Not a single one was left alive...

Happy Thanksgiving,

I am thankful for each of you, and I am thankful that God loves us.  There’s nothing we can do for Him to love us anymore or any less.  Praise His holy name!

On to Deborah!

Her encouraging words to Barak were to get up and meet the enemy head on because the “Lord has gone on ahead and taken the lead…”

If God has gone on ahead of us, what exactly is He doing?

In this case, when “Barak attacked, the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic. Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot. Then Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera's warriors. Not a single one was left alive.”

God was preparing to create an advantageous panic so the enemy could be defeated.  In our case, we can confidently say that God is prepared to do whatever is necessary for us to have the victory.

But first, Barak had to attack. 

DO NOT FEAR. When we pray, when we seek Him, He causes our enemies to panic. “Not a single one will be left alive.”

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that not one of my enemies will live to tell about it because You cause them to panic.  Right now I ask You to defeat and destroy anything that stands in the way of peace, health, and joy in my life and in the lives of those I love. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

 

GO! Rise up! Attack!

Tuesday greetings,

Today we continue our adventure with Deborah…

We are at the point where Barak and his 10,000 troops are about to come face to face with Sisera, all his men, and 900 chariots fitted with iron.  In Judges 4:14 Deborah gives Barak one final encouraging push, “GO! Rise up! Attack! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands.  Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?”

I must stop here and do my happy dance!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’m back!

The LORD has gone ahead of us all.  He knows what the future holds; He knows what we need. He knows what our children need.  What our spouses need.  What our families and businesses need…

Other verses say, “The LORD has already gone out ahead of you,” “The LORD has taken the lead,” and God is marching before you.”  

I want to be like Deborah.  She knew Sisera had a more powerfully equipped army, but not as powerful as God.  She told Barak to get up and go.  I want to be able to tell people, using exclamation points, to move, get going, do what you have to do.  Don’t be afraid.  God is way ahead of you, and He has you covered.  Face your fears because God has already stared them in the face and won.   

One of the reasons we pray is because God has already seen our future.  He is the only One Who can fill our hearts with the blessings we need to go through life.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, No matter where we go, You are there.  You are in the lead, and we gladly follow.  Your way leads to life, joy, peace, faith, and hope.  Victory is ours because You have gone ahead of us.  You know what we need.  Send those heavenly blessings our way today. In Jesus’ name, AMEN~

Stay the Course~

 TGIF greetings,

 Yesterday we saw that Deborah called upon a man named Barak to organize an army of 10,000 men, and that she herself was not afraid to get into the fight; the plan was for them to meet up at the Kishon River.  But look at what Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go (Judges 4:8).”

Powerful truth of the day: It doesn’t matter what others do or don’t do.  We must stay the course. 

Even if no one else is encouraging you, or if they are putting conditions to their participation, no matter what the excuses and/or obstacles, we must stay focused and in prayer.  Why? Because in verse six it is “The Lord, the God of Israel, (Who) commands you, ‘Go!’” Deborah is not giving orders for orders sake.  As the Judge over the nation at the time, she and God had close communication.  The people knew this as they had recognized her in her God-given position for years.  Barak should have known better, and we should too.  We have the precious Holy Bible as our guide repeatedly encouraging us to “fight the good fight,” “run the course,” “pray without ceasing,” “make our petitions known…”

Nevertheless, Deborah answers, “Certainly I will go with you, but because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.”

There is a price to pay for backing down. For Barak it was a loss of honor.  Really a shame, if you think about it, because he did go on to organize an army of 10,000, and that is no small feat. 

But there is also glory to be had when we do as the Lord asks.  There are chains of addiction that are broken, there are negative emotions that are crushed, there are relationships restored, and countless other blessings that come as a result of our staying in the fight!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Do not let us lose focus.  It is easy to make excuses and get distracted from our daily walk with You.  Sometimes we feel alone – as though no one else will join us in our struggles.  It does not matter.  With You on our side, the victory is at hand! In Jesus’ name, AMEN~       

Not Afraid to Fight!

Thursday greetings!

Today I am excited because we get to explore the story of a powerful woman in the Bible.  Examples of brave, determined, female leaders always provide just the right dose of inspiration, and it shows us that we can do whatever we need to do with Jesus helping us. 

In Judges chapter four we learn of Deborah.  She was the judge of the entire nation of Israel.  She was not a judge in the sense of trying cases, but rather, that is what rulers who were in charge over the needs of the people were called, and any Israelite seeking help would go to her.  In chapter four we read that they had been suffering horribly under an evil army commander named Sisera and had cried out to God for help.  The Lord, in turn, guided Deborah as she prepared to act.

