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed to pray about money issues just because it’s a material thing. He so gets it!

Feel free to share...

by: Dayspring Boldt Broxton

The Narrow Gate and the Broad Place...

The narrow gate and the broad place.

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.”  Matthew 7:13

“He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.” Psalm 18:19

Think about a spacious place where a rich and sumptuous party is being given in your honor. You are the prized guest and no expense has been spared. To enter this lifelong blessing can only be accomplished by entering through a very narrow, tiny gate. No backpacks, luggage, or carry-ons can be squeezed through the its opening.

This broad place of abundant, superfluous living is Jesus’ grace. The narrow gate is Jesus Himself and the only article easing us through is faith in His finished work on the cross. No worry, no fear, no having to be control, no I-can-do-it mentality, or effort on our part is allowed. Only a mustard seed of faith (if we even have that sometimes!) can fit through the gate. Faith in Jesus and Jesus alone, is the only thing we can carry through.

It’s time to stop thinking this Christian walk is up to us; it is time to lean fully into His grace, knowing He will complete what He has started in each of us. What’s our part? Believing ruthlessly what He has already done.

Get Crackin'....

I am plowing through the Book of Proverbs right now. Really.

These Proverbs. Well. They are just too cool. Just too something. Hmmmm, I know. They are very, very real and they are very, very practical. No-brainers, really, except the Lord knows we need all the help we can get.

Simple words to help us live life less chaotic, with less conflict, with good choices, and outstanding outcomes. Simple words to save us from such heartache, torment, rabbit trails, and chasing the wind.

“Keep your heart with all diligence,  For out of it spring the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Guarding our hearts for the Lord Jesus alone. Not looking to another - such as a husband, wife, friend - to fulfill something in our hearts that only God Himself can give. This has brought immeasurable happiness to my marriage and all of my relationships! This is just one…proverb.

So, get crackin’. There are thirty-one chapters filled with these nuggets. One each day for the next thirty-one days. Start finding treasures to add to your life’s gems. You will be glad you did.

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

Should your yard be overgrown, your jeans too tight, or your wallet a little too empty, look up! King Jesus is the All-Sufficient One. Get your eyes on Him alone and let Him do the heavy lifting for your cares.

Should a loved one go sideways, a neighbor go ballistic, or a co-worker become annoying, well, remember you have issues, too! Jesus has all the patience in the world to bring you into freedom, now grab hold of His patience in you for others, by the power of the Holy Spirit!

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because He Who is in you is greater than anything!
1 John 4:4

________________________

Photo: I took this of Maria Elliot, a short-term Missionary serving with Youth With a Mission (YWAM). She leaves for Nepal/Mongolia this week. Please pray for her and her team as they preach the gospel...thanks!

Mad at God... Another gem from Dayspring

I don’t like to take the Lord’s name in vain, but… “OH MY GOD! I am so mad at You!” seems totally appropriate when I direct it to Him. Because I do.

I yell at God a lot.

I’m not the best Christian by the world’s standards. I have my own quirks, rebellions and sins, but here is the one thing I know I do right: I get mad at God. Often. Well…that’s not really the thing I do right. It’s more about what I do with my anger.

See, we can do like so many others and get mad at God and turn a cold bitter heart away from Him. We stop talking to Him, we stop listening for Him, and we get so locked up in our anger about our situations that we go through the “Christian” motions but push Him aside. Usually without even knowing it or admitting it. Because it can’t be “good” to get mad at God. Right?

Wrong.

I’ve learned to take it to Him because I’ve seen those in the Bible do it before me.

God has seen and heard me at my worst. I’ve cussed Him out. I’ve told Him off. I’ve laid on my face and screamed at Him. I have blamed Him and we’ve wrestled until I’m emotionally limping (Genesis 32). But here’s the thing: HE IS BIG ENOUGH.

And you know what happens every time I bring my anger to Him? He lets me throw my fit, and then He lovingly restores me. EVERY SINGLE TIME. I will be on my red, puffy, tear stained, scowled face before Him and when I’m spent I reach for His Word and it washes over me. Even if we do that thirty times a day. He never fails to listen and restore.

So take it to Him because He can take it.

Even His own Son knew this: “Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” Matthew 27:46

The Cure for Discontentment...

Only our Creator knows what will fill our sails...

“The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.” Psalm 16:6

This verse speaks of the boundaries of our inheritance in Christ. Think this way: who you really are; what Jesus is doing in you; what causes your heart to sing; what are your passions and dreams?

I spent years wishing I had someone else’s boundaries; their inheritance. I had fallen into the sin Adam and Eve fell for: I thought God was holding out on me. The last few years have been the awakening of my soul to all He HAS given me, in me, through me, and will do in the future. It wasn’t until I found His bliss in the life He gave me, that my boundaries started to grow larger, sweeter, and deeper than I could have imagined.

Are you discontent about your life? Go to the Creator, let Him call the plays, let Him change the paradigm of your thinking. Life in Him begins when this takes place.

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Special Ops...

I want to be on God’s Special Ops team...

“Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all.”
2 Samuel 6:1 NLT

I am pretty sure David’s elite crew were the fastest, the strongest, and the bravest. However, I am not so sure that Jesus’ team has to have those qualifications.

His elite team players only have one requirement. Love, love, and more love.

Love, sold-out, life-altering love for Him first. That doesn’t mean you or I have to be the best or the brightest, instead we live solely for Him. Hunger for His presence is our training and healing ground. We need to be skillful in His Word to defeat our adversary and speak life to others. And our love for everyone is our badge of courage. For if we are fully engaged in His wondrous love – knowing He will take care of our every need – we have no fear that when we give ourselves or our resources away, He will replenish us to overflowing.

All I can say is, sign me up, Lord.

Fill in the Blanks...

It's okay...go ahead. Fill in the blanks with your name...

“But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O ________, And He who formed you, ________.”
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you ________; I have called you by your name; ________ are Mine.”
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you ________; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you ________. When you walk through the fire, you ________ shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you ________.” 
“For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of _______l, your Savior...”
Isaiah 43:1-3

We can legitimately insert our names wherever Israel or any Bible personage is mentioned, because of our spiritual heritage.
Still, as with many of God’s promises, there is a condition for us to fulfill: The Lord Jesus must be...our Lord. In other words, we must give Him complete control of our situations good, bad, or ugly. If you are in control, Who isn’t?

Make this passage your own. Hold it tightly. And, above all, surrender your situation to the One Who loves you, _______, 
beyond belief.

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The Big One... ( Another gem from Dayspring...)

I guess I didn’t realize how vain I was until I lost my front tooth. The top one. The big one. The one that’s in every picture and the first part of my smile that people see. It’s not so much that I lost it but more about the hole which it left behind. The hole that, as I catch my reflection, causes tears to stream down. 

The pain, infection, and all the other unforeseen problems that have come from this supposed simple extraction are nothing compared to how shocked I am at how it makes me feel. I cried when I heard I had to have it removed, but the abundant tears, the deep emotional ache, and sudden insecurities that it has caused are unexpected. 

And you know what I tell myself over and over?

“...so the King will greatly desire (be enthralled) by your beauty.”
Psalm 45:11

 A verse from the Psalms that I made into one of those large custom wall decals and hung up years ago on the mirror at church.  Because I believed it to be true, then.

And it replays in my head every day when I look in the mirror at what I see to be so ugly, now. 

I don’t know your old insecurities (God knows I have plenty of mine) or even your new ones that pop up (or are pulled out) these days, but I do know this: The God who created us in His image, the same One who knows the number of hairs on our head, keeps tracks of all our tears, and knows the amount of teeth we have, thinks we are beautiful. 

And that’s what gets me through the day. Repetition of His words to me. 

Whatever you are going through, the Bible has the remedy.

Find it. Memorize it. Repeat it as needed. 
_____________________________
By: Dayspring Boldt Broxton

The Best Medicine Cabinet

I think every person should have their own personal Psalm. Out of 150, there is one for you. I am sure of this. Honestly.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path.”
Psalm 119:105

The Psalms are like one big medicine cabinet. I know. This is crude and simplistic, nevertheless, whatever ails your life, you can most likely find the answer from God’s Word in the Psalms.

Psalm 18…brought my freedom from bondage
Psalm 27…called me into His extravagant presence
Psalm 91…I heard His heart for me during cancer
Psalm 107…encouraged my family through some tough decisions
Psalm 149…caused me to worship in warfare in the Spirit.

You get the idea.

May I encourage you to first read straight through the Psalms at kind of a quick pace. Take them everywhere with you. Take a dose before bedtime with a refreshing drink of Holy Spirit living water. Then, return to the beginning and savor each chapter slowly.

Find the Psalm Jesus is giving just for you.

Master Architect...

I think we all catch this Scripture’s meaning...

“Unless the LORD builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the LORD guards the city,

The watchman stays awake in vain.”
Psalms 127:1

Let’s be spared much pain, heartache, wasted time, lost resources, loss of happiness, and peace of mind: If the Lord isn’t the One spearheading, leading, designing, and implementing our every endeavor, we might as well pack in our plans and call it a day.

Life is just different when we make Jesus the Chief Contractor. His style of building a life makes Him the Master Architect with exquisite beauty in mind for each of us.  Every corner is metered, every detail has the Artist’s eye and aesthetic. Every internal brace has the ability withstand any storm. Every nuance has eternal ramifications.

And finally, He is trustworthy to watch over and guard what He has so lovingly and tenderly built. Anything less than His complete input is a vain pursuit. Let’s not waste another moment trying to build our lives ourselves.

Thrive...

My dear friend, Marjorie, sensed the Lord wanted to give me a Bible verse recently filled with encouragement.

“But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God's unfailing love.”
Psalm 52:8

At first glance, I first thought the verse said: “But I am like an olive tree, striving (not thriving) in the house of God...” Whaaaattt???

Oh…my gosh. The Lord expounded Marj’s word – His Word – to me in a split second…with humor, to boot!

