by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“The Lord make His face to shine upon you and enlighten you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace and they shall put My Name upon them, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6:25-27
*Mid-summer I found myself singing the familiar lyrics to one of the Go-Go songs from the mid 80’s: “vacation all I ever wanted, vacation have to get away…” After singing this song consecutively for a few weeks, my husband came downstairs from his office one night and suggested we get away the following weekend. We began looking on line at last minute deals and stumbled on an unbelievable package for Bermuda. We booked our flight and hotel and literally left four days later!
Prior to leaving, I heard a minister preach about the favor of God and how we need to proclaim God’s favor over our lives each day. He stated that when we see the favor of God, we should proclaim it OUT LOUD. So, while packing our clothes and necessities for our trip, my husband and I also began spiritually packing by praying for God’s favor. We prayed for the littlest things – such as favor with the flight attendants and beautiful weather. We also prayed about the big things, such as, an opportunity to share about Jesus, an upgraded room upon arrival and safe travel to and from the Atlanta airport. As we headed for the airport the morning of our flight, we were amazed that there was no traffic and we immediately proclaimed “that is the favor of God.”
We landed on the beautiful island of Bermuda right on time and found our transportation to the hotel with no trouble and we proclaimed our new mantra – “that is the favor of God.” When we arrived at our hotel and gave our name to the clerk, she gave a troubled look and stated she would get the manger to assist us. My husband and I looked at each other and both wondered what God was up to. The manager apologetically told us that the hotel had been overbooked and therefore we would need to stay at their sister hotel. At this point I would normally be gravely disappointed and upset, but because we had covered the entire trip with prayer, I decided to go with the flow and see what God had in store for us. The hotel agreed to pay for our moped rental and the manager personally took us to the sister hotel. We felt as if we were on an adventure just waiting to see what the favor of God was about to do.
As the manager showed us our room, our mouths dropped! It wasn’t just a typical hotel room, it was an executive suite with an ocean view! After we received our keys and calmly stated “the room would be fine,” we literally closed the door and jumped up and down proclaiming, “This is the favor of God!” There isn’t enough room to tell you about all the favor we had on our trip, but let me just add that even upon arriving back on a Friday afternoon during typical Atlanta rush hour traffic, we sailed home in amazement (all of you who live in Atlanta know this was the greatest miracle of all) and as we pulled into our driveway we thanked God for His abundant favor on our trip from the beginning to the end!
I encourage you to pray for the favor of God upon your life today. As you begin proclaiming God’s favor upon your life – wait expectantly – you never know what God might have in store for you!
Prayer:
“Lord, I declare the favor of God over my life. Open my eyes to see Your favor everyday! Once I see it, I will proclaim, “This is the favor of God!” Thank you for all that You have done in my life. Thank you in advance for all that is yet ahead! I give you my life Lord and I know that your favor and grace will follow me wherever I go.” Amen.
*Revised Article, “The Favor of God,” by Tracy Hurst, Christian Chronicle/2004
by Tracy | Inspirational, Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ Numbers 6:24-26, NIV
Everyone has their “top reads” of their life other than the Word of God and I can say that hands down that GRACE WORKS by Tony Sutherland (www.tonysutherland.com) is one of my top three reads! As a Professional Counselor, I recommend this book for my clients who struggle with performance based self-esteem, guilt, condemnation, fear, shame or any psychological problems for that matter as this book will go to the root and bring freedom in its place. As a mom, GRACE WORKS has helped me in my parenting and given me a new perspective on how to love my child in greater ways. And as a child of God, this book has been revolutionary to me. Please read some the clip below and the back cover and I encourage everyone to pick up a copy or download it to your laptop today! Blessings and remember…..GRACE WORKS!
“…Now-a-days people are confused, troubled, and desperately hard-pressed for help. A doctrine or expose’ won’t fix broken lives. Desperate people don’t need a word. They need a ROPE! God’s grace is that rope! Carrying guilt is destructive. In fact, CONDEMNATION KILLS! Most people have enough trouble in their life without having to bear the heavy guilt from not doing enough for God or failing Him altogether… Our Heavenly Father does not want His children to live under guilt and condemnation (Romans 8:1). I truly believe we can live guilt and worry free lives through the power of God’s grace!” (From Tony’s New Book – GRACEWORKS)
“Have you every wondered how to get from here to happy? That’s what Tony Sutherland’s new book is all about! In fact, God’s plan for you is nothing short of spectacular! The way to freedom is just at hand. Through personal experiences, Tony Shares profound secrets to the overcoming life through his own marvelous grace awakening. Once you get a revelation of the truth that is in Christ, you will never want to go back to your old life of dead religion again! Only one thing works to break the bondage of sin… Grace… GRACE WORKS! You no longer have to suffer from self-defeating perfectionism, anxiety and condemnation from your failures. So get ready to encounter a whole new dimension of God’s power as He views you through His amazing love. As you read through the pages of this book one thing is certain… you will be surprised by grace!”
