Ever Faithful
“Scripture reassures us, “No one who trust God like this – heart and soul – will ever regret it.” It’s exactly the same no matter what a person’s religious background may be: the same God for all of us, acting the same incredibly generous way to everyone who calls out, for help. “Everyone who calls, ‘Help God!’ gets help.” But how can people call for help if they don’t know whom to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?” Romans 10:10-12, The Message
As a parent, I am continually watchful and protective of God’s precious gift to me. Whenever my daughter cries for “help,” I am quick to respond and would leap over mountains to rescue her out of harms way. The truth is that nothing can keep a momma away from her child when he or she is in need – everyone else needs to watch out when momma runs to rescue her child! LOL!
The truth is that God loves you more than anyone on the face of the earth. He will not only come to your help when you cry out to Him, but He will bless your future with His amazing grace. I love what Romans 10:10 states above; “No one who trusts God with their heart and soul will regret it!” I am living proof of this scripture. I shouldn’t be alive, BUT GOD heard my cry and He came to my aid and rescued me and He healed me everywhere I hurt. And it is now my mission in life to tell everyone what God has done for me. The truth is that He is no respecter of persons: If He rescued me – then He will rescue you. If He healed me – then He will heal you. If He has blessed me – then He will bless you above all that you can ask, think or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). He is an awesome God who is waiting for you to cry out to Him today.
I don’t know what you are currently going through…maybe you need to cry out for God’s help and simply receive all that He has for you today. He loves you and longs to help you. Or maybe you have been rescued like me and need to start sharing what God has done in your life. Millions of people don’t know Who they can trust. They are looking for peace through the things of this world, but the only One who can give them what their heart and souls longs for is Jesus.
Who knows, you may be the one to reveal that God loves them. There is nothing better in life than to see a life rescued and renewed through the power of Jesus. Will you join me? Will you tell everyone who will listen what God has done in your life? As our scripture above asks, “How are they going to know unless you are sent?”
Prayer:
“Lord, thank you for answering me every time I cry out to you for help. I am living proof that when someone puts their trust in You that You are faithful. Help me to let You have control in my life. May you use my life to draw others to You. May I be a living testimony of Your goodness. May people see Your favor upon my life and may they desire a relationship with you. Amen.”
ANNOUNCEMENT: 
Tracy Hurst Counseling Services: Bringing Christ into Counseling
I am re-opening my counseling practice two mornings a week in the Smyrna area. If you or someone you know would like to make an appointment or get more information, please contact me through my “contact page” on my website by clicking here: CONTACT PAGE
Completely & Forever
“For You, O Lord, are good and ready to forgive (our trespasses, sending them away, letting them go completely and forever); and You are abundant in mercy and loving-kindness to all those who call upon You.” Psalm 86:5, AMP
Do you have trouble forgiving yourself? If so, I have good news for you today because our scripture above tells us that we are not only forgiven but our sins have been sent away, let go completely and forever by our merciful and loving God!
Do you remember in Elementary School when a teacher would put our name on the chalkboard if we disobeyed in class? Having our name on the board would stir up feelings of embarrassment and awareness of our wrongful behavior. And it was the very act of seeing our name on the chalkboard throughout the day that kept us conscious of our bad choice. This is the very thing the devil longs to do to God’s people. He wants us sin-conscious, after all, he is the accuser of the brethren and he wants our focus on our past sins rather than God’s grace.
Satan understands that sin conscious people live a state of hopelessness and depression. He does not want you to fulfill your destiny and focusing solely on your past sins – will do just that! You see, Satan does not want you to know that Jesus is the “eraser” of all sin. The chalkboard that once listed your sin was erased with His precious Blood the moment you gave your life to Him. That my friend is the power of the Cross!
The truth is that you may not feel forgiven but God’s Word supersedes feelings. Psalm 86:5 is clear,“For You, O Lord, are good and ready to forgive (our trespasses, sending them away, letting them go completely and forever); and You are abundant in mercy and loving-kindness to all those who call upon You.” Your feelings will LIE to you, but God’s Word is ALWAYS TRUE.
If forgiving yourself has been a struggle for you then I would like for you to do something…Take out a pencil and a piece of paper. Then write down all the sins that have tormented you. Once you have completed your list, I want you to re-read Psalm 86:5. As an act of faith, I now want you to use an eraser and erase your list until it is completely gone. And now with your blank paper in front of you, it is time to thank Jesus for His Blood and forgiveness of sins!
I would also like to encourage you to put this piece of paper somewhere for you to see (a kitchen cabinet or bathroom mirror perhaps) and anytime you feel un-forgiven or tormented by your past sins, walk up to this piece of paper and declare: “The Lord has forgiven me of my sins. My sins have been erased, sent away, let go completely and forever out of God’s abundant mercy and love for me. Feelings you must submit to the Word of God. I am forgiven, redeemed and an over comer in Christ Jesus. Amen.” That my friend is what it means to be forgiven completely & forever!!