So, let’s think about this. Are we currently striving and trying to make circumstances or people do what we want them to? What is coming to your mind right now?

It is time to let Jesus do the heavy lifting, and place what we are working so hard at squarely in His hands. Then, let’s watch how our hearts and lives thrive in Him.

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Family Tree...

All of us have some form of desolation from our family tree...

“And they shall rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.”
Isaiah 61:4

This verse speaks directly to our past in regard to our family, family history, environment, and circumstances we were raised in.

Personally, I grew up in a loving home, but it wasn’t ‘til years later I realized how dysfunctional it was. I needed some deep healing...how about you?

Addiction, divorce, sexual ruin, rage, compulsiveness, bitterness, self-pity, sickness...the list goes on. These are issues we disdain, yet are oh-so-familiar marks of our families; of ourselves.

Nevertheless, the word “shall” from this passage, triumphs. As we pursue Jesus...He SHALL; He WILL bring us out of the ruins of our family’s past and repair us completely as we invite Him into these closets. Let’s open the door and not be afraid of His tender touch to deliver us from these desolations.

He shall do it.

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Pursuit...

Never give up your pursuit of total freedom in Christ alone...

“To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes, 
The oil of joy for mourning, 
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; 
That they may be called trees of righteousness, 
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
Isaiah 61:3

What do you hope for from this list? Make it your prayer today. Write it down in a journal. Be open to how the Holy Spirit will break the enemy’s lies to you – which Jesus tells us is the root of all bondage.

Freedom may come in minute or it may come slowly as Jesus walks you gently, but firmly forward, one step at a time. However, don’t settle for just getting by...or coping. We need His breakthrough in our lives so we can walk in:

Beauty
Joy
Praise
Righteousness

Please think and pray about these things today.

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Another Treasure from Dayspring...

I see a lot of gnarly bruises in the sport I play. I’ve had some great picture, worthy-to-share, ones myself. The thing I find most interesting about bruises is even though they hurt initially when the injury occurs, after some time passes, they only tend to sting when pressure is applied. We often forget they are even there until then and the rest of the time it’s like they don’t exist.

I was thinking the other day as I read my Bible about bruises. The emotional kind.

The injuries of life get more bearable over time. They do. However, sometimes even after the pain is gone a memory is triggered and it’s as if someone has taken their finger and pushed on that one spot; that emotional bruise we all but forgot about. The pain is almost as bad as the initial injury! Thankfully, it doesn’t last long and we move forward seemingly unaware of its existence until it happens again. Another poke on that tender spot. Ouch!

The Bible tells us several times that God heals the broken-hearted…but what about the bruises left behind? Seemingly harmless until they hurt.

“In the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people And heals the stroke of their wound.” Isaiah 30:26

I believe God wants us completely free and healed. And sometimes we think healing means settling for a “bruise” in exchange of that constant pain from our injury. An ache now and then on our tender spot is better than everyday pain, right?

Wrong.

Reading this verse makes me realize I don’t want to settle for even that occasional sting from a deep unhealed ache. I want my bruise bound up and my wound healed! For good.

I’m going to take advantage of all God offers in my healing. What about you?

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At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

Should you have a disappointment…something or someone didn’t come through for you as you had hoped, maybe, just maybe, the Lord is using this to get your attention that He alone needs to be your expectation and He knows what He is doing – even when others don’t seem too!

Should you be facing some challenges this week, rather than try to figure it out and making a mess of things, choose to TRUST the Lord. Messes are…oh…so hard…to clean up and waiting on Him is so much sweeter, reliable, and He has resources beyond your imagination.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because Who is in you is greater than anything!
1 John 4:4

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Oh my...(sigh)...

A client was telling the sad story of what had been going on in her life. One tragedy after another.  Then she concluded with the sentence that makes me cringe every time I hear it, “But, God doesn’t give us more than we can handle so…(sigh).”

Probably one of the most misquoted verses ever! (1 Cor. 10:13)

 How can the loss of a child, spouse, or best friend be bearable? How can watching loved ones slowly suffer and die of cancer be bearable? How can losing your job, your house, and your family be bearable? How can the heartbreak of infidelity be bearable?

 It’s not. We weren’t meant to bear it. We weren’t meant to handle it. We weren’t meant to wear our sad stories like badges of honor that God has bestowed upon us because we are strong enough to handle it. Because we aren’t strong enough to handle it. Is it any wonder so many choose to numb it with drugs and alcohol?

So how is one able to stand up under all the weight of the hurts of life?

Through God alone.

Exodus 16:16-18 tells the story of the manna given to the Israelites every morning by God. Each person was given the exact amount of their need. Some people gathered less, some gathered more.

That is such a parallel for our lives.

When life gets tough keep this in mind: God provides the right amount of “manna” to fit our current situation. Sometimes we need more and sometimes we need less but as long as we turn to Him we can know He will provide.

It’s okay to be weak and find life unbearable; don’t be hard on yourself if you aren’t strong enough. You aren’t meant to be. Only God is.

Ask for your daily manna!