~ Who do YOU Worship? ~

What is idolatry? It is defined as an extreme adoration, love, or reverence for something or someone. Who or what do you worship this much? That is my question to you today. Who or what gets ALL of you? Friends, if we are not careful we will make idols of many things or people in this life and love them more than God. If and when we do this we leave nothing to offer Jesus because we are to busy giving our ALL to something or someone else. 

In Exodus 20:3-6, God tells us point blank “you shall have no other Gods before me”. We are to not make carved images or anything in its likeness. We shall not bow down and serve any one thing or person is what God goes on to say in Exodus. Just because we don’t carve out little wooden figurines of our kids or spouses doesn’t mean we do not worship them or bow down to them. Jesus is a jealous God. He does not like when his children cherish others or any earthly possession before him. May I share my heart with you?

I had a problem with this. It was unhealthy and destroying my life. I worshiped my husband. I loved him with an extreme adoration that was not healthy. I knew Jesus but not like now. I made my day revolve around what my husband was doing and sometimes thinking. If he was angry I was sad. If he did not like how I did something, I changed it. If he wanted something over the kids I made sure he had his way. If I had to jeopardize me for him, I would. This took place prior to marriage and a little shortly after we married. You see, biblical submission does not look this way. Biblical submission is to honor your HUSBAND unto the Lord, not LIKE he is the LORD. My husband never ever ask me to do any of these things. I am sure sometimes he looked at me with irritation. I just wanted him to love me, REALLY BAD….I looked to him to be my God. When he did not treat me like I FELT he should treat me I was devastated. I had high expectations for this KING of mine. 

I will say during this time I did this, our relationship and marriage was in shambles. Why did I do this? Why did I make my husband this little God in my mind? I will tell you why I did this. I did this because I did not know Jesus for myself in my heart. I did not trust Jesus nor rely on him so I trusted in who was earthly in front of me. I wanted to find ALL my security in my husband. Boy, was that a HUGE mistake!!!! I did not know I was doing this until my relationship with Jesus grew. He opened my eyes to so much. God is a jealous God and when we love, praise and honor anyone or anything above him? Umm, I guarantee your life will fall completely apart. Why? Because we were not made to worship or treat anything or any one person with that much adoration. Idolatry is a sin and is very dangerous. God made us with this deep desire and love ALL for himself, not for our spouses, children, jobs, careers, cars etc. 

Moms, if you are not careful your kids can become an idol. Sure, we are their mommy. They need us. We have an unconditional love for them like no other. But your children DO not come before Jesus. There is an order for a reason. If you do not know this order I encourage you to pray. Ask God to show you what he desires for you in this area. Ask him to reveal himself to you in a way that is only relevant to you. I have no doubt in my mind that he will do just that.

Your careers? Good Lord HAVE MERCY. Many make their jobs their Heavenly Father. They spend so much time and energy trying to advance themselves, it is so ridiculous. If you are loving, praising and worshiping your job what do you have left? Your so tired ripping and running for your company that you cannot even sit quiet with yourself for two seconds without moving on to the next advancement of the ladder. STOP THE MADNESS!

Sisters, I ask you with a sincere heart, WHO or what do you worship? If you are struggling with this I suggest you fall on your knees and ask for forgiveness and pray that the Lord rids you of making false idols. Be honest and open with Jesus. I mean he already knows your heart, it is not like you are hiding something from him. He needs you to voice these sins for yourself and acknowledge your faults and turn to him for forgiveness. 

Today, life is different for me. I know Jesus. I am nothing without him. He is first. I have released all expectations from my husband and I am me. I am a women that LOVES JESUS first. Then comes my husband and after follow my kids. I am so thankful the Lord showed me this. May you worship Jesus and only him. 

In Christ,

Monique Smith

Prayer Starter:

Oh Heavenly Father, we come to you with a sincere heart. Forgive us for making others or material possessions, our jobs or our children our GODS. Help us to know you as our Risen King and Savior and nothing else. Purify our hearts, Jesus. Wash us completely clean. My desire is to get to you know you more. Come personally alive to me. Take off my blinders and I pray that I learn to worship you and only you for the rest of life. I love you, Lord. I magnify your name. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen  

~ YOU are NOT your PAST ~

What do you do when you come across someone who knows the old you? The you who use to live for this world? What happens when this individual or these individuals still see the unsaved you and don’t understand this “new” you? It seems that all they can remember is the way you USE to be and really are not happy that you speak about Jesus now. They mock you and think you are some “Jesus Freak”. What do you do? They turn their nose up at you because now they notice a change in you. How in the world do you respond to these individuals or perhaps just that one person who you feel has it out for you?

Sisters, it is so important that you are still in these moments and not respond just yet. If you can hold off your response then at all cost do that. While you are doing that, pray. If you can find a quiet place go there and cast your worries unto the Lord. Ask the Lord how you can specifically handle the situation. Ask the Holy Spirit for his perspective before you do anything. It is crucial you are careful with these individuals. They are drawn to the light they see in you for a reason and if you respond in a harsh way they won’t see Jesus. These individuals do not get why you chose Jesus instead of the world. Their hearts have not be softened towards Jesus just yet and God may be using you in the situation.

