Tag: Growth

It’s A Blessing or A Lesson

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Some lessons learned (35 actually). I hope they bless or encourage someone.

1. People tend to value less what is free or where they have no investment. I love giving, yet found people trample under foot lavish giving. If it cost them nothing (time, money, committment, resources) they do not value what is provided. In a few rare cases you find people who genuinely appreciate what does not cost them anything. Psychology Today did an article that showed people who invest nothing have no attachment or sense of ownership. The one who gives or invests is the one who grows to love. Hence God encouraging generosity. Where you sow or invest brings forth an attatchment.

2. People will expect more from you than they are willing to give. I found there are many imperfect people expecting perfection out of everyone else. Or there are people who desire I support their business, their ministry, their dreams, etc…who would not lift a finger or even offer 50 cents for anything I do or anyone else.

3. If you don’t set proper boundaries, people will walk all over you.

4. It is possible to love people and still not give them access to your life.

5. Insecure and selfish people hurt others to cope with their own internal love deficit. People, myself included, can only give away love we possess.

6. Sometimes you reap or experience what you did not sow. Examples from the Bible: Jesus, Job, Joseph.

7. Favor is not a feeling nor do circumstances always reflect the favor of God. Joseph was thrown in a pit. Jesus went to a cross. You must pay attention to the entire story, not a chapter or two.

8. Mankind loves a celebrity, Christian or otherwise. Some people will only support you based on who you know, who they think you know, or to try to get close to someone you know.

9. You must care for all parts of yourself: Body, Soul, and Spirit. Neglect one and the others suffer.

10. People (some not all) are more comfortable with men being confident, assertive, intelligent, powerful and successful. We are still fighting gender stereotypes. Be confident, intelligent, powerful, assertive, and successful anyway. Your audience is God.

11. Some people use “God told me,” or “God said,” as tools of manipulation or to get their way. If God did not tell me, I don’t care what He supposedly told everyone else. I don’t move outside of peace.

12. People who put you down often think you are better than them.

13. Some people want you to suceed, just not more than them.

14. Some people don’t know they are prejudice, sexist, or racist. It just slips out and their cover is “I have a (fill in group they biased against) friend. I don’t see color or gender.” Pray for them. Forgive. Have teaching moments, “That’s rude. That’s racist. That is inappropriate.”

15. Learning to strengthen yourself in the Lord is vital! Don’t look for cheerleaders. Cheer for your own darn self.

16. Some people don’t want to be healed even when they state they do. They subconsciously gain attention or benefit from being sick or holding onto toxic mindsets.

17. I am not Jesus. I point to Jesus. If you let people think they have access to you 24/7, 365 days a week, they will run you into the ground then get upset you broke down.

18. It is common for people to want mercy when they sin and harsh judgement when sinned against.

19. The one who opposes you the most sees you as a threat. They see your potential even if you don’t.

20. Learning to love yourself as God does is wisdom and vital to thriving.

21. The most critical people suffer from low self esteem. Putting others down or harshly critiquing them is a means to cope with internal feelings of inadequacy.

22. Some people won’t support you for fear you will surpass them.

23. Rebuke is a friend to the false prophet/prophecy…”No I am not in agreement with that. No I do not accept your word.” People don’t know they are in error if everyone just nods and smiles. Correct in love, not mean spiritedness. Pray before confronting people.

24. Pushy people need loving correction and boundaries set quickly. If you give an inch, they will drag you miles.

25. We don’t owe anyone friendship. It is a gift to be stewarded.

26. Ministry is not meant to be a hostage situation. It’s okay to take breaks or resign from assignments with proper notice. I tend to give 2-3 months notice, longer if it’s a big role.

27. I get to choose with God who I mentor, vs. people telling me I am their mentor. If people will not meet me halfway with participation and playing their part. I have the right to cease letting people waste my time.

28. People treat us how we let them treat us. People waste our time because we let them.

29. Some people view love as agreement. Which it is not. I can disagree and still love a person.

30. God is not our trunk monkey (fixer) who does everything for us. We have a participation role to play.

31. Some of the people who cry out for revival the most are the least active in partnering with God to see revival. Talking and praying about revival is more important than actually going and doing the works of Jesus and making disciples.