Judges 4:7-8 “She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor.  I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’”

This is one tough gal! God directed her to call upon a man named Barak to raise an army.  I find it impressive that she was so resolute.  Imagine me giving orders to recruit 10,000 men to go fight.  Actually, I like giving orders, and so maybe I would find it easy to point fingers and bark out commands.  But what’s more incredible is that Sisera was a leader of a vast army himself with “nine hundred chariots fitted with iron,” as part of his arsenal.  And yet Deborah herself was willing to get in the fight.  “I will lead Sisera…and give him into your hands.”  Ever had someone tell you, “Do as I say and not as I do?” Deborah is the complete opposite of that.  She put her money were her mouth is, and her actions provide the powerful truth of the day:   

GODLY WOMEN ARE COURAGEOUS AND NOT AFRAID TO GET IN THE FIGHT!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for reminding us—especially us women—that we have the ability and responsibility to get in the fight for those enemies that come against us and our families.  Show us what we need to do to safeguard our families.  Keep us alert to anything or anyone who would try to do them harm.  Our first line of defense is to pray.  So we pray right now for Your blessings, guidance, wisdom, and protection over ourselves and those we love.  In Jesus’ mighty name, AMEN~  

Confronting Matters Head On~

Tuesday greetings, dearest brothers and sisters, may our Lord mightily bless us today according to His unparalleled generosity!

Judges 4:21 “But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to Sisera while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.”

  

Friday’s prayer was a blessing to us all, but one particular part raised a bunch of eyebrows: “If necessary, You will help me hammer a tent peg in the temple of my enemy.” That line is straight out of the Bible; “She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.”

Sisera was a cruel army commander who had been oppressing the Israelites, and he had it coming.  Nevertheless, I am not suggesting physical violence, but there is a broader application here.  When we are praying about a matter, let us be relentless in our petitioning, supplication, intercession, crying out, pleas, beseeching, entreaties, and requests until the matter is settled.  Sometimes, to see a prayer through, requires bravery, strength, guts, determination, and the willingness to confront matters head-on (no pun intended).

And each part of this story is a mighty blessing to me because women were at the helm.  We will explore this in the next few DEVOs, but for today, let us rejoice.  We can pray about any struggles we have until they die.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I praise Your mighty name.  Help me to deliver a death blow to this particular problem ________________.  Help me put a tent peg straight through its temple so that it never rears its ugly head ever again against me or those I love.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~

God's Phone Number~

TGIF greetings~

When I was a little whippersnapper living in Georgia, a white school bus with green lettering that said, “Forest Hills Baptist Church” picked me up every weekend to take me to Sunday School.  Those were carefree, joyous times, and I fondly recall all the songs we would sing on the way to church.  (Click here for a YouTube link of my all-time favorite childhood song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69-d5N01Wrg&index=15&list=PL287271DF290056DC )

I treasure all those years being picked up by that little bus not only because of the memories of so many sweet songs, but also because of the important lessons I learned about God.  One lesson in particular is still with me nearly 40 years later. It is called “God’s telephone number.”

“Children, God has a telephone number and you can call Him right up.  His line is never ever busy, and His answers will bless you from the tops of your precious little heads to the bottoms of your little precious feet.”

Those words made such an impression on me. 

“His number is Jeremiah 33:3. And you can use it anytime anywhere. But you don’t have to even dial.  Just call on Him out loud!”

Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to Me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.”

That verse was appealing to me back then and continues to be because I like knowing stuff.  I am not nosy, as some in my circles might say.  But rather, I am curious and I like knowing why.  It is awesome to think that the Maker of heaven and earth is willing to share marvelous and wondrous info that we would otherwise never be able to figure out.

This verse doesn’t say He will tell us everything, but He will speak into our lives and into our messes and into our problems and bless us in the process.

For example, look at this encouraging note I wrote to myself a while back.  I needed some powerful reminders of Whose I am.  So I called out, and this is what He showed me.  It is a prayer for all of us to share today.

Thank You, Lord, that I am your beloved child, and You are my Dad.  Nothing and no one can stop, hinder, or alter Your plan for my life.  I have purpose, and I have promise.  I am important, and I am loved.  I am more than a conqueror through Christ, and I can do all things through Him Who strengthens me.  I am beautiful – inside and out – and no weapon formed against me will prosper.  I am shrouded in peace and joy, and no harm can come near my dwelling.  If necessary, You will help me hammer a tent peg in the temple of my enemy (See Judges 4:21), and You have given me the authority to command any mountain in my life to go jump in the lake.  Because You are for me, nothing can come against me.  You are also above me, beneath me, beside me, and around me.  I am completely and totally covered by Your goodness, and I am happy! In Jesus’ name, AMEN~

Not Even The Powers of Hell~

Romans 8:38 "Nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love."

Recently, my father-in-law, Chini (pronounced CHEE-NEE), picked up my precious four-year-old nephew from pre-school.  The teacher explained to Chini that she had given my little nephew a note to give to his mother.  Apparently, the little guy and she had a minor disagreement, and it was important for the parents to know.

