God Isn’t Mad With Big Faith & Oversized Dreams

Today’s #soulh2o devotion will move you from living small to dreaming big… and I mean real BIG, God-sized, faith-filled, Oversized Dreams!

And without faith
it is impossible to please God
~Hebrews 11:6 NIV

Do you have BIG dreams?

Well, I’m a girl who dreams BIG… no really, I’m talking B-I-G BIG and I’m finally starting to see some of the BIG dreams unfold, just a mere 32 years after God told me about them!!!

My heart gets pumping when you put me in a room or on a call with other BIG dreamers. Nothing charges me up more and helps me to move toward the BIG dreams I believe God’s placed in my heart than being around positive, faith-filled friends.

fab friends wendy rachelle lise — Fab Freinds for decades! Wendy, Rachelle & Lise

Sometimes I get concerned about my OVERsized dreams and wonder if I’m off my rocker. There are plenty of people who can quickly put a wet blanket over my faith, but I’ve chosen my tribe; friends to do life with that have this same passion for purpose and I live for the moments we get to share together.

I’ve come to the conclusion that,

God Isn’t Mad With Our Big Faith and Oversized Dreams

In fact, it’s the opposite and I saw that clearly during my devotions this week.

I have a certain fondness for stories about Elisha, but for some reason, I didn’t remember this one in 2 Kings 7. Historically, Israel was being oppressed by the Arameans, let by King Ben-hadad. Aram had shut off Israel’s food supplies which brought about a famine. Any food that was found sold for exorbitant prices; we’re talking inflation insanity worse than when interest rates were 21% in the early 1980s! People in Israel at this time couldn’t afford food and lived locked up in the city. No one was willing to stand up against the Aramean army so the siege just dragged on.

ELISHA’S BIG FAITH AND OVERSIZED DREAM

Then God gave Elisha a word that he shared with the King and all the King’s officials, telling them that by tomorrow, the cost of food would be drastically less, signaling the Aramean Oppression would be over… that they would be free the next day!

Talk about a BIG OVERsized dream!

Instead of faith-filled shouts of Halleluiah and high-fives, the leaders didn’t believe Elisha and the Kings highest officer replied with a wet-blanket comment and actually declared how he didn’t believe God could do what He said He was going to do. Elisha assured everyone there that God was, in fact, going to do exactly what He said and foretold this officer’s demise when he finished his speech telling the officer how he would see it happen, but he wouldn’t get to eat any of it.

THE DANGER OF SMALL FAITH

As fate would have it, when God miraculously set the Israelites free through the boldness of four lepers, the doubting officer was trampled by the crowd of people running for all the food. I will never understand the balance of grace and justice or love and jealousy¹ in God’s character. I know He is full of grace, and really lets us get away with so much, but I have to say He kind of loses it when people don’t think He can do something. When someone goes in-His-face and declares that “even God himself couldn’t…”

I cringe and He seems to Get really mad. God is all-powerful and it seems to me that He gets jealous when we believe someone or something else can stop His plans, is stronger than Him, or that God doesn’t have what it takes to back up His promises. Thankfully, we do live in a time of greater grace, but it’s not devoid of God’s justice. We can even see this pattern in Jesus when the disciples were fearful on the boat, when Peter began to sink or when the disciples couldn’t drive out a demon and Jesus responded,

“Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”²

I’ve come to the conclusion that,

God Loves Big Faith and Oversized Dreams,
but He Gets Mad
When We Believe He Can’t Do Something

I’m blessed to have circles of influence in my life that help inspire me to greater faith… and I need them like oxygen. You see, life can get really tough and the enemy will often create circumstances that appear to be the opposite of God’s promises. When this happens, it’s imperative to downgrade time with faith-draining people and plan a party with some dreamers! You’ve got to choose your tribe and your words wisely to believe God for BIG, OVERsized dreams!

Prayer

Today I haven’t written out a prayer for you. You’re a part of my tribe, but since I can’t sit down for coffee with you today, I’ve written out some practical Faith-Lift Phrases for you to pray when your circumstances are contrary to the promises of God. I hope you’ll use them regularly to defeat doubt and increase your faith. I want you to believe God for BIG, OVERsized dreams, ‘cause He likes that kind of faith!

CHANGING YOUR WORDING—SOME PRACTICAL PRAYERS YOU CAN USE:

Lord, I don’t understand how you can fix this mess… can bring the finances in… getting better is in my future… my kid will turn around… I”ll get off of _____… I can hear from you… you’re going to ___________, but I know you will.

I look forward to seeing how you bring it about…get me through… bring the increase… break this bondage… bring home this lost one… heal them… heal me… set me free!

[tweetthis]God Loves Big Faith and Oversized Dreams, but He Gets Mad When We Believe He Can’t Do Something #BIGOVERsizedDreams[/tweetthis]

If you liked the refreshing in this #SoulH2O devotion, you’ll love my latest Soul H2O Devotional book: 40 Thirst Quenching Devotions for Women.

