"Keep Your Hands Up!"

 Reflections4Life™ December 19, 2021

“Keep Your Hands Up!”

“And as long as Moses held up the rod in his hands, Israel was winning; but whenever he rested his arms at his sides, the soldiers of Amalek were winning. Moses’ arms finally became too tired to hold up the rod any longer; so Aaron and Hur rolled a stone for him to sit on, and they stood on each side, holding up his hands until sunset. As a result, Joshua and his troops crushed the army of Amalek, putting them to the sword.” Exodus 17:11-13 (TLB)

Scripture Contemplation: Exodus 17; Deuteronomy 28; Joshua 1; Ezra 7:28; Romans 15; 2 Corinthians 9; Ephesians 1…

I sincerely pray that today greets you with answered prayers. There are so many things and people we fight against on a daily basis. We even fight against who we are and ourselves. Why? Why do we fight? I think the reasons we fight will determine if we truly have a chance of winning that particular battle or not.

I pray today’s Reflections brings comfort and peace to your heart and mind. I decree it be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration; bringing peace and revelation to your heart, mind, and soul. The victory has been guaranteed. We just have to walk in it. Take this week to reflect upon all that God has already done for you. How many times did you feel like you were going to lose, only to look back now, and see how God worked it all out? Remember that, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the fact that God is the same God today, and forever more. 

I love the story of the Israelites and their battle against the Amalek soldiers. Though they were fighting, the battle’s victory was already determined: As long as Moses held the rod up, Israel was winning. However, the moment he rested his arms and the rod came down, Israel began to lose. Aaron and Hur recognized the significance and did everything they could to make certain that Moses’ hands stayed lifted with the rod so that Israel would be victorious.

There are certain battles, Beloved, that we are fighting that are not ours. There are certain situations we have entered into that we had no business being a part of. And there are certain battles we are in that cannot be won unless we totally surrender to God and His will. We must recognize when to lift our hands and allow God to be God.

Our rod is the word of God. The word of God and the promises of God that have been hidden in our hearts. When we surrender to God and believe what He has spoken to us, then we have the victory. It may require us to lift our hands from a situation. To surrender completely to the will of God; even when it feels like we are giving up.

We are not defeated or admitting defeat, but we are wisely surrendering to God and His will. There are certain victories that come when totally surrender to God. I am a firm believer that when the praises go up, the blessings come down. When we lift our hands off of a situation we had no business getting into in the first place, peace will come.

Keep your hands up, Beloveds. Keep them up in surrender to God and His way. Don't try to fix anything. Don't try to save anything. Don't try to figure it out, while things steadily get worse and more confusing. No. Keep your hands up, off the situation, and in surrender to God and His plan and purpose.

There are times when we are too close to a situation to see or think clearly. We must learn to back up and allow God to be God. Sometimes the victory lies in our ability to keep our hands up and allow God to be God and do what He does best, intervening on our behalf.

Our victory may not depend on how good we fight or how strong and capable we are. It may depend upon how obedient and trusting of God we are. The victory can very well be in the act of surrender to God, His will, and His ways.

If you find yourself in a current situation and you just seem to be losing at every turn, I encourage you to lift your hands from the situation. Surrender. Keep your hands up and off the situation, and allow God to do what He does best: love and protect you. God has this, beloved. Trust Him.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Keep your hands up in total praise. Surrender it all to God. We have already been declared the winner; guaranteed by the precious blood of Christ. Walk in your victory, and share the love of GOD with others. Merry Christmas to you and yours, from me and mine. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2021. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"A Restored Mind"

 Reflections4Life™ December 5, 2021

“A Restored Mind”

“Come back to me and really mean it! Come fasting and weeping, sorry for your sins!”

Change your life, not just your clothes. Come back to God, your God. And here’s why: God is kind and merciful. He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot. This most patient God, extravagant in love, always ready to cancel catastrophe.” Joel 2:12b-14a MSG

Scripture Contemplation: Joel 2; Romans 7:23-25; 8; 12; 1 Timothy 6; Hebrews 8:10…

I pray today’s Reflections brings comfort and peace to your heart and mind. I decree it be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration; bringing peace and revelation to your heart, mind, and soul. If you desire a changed life; to experience a different outcome from your efforts; then you must allow God to restore your mind. It takes a restored mind that leads to a restored heart to change one’s life. This can only begin by being in the presence of God daily.

As we are nearing the end of this year, many are already thinking and planning for the New Year. Oh! The things they will do differently. The new attitude they will adopt. The plans they will follow through.

That is fine. We all should have plans that we are ready and willing to follow through. Yet, I suspect, many will not make it past the first two weeks or month of the New Year with their new plans. 

Why would I say this? Seems somewhat negative, no? Well, allow this explanation: In order for most of us to make a change for this coming New Year, we have to have begun implementing those changes well before the New Year began; at least six weeks to the most three months.

We are creatures of habit. In addition, we usually resist change and anything that feels uncomfortable. Moreover, the one place we need change the most in is our minds. Our minds must be renewed and restored if we are going to be successful.

Beloveds, our minds are powerful. For many of us, when we get something into our minds, it is hard to shake it loose. Especially, when it begins to take root and settle in our hearts. This is why we either fail or succeed at the changes and plans we often devise.

It is the restored mind; the mind that has gone through the restoration process that will be successful at the plans that they often set forth.

It takes a new way of thinking and seeing things for us to change our beliefs, behaviors, and habits. That is what God desires to grant us when we give Him a place in our hearts. He desires to restore our minds, which restores our hearts, and gives us a brand new foundation--a clean slate--so to speak, as a place to start that will allow us success.

We miss many wonderful things, relationships, happiness, opportunities when our minds remain unchanged; when we do not allow the renewing of our minds and souls to take place when we come to God. Yet, wonder why we fail. Why things fall apart?

Beloved, it all begins in our minds, our thoughts and if we allow the Father to truly restore our minds and give us a new way of thinking and seeing, and interpreting things. You desire a new start. Yield to God's way.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Allow the Father into every part of your life, bringing the power of restoration—restoration to your heart, your mind, and your soul. It is the mind that allows God’s reign, that sees change, leading them always in the paths of righteousness and abundance. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing.

©2021. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.