Remain in the Spirit

Numbers 9:22-23 NIV

Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. At the Lord ’s command they encamped, and at the Lord ’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord ’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

You see no matter how long the cloud stayed, they stayed. They were obeying in God's timing.

The Isrialites were more concerned about entertaining the Spirit of the Lord than they were about getting to where they needed to go.

Where does God have you? What circumstances are your cloud? Are you obeying in that place?

Remember God never learned it forsakes you. Maybe he is building your endurance do that you will succeed in your destiny. Maybe the testimony of what you're going through today will free someone else tomorrow.

So remain when and where God encamps you. Move when he tells you to go. That's how you remain in the presence of the Spirit.

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Declare Those Promises!

In Acts 18 God tells Paul not to worry and to keep on preaching his word because no one will be able to attack or harm him.

Previously Paul has had to leave juat about every place because the people have plotted against him.

As the story goes a group of Jews end up planning an attack on him. He is taken in to the court room and the trial begins. At this point how many of you are thinking 'wait a minute this isn't supposed to happen'? I was! I wonder what Paul was thinking, was he thinking 'Oh great, here we go again... So much for no one will attack or harm me...' Or were his thoughts more along the line of 'Seriously guys? You're wasting my time here. I've got the promise of God, the favor of the Lord!'?

Back to the story. The Jews do all of their talking and right before Paul was about to defend his case the judge tells the Jews that they're wasting his time. He tells them to work it out amongst themselves! Whoa!! Really?! Yes!! Paul didn't even have to say a word!

I think so many times in our lives we get a promise from God, even of we don't understand itat the time. Then here comes Satan, doing all he can do to make it seem like that very promise was nothing but a lie. At that point we give up. We doubt that we ever even heard from God. Then Satan wins. But I'm telling you right now, don't give up! Hold tight to that promise of God! When you're faced with that obstacle declare that promise over your life!!

I can't even count the number of times I've been in tears or angry or udderly confused and having to declare the promises anyway. It's not always easy, most of the time you're ever having to declare those promises it's because a mountain is blocking you from seeing them. Just don't give up! On the other side of that mountain is the victory God has for you!!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

A Mighty God of Days and Moments

24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hand. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring'." Acts 17:24-28

There's a lot of really great things in these 4 verses, but I want us to focus on verse 26, From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.

As I was reading this is the verse that jumped out at me. God made us and everything else, he didn't stop there. His plan is so great that he has orchestrated the time in which we will live, every single minute, and the places! Look at where you are right now, God put you there! This moment you have right now, God gave you. So are you using your moments in your places to do the something that God put you there for or are you calling your own shots?

That is the main thing that slapped me inbthe face: are we calling our own shots?! How many times do we think that we're in control of our days and of our lives? Where we live, what we do and everything else in between... The truth is we're not!

We have free will, but nothing we choose suprises God. He alrwady know the mistakes we're going to make today and he has a backup plan to direct back the way we need to go. So let's stop being so selfish and realize our every breath is ordained by a mighty and holy God! Let's realize the importance of our lives to him and do as his word says (v. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.) and reach out for him!

Have a great day!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

God in a Box

I am going through the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan with a few ladies in a bible study group and oh wow! I've read this book before and I remember it blowing my mind, challenging me and ended up changing my relationship with Christ in a few areas. Here I am again, reading these God inspired words and my heart is totally and completely overwhelmed by God!

In the first chapter Francis quotes Psalms 102, "But you, O Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations... But you remain the same, and your years will never end."

When I read this I couldn't help but to worship God!! Then I could hear this voice (not audibly, but like how you hear your thoughts or your conscious) say 'I am still the same. I haven't changed and never will. I am still the same God who loved you and pursued you when you were at your very worst.' At that I realized that without knowing it, I had tried to put God in this box of rules. It was like once I was saved he webt from being this God who undeniably loves me no matter what mess I make to this God who said this is what you're supposed to do now that you're a Christian. Of course that was all my doing and the funny thing is you could've asked me and I would've told you how none of that is true and God is greater than any box we could ever even imagine and all of these things. Yet subconsciously I've been living in that.

So there is my awakening moment today. I hope this helps someone out there, if not it helped me!