Deciding to leave your past behind you and taking up your cross daily to follow Christ is very brave. It was thee best decision you made to date and you will come across people who knew you before Christ and I am here to say, don’t be afraid. This is the time to focus on who you are in Christ and keep your foot. If you forgot who you are in Christ let me remind you:

You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

You are justified (Romans 5:1)

You are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)

You are now God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)

You are free from condemnation (Romans 8:1-2)

You are a minister of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

You were bought with the blood of Jesus and are his temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

You are anointed (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

You are a member of Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Sisters, when you know who you are in Christ you can handle situations like this with grace and excellence. You can have compassion for these individuals and remember how Christ won your heart. We all fall short of God’s glory and because we are Christians does not make us better than unsaved individuals. Because we are Christians we now have hope. We have a Savior who is for us and we now belong to HIS kingdom. We are HIS child. 

I encourage you to not get frustrated with the individuals who do not get you and your new life. Let these situations strengthen your faith and see it as a chance to give your testimony to these individuals in a way that does not freak them out. Be honest and speak from your heart. Politely say” I am not the person you use to know. I am new and whenever you have time we can talk about it if you would like”. If and when they do take you up on your offer. Explain why you no longer live the way you do and share how Christ saved you. When you are of Jesus, he will direct your steps (Psalm 37:23). If they do not take you up on your offer do not get discouraged. Pray for them and let Jesus do the heavy lifting and move right along. It is my prayer that you are blessed and you remember YOU are NOT your PAST!

In Christ,

Monique Smith

Prayer Starter:

Jesus, sometimes it gets hard in my walk with you because others do not understand and they say or do hurtful things to me. Help me Jesus to have compassion for these people and to respond in love. Help me to not waver in my service to you. It is my desire to do what is right and never give up. Father God, I wish to show others you and I do not want to interrupt your plans with being harsh to people. You love me Lord and you treat me with a grace I do not deserve. May I hand out grace and forgiveness to your people if and when I come across situations where people are mean to me, Thank you for your guidance and love, Father. I pray in your name, Jesus. Amen 

~ Activate your Faith~

Weeks before my birthday, I had blood work and an ultrasound done with my gynecologist because of abnormal bleeding. I had to wait weeks to get the results. On the day of my birthday, my doctor explained I have a fibroid or polyp on the top lining of my uterus and that he needed to go in and get a biopsy. I listened as he talked and started to write down exactly what he was saying. I left his office overwhelmed and my heart was scared immediately. I sat in the parking lot with Jesus. I begged for his perspective because mine wanted to panic. I called hubby and he immediately encouraged my heart, he is a faith filled man and I thank God for that. He told me that I will be just fine to trust the Lord. As I drove home, I was in deep thought. I thought back to all the prayers and times in my prayer closet that I asked God to stretch my faith. 

With fear trying to choke me, I said “Lord, your will be done”. Peace did not come immediately. I sat in defeat for about 5 hours, mind you it is my birthday. I kept saying “Your will be done”. Doing this I believe, was activating my faith. By the end of the day, I had peace. I go into surgery at the end of this month and I am not fearful. I will take this test as a challenge and truly activate my faith. I know Jesus is for me and sisters, I will pass this test. Now is the time!!! I cannot shrink back in fear and give the devil a foothold. My body is doing funky things and I am in pain BUT I still will plead the blood of Jesus. I will fight with all I have and choose JESUS. This life is not about me. This life is about my Father. I am to glorify him with my life and that is what I will focus on. 

This life is temporary. Jesus never said that we will not have trouble. In fact, he said the opposite. I believe he wanted us to get one key thing out of John 16:33. Jesus wanted us to grasp that HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD, so we need to cheer up when adversity strikes. He gives the hardest orders to his strongest soldiers so with him we truly can do ALL things. Trusting God in the unknown is everything we say we represent as Christ followers. Even though things seem a little dim and we really have no idea what God is up to we can choose to still be that light on a hill that will shine bright for him.We can activate our faith. 

If you face something right now that is threatening your life mentally or physically I encourage you to plant your feet on solid ground. Get on your knees and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Pray that you are steadfast and that by God’s grace you can look that circumstance right smack in the face with the eyes of the Lord. Jesus will never give you something he knows you cannot handle. This circumstance you face is to glorify his name. NOW FIGHT SISTERS! Fight for your Father’s sake.

In Christ,

Monique Smith

Prayer Starter:

Oh GRACIOUS King, your will is most important, Father, Your ways are higher. I am nothing without your unmerited grace. I pray that I am steady, immovable, planted and ready for whatever you need me to face. I love you Jesus and you are my life. I will decrease so that you can increase. May I fight for your name sake. In the name of Jesus. Amen