What Color Is Your Coat?

 

Genesis 37:3 Says, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other children, because he was the son of his old age and made him a coat of many colors.”

Awhile back,I bought myself a jacket. I liked the taupe color because it is neutral. I was leaving the house to go have lunch with a friend. I noticed that in the sunlight my coat looked more green than taupe. This made me think of a young man in the Bible by the name of Joseph. His father made him a coat of many colors. He did this because he loved his son very much. It is easy today to run to the mall and purchase a jacket for ourselves. We realize that wasn’t the case in Joseph’s time. I can picture the father working lovingly on the coat for his son. He must have worked for days, even weeks on it. I believe he took great thought into picking each color of fabric.

In my mind I  can see him choosing purple. Joseph would someday be a part of royalty. Maybe he chose a blue. He prayed his son would always walk in revelation knowledge. White could stand for a reminder to Joseph to remain pure until marriage. This story reminds me of how many times my Heavenly Father has covered me. I have walked in some hard places. I know I could not have made it without Gods love for me.

Later on in the story, Joseph’s brothers stripped him of his beloved coat. It didn’t matter. He still felt His Fathers love and presence in his life. Have there been times in your life when struggles have made you feel stripped of who you know  you are in Christ? The enemy has tried many times to convince me God wasn’t there for me in trials. Maybe at times it has seemed like God is far away. Those are the times we must remember how He has always prepared for us whatever we needed. Whatever we may face, He has us covered. There is nothing that gives us strength more than spending time with Him. The world may try to strip us. Nothing can take away the love our Father has for us. What color is your coat today? I can tell you. It is whatever you need from Him. All you have to do is ask of your Father. Remember, he has you covered.

~Connie Robinson

Image Credit @ Tammy Sanders

I Have a Right to Praise Him!

Have you ever wondered, “What right do I have to praise God?” Maybe you do not have to deal with thoughts like that. I know I have had to deal with this myself throughout my walk. How could I possibly praise Him when I mess up so often and do a good job when I do?

The other morning, about 3:00 am, I couldn’t sleep. I decided to pray in tongues and worship. During my time of worship, these words bubbled up into my head, “You have a right to praise Him.” Like many of you, I have sang that song over and over many times during worship. Like a lot of people, I was singing the song and not really letting the words register into my spirit. During this prayer time, IT REGISTERED!

My right to praise is not based on my being good enough. If so, I would never be able to praise Him because I will never be good enough. My right to praise Him comes from the fact that I am HIS CHILD because I have received HIS SON as my Lord and Savior.

Because of what Jesus did for me on the Cross and my believing in that and receiving Him as my Lord and Savior GIVES ME THE RIGHT TO PRAISE HIM! I have been adopted into the FAMILY OF GOD!

~Ronda Sullivan

Image Credit © Tammy Sanders

Comfort and Joy

What does it mean to walk in comfort and joy anyway? I have been asking myself this same question.

 

For starters, what is comfort? Comfort means to “soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to, to make physically comfortable, to aid; support or encourage”. So looking at the meaning, and hooking it up with scripture, then when we say “Jesus is our comforter,”we are saying that He provides relief in our afflictions (healing), and He gives us peace.

 

I don’t know about you but I have not been walking in a lot of comfort and joy. At least not until recently when I got a breakthrough. You know when you take your eyes off of the one who gives you the comfort and joy and start to focus on all of the circumstances surrounding you that comfort and joy leaves you. You may be able to put on the façade of joy but it does not last long. I should know since I had been doing that for a while.

 

It is important that when thoughts that do not line up with God’s Word are flooding your mind, that you take those thoughts captive. I went to leadership for advice for assistance and was provided a good swift kick in the rear that I needed to help me get back on track. Don’t get me wrong, God had already been dealing with me about the price and the swift kick in the rear was done in love. It was the truth and the truth will set you free if you will listen. I chose to listen, and I have felt more joy and comfort than I have felt in months!

 

My focus has shifted to where it needs to be and not on the circumstances that have tried to infiltrate my mind. Will I have to battle thoughts in the future? I  know I will.

 

Gateway leaders are here to help you overcome all circumstances that has tried to present itself in your life. You just have to be willing to take correction and to change and grow. Showing up for services and ministry opportunities is a vital role in your spiritual growth. At one time it was said that 80% of our victory is just showing up. Spending personal time in the Word for yourself, worshiping and praying are also necessary in order to overcome obstacles and circumstances in your life. Trust in Him and His Word for His Word is His Will. He sent His son to die on the cross for our salvation, healing, comfort, and joy. Embrace the comfort and joy that comes from the love of our Father.

 

Ronda Sullivan

 

Image Credit © Tammy Sanders

The Note

I remember a particular time when I was a teenager. There was a ballgame at school, and I wanted to go so bad. One problem I faced was my dad. I was scared to ask him anything. Then I had an idea. I would write him a note.

My dad always got up early to go to work and so, the stove was the first place I knew he would come to. My fingers trembled as I wrote the note and laid it on the stove top. I could hardly sleep. I just knew he would say yes and could hardly wait to get up in the morning.

I woke up bright and early and headed for the kitchen and picked the note up. To my surprise, the note was lying there just as I had left it. I quickly opened it anticipating the answer.  No answer. I was heartbroken.  How could he just not answer me?

My mom walked in the kitchen, and I said to her, “Did daddy not read the note?”

She said, “He did read it, but Daddy said that if you could not ask, it was not worth going to.”  I was stunned and mad for not asking him.

Why had I been so scared to ask him? All he could have done was say yes or no. In my little mind I thought of him as a big bear and was scared he would bite me. In reality he was not, this was just the image I had. Rest assured I was never afraid to ask my daddy again.  I found out all he wanted was for me to ask. To take this a step further that’s all God wants us to do is ask.

Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

John 16:23

What we ask must be in line with God’s word. God wants us blessed spiritually, physically, as well as materially. Don’t let the fear of asking keep you from attaining God best for your life.

~Tammy Sanders

Image Credit © Tammy Sanders

The Green Chair

A few years ago, I was going through a building. I came across an old chair. I have always liked old furniture. This chair caught my eye. It had been painted with green house paint, the seat was torn, but I could tell it had a quality about it. Like they say, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” I took the chair home and began to work on it. Why would anyone paint such a beautiful chair with green paint? Not just one coat but multiple layers.

I thought it wouldn’t take long to restore, maybe a couple of weeks. I bought some paint stripper and sandpaper. I started the process with much enthusiasm knowing it wouldn’t take long. I applied the stripper and began to scrape off the layers. I used a wire brush, a scraper, and many sheets of sandpaper. I would work on the chair for hours, get discouraged, and quit. I knew the chair had great potential; that’s what kept me going back to working on it. It took me about a year of stripping and sanding. I was finally able to put a new finish on it. My wife and I picked out some beautiful gold cloth for the seat. The hard work finally paid off. I’ve recieved many compliments of the beauty of the chair.

A few years later, Holy Spirit began speaking to me about the chair. He taught me there is a process we must go through with His guidance. When we come to the Lord our lives are a mess. Like the discarded chair our Heavenly Father knows our potential. He begins the restoration process called salvation. Because of our fallen nature sin has covered us with layers of hurts, wounds, scars, fears, and rejection. We are being changed and transformed from glory to glory as these layers are being stripped away. At times other members of the body of Christ seem to rub us the wrong way, like sandpaper they are part of our restoration. When we read and study the Word it strips away those layers of our old nature. As we grow and mature our lives will be a reflection of God’s transforming and restoring power.  We are truly being transformed into new creatures in Christ Jesus our Lord. Enjoy the process, don’t give up.

~Ricky Robinson

Image credit: Ricky

Gardening 101

I  was raised on a farm. We had a large family of eight, and I was the oldest. My father taught me how to garden, and we got up early to work in the fields. When I got off of the school bus, I would have a snack, change my clothes, and head to the garden. I wanted to play with my friends or watch TV. My father wanted me to learn and work. I remember lying down in the field and yelling “I hate farming!” When I grew up and had a family of my own, I missed those fresh vegetables. Now as an adult, I am glad I went through the hard process of learning to farm.

I like Jesus’s parable of the seed. He describes four types of soil. A fruitful garden begins with good ground. That is true in both natural and spiritual growth. We must learn to culivate our lives in order to be productive and fruitful in our christian walk. Before a seed can germinate and produce fruit , the soil has to be prepared. Our lives, like soil, has to be conditioned to obtain optimum results. We have weeds, rocks, and thorns in our lives that need to be removed so that the seed can take root and grow.

There is nothing better than fresh vegetables. A bountiful garden is something to be proud of. The rewards are many. I have learned in order for the (seed) Word of God to work and produce fruit in my life, I had to be willing to cultivate my soil. Is your life unproductive? It may be time to dig your soil. It will be hard work. The Lord will be glorified as others benefit from your fruitfulness.

~Ricky Robinson

Let’s talk D.N.A.

DNA might stand for something scientific to you, but for me it always stood for “Daddy Not Available”!

See, I wasn’t raised by my mom and dad, so I didn’t look much like the people I lived with. Because of this, I was often asked the question,”Who do you favor?” This always made me feel uncomfortable, and I didn’t know how to answer. I never really favored anyone in my family.

I have heard when a couple has been together for a long time, they begin to resemble one another. I’m not sure if you can really start to look like someone over time, but have you ever been around an older married couple (like my husband and myself!) who finishes each other’s sentences? As a Christian, that question, “Who do you favor?” no longer irritates me, but challenges me to become more and more like my Heavenly Father. I have a long way to go, but I am believing that the more time I spend with Him, the more I will “favor” Him. Of course, I can spend time with Him because, unlike my natural father, my Heavenly Daddy is ALWAYS available!

All of us, intentionally or not, reflect someone or something. Wouldn’t it stand to reason, then, for us to make a conscious choice as to who or what that is? I choose to strive to be more like my Heavenly Daddy!

As I continue to spend time with Him, I am changing my D.N.A. to stand for “Daddy Now Available!”

~Connie Robinson

Birds of a Feather

“On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.” ~Act 4:23 NIV

I don’t understand people who claim to be Christians but who isolate themselves from the rest of the Body of Christ. They remind me of spoiled children who scream, “I hate you!” at their parents when they don’t get their way. Or rebellious teenagers who run away from home because they don’t like the rules imposed on them. I know, I know… they’ve been “hurt” in church. They’ve seen “too many Christians screw up.” They accuse “everyone” in the church of being a hypocrite. We’ve all heard the same excuses. Maybe you’ve even made those excuses. But your experience does not negate the Word of God. God is the one who established the church. Not only did He establish the Universal Church, but he set in place the Local Church for individuals to have as family. You know…we’re the Bride of Christ. It’s just like having the entire human race and then individual families within that race. We are designed for relationships, and not just relationships in general, but intimate relationships. You just can’t love God and not love the church that He loves.

People are imperfect; people make mistakes. Stuff happens. But when stuff happens, I am incredibly thankful for my “own people” to whom I can run. When I’m hurting, when I’m tired, when I’m confused or angry…I have a Body of Believers who are family to me. They are the first ones I want to call and share good news with and the ones I can count on when I need help. They have stood by me for years now… they’ve watched me grow. They have helped me grow. They’ve watched me screw up. They’ve cheered, laughed, cried, and challenged. They are my family.

I love God with all my heart, but what I know is that I will never know and experience the full expression of His love apart from His people. I also will never be able to fully express His love without being able to express it to and through my brothers and sisters in Christ first.

So, Gateway family… I love you. I wouldn’t be who I am today without your love and support. For all of you other readers out there… I can only hope you have found such a wonderful group of God’s people to call your “own.” If you haven’t…come visit sometime.

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.” ~Hebrews 10:25 NIV

~Linda

Surrender

“If you are willing AND obedient, you will eat the best from the land” ~Isaiah 1:19

I surrender to the conjunction.

IF I am willing AND obedient, the word says. It’s not enough to be willing. It’s not enough to be obedient. I must be both IF I am to eat the best of the land.

Even before Pastor Kenneth began preaching about boundaries this morning (click here for the awesome series called Puzzled), I had a clear thought of this verse in Isaiah followed by a mental picture of myself. I was sitting down in the dead center of a large rectangular area that I knew God had drawn for me. As I was sitting, I was drawing with my mind another rectangular area somewhere else. My mind…my thoughts…were occupying the rectangle that I had drawn, while the rest of me sat on my butt in the middle of the rectangle that GOD had drawn. I was obediently sitting inside God’s boundaries, but I certainly was not willingly sitting inside God’s boundaries. No wonder I have not been eating the good of the land! I’ve been so busy trying to mentally occupy a different place  that I have not even begun to fully occupy the place which He has made for me. I’ve just been sitting in the middle, pouting because I wanted to be somewhere else! Ouch!!

It seems to me that more people have a problem with the “obedient” part of that verse in Isaiah. For me, it’s the “willing” part. I have been obediently following after God’s will for my life, but I have not been doing it willingly. How do I know? Because I have said out of my own mouth, more than once, that if it wasn’t for God, I would do such and such. In other words, God is keeping me from what I will for my life. It’s God’s fault that I don’t get to do what I want to do. Now, I have never come right out and said that I’m blaming God for this, but I didn’t have to.

I thought I was surrendered to God’s plan and purpose for my life, but I realized today that I was not. Not fully. Surrender involves completely turning over all of me to His will. That means not only my spirit and my body, but my soul as well. To truly be surrendered, HIS will must become my will.  Not MY will be done, but HIS.

Now, I know we “know” this… but I think if we were all honest with ourselves, we would recognize certain areas in our lives in which we have not fully given ourselves to God. Thankfully, God makes it easy to get it right. It’s called repentance. It’s called surrender.

Uninspiration

Not really knowing what to blog about this morning, I decided to check out what was Freshly Pressed on WordPress to see if I could winkle out some inspiration. There was the usual stuff… blogs on decorating, exercise, techno-geeks, parenting, travel, food…none of it very inspiring (quinoa and beet pancakes?? really??). I did enjoy Janna T’s post from yesterday, as she recounted a terribly embarrassing moment and its role in her development as a writer. After all, a little bit of angst goes a long way in bringing out our inner author. But still… uninspiration abounds.

And then I realized that uninspiration (I know it’s not really a word, but I like it) is actually a good thing. Jesus used the mundane things… the truly uninspiring scraps of life… to teach valuable lessons to His disciples. The more I thought about it, the more I realized He used some of the same things that are currently “hot” (or lukewarm) today.

Jesus on decorating: “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Mat 5:15-16 NKJV

Jesus on exercise: “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” – Mat 5:41 NKJV

Jesus on techno-geeks: “Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required. Do you have any idea how silly you look, writing a life story that’s wrong from start to finish, nitpicking over commas and semicolons?” – Mat 23:23 The Message

Jesus on parenting: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me”. – Mat 10:37 NKJV

Jesus on travel: And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” – Mar 16:15 NKJV

Jesus on food: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” – Mat 6:25 NKJV

The Jews looked for a King and found a Carpenter.

Life is life…we have to learn to find our inspiration in every fold of it.

~Linda