32. Some people like their demons yet will try to convince you they don’t. Actions scream over words.

33. If you let people, they will cling to you instead of Jesus. Say NO!

34. You can pour your heart and soul into people that treat it like nothing. Bless them and understand people will NOT treat you any better than they do God. You are ultimately doing it for God.

35. Pray over relationships and every opportunity. God show me who this person really is. When He shows you, adjust accordingly. Love people, yet set proper boundaries.

Love,

Erin

Don’t Miss Out on Confident & Free 2019

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I would love to see you in May 2019.

We are devoting two full days to pouring into attendees! We have so much goodness planned. The early bird rate ends Feb 2nd, 2019. Here’s your sweet reminder.

Check out the tentative schedule.

I hope you join us. Have an amazing weekend.

Registration for Confident & Free: Confident & Free 2019 (You can also read speaker bios here).

Coupon Code: EarlyBird

Warmly,

Erin Lamb

Know God and the Bible for Yourself (Testing Revelation)

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Morning Devotion: Knowing God’s voice.

Every voice is not God. Our soul and spirit speak too. The evil one can give impressions, contaminate dreams, visions, and implant thoughts. Believers are called to test every spirit and all prophetic words/dreams/visions. Today’s post covers testing words, impressions, dreams, visions, and “God told me.”

I have met numerous people in my life who have derailed their life with “God told me.” The voice they heard or the dream/vision did not come from God at all yet it was never tested. The person had followed either their own voice or a false Holy Spirit. Yes, there are demonic spirits who pretend to be God. This is why the Bible says, “Test every spirit and see if it’s of God.”

Everything that looks good or sounds good is not God. The Bible should be the standard or compass. God is not going to tell someone to sin. God is also not double-minded, tossing someone back in forth in confusion. When God speaks, He means what He says and will fulfill what He said.

Trouble can come in several different ways:

1. The person does not cultivate intimacy with God. They are highly dependent on other people telling them what God said instead of reading the Bible for themselves, listening and testing with God.

Jesus said, “My sheep will know My voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow.” Intimacy with God helps us to know His voice from our voice and our voice from the enemy.

2. They do not ask others to test what they are hearing. They have their own isolated bubble with zero feedback and they end up in a ditch.

A prophetic and Spirit-filled community also helps with learning the voice of God. This is where we invite others into what we think we are hearing from God and accept feedback. Those who refuse any feedback or loving correction do not grow.

3. Pride. “I know I hear from God, and therefore I am not in need to test this word, vision, dream, impression. I am accurate or seasoned.” Pride is the devil’s playground. Those who think they are standing sometimes fall because they refuse to acknowledge the fact that they may not have seen or heard correctly. They do not accept accountability or feedback. Or they surround themselves with people who are yes men and women, they have no one to challenge their thoughts or expressions. Pride is one way to miss fully or clearly seeing and hearing what God is doing.

4. A critical spirit or grossly wounded soul can contaminate what God is saying or doing. Our deep wounds can fracture our lenses and cause what we see or hear to not match what God has said or shown us. Our interpretation can be flawed because our wounds are guiding our seeing/hearing. Our vantage point can become our place of woundedness instead of the heart of God. Jesus spoke from the heart of God.

5. Deception. The person has partnered with a spirit of deception by believing lies. God’s word is a great place to soak to bypass gross deception and knowing God for ourselves. A prophet who does not read and study the Bible can be in big trouble as well as every believer. Know the word of God for yourself.

So how do we test?

A. Hold up whatever it is against the word and character of God. God will not tell a person to sin. He will not tell a person to run around in confusion or double-mindedness. One day God says go left, another day turn around…I have seen people run around in utter confusion because they refused to test what they sensed was God. God is not hateful, nor critical. God is not crazy. Cultivating intimacy with God and learning His character is vital to hearing clearly. You can not repeat something from someone you don’t know.