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy
“It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people…” Hebrews 10:14, Message Translation
“He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn’t say a word. Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence. Justice miscarried, and he was led off – and did anyone really know what was happening? He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people. They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man. Even though he’d never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn’t true. Still, it’s what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain. THE PLAN WAS THAT HE GAVE HIMSELF AS AN OFFERING FOR SIN SO THAT HE’D SEE LIFE COME FROM IT – LIFE, LIFE AND MORE LIFE. And God’s plan will deeply prosper through him. Out of that terrible travail of soul, he’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it. Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant will make many “righteous ones.” Isaiah 53: -11, Message Translation
For years I struggled with picturing Jesus and all that he suffered on the cross. But one Sunday morning during worship I heard a still small voice say, “Tracy, I want you to know that my most beautiful moment was when I laid down my life for you on the cross.” Tears began to fill my eyes as I envisioned this in my mind. I could see the blood running down his side, the thorns on His head, and His nail-pierced hands and feet. Jesus GAVE His life and SHED His blood that we may be whole.
Needless to say, what Jesus endured was horrific, but that Sunday morning I began to see past the torture and pain and see the beauty of the cross. This revelation has changed my life. Every time I see images of the cross, I am filled with thanksgiving and awe of my Lord. I am also thankful that through the blood of Jesus, God does not remember the gruesome images of my past. But He sees me as His beautiful creation.
He gave. He bore. He bled. He forgave. He died. He was buried. He arose. He reigns. He rules. He is Lord over all. He is coming back soon. He is Alpha and Omega. He is the Beginning and the End. His Name is above all names. He is Jesus!
Prayer:
“Lord, thank you for all that you suffered on the cross. Forgive me for grumbling and complaining about my life. You had every “right” to complain, but instead you freely laid down your life that I could live. I choose to fix my eyes on you this Easter season. You died that I may live. You suffered that I may be healed. You endured rejection that I may be accepted. You shed your blood that I may be forgiven. Open my eyes to see the beauty of the cross. I declare that death did not conquer you and it will not conquer me! You arose from the dead and are seated at the right hand of God and one day I will join You in heaven. Until then, help me to fulfill my destiny. Amen.”
by Tracy | Bad Day Blues, Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy, Warfare
“For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him with a shield.”Psalm 5:12
Did you know that you are blessed with God’s favor today? You can rest in the fact that God is the Blesser and the One who gives you the capacity for living a full, rich life. You and I are simply the recipients of His favor and there is nothing that can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). It is through the love of Jesus and the power of the Cross, that we are deemed righteous, blessed, and highly favored of God.
No matter what you are going through at this time, God will surround you with favor like a shield. When you walk into a room, God’s blessing is with you. When you walk through a dark valley, God’s favor will go before you and enlighten the way to victory. When your enemies are out to eat you for lunch, God will surround you with His favor like a shield and none of their plans will prosper.
It has been my experience that God’s favor is not only seen upon us by man but that God can even shield our areas of weaknesses in order for His favor to be manifested toward us on earth as it is in Heaven. God is the potter, we are the clay (Isaiah 64:8) and man’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes (Proverbs 21:1).
Is there a place in your life where you need the favor of God? I want to encourage you today to declare Psalm 5:12 over your situation. As you declare God’s Word, you can wait expectantly for God to move on your behalf. You, my friend are the righteousness of God and He will surround you with favor like a shield this day. I declare that no weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17).
Prayer:
“Lord, thank you for surrounding me with favor like a shield. I can never repay You for what You did on the Cross, but in return, I willingly give you my life, my dreams, my desires and I ask that You alone be glorified through me. I declare Your Word over my life and I wait expectantly for You to move on my behalf. Amen.”
PS: Ladies – Thank you for your recent prayer requests. I am agreeing with you in prayer that God is willing and able and I look forward to hearing your praise reports! If you are in need of prayer today, please click here, it would be my honor to cover you and your need in prayer. Blessings!
by Tracy | Inspirational, Tuesdays With Tracy, Warfare
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of GOOD REPORT, if there is any virture and if there is anything PRAISEWORTHY – meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8, NKJ (Author’s emphasis added)
Have you ever had one of those days when all you seem to hear is bad news? Maybe it was a telephone call, an email or your local news that brought these dreadful reports to your attention and before you knew it, you were sinking into a state of hopelessness! And although it would not be wise to totally ignore such issues, Paul clearly states in the verse above that it is in our best interest not to meditate on the worst, but on the best of things.
