Tracy’s Thoughts Day 4

Oh Baby

We are on day 4 of our 21 day journey (hip hip hurray) you are doing awesome!
So many times as I read through the Bible, usually in my comfy climate controlled environment, I think about the hardships of those I’m reading about. Now I’m not talking about the extremes, like Mary riding a donkey about to give birth, or John the Baptist in the wilderness wearing camels hair eating locusts, or Paul… I don’t even want to list everything he went through! I’m thinking today, more about Abraham and Sarah, Lot and his wife. (hmmmmm do we know her name, perhaps Saline – ok bad joke) It’s the heat of the day, Abraham is sitting around when here comes these wonderful messengers from God to tell them about the son they will have this time next year. They’re done with their visit and are about to leave when The Lord sees fit to tell Abraham of his plan to take out Sodom & Gomorrah where nephew Lot lives. (Genesis 18)

Here’s my thought: why did those messengers have to spoil the moment? Have you ever had that happen? You just received some fantastic news when boom – bad news comes banging at the door. Poor Abraham, finally a timeline on when he and Sarah are going to have that long anticipated baby and now what, Lot and his family destroyed? Talk about a downer.

I think if we look carefully we can see why The Lord wanted to share the information, it’s found in verse 19 it says, “l have singled him (Abraham) out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.” The Bible says in verses 18 that all the world would be blessed through Abraham. I think it was one of those teaching moments that any good father gives to their children. A cause and effect moment; bad people doing bad things equal bad results or maybe good people around bad people equal better get away while you can or bad will happen to you.

Our world may not be quite as bad as Sodom, but I’m reminded what it says in 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be misled bad company corrupts good character.” I want to live a life that makes people thirsty for what I have, I don’t want to be so entrenched by this world that I find myself like salt which has lost its flavor.

Let’s pray, Lord today I thank you that you have given us your Word. It really is a lamp to our feet and helps illuminate our path. Thank you for people in the Bible that we can look to as examples both those who walked the straight and narrow and those who even looked back and turned into salt. Help us to shine our light in the darkness and when we get too close to wandering from your path give us that wake up call. Our heart is to be more and more like you Jesus. Amen
Ps The good news is, at least Abraham could sleep well knowing he’d done all he could do. Not sure I’m bold enough to barter with God. 😉

Tracy’s Thoughts Day 3

Less of Me, More of Him -/+

Has this ever happened to you; you have a thought (no, not the one about the pizza – we’re on a fast, remember) and you can’t get it out of your mind? You know it’s from The Lord but your not sure why He’s speaking it to you. Then, all of a sudden you have it confirmed and your so excited. Now here’s the thought – why are we excited after the confirmation and not before?

This recently happened to me. Over and over in my quiet time I kept hearing the phrase “less of me, more of Him”. In fact, I even looked up the old song we used to sing with that phrase in it thinking maybe The Lord wanted us to sing it at church. Every day, it became my prayer, Lord help me to have more of you and less of me. Then right before the fast I visit Jentezen Franklins web page and there it is, graphics and all! LESS OF ME, MORE OF HIM! -/+

John 10:27 says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me”. It’s my prayer today that I become so in-tuned to His voice, that when it’s confirmed, I simply keep following and listening, knowing sometimes He’s speaking in a still small voice.

Let’s pray: Dear Lord, today I pray less of me and more of You. I thank you for your confirmations because they do encourage us to know we truly are hearing your voice. But help us grow in our walk with You that when we don’t have a “confirmation” that we can walk confidently knowing that we, your sheep do hear your voice. Yes Lord, more of You, and less of me.

 Tracy’s Thoughts  Day 2

Finding Favor

So far we’ve made it to day two of our 21 days of prayer and fasting. Hopefully your flesh isn’t screaming, but if it is, tell it to hush we’ve started on an important journey and we are going to finish with The Lords help.

I’ve started reading through the Bible (as I’m sure many of you have) and in Genesis 5:29 we read that Lamech had a son and he named him Noah, for he said, “May he bring us relief from our work and the painful labor of farming this ground that the Lord has cursed.” Verse 30 says after The birth of Noah, Lamech lived another 595 years and he had other sons and daughters.

Here’s my thought: where the heck are all of Noah’s brothers and sisters when the ark is being built? Until this year I never even thought about Noah having any other siblings, maybe it’s because I was an only child, maybe it’s because I’ve always drifted off when I’ve been reading these endless accounts of the Adam’s descendants. This year verse 30 stopped me in my tracks.

What made the difference in Noah’s life? Why was Noah a righteous man and his siblings not? We can only assume that Noah’s parents raised all of their children the same; but Noah was the only blameless person living on the earth. I think we see the answer in the rest of that verse – and he walked in close fellowship with God. That’s the difference CLOSE fellowship with God. Here’s the good news, God wants close fellowship with all of us. All we have to do is draw near to Him and He will draw near to us. (James 4:8)

I feel sorry for Noah’s siblings, they were left out in the rain. 🙁 But I’m following great grand pappy Noah’s example and I’m looking for the rainbows!

Let’s Pray: Lord today we want you to take us by the hand and lead and direct our lives. May we always walk in close fellowship with you. Don’t let the things of this life distract us, but help us keep our focus on you! Amen

Tracy’s Thoughts Day 1

Give What You Have

Just a little background… It all started New Year’s Day, my sweet husband told me he thought everything was good to go on our website for our annual 21 days of fasting but (pause) it sure would be nice to have some kind of fasting devotional; maybe we could add a link? My answer to that was why don’t you write one? His answer, “oh no, not me” and he left it at that. I just couldn’t get the thought out of my mind and thus, Tracy’s Thoughts was born. So we begin this 21 day journey, I hope it will be a blessing to you.

I’ve always been amazed at Jesus’s miracle of feeding the 5000. (Matthew 14:15-21) Here they were in the desert, listening to The Master teach and its getting late. The disciples I guess, realized if they didn’t dismiss the crowd pretty soon they were about to have some hangrey people on their hands. But what does Jesus say? “You give them something to eat.” Of course, all they have is a little boys lunch of loaves and bread. Let’s stop right there… let’s think about that. Are you telling me out of all those people only one boy had the common sense to pack a lunch? I doubt it, but I think we can take away from the story that this boy was willing to share. He gave them what he had and then it was multiplied!

The blessing comes when we give Jesus what we have. He takes it, blesses it, and multiplies it. Look what happened, not only were people fed but they got to take home leftovers! This year let’s be like the little boy, let’s give Jesus what we have. It might seem small in our eyes but in The Masters hands it can become much!

Let’s pray: Jesus today, as we begin this 21 day fast, help us to give you what we have. Don’t let us hold anything back. Don’t let pride and insecurity keep us from being used by you. Above all let us listen and trust you and then obey what you say. We look forward with anticipation at all you want to do in our lives.  Amen
Ps Next time I’ll try to pick out stories without food. Lol 🙂