B. Pray and ask others to pray. There are several things in my life that looked good or sounded good yet I paused and prayed. I asked God to show me what was really going on and to confirm if it was Him. I did nothing until I had more insight from God. Thankful because after praying, “God show me your truth about this person, this situation, this dream or vision or prophetic word,” there was an increased clarity and wisdom given by God. Asking others to pray with me and for me or test what I think God is saying has been helpful as well.

C. Write it down and come back later. I have found that God when He gives something, knows the perfect timing for its release. God is not pushy, not in a mega hurry. He is okay with sitting something aside to pray, weigh, test, examine, etc…Sometimes in the process of writing it out and coming back later, a person can see where their soul was speaking and it does not sound like God at all.

D. Ask God for deeper revelation, insight, and to confirm what is Him. I have had several people tell me that God brought them into my life and it was a lie, lie, lie. The devil brought them across my path. As I prayed over their words, character, etc…God revealed their heart was not good. I have had numerous marriage words that were false. I tell people don’t just run with something someone tells you or even your own dreams/visions/words. Ask God, “Show me who this person really is. Show me God the heart of this person. Confirm if this is from you. Show me the source of this dream, information.” You pray and PAY ATTENTION. Some bypass red flags because, “God told them,” and they end up in devastation. Watch how that person treats you. Watch their character. Watch how they treat other people. I have seen God unravel things over time that looked like Gold in the beginning and it was gold plated.

I had a lady tell me she was my Jonathan and she later brought hell, confusion, pain, and craziness into my life. If I had taken what she said and asked God for confirmation, then I could have bypassed some crazy. I did not. I trusted her because she said she knew God and seemed to be on fire for Jesus. She also had another set of voices that needed cast out and deep brokenness that caused “Prophalying.” I learned a valuable lesson. Love everyone, test everything.

Some will be attracted to the anointing on your life, not you. If that anointing does not benefit them or ceases to fill their need bucket, they will go find the next person who will. There is a great difference between who loves you and who loves what they think you can do.

I have also had people drawn to who they think I am and when they find out I am not the tell you just what you want to hear, they abandon the relationship. They said, in the beginning, they prayed for someone like me and God answered, yet the reality was, I think and could be wrong, they saw something they wanted and put it on God. When it did not meet their expectations, God obviously changed His mind and they left the connection. If God leads us to someone, like He did with David and Jonathan, it is not an “I’m in as long as you do and say what suits me.” It is a committed love. It is mutual and not one sided.

E. Examine the heart and nature of God. God is not pushy nor manipulative. God allows choice. Even Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane had a choice. God did not force Him, pressure Him, nor try to bully Him into the cross. Adam and Eve had a choice. We get to choose.

Caution: Be careful with the God told me to hire this person, marry this person, connect with this person, etc…I have seen people get a word, have a dream, yada yada and they never tested it. They hired that person, connected with that person, married that person or were rejected by that person and blamed God (He was not the source of that intel), and end up in a ditch. God does not force connections. God will introduce two people and let them choose. He does not force marriages or partnerships. And I have only met a few people who God told them who their spouse was and it was a great marriage, the rest married into hell. They did not test what they heard or saw.

Truly believe God wants us to know Him for ourselves and cultivate intimacy with Him. I also believe there are false prophets in the world and knowing God, testing what we see or hear is vital. God told us to do it. Leaning on the words of internet prophets or platform prophets or even the local prophet is not wisdom. Wisdom is getting in the word and secret place with God. Wisdom is testing ALL things. “God is this really you? I will not move or act until I know that this is you and not my soul or spirit and not the voice of the enemy trying to deceive me. God keep me in a place of humility where I am continually submitting what I see and hear to you and when needed seeking wise counsel. Help me to be an accountable prophet or prophetic person. Heal my soul of any wounds or deception so I can see, hear, and speak the clear uncontaminated word of God”

Art: Yongsung Kim

Love in Christ,

Erin L Lamb

Don’t Bypass Gethsemane (Abiding & Intimacy with God Part 1) 

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1 Peter 4:13 (NKJV)

…rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

We live in a culture that promotes comfort. If you talk to people about suffering, sometimes they will check out of the conversation. 