Every day it is important for us to guard our minds and find at least one good report to meditate on. It may be the testimony of a friend who got a breakthrough, a family member who received a raise or you may have gotten a good report from your doctor, but even if you can’t seem to think of anything praiseworthy on earth, you can always meditate on God’s Word. I have found that just one Word from God can not only change your day but your life!
In honor of thinking upon what is true, noble, reputable, compelling and gracious, I am going to share with you a few scriptures to meditate on when you are longing to think upon the best and not the worst:
My God can take me higher than my circumstances:
“Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to you, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. For you have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.” Psalm 61:1-4
If God is for me, who can be against me:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore I will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God. The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall keep her, just at the break of dawn.” Psalm 46:1-5
When I speak the Word of God out loud, it will move mountains on my behalf:
“For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
Let’s make a choice to think upon good things this day. Even when we are dealing with difficult circumstances we can have joy within our heart as we meditate on things worthy to be praised.
Prayer:
“Lord, I lift up every concern on my heart to You today. I ask that while I think upon the good things, that You would move on my behalf. I declare that You are above every circumstance in my life and I will not fear. You tell us in Psalm 46, that we do not need to fear because You are our refuge and strength and our very present help in trouble. I love You and I choose today to think upon what is true, noble and praise-worthy. Amen.”
by Tracy | Inspirational, Practical, Tuesdays With Tracy
“Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.” Proverbs 17:17, The Message
Has God ever shown you that you needed to let go of a friendship, but instead of following His lead, you intentionally held onto the friendship to long until it resulted in conflict? As a counselor, I often tell my clients, “When you set a boundary, someone will get hurt.” And although none of us like this truth, what we fail to see is that by not setting a boundary – we are the ones who are continually being hurt.
I have found in my life that there are three types of friendships:
1. Friends for a lifetime.
2. Friends for a season.
3. Friends for a moment.
All three types of friendship are just as important as the other. You may be thinking, “Come on Tracy, surely a lifetime friend is more valuable than a friend for a season or moment!” I beg to differ with you – each type of friendship is valuable in its own right.
A friend in the moment can impact you for eternity. I will never forget sitting in a Chapel service at Mid-America Bible College. A young African American student presented the gospel. I don’t even know his name, but through his message and invitation, I accepted Jesus as my Savior – he was a friend for a moment that impacted my life for eternity.
A friend for a season can also impact you more than you know. I had a best guy-friend during my college years. He greatly prepared me for my husband. His friendship brought healing and restoration in my life – he was a friend for a season that impacted my life for such a time as this.
A friend for a lifetime is a rare treasure. These are the individual’s who love us rather than judge us, they hold confidences instead of gossiping about us, they want the best for us rather than feeling jealous of our success, they do not hold offenses but come to us if there is a problem, they make themselves available at all hours to listen and pray for us, and we don’t have to defend ourselves to them because they know who we really are and they value us as much as we value them. If we have just one lifetime friendship, we are extremely blessed!
The thing about friendships is that we too often try and put the wrong people in the wrong place. Or how about this one – how many of us expect everyone we are friends with to act like our friends for a lifetime? It all comes down to our expectations of others. I will never forget when my feelings were hurt because a friend failed to ask me about a recent speaking engagement. She knew about the event, but never inquired about it. After much prayer, God clearly showed me that I WAS WRONG by expecting her to act like my friends for a lifetime – who ALWAYS pray for me and ask about my speaking engagements...knowing where a friend fits into our life can not only bring tremendous peace but also keep us from frustration and disappointment.
As women of God, it is time for us to let go of the childish things (offences, jealousy, back-biting, gossip, cliques, he-said-she-said conversations and every evil thing) and grab onto God with all of our might! God is the One person I can declare is your Friend for a lifetime! Jesus is the One who is always on our side. He is cheering you on from heaven and intercedes for you when no one else does. Jesus is the friend that you are all longing for – grab onto Him and trust that He will give you wisdom in all your friendships.
Prayer:
“Lord, thank you for being my friend and Savior for a lifetime. You are always with me and I love you. I give you my friendships and ask that You forgive me for placing my hope in them rather than in You. Show me who my friends are for a lifetime, season and moment. I acknowledge today that each level of friendship is important in my life. I let go of childish things – offense, rejection, trying to defend myself, he said – she said conversations, gossip, criticism, and the such and grab onto You – the author and finisher of my faith. Amen.”
What are your thoughts or comments? Please click on the comment button. I would love to hear from you!