Prayer: “Lord, Your love is amazing and I am so thankful that my sins are forgiven, let go of completely and gone forever. Help me to believe Your Word over how I feel. I declare that my feelings must line up with the Word of God and I ask that You help me receive this truth deep within my spirit. Thank Jesus for Your precious blood that came to erase my sins away. Help me to walk in the abundance of Your grace forevermore. Amen.”
The Fruit of Patience
“For you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:36
Patience…it’s a word that most of us do not like. But, today I want to show you how vital the fruit of patience is to receive the promises of God in your life. Did you know that patience is also defined as endurance and perseverance? The Greek word for endurance is “hupomone.” (Please stay with me for a moment as we define the Greek word, “hupomone” and get a clearer picture of why patience is so imperative to our spiritual life). “Hupomone” means, “constancy, perseverance, continuance, bearing up, steadfastness, holding out and patient endurance”. “Hupo” literally means, “under,” and “mone” literally means, “to remain.”
Therefore, we can define patience as: “The ability to bear up under difficult circumstances, not with a passive complacency, but with a hopeful staying power that actively resists weariness and defeat.”
This is good news, because most of us give up too soon. Once we receive a promise from the Word of God we want an immediate manifestation of that promise – like NOW! But it usually does not work that way. Just as Abraham had to wait patiently before he received his promise – so do we. There is a slice of time between the PROMISE and the PROVISION where the POWER of PATIENCE is vital. You see, during this in-between time is when the enemy attacks you the most. The devil will do everything within his power to distract, discourage and pull you off track. When the attack comes – you will need the power of patience. You need the supernatural power of endurance to bear up under the trials of this life and ACTIVELY resist weariness and defeat. The truth is YOU WIN – if you do not lose hope!
I encourage you today to ask God for the power of patience to manifest in your life. Whether you need it now or sometime in the near future – the “hupomone” power of God will help you to wait patiently and receive your promise!
Prayer:
Lord, I need the power of patience in my life. Help me to bear up under difficult circumstances with a hopeful resilience that actively resists weariness and defeat. When the enemy comes like a roaring lion, I declare the supernatural power of endurance is manifested in my life. I will not give up. I will not lose sight. I will be victorious and receive ALL the promises of God in my life. Amen.
God Given Dreams
“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6
Has God given you a dream that has yet to come to pass? If your answer is “yes,” then I am sure you are aware that a God-inspired dream can be fulfilled in just 20 minutes or it can take up to 20 years! The problem is that during our waiting season, we often get anxious and try to fulfill our God-given dreams without God! But our self-effort only leads to frustration and failure!
Lets face it, if God gives us a dream; it is ridiculous for us to think that we can do it without His help! Zechariah 4:6 clearly tells us that it is not by might (wealth, position or prestige) or by power (our own physical strength and intelligence), but it is by the Spirit of God (His supernatural movement) that our God-given dreams will be accomplished here on earth.
Just take a moment right now and think about the dreams and desires God has placed within your heart. Go ahead and think about it and I will wait for you right here. Okay, now let me ask you: Have you given up on your dreams? Have you tried to fulfill them on your own? Are you waiting expectantly for God to bring them to pass? No matter your response, I want to encourage you today that your God-given dream is worth the wait! It is time for you to dream again. It is time for you to wait in anticipation of your dreams because they WILL come to pass in due time. Whether it is twenty minutes or twenty years for you to see the fulfillment – God is faithful and He will fulfill His promise!
Prayer:
“Lord, I give you the dreams that you have placed within my heart. I declare that You will bring them to pass in due time. You are faithful and I trust that I will see the fulfillment of my dreams according to Your Spirit. No matter how long I must wait I declare that it will be worth it! Amen.”
The Favor of God – changes everything!
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 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
Letting God Lead Us
Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.” Psalm 25:5, The New Living Translation
Several years ago, I began diligently seeking God on a matter close to my heart. I began meditating on The Word of God and Psalm 25 was the passage that seemed to continually give me peace as I sought God’s perfect will. It was the scripture above that gave me confidence God would show me the right path for my family. After a few weeks of building my faith, I was expectant to receive God’s leading. God spoke to me very clearly about three steps I needed to follow in order to receive wisdom from Heaven. Today I would like to share with you what God revealed to me:
1.First, we have to WANT God’s direction for our life.
When we rely on human intellect or feelings to determine our choices we are in for a rollercoaster ride! I know this from personal experience:) It is only when we seek God’s plan that we can have peace as we work through various issues in our lives. Wanting God’s wisdom is the first step to receiving it.
2. Second, we have to WAIT on God.
After we begin asking and seeking, it is then time to wait for God to speak. God is an on time God. I know that it may “feel” as if He is late in answering our prayers, but God is faithful and always on time. I have learned that whenever it appears that God is with-holding something good from me, He is only setting me up to be blessed! He loves us so much that he lets the “good” pass us by in order to give us His best. During the waiting period we need to know that God is faithful and therefore we can wait in expectation. It’s kind of like when we visit a doctor. Due to the fact that we made an appointment and WANTED to seek medical counsel – it is just a matter of time before our name is called and we get the doctor’s wisdom. When you WANT God’s wisdom, it is just a matter of time before it is revealed!
3. Third, we need to be ready to WITNESS a miracle.
This is the best part! After we WANT God’s wisdom and we WAIT for Him to speak concerning the matter, we will then WITNESS God’s miracle working power in our life! I am currently walking out this final step and I can tell you from the bottom of my heart that God has done a miracle on my behalf. If you are currently in the waiting step – hold on and look each day for God to move on your behalf! Your miracle is on the way! No matter what you need from God this day – know that He is faithful! Do not give up. Do not get impatient and move ahead of God. All you need to do is: Want, Wait and Witness – God does all the rest!
Prayer:
Lord, I need direction in my life. Teach me Your ways and show me the right path. I WANT your wisdom. I choose to WAIT for You to make my path clear and I expect to WITNESS a miracle concerning this issue! Forgive me for getting in Your way. I completely surrender my life once again to you this day. Open my eyes that I may see You working on my behalf. Open my ears that I may hear Your voice. I let go of disappointment and frustration and I grab hold of the Word of God. I choose to believe The Word concerning all things in my life. Thank you for always giving me Your best Jesus! I love you! Amen.
Ordinary to Extraordinary
” And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. The servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.” So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.” Genesis 24: 17-20
You may be wondering how the scripture above can be applied to your ordinary life, but if you will take a closer look at this story with me, I will show you how miracles can happen around you while you perform each mundane task of your day…and yes that even includes laundry! First, let me mention that Rebekah is the eldest daughter in her home and she is simply going about her daily ritual of drawing water from the well. Upon her return she notices a foreign gentlemen approaching her along the path. He asks her for a drink of water from her pitcher and amazingly Rebekah not only agrees to draw water for him to drink, but also for his camels as well. Today this might be equivalent to Rebekah offering to wash the laundry of a complete stranger and then topping it off by washing their car too!
And may I just add here, that no one would have known if Rebekah had chosen to deny this stranger a sip of water. Perhaps Rebekah was having a bad hair day or had a list of things yet to accomplish on her to-do list, but instead of wallowing in self-piety or self-preoccupation, Rebekah chose to serve a complete stranger for no reward or wage.
Our Rebekah is a beautiful picture of a servant who is faithful to perform not only her daily tasks, but available to serve others. Yet what she did not know was that this man was on assignment from God to select a wife for Issac. And it was her faithfulness in her everyday, ordinary life that positioned her to be God’s choice for His Kingdom purposes. The fact that she gave this stranger water from her pitcher and then went above and beyond his request shows us the integrity and quality of her character, and why God would place her in the right place, at the right time, with the right person who would unlock her destiny.
It was through Rebekah’s willingness to embrace her everyday, ordinary life that opened wide her destiny for the Kingdom of God! You see, although Rebekah was a mighty woman in her own right, she would later become the mother of Jacob and the grandmother to Joseph, who wore the coat of many colors. Her family line and legacy of faith is still teaching and influencing our generation today.
I know that it is easy to become bored with our daily routine in life. And many of you today may be wondering if you are making a difference for the Kingdom of God? But I am here to declare to you today: You are a blessing! And if you also will be faithful in your everyday, ordinary life, God will meet you there and miracles will be revealed before your eyes. God will put you in the right place, at the right time and in front of the right people for Kingdom purposes!
Prayer:
“Lord, help me to be faithful in my everyday, ordinary life. I confess that I have lost my ability to expect miracles as I go about my day. Open my eyes to see that You are always with me. Open my ears to hear Your direction for me today. Open my heart to have the same willingness of Rebekah to serve a stranger in need. As I am faithful in little, God can entrust me with much. Amen.”
Go where there is favor
Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the Lord has blessed.” Isaiah 61:9, NLT
Ask any of my closest friends and they will tell you that one of my mantras in life is, “Go where there is favor!” In my opinion, life is too short to spend time with those who do not celebrate you and the gifts God has placed in your life. Think about this for a moment. You are God’s unique creation in Christ and even during hard times, God’s favor rests upon us, as we trust in His Word.