Have a great day!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Favor Ain't Fair

Acts 8:26-40. Philip and the Ethiopian

I LOVE this passage! The whole way through it,start to finish it is just AWESOME! There are so many things that are fabulous about this scripture and my favorite is at the end when the dude is like well why shouldn't I be baptized?! Then they get out and dunk him but when he comes up Philip disappears! Say what?! How awesome would that be to be in one place and the next minute you're in a completely different place!

This morning as I was reading this scripture something a little different jumped out at me. Like I said I love the whole passage and there have been times where my focus was on the miracle at the end and times where my focus was on the preaching in the middle, but I've never really kept the thought on the beginning more than just to recognize that Philip went as soon as God told him to. But today verse 27 was the first thing that caught my attention: so he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, AN IMPORTANT OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF ALL THE TREASURY OF CANDACE, QUEEN OF THE ETHIOPIANS.

If you know me it's things like this that I adore and that give me hope. My husband and I were just talking last night how I have always wanted to make history. When I was younger it was out of selfish reasons, but now I don't even care if my name is remembered I just want something I am a part of to make history. Example, our church's mission trip this year is with missions.me 1Nation 1 Day. The trip itself is already making history, it's the biggest mission trip ever taking over 2,000 missionaries. Recently we found out that after this trip the Honduras will actually change it's name to New Honduras! How awesome is that?! (FYI if you want to be a part of that I think there may be a fee spots open go to missions.me and look up One Nation OneDay) Anyway, back to business what stood out to me this morning was that when you obey God he gives you favor. Not only that but favor with ALL kinds of people! This guy was a very important person, it even says so right there in the verse. And God gave Philip favor with him so now his life is different and he can go back home where he has influence with the QUEEN and share what has happened! Most people won't understand it, but you know what?! FAVOR AIN'T FAIR!

Moral of story: believe and be confident in the favor that you have been given! Change your world, one step of obedience at a time!

Have a great day!

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford

Give What You Have

So as you know I am reading in the book of Acts. This morning I started chapter 3 and the very first story is the one about the beggar at the gate called Beautiful. Now I've read this story before, multiple times, and I've heard it used in sermons, but when I read it this morning something new jumped off the pages. When Peter and John looked at the man this is what they said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

The words 'but what I have I give to you' jumped right off the page at me. I felt my spirit wondering am I giving what I have? You see just like Peter and John you may not have money that you can give out or use to buy people things, but you do have a smile that can brighten someones day. You do have the ability to have a good attitude and be nice to someone. You may even have a Jesus who is the conqueror and redeemer, who is the restorer and healer, who gives peace and hope, who gives joy in the midst of any circumstance. You may just have Jesus that you can give to someone.

Today's post isn't some long 12 point message with a ton of creative or profound thoughts that will blow your mind. The moral of today's post, give what you have. See if it doesn't make someone's day a little better. Hey it may even make your day better!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Devoted

I started reading the book of Acts. At the end of chapter 2 we are told about the fellowship of the believers. The first thing it says in verse 42 is that they devoted themselves to... At this my mind began to wonder what would it look like if we really devoted ourselves to something? What would your life look like, how would it be different if you really devoted yourself to your family? To your work? To being nice to others? To having a good attitude? To your relationship with Jesus?

(I feel a 30 day challenge coming on!...)

I'm sure all of our lives would look a little different if we actually put time, effort and devotion into something. What is an area in your life that could use some time and attention, some devotion? It can be anything from spending more time with your family to being more healthy! Now that your thinking of it, write it down on the middle of a piece of paper. Draw a circle around it, then begin to write down the obtainable ways that you can actually do it. Write down what your overall goal would be, what would your life look like if you were completely devoted to this? Write the steps to getting there. (This is mind-mapping and it is awesome!)

Then challenge yourself over the next 30 days (today is actually the 1st day of May so you have this entire month! I didn't even plan this! Lol) to be more devoted to this area. To do something everyday to reach that goal.

Lord, I pray that you will lay something, some area on the heart of every person who reads this. I pray that we can live lives devoted. Devoted to something. That we can live lives of purpose on purpose! Help us today to live according to your will. Lord we surrender over this day to you, giving you complete control. Let your will be done. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Have a great day y'all!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford