“That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!
All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.”---Ephesians 1:15-23 (Message)
“You may command nature to the extent only in which you are willing to obey her.”---Walter Russell
OK, if you bear with me, this will be another power packed message...if you choose for it to be. (Choice is so powerful!) One of my favorite chick flick films is “Serendipity” (John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale). For a long time, it was because---aside from having a school girl crush on Cusack that I can't explain so don't even ask---it all seemed so magical. I just loved how all of the pieces fit together...not immediately, but eventually.
But as of late (oh, about six months or so), the movie has been affecting me in a very different way. It's almost like it's been haunting me...but in the non-psycho sense. As I'm walking out a new season in my life, every time I am tempted to doubt, if I am at home during my emotional hyperventilation, I will notice that “Serendipity” is on. NO JOKE. Shoot, I just had a three-minute “What if I'm crazy?” attack over the weekend and when I scrolled down the channels, guess what was on Bravo waiting for me? Yep.
Now, being that I am a Bible-believer, I will say that I am more of a “faith” person (Hebrews 11:1&6) than a “luck” person and for the most part, the definition of serendipity is all about luck and/or making discoveries by accident. In God's system...are there really any accidents? (Romans 8:28) Probably not. But there is a great chance that God has been using that movie to appease to the side of me that doesn't always walk as strongly in my faith as I should. (Bookmark that)
I'm a firm believer that you should keep “pregnancies”---of all kinds---private; that only those equipped to help you should know the intimate details of things and so all I will say about my current journey is that when it comes to pass, it will probably be my next book. I can't remember ever experiencing something with so many confirmations, almost on a daily basis, in my life...whether I'm looking for them or not. However, you don't need to know my details to receive this revelation for your own matters of the heart...whether it's volume 2 or 10.
Recently, I was talking to a friend of mine about a relationship that she's grieving from. In all honesty, she knew, as we all usually do, from the jump that it wasn't the best thing for her...but fear crept in and so she stayed. No, she wasn't scared of the man; she was scared of being without one. That said, let's take a moment to reflect on a very powerful assurance in scripture:
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”---I John 4:18 (NKJV)
The Message Version puts it this way:
“There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.”
For many of us, that should be our first warning sign when it comes to either the relationship we are entering, we are in or are considering ending. Fear should not motivate your decision in any way. Anyway, as she was sharing with me her tumultuous past several months, there was a main thread that seemed to be sown throughout the entire situation: NO ONE WAS IN AGREEMENT WITH IT (no one with half a brain, that is!) Shoot, it got to the point where even her OB/GYN was telling her to get a grip.
She told me about going in for a visit after being all stressed out, and sharing with him that her boyfriend---after breaking up, mind you---told her that if she had just “acted right”, he would have proposed. He had plans to surprise her with a ring and everything.
My gut reaction? “Yeah right”, but I didn't even have to say anything because, according to her, her doctor addressed it by giving her a semi-rude-but-in-this-case-totally-appropriate hand gesture to indicate that her “man” was screwing with her...literally. She then went on to share the insight of other people who were telling her that he just wasn't a good fit. People at work, people in her family...shoot, even the server at the restaurant who overheard us talking. After about an hour of listening to her vent, do you know what I said? No, I take that back. Do you know what I heard the Holy Spirit say through me? (Luke 12:12)
“The universe will line up with what's best for us.”
Right after I said it, I promise I heard, in an almost audible tone, “Yeah Shellie...exactly.”
My friend was getting UNIVERSAL MESSAGES to leave the guy alone. I am getting universal messages telling me...well, something else (wink, wink), but the point is, being that all the earth is the Lord's (Psalm 24:1), that means that he can (and does...and will) make it submit to him any time that he so desires to fit his Master plan (Isaiah 55:8-9). This is why the Enemy is always so busy trying to deter us. John 8:44 describes him as the father of lies with no truth in him. It's his mission to taint God's reality; to want to appease our flesh (Galatians 5:16-17) rather than adhere to our spirit...TO THE SPIRIT. This is why God reminds us that he is not the author of confusion, but of peace (I Corinthians 14:33). Now let me just remind us all of what confusion is:
Confusion: disorder; upheaval; tumult; chaos; lack of clearness or distinctness; perplexity; bewilderment; embarrassment or abashment; a disturbed mental state; disorientation
If your relationship has a lot, shoot ANY, of that then you need to do some serious re-evaluating. I'm here to tell you from personal experience that when you have to sneak, defend, lie, manipulate, stress out, beg, nag, plot, settle (not the same thing as compromise, by the way), SIN to maintain a relationship, while you may be “in” something, I wouldn't call it love. I would call it a “straight from hell's gates” lie. But here's the thing about a lie...it can have a lot of truth in it to reel you in, but just a little sprinkle of deceit, even if it's self-deceit, can blow all sanity and sense of stability out of the water; it can “hook you” in a very painful way.
Please believe that when I woke up this morning, I was like, “God, do you actually have a scripture to support this?” Oh, how I love him. The lead verses speak directly as a confirmation to what I know God wanted me to share. Whatever you are entering, are in or are contemplating getting out of, in seeking a resolve (Matthew 7:7-8), you are not as “lost” as you might think. God speaks revelation knowledge and he uses the universe that he created to bring about confirmation. Stop speaking...and listen.
To the billboards...to the movies...to your family members/friends...to the strangers in random places when they look at you like, “Nah, that dude ain't feelin' you at all.” It's no a “coincidence”---at least in the way we often define it---because God doesn't use “accidents”, remember?
Bottom line, even when it comes to matters of the heart, we are not waiting on God to speak nearly as much as he's waiting on us to listen.
The universe is a valid instructor. Heed to the lessons.
The revelations...the affirmations...the confirmations...THE TRUTHS.
©Shellie R. Warren/2009