Let’s be honest, I don’t enjoy suffering or persecution. 

I have learned and am learning that if we only eat dessert, we don’t grow. We need situations in our lives where we don’t get our way, we don’t understand, the answer is no or wait, there are obstacles or problems to overcome. If we don’t have them, we remain spiritually and emotionally immature. We don’t grow up. We stay on the same level. 

The idea God only wants us to feel good is toxic. Growth doesn’t always feel good. Do you recall being younger and experiencing growth pains, losing teeth so new ones could come, or homework? It didn’t always feel good. The end result was good. 

Is every hardship God growing us? No. I think it’s valuable to examine Godly challenges versus what’s of the devil. God can turn what’s of the devil into a blessing; that doesn’t mean He set up the suffering, challenge, or setback. 

There’s Godly suffering/challenges and evil suffering/challenges. Let’s lay these out on the table. 

Godly suffering, trials, or challenges: 

  1. It’s for the Gospel. The Bible says the Godly will suffer persecution and be hated (2 Timothy 3:12, John 15:18). 
  2. It produces Godly character and develops patience (James 1:3, Romans 5:4). 
  3. It leads to eventual blessing (Hebrews 12:2, Job 42:10, Genesis 50:20). 

What Godly suffering is not: 

  1. It is not a call to sickness, disease, or demonic oppression. Jesus healed the sick and delivered the oppressed (examples in Mark 1:34, Matthew 4:23-25). 
  2. It is not a call to poverty. Jesus told us to care for the poor (Proverbs 29:4, Proverbs 22:9, Galatians 2:10) . If I’m poor, how can I help you? 
  3. It is not a call to abuse or being abused/controlled/manipulatd.Those are demonic forces. Abuse is not love. Control is not love. Jesus stood up for the oppressed, and outcasts of society (John 4, John 8). 

Holy Spirit University Lessons

  
Have you been enrolled? It’s amazing if you do. I liken the work of Holy Spirit to being enrolled in a University. Salvation is our ticket into HSU. Everyone has a schedule, map (the Bible), and a mentor (Holy Spirit). The courses are designed to grow us into the character of Jesus and help us fulfill our destiny. 

No worries if you don’t do well in a course. You don’t get grades here. You can take a class as many times as you need. Even after you pass you will be tested on what you’ve learned or move on to the next level.  

Suffering 101-301: I did not enroll myself in this class. I was born into trauma. I have no space to tell you all my war stories. Just know this class is ongoing. 

What I’ve learned/am learning: 

  • The supernatural comfort and power of God. 
  • The power of God to heal and deliver. 
  • The great compassion, mercy, and goodness of God. 

Persecution 101-107: I don’t enjoy this class. Yet I have seen the most fruit from these challenges. I’ve been in this class for 7 years. 

What I have learned/ am learning: 

  • To allow God to defend me (work in progress). He is my defense.  
  • People are not my enemy. I have just 1 and Jesus beat him with two sticks. 
  • To rely solely on God’s love and acceptance. 

One coworker harassed me at work; regularly tried to get me fired. She eventually gave her life to Jesus. She said, “I knew the Spirit of God was in you.” I never retaliated, tried to hurt her, nor treated her poorly no matter how awful. Don’t get me wrong, there was lots of prayer. Years of being beat down without Human Resources help. People kept saying to quit. I just didn’t have the “Go” in my spirit. 

I am not advocating staying in an abusive or toxic situation. If it’s physical violence or sexual abuse, get help immediately. If it’s verbal abuse, get help. God does not approve of abuse or expect you to tolerate it. 
Rejection 101-301: I’m almost at home in this class. I’m growing accustomed to being misunderstood, left out, pushed aside, put in the back, or ignored, etc…sometimes it bothers me when it comes from Christians. I’m learning claiming Jesus and loving like Him are not the same. People (myself included) must receive God’s love in order to give it away. 

There are people in my family who rejected me for sharing the Gospel or for no reason. I love them. I try not to allow their behavior to dictate my joy. 