However, when Chini and he arrived home later that morning, my father-in-law saw him take the note, waddle it up, and throw it away in the garbage.  I thought it was so funny but of course, the note was retrieved and it was very patiently and kindly explained to Mr. Danny that actions have consequences.  This is innocence at its finest.  All one has to do to avoid consequences is throw away the evidence.

If only it were that simple.  But why do you suppose Danny threw it out in the first place?  The same reason Rayray hid a speeding ticket from me once.

In her case, she was so overwrought with agony that she did something foolish.  (This was eight years ago, so I am allowed to share.)  She had been staying the night at a friend’s house, and they were on their way back from who knows where, and she was pulled over and given the citation.  By the time they got back to her friend’s house, Rayray was near hysteria, and her friend’s mom, in an effort to calm Miss Rayray down, offered to pay the ticket.  Case closed!

Except that a few days later I started receiving a bunch of advertisement for ticket lawyers and traffic clinics, and my spidey sense started tingling.  I flat out asked her about it and she confessed THE WHOLE UGLY TRUTH.

I called the other mom and kept my composure as I politely explained that it was a big NO-NO to rescue other people’s children without authorization.  I also sent her a check to cover the cost of the ticket.

However, you know what upset me more than anything else? It was not that Rayray got the ticket.  It was not that she made a poor choice in allowing the other mom to help her out.  It was in thinking I would be so catastrophically upset that she had no other choice but to freak out.  Jesus, have mercy! I have been such a calm and easy going mother.  I asked her when in the history of our mother/daughter relationship had I ever lost my cool, threatened to kill her, or otherwise gotten so royally upset that it caused her to be afraid?  The response was a quiet little "never."

That’s right, people, never.  And yet, my little Rayray, just like my little nephew, tried to hide the evidence for fear of what those in charge might do.  What a difference it would have made if Rayray had come to me, crawled into my lap, and talked it over while I stroked her curly hair.  So much additional drama could have been avoided.

Have you ever been there and felt that way?  Have you ever avoided talking to God, perhaps, for fear that He would be angry or upset with you?  Nothing could be further from the truth.  God is not mad at any of us.  Maybe a little frustrated because He has so much good to offer that we constantly bypass on, but mad? Disappointed? Angry? Nope.  On the contrary.  God is madly in love with us and eager to give us the guidance, forgiveness, peace, joy, and protection we all need.  If there is something holding us back in our relationship with Him, it’s not on His end.  He’s all in all the time waiting for us to give Him a shout out.  Always keep the verse above close to your heart.  Nothing you have ever done or will do, not even the powers of hell, can stop God from loving you. 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that nothing can stop Your love for us. Help us to get this into our souls.  We never want to run from You when we need You so much.  This verse assures us that running to You is always the right response.  You will love us through it all.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~

Saddle Up Your Horses~

The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD. Proverbs 21:31

Tuesday greetings, brothers and sisters J

We were made to contribute.  We were created to put forth our efforts. Even before all the problems came into the world, God had Adam hard at work naming all the animals He created.  God could have just as easily done this Himself, but He decided that our lives would be more meaningful if we had something to do.  This makes sense to me.  I can not imagine lying around all day and doing nothing because I enjoy feeling productive – like what I have done has made a difference.

And yet I have met all sorts of folks who are all about placing too much responsibility on God and not nearly enough on themselves.    

“I don’t wear a seat belt because God will protect me.”

“I don’t need health insurance because God is my doctor.”

“I know God has a soul mate for me, and He will send the right one my way.”

God does heal, protect, and provide, but we learned way back in the very beginning of the Bible that Adam named the animals: A human contribution must also take place.  Noah built the ark, Moses lifted the staff to part the Red Sea, David yanked back on that slingshot and let the stones fly straight into Goliath’s forehead, Hannah had to make love to her husband to get pregnant with the child God promised, and Christ Himself became human to save our souls.

Even so, after all the preparing, planning, battles, and prayer, the victory is God’s domain.  This is why Proverbs 21:31 is the theme verse for www.speedypalomino.com.   It is a constant reminder that I have a job to do and so does God.  I am responsible for saddling up my horse, and He is responsible for bringing the win.

Amazing things happen when we partner our measly selves to God.  Giants tumble and children of promise are born.   Obstacles that block our path move out of the way and entire families are saved!

What victory does God have for us today?  Better yet, what do we need to be preparing, planning, and praying over so God can bring the victory?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We want to be ready, and the first step in any good battle plan is to pray.  Give us the wisdom to saddle up our “horses” to be effective in battle.  And thank You that victory is in Your hands!  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~  

Horses Go Lame and Chariots Rust~

Psalm 20:6-7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.”

This verse is a no-brainer for me.  I have never trusted horses.  They are fickle, they stop when they feel like it, and they even buckle wildly and throw the rider off for no reason.  Plus, I have heard one too many stories of people getting their fingers bitten – almost completely off.  One time Jorge was riding a horse down a cobblestone street that was rather steep, and the horse slipped and went all the way down doing a split with both its front and back legs.  It was highly comical, except at the bottom of the hill the horse took off for the ocean to cool down the raging road rash it got on its horsey parts.  Jorge could not control the huge beast and was being whipped back and forth like a rag doll.  And it's not like I could take off and help because I was on a blind donkey being led by a stable boy named Paco. Thank God that as soon as the horse hit the water, it calmed down. But still, it was crazy scary. 

Before any horse lovers get mad at me I want to clarify that I am aware that the preceding paragraph is a poor refection on me.  I know that with the proper training I could have a fabulous time frolicking with a horse.  The bigger point is the one these verses make.  Ultimately, our trust is in God.  It’s not in anything we own, it’s not in our training, it’s not in our equipment, it’s not in our arsenal, it’s in God.  Yes, we prepare, we practice, we strategize.  We plan, we diagram, and we implement.  BUT, let us never think for one second that any joy, peace, provision, love, protection, or hope comes from anything we can do for ourselves; victory comes from the Lord!

Even horses go lame and chariots rust, but God? He makes sure we “rise up and stand firm!”

The best place to start in demonstrating our trust in God is through prayer.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We ask for blessings over our “horses and chariots,” but we trust You for victory! Help us rise up and stand firm. In Jesus’ name, AMEN~

Making An All-out Effort!

Greetings in the name of our Awesome and prayer-answering God!

I want to back pedal today to the DEVO from last Friday.

Mark 11:22 “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, 'Go jump in the lake' - no shuffling or shilly-shallying - and it's as good as done.”

I love telling people about when Jorge first met Rachel’s husband.  It was a little awkward to do more than shake hands.  But guess what? Jorge wanted Emilio to know that he was fond of him.  That he fully expected him to become another son.  The greetings steadily progressed from a handshake to a handshake and a hug, and now – watch out! – it’s a love fest.  It’s a handshake, a hug, and I-kiss-him-and-he-kisses-me-back display of affection -- when he arrives AND when he leaves.  And during the visits, I make fun of them because they sit kind of close on the couch.

Truth is, we the Cuban people are known for our affectionate greetings, but occasionally I encounter those who take a short cut.  Rather than make lip-to-cheek contact, they will smash their cheek into mine and not follow through with the actual smooch.  It feels so incomplete, and more than once I have called the offender out and made them re-do the salutation. 

I want to be wholeheartedly welcomed and loved, and so does God.  That’s what embracing the God-life is all about: Making an all-out effort!  When we really embrace Him we show it.  We spend time with Him, even when there’s no immediate crisis, and we tell Him we love Him and need Him. 

Think about how you would feel if those who say they love you never called, never visited, or worse, never gave you a complete and thorough full-contact kiss?  It wouldn’t take you long to start questioning the degree of their devotion. 

Let’s not forget the advantages of embracing God either.  We will always get so much more in return than what we give.  For one, we will be confident in our faith and live lives of peace and joy.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Help us move past any reservations we have about fully embracing You.  You are worth getting to know, and we love You.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~   

Page Turner~

Psalm 118:24 “God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes.”

Back in June I touched on this verse, and it’s time for another visit. 

As you may or may not know I love reading – especially spy novels.  Not long ago I arrived at the library and was thrilled the book I had reserved almost six months ago was finally reserved for me to pick up.  I knew I would binge read, and I couldn’t wait.  I would go to my little corner of the couch, set up a cold beverage, put on my special glasses – the ones with the convenient headlights attached to the temples – and relish page after page of international thrills and intrigue!

When I got to page two I thought, “This seems oddly familiar.”  But honestly, there are several spy novel authors I read, and sometimes all the main characters sort of merge.  But by the end of chapter one I knew I had already read this book.  I was so disappointed. I wanted new action; I was ready for a new adventure.  Enough of the same ole’ same ole’.

Sometimes, we are eager for a change.  We want to move on.  We feel stuck on the same page and can’t seem to advance.  Today I am here to announce that God is a Page Turner.

He will get us out of the current chapter we are in and into another one.  I want to especially shout out to my friend who has been stuck in the chapter of infertility for a long time.  It’s boring and frustrating. And I want to remind her and all of us that God desires to turn the page and write a new chapter in each of our lives.

The first step is to open up the book of our heart to Him.  Let Him take a peek inside.  He knows what we need, when we need it, how we need, why we need, and how we need it.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Turn the page!  Some of us have been on the same paragraph, same page, same chapter for far too long.  We are eager to put some stuff behind us and get a fresh and blessed start.  Thank You that are the Page Turner.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~