Just Lean!

2 Samuel 22:19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

When I was a freshman in high school I decided that I would play softball.  Our school's team was already jam packed with good players, but in the end, I made the cut.  One day we were headed out to warm up on the field before a big game.  I was wanting to strut my stuff, so I kept trying to get the coach (Mom) to notice me because I wanted to play that day.  The older girls were already in place and doing their thing, so I walked up to the edge of the cage behind the batter.  I should have sat down with the rest of the team and watched, but I was intent on getting in the action, so I bent down to pick up a glove and that is the last thing I remember.  Apparently the ball missed the bat and found the middle of my head and knocked me out.  It is a wonder I am alive I suppose.  And if you ever wondered why I am so crazy, now you know the rest of the story. Ha. 

In life you and I can get knocked down and injured, especially when we are trying to "win the game".  We go door to door, we pass out tracts, and show up at church every time the doors are open because we want to give our all to further the cause of Christ.  But there is an enemy out there that is trying to stop us.  He wants us out of the game.  He hates us and will do whatever it takes to stop our mouths from proclaiming God's gift of Salvation.  You think you can handle him and you get cocky, but he knows your Achilles heel and he is going to try and take you out.  Yes, God is stronger and yes, God is greater, but when we aren't fully relying (leaning) on God, we can get hurt.

God is our stay.  That means He is our Protector and our Tower.  He can and will hold us up, but we have to first do the leaning.  If you are like me, you can get to trusting your own strength and power instead of God's.  Sometimes God has put us in a position so we can watch and learn.  He wants to hone some skills in us that He can later use for His glory.  But, we want to get ahead of Him and do things in our own power and make things happen that are not in God's perfect will and timing.  We set ourselves up for further injury when we do this. 

What are you leaning on today for your life? Are you relying on your tired old mind to do all the work or are you fully leaning on God and letting Him be your stay? 

***How do we lean? *** 

 We lean on God by going to Him first.  Before we ever open our mouths to our husbands, friends, Pastor or Facebook, we ought to seek God.  And when we seek Him, it is promised we will find Him.

Seek Him as soon as you can in any problem, decision and even your day.  Have the attitude of David!

Psalms 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

David sought God first thing!  That is a form of leaning on God and NOT leaning on ourselves.

The more we lean on God the more we learn how to utilize His Word in our lives.  We learn principles by Scripture of how to act in different situations that we are going to be in during this life.  And when that old enemy comes a nipping at our heels, we know to shelter ourselves in God's Word and find protection through the Scripture. 

1. When the devil says you are too stupid to do what God has called you to do (that is the way I felt about having to learn Portuguese and live in the jungle):

Lean on:

1 Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

If God has called you to do something He will equip you with everything you need to perform the task.  He will perform His work through you if you will just LEAN!


2. When the devil tempts you with something God has NOT called you to do:

Lean on:

Hebrews 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Jesus was tempted and He knew to use the Word of God to handle it and He knows how to help you if you will LEAN!

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.


3. When the devil picks and picks and picks at a really sore spot in your life:

Lean on:

Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Just LEAN!

God helped you the last time, He will do it again (and again, and again).

Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

2 Samuel 22:30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.

Just LEAN!

Until next time, Lord willing!

Sheri