What I’ve learned/am learning: 

  • My audience must be God. If He says thumbs up, it doesn’t matter if the world says thumbs down. 
  • God withholds nothing good. God sets up relationships that are mutual blessings.
  • Preference matters. I like mangoes. You may like peaches. Both are good. It’s a matter of preference. 
  • Don’t rely on or need the approval of man; it changes like the shifting tide. People can love you today and hate you tomorrow. 

Those are just some of the courses I’ve been in for a very long time. 

I used to lament, “Why me?” I came to the conclusion that I choose whether to be a victim or victor. How people behave is a reflection of their heart, experiences, or circumstances. People can only give the love they have first received from God. 

I found that our suffering helps us to have compassion for others and patience with them. 

More than sympathy…

I was praying with someone who just broke down, tears streaming. This person had endured horrific, sustained abuse. When I touched the person I felt it. I cried with them. Why? I understand abuse. I know what it’s like for people take out their rage or frustrations on me. I know what it’s like to blame myself instead of the other person. 

I know what it’s like to feel unloved, like the dog people like to kick. I told the person, “I know exactly how you feel. I was abused too. This is not your fault.” When those words were spoken, a glimmer of hope appeared in those tear filled eyes. 

The prayer time with this person was not a pity session, or I must make up sympathy for you. It was a “I’ve been here and I’m entering into this pain with you.” I just rocked the person, held them, and spoke out God’s love and affirmation; we cried. 

Let me tell you something sweet friends. God enters into our suffering. He’s not watching it trying to work up sympathy. His heart is pounding in His chest, “That’s hurting My child.” His heart is for us. Jesus suffered for us and suffers with us. There’s intimacy forged in suffering with Jesus. 

Some of the strongest bonds are forged between people who go through challenges together. 

Jesus did everything the Father told Him to do. It led to the cross. Jesus faced Gethsemane, the cross, all before His resurrection. Sometimes what feels like death is an invitation to glory. An olive is crushed before the oil flows. It’s not suffering for no reason. It’s a pressing, strengthening season. 

God wastes nothing. Once we overcome, we can then assist others in overcoming. The Spirit of Breakthrough begins to flows through us when we walk through the valley with God. We are released, through abiding, into new levels of understanding, compassion, and authority.

God bless!

Love, 

Erin 

Supernatural Love (Miracle Series)

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Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,~John 15:13. 

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another,~John 13:34-35. 
 
If you assessed my life story or fully understood my personality, I’d be one of the most unlikely to be used by God to love His kids. I’m highly introverted. As a kid my mum said I spent most of my time under the dining room table with my notes, tools, and sketch pad. I can spend days to weeks with just God. I get lost in thoughts, theories, and creating. I’m also, according to Myers Briggs, INTJ (introverted, intuition, thinking, judging). We are not known as the sentimental types. We are primarily thinkers, not feelers. We ask, “Does this work?” We get lost in logic. We solve problems, hence my pursuit of a career in engineering and science. 
 
I tell you this because God is able to love through anyone who’s willing. I prayed long ago for God to teach me to love like Him. I had no clue what it would cost. I had no clue how deep, vast, profound, rich, generous, compassionate, and sacrificial God’s love truly was. I am still learning.
One person other than Jesus I could pinpoint as an example of supernatural love is Apostle Paul. He was, before His encounter with Jesus, a persecutor of Christians. After His encounter with Jesus, Paul became one of the most radical lovers of God, the Gospel, and wrote Corinthians 13 the chapter on love.
The love of God is supernatural, it’s beyond human ability. Humans naturally want to put themselves first. Agape love is sacrificial, selfless, pure, unconditional, holy, honoring, and out of this world. It’s the love Jesus has for us and tells us to have for others.
How do we get this love, God’s love in us? It starts with relationship, intimacy with God. We must first receive before we can ever give. We also abide in Him (John 15:5). The more I’m with God, the more I love people. This love is still challenged. Trust me! Yet with the passing moments of oneness…His heart invades mine. He has imprinted His great love on my heart.
Supernatural Love Stories: 
I’ve pondered how to share stories while honoring others, so there’s a summarizing and exclusion of names. I’m in the process of writing three more books, they will include more life stories as there’s space for them. Here are a few brief stories that may fuel your faith.
I have a person that caused great pain in my life. More pain than anyone else. They treated me poorly in so many ways. When I went through my health crisis, they were not supportive or compassionate. They would say things like, “You’re not really sick. If you were stronger, you’d get up from there…” Well, I was sick. My hair fell out in places, I was on beta blockers for my heart, seeing specialists,…I was a mini train wreck. Yet God has healed me. Praise pause 🙌. Thank YOU Jesus! 👏.
This person later begin to face their own life challenges, health problems,  and God gave me the opportunity to love. Love wasn’t met with appreciation. It was met with excessive complaining, ingratitude, sometimes anger or hostility, and there were many days I’d sit with God thinking, “Why am I being punished? Why am I in this situation? I’m too young for this! Why do I have to love? This person doesn’t even appreciate love.” 
I’d love to tell you prayer led to warm, fuzzy, and loving feelings. I didn’t. There were days where I’d just sob and call out to God for help. Days I wished I could join the witness protection program and run away from my life. Crisis after crisis wore me down emotionally, mentally, physically, etc…I was really young and overwhelmed. While other kids were enjoying their lives, I was trying to juggle chaos. Yet God is stronger. He didn’t deliver me from. He delivered me through. That person grew to slowly change. I didn’t change them, God did something. It was the most painful and challenging season of my life. Yet God’s love is a sustaining power.
Fast forward and my first real opportunity to do discipleship ministry. Like Jesus there were 12 women and me. I gave my life, heart, time, energy, home, and all for those I was leading/discipling. I gave my all for 3 years. I helped people move, opened my home, cooked meals, hosted parties, wiped tears, prayed, played/sang at weddings, was a friend…I’m a 100% type of person. If I commit to someone or something, I’m giving it my all. The people I gave my life to, well several of them turned on me, gossiped about me, lied on me, one even cursed me out in public, one created so much drama people from out of the state were emailing me at work about it, and well…God never gave me permission to walk in unforgiveness or try to avenge myself. I sat in silence while being cussed out (He supernaturally closed my mouth. My natural bend would’ve been to rebuke that woman). It was so painful. It was challenging. There are absolutely no words to express the level of grief it caused. If I had sinned, I’d accept it as my consequences. Yet my issues came from teaching the Gospel as it’s written, pointing to Jesus, being who God created me to be, and not promoting people to leadership roles because God had not released me to do so. Some of those relationships were never fully repaired, yet a few were. There’s forgiveness for everyone, yet not everyone repented or even acknowledged their sin. And God gave me the opportunity again to forgive and love. Supernatural love when I only felt numb inside. Supernatural love to try again with ministry, though I didn’t want to love again sacrificially after those experiences. Christians became my frenemies so it took God to get me back into ministering to other believers. Some may say, that’s no big deal, grow up. Yet until you’ve laid down your life for people who betray you, there’s no place to reference from. Only Jesus knows fully what it’s like and even He experienced great grief facing the cross.
I found through those years of heart wrenching how much love cost Jesus. I was not nailed to a rugged cross, but my heart was. And “I’m sorry,” never healed nor took away any of the pain. Only God can and does.
I sometimes think we (humans) think our sin, rebellion, or rejection of God doesn’t affect Him. It does. And though we say sorry and repent, our behavior does impact His heart. God has feelings…He loves more than we can comprehend. I can’t imagine since He loves more than me how deep it cuts His heart to see His children destroy themselves and others.
If I loved others by experiences with loving people, I would only love a few people or not love at all. This area of my life has been hit with the most opposition and pain. Yet God doesn’t call us to love a few people. He calls us to love everyone, even our enemies. 
Challenging love situations, they teach you so much about God. I don’t love perfectly, God does. Even though He loves perfectly, He’s rejected, used, verbally abused, neglected, hated, ignored, forgotten about, sought after only in crisis, sinned against, and much more.
I used to think going through challenging experiences with love was some form of punishment. Yet God was answering my prayer, “Teach me to love like You.” God teaches by giving us opportunities.
As of the past few years we have moved from love boot camp, to God supernaturally downloading His heart for people into mine. It makes it a bit easier, yet doesn’t change the response of others to me. I still meet rejection, people who attempt to attach themselves to me for their benefit, misunderstandings (why is she being so nice to me?), and I have a few that are oh so challenging to love. I rely fully on God for love, another lesson learned from these experiences. People can’t fill your love tank.
God’s love for you is beyond describable, yet I will try…
God thinks of you continually. He cares about EVERY single detail of your life. He wants you to maintain your freedom to choose (He’s no control freak or manipulator), He’s not absent minded (He keeps log of all your desires and dreams), He celebrates you, He knows all your flaws and still longs to be with you, He sets up opportunities to bless you, Jesus lives to intercede for you, He moves mountains for you, He corrects to restore you, He enjoys every moment you spend with Him, and He desires so much to be with you!!! This love, His love, is life changing. If you want to see your life changed or change the world, receive this love…God’s unfailing & radical love!
You see one of the greatest miracles of all is the Creator of the Universe loving humanity. 
God bless you! Next time we will talk about divine intelligence, when God gives you His wisdom and intelligence. Praying for you! You are SO deeply loved.
Erin