When we choose to live for God and follow His plan for our life, we cannot help but experience supernatural favor. Our scripture above tells us that not only will we be seen as God’s favored but our descendants will also be recognized and honored among the nations. And did you know that we are promised to obtain favor even with our enemies? Proverbs 16:7 states, “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.”
There was a situation a few years ago where I clearly was in the wrong place at the wrong time and there was no sign of favor anywhere. I felt like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. Nothing I did worked, which I came to realize was a clue that I had somewhere, somehow, gotten off track. I had become so accustomed to receiving God’s favor everywhere I went that when it wasn’t there, it was a bizarre experience for me and one that I do not want to repeat anytime soon. It did not take me long before I realized that I unknowingly had stepped out of God’s path for my life. I was swayed by man’s opinion rather than seeking God for where I needed to be for such a time as this. Hence, I made a change as quickly as possible and I found myself once again living where God’s favor reigns.
I do believe there are times in each of our lives when God allows us to walk through difficult places to stretch us and show us what is really within our hearts (Deuteronomy 8:2). Yet when God leads us to a valley, He promises to provide us everything we need, including His rod and a staff to comfort us (Psalm 23). The question is, has God led us to this valley or did we unknowingly step out of the path of life and lead ourselves there? Selah (pause and think about this for a moment). If this is the case, then we can run to God and trust that He is bigger than every circumstance in our life. He loves us and will show us His path of life.
It is my prayer that we continually live in God’s favor and that when people see us coming, whether at the grocery store or in our workplace, they will declare, “Surely they are BLESSED of God.”
Prayer:
“Lord, show me Your path. I long to be where Your favor is for me and my family. Forgive me for the times when I trusted in anything other than You. You are my God and when I follow Your path I cannot help but walk in the favor of God. Make every crooked place straight in my life and may everyone around me see supernatural favor on my life. Amen.”
Friendships
“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 them too long until it resulted in conflict? As a counselor, I often tell my clients, “When you set a boundary, someone will be 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.
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? 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! Selah (pause and think about that for a moment). 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.”
*An oldie but a goodie. This was originally published back in Spring of 2009 on Tuesdayswithtracy.com.
It’s that time again…for a “Friend Check”
“Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, here’s what you do –
Say nothing evil or hurtful; snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you’re worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to do what he’s asked; but he turns his back on those who do evil things.” 1 Peter 3:10, Message Translation
Whenever I am around people who gossip, I always leave their presence feeling dirty and in need of a spiritual shower. Yet, as much as I hate gossip, occasionally I find myself listening with interest and even participating. Whenever gossip first begins in conversation, my spirit feels uncomfortable and I always try to change the subject. Nevertheless, at times I get pulled in and fall prey to this evil sin. This is why we must be careful with whom we spend time and allow in our inner circle. Our inner circle consists of individuals we socialize with on a regular basis. *The truth is: If these “friends” are talking about others with you, then they are talking about you with others! Are you hanging out with people who gossip and say evil things about others? Are you that person? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal if this is true about you or the friends you associate with.
Once a year I do what I call a “friend check.” This ritual allows the Holy Spirit to show me if someone, for various reasons, needs to move from my inner circle. Although this is hard for me, I have learned to trust the hand of God. God will often remove someone who is a wrong influence in my life and bring new friendships, which will encourage me to fulfill my destiny in Christ. Don’t be afraid to ask God to do a “friend check” in your life – I’ve had the same best friends for ten plus years. But they are people who run after peace and speak well of others. God simply longs to fill our days up with good and look upon us with his approval as the scripture states. He is a forgiving God and is always looking out for our very best.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to be a woman who runs after peace and cultivates good wherever I go. I give you permission to show me if I have fallen prey to gossip and speaking evil of others. Please forgive me Jesus and cleanse me of this sin. Help me to speak only good of others and hold things in confidence. Give me wisdom about who is in my inner circle. I give you permission to remove anyone out of my inner circle and to bring in new friends for your purposes in my life. Thank you for looking upon me today with approval from heaven. Thank you for loving me. Amen.
*Today’s Devotional was taken from “Tuesdays with Tracy: Real-life Devotions that Touch the Heart of a Woman,” Xulon Press, 2008.
Point to ponder: The people you hang out with today will determine who you become in five years!
About
Tracy became a Christian at the age of 16 and her life was changed forever. She went from being a depressed, suicidal, rebellious teenager to a dynamic leader for Christ. Immediately after accepting Jesus as her Savior, Tracy fought the school board in order to begin a Bible study on school grounds at her high school in Illinois. The dramatic transformation in Tracy's life has inspired many, including her own mother, to give their lives to Christ.