Hebrews 11:6
Matthew 17:19-20
2 Kings 7:1-2, 16-17
Matthew 14:31

ENDNOTES

Deuteronomy 4:23-24 NIV
Matthew 17:19-20 NIV

#musicpic Song: Haven’t Seen It Yet
Makes Me Feel: inspired, faith-filled, hopeful
Sung By: Danny Gokey
Website: https://www.dannygokey.com/
Album: Haven’t Seen It Yet
Written By: Colby Wedgeworth, Danny Gokey, Ethan Hulse © 2019
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/track/0mWTQgwZL888MKCnwLz0hR?si=lFcXnMbqSu-YN9j4ChwFPw
Official Youtube Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1eMZiOJ0a0
AZ Lyrics: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/dannygokey/haventseenityet.html
My favorite lines as recorded on AZ Lyrics (link above):

You’re closer than you think you are
Only moments from the break of dawn
All His promises are just up ahead
Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet

AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE

#musicpic SONG: Dream For You
Makes Me Feel: God’s dreams are better than mine, trust my intuition, Like God has a plan, He can take my little and do something with it
Sung By: Casting Crowns
Website: https://castingcrowns.com
Album: Thrive
Written By: Matthew West, John Hall © 2014
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/track/29QonORHg3jk91TBY48PdL?si=q_whb4V_TlG2INgQoV6uPw
Official Youtube Video With Lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8nsJZx8eWw
AZ Lyrics: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/castingcrowns/dreamforyou.html
My favorite lines as recorded on AZ Lyrics (link above):

So let go of your plan,
be caught by My hand
I’ll show you what I can do
When I dream for you
I have a dream for you

WHERE YOU CAN OFTEN FIND ME LINKING UP MY BLOG WITH OR PLACES WHERE MY WRITING HAS BEEN FEATURED

#Dare2
SharePost in the Comment Section below and bolster the faith of someone else!

Encircle

“Mountains encircle Jerusalem, and God encircles his people—always has and always will.”
Psalm 125:2 MSG

One of the best perks of being a mom is getting and giving hugs! When my kids were little and would get hurt they would always come running to me for a squeeze. A cuddle seemed to help everything from cuts to bullies on the playground. Like a big hug, God desires to ENCIRCLE us in His care.

So often the enemy wants us to feel like we’re outnumbered…on the losing side…all alone, but feelings aren’t always in line with reality. This verse brings us back to the truth of where we are and where God is. The writer of this Psalm is speaking to a people who have known what it was like to be encircled by their enemies, and attacked from all sides. God wanted his people to be confident that He was encircling them. Just as God opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to see the host of angels protecting him from his enemies, God desires for your spiritual eyes to be opened so you know that He has you surrounded!

Let God ENCIRCLE you today. Close your eyes and feel His warm embrace. Know He’s watching over, protecting and loving you—always has and always will!

Prayer

Father…I’m overwhelmed to think that the God of the Universe wants to hold little ‘ole me! May I allow you to encircle me, and shield me from all the enemy would try and do to take me down. Let me walk in the confidence of your protection and love as I feel your embrace. In Jesus Name…Amen!

Book Signing–Tuesday!

ICRS (International Christian Retail Show)
Tuesday, June 30th 4-5pm
Anchor Distributing Booth #211

No Turning Back

“So Elisha left: he took his yoke of oxen and butchered them. He made a fire with the plow and tackle and then boiled the meat—a true farewell meal for the family. Then he left and followed Elijah, becoming his right-hand man.”
                  1 Kings 19:21 The Message

I love babies. This morning at church I garnered the attention of two adorable baby boys! I wanted to take them into my arms but they were holding on so tightly to their parents and there was no breaking that bond! When God used Elijah to call Elisha to ministry as a prophet his first reaction was to ask Elijah if he could go back and say goodbye to his parents. Elijah freed him to return home, but warned him not to forget what just happened. Elisha kept his calling in mind and by his actions said to God, “I’m following you, NO TURNING BACK!

Elisha was in the fields working on the family farm when Elijah comes walking up, directed by God. Elijah takes his coat off and threw it around Elisha, symbolizing to the people in those days that ministry was being transferred to another. Elijah burns up his oxen and plow—his career and livelihood. Now that’s commitment!

We don’t always have such dramatic calls to what God has for us, but we all know when He’s calling. Let’s be committed to have the heart of Elisha and by our actions confirm to God that we will follow Him with NO TURNING BACK!

Prayer:

Father…Thank-you for your call. I’m grateful that you have a plan for my life and a purpose for me to fulfill. Help me to make a decision to follow you and live out that decision with NO TURNING BACK! In Jesus Name…Amen.