Encountering the Master Gardener

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What I’ve Learned about God Through Gardening

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clipart

Erin Lamb, all rights reserved.

God is in all things, all we have to do is look closely. I have found some applicable life lessons in my time spent tending to a garden or plants. So, come with me on the journey to encountering God in the garden.

We reap what we sow-meaning what we plant is what comes to the surface. A gardener would be horrified if they found what they planted in the ground is not what they have at harvest time. They planted tomatoes, but somehow grew corn.

Often in life I think we are shocked to see negative things breaking through the surface of our lives. We scratch our heads and say,”Where did this come from?” We neglect to ask ourselves what seeds are planted in our minds and hearts. Out of the mouth the heart speaks (Matthew 12:34b). If the seeds planted in our hearts are seeds of un-forgiveness, unbelief, hatred, selfishness, jealousy, envy, strife, or lust-that is what will break forth.  Where do the seeds originate from? Seeds are planted in our minds and make their way to our hearts; that is where each seed, either good or bad is planted. What we allow to sink in and take root is what will blossom in our lives. It’s to our benefit to take every thought captive and make it obedient to God’s word (2 Cor. 10:5).

We reap more than we sow. Seeds yield more than the small seed planted. If we invest in what is good, there are great things that will spring forth, more than what was sown.

Plants need light, water, and pruning. So do we. God is light. Everything good, He encompasses. He is the source of life.  Plants left inside turn themselves to grow towards the light. The plants need the light to grow and thrive. Without the light, the plants will wither and die. We need God to grow and thrive. Some plants (like ivy) will climb over any obstacle to get its light source. How would our lives be different if nothing stopped us from seeking the light?

Another important part of plant development involves watering. I left a plant with a friend while in Australia and we she returned it, the leaves were withered and limp. It was still alive, but looked a bit sick. Once the plant was watered it perked up. I liken my sick plant to the spiritual condition of the human soul. If the love of God is not being poured in, if truth is not saturating the soul, it begins to dry up. Water is crucial to life. We can’t wait for church services to meet with God or have our hearts filled by Him. It is a daily drawing near to Him. He is standing there with His water pitcher saying “Here is more love, more truth, more hope, more revelation, and more encouragement. Now grow, thrive!”

The last point is the beauty of pruning, weeding, and attentive care. If you have a garden you are aware that weeds will try to crowd out your beloved plants. They will attempt to rob the soil of nutrients and have the potential to kill your crop or flowers. Our weeds may be described as discouragement, deception, unbelief, or fear. Those things must be quickly uprooted before they crowd out faith, hope, and love. Gardeners care for what they have planted. They have invested in what they have sown.

God is the master gardener, and He is invested in you. He loves you. God wants you to grow and thrive, and not just for His own personal satisfaction.  He also wants to bless everyone around you. My greatest satisfaction as a gardener is being able to give away the fruit of my labor. God loves you infinitely more than I love my plants. He has so much invested in you. Praying you not only grow, but thrive.