Latest / Armed Anchored Adorned / "Get your house in order"
Transcript
- Armed Anchored & Adorned: Every one of us has a start and a finish line. Every day we get to choose how we will run that race. Will we choose ordinary or counterfeit or will we choose that abundant life that Jesus died to give us? Welcome to the Armed, Anchored and Adorned podcast. I'm so glad you're here. Well hey and welcome. I love that I get to come and and sit here with you and get to hang out and grow together. I I do. I genuinely do. I love it. Well right now I'm in the thick of summer rhythms. I don't know when you're listening to this, but right now when I'm sitting here with you, it's summer. And I don't know what your summer rhythms look like. Sometimes they don't look very different for people, but for us still it's a little slower. there's some structure, a little less. Little more rest, little more play, some vacations, some visitors. You know, it's It's definitely out of its typical rhythm and order. And that word order. I I just wanted to come and talk with you about that because Somebody that God had whispered to me first. And I've been grateful. But let's pray. Lord, thank you. Thank you for calling us here. Thank you for this space. Thank you for this time. Lord, I ask that you would remove any agenda that I have and I put yours first. We want your order to this conversation. We want it to be about you, not about me. Speak, Father. Speak through me. Remove any words that are mine and I want them to be glorifying you. Correct me. Direct me. And protect this time. We thank you, Lord. We commit this into your hands. In Jesus' name, amen. I think it was at the end of twenty nineteen. And I heard this phrase, I heard this whisper, get your house in order. And before I really like leaned into what that really meant, I was like, yeah, yeah, like my house it needs a little attention. My house needs attention, Lord. You're right. I needed some reorganizing, some decluttering, some some paint, some some attention, some some reordering of my home. So I started that. I mean there there was paint and it I was liking it. I I needed a little bit of a freshening physically to my home. But it was about six months ish when it was still there. Get your house in order. I'm like, I am. But I'm like, there's something deeper. And so I leaned a little deeper into his words for me. And I I noticed There were things that needed spiritual attention. I started recognizing that. I started seeing things weren't really as God designed it in my home. Where he wasn't first. Where he wasn't king, where he wasn't. Lord over my home. And I was I I was kind of surprised. I was like, that needs some attention. I just asked for some fresh eyes. Show me, Lord, show me where. Show me how to order my home. So I mean, what does that even look like? So like what comes first? it's a that's a big question. What comes first? His word says seek first the kingdom of God. Seek his face, see his word, see his way, his heart, his leading. If he says that he's the Alpha and the Omega, shouldn't he be that in my home, in my heart, in my day? In in the ways that my home works. I mean he wants us to ask his opinion about everything. He wants that kind of a deep relationship. He wants us to care about his opinion more than we care about our opinion. Anybody's opinion. He is. He's the bread of life. He wants to sustain us. He wants to fill us. He wants our attention. He deserves our attention. He deserves our hearts. He deserves our longing, our worship, our thanks. And so I started thinking about, you know, what what was first in my heart? Things were not in order. So I just started thinking, who comes first in my heart, in my attention, who has the most space in my mind, in my decisions, in my to-do list? And I started thinking about Who that really was for me. My my children And my husband would lobby for first. God was the second. He was a close second. But I'd say he they were first. They took up a lot of my space and time. And not begrudgingly, I I they just went first. And Then I kind of recognized, no, no, no, he's first. Then I had to make sure that it was my husband because we are of one flesh. course taking care of all my children's needs and everything. It's what he's called me to do as their mom. But he's a God of order. It just reminded me that every day he needed to come first. He was first. He was first before my husband, my children, ministry. That was something that kind of shocked me. That may sound weird to you. It did to me because I I was told by somebody, by multiple people, my first ministry was my home. was being a mom, being a wife, being, you know, those those those are responsibilities that have been given to me. Those are places I've been called to. And I I'm grateful for them. And somebody said to me once, your first ministry is is in your home with your kids. I sat with the Lord one day. And I just was crying out. I was like, Lord, I know my first ministry is is my home. I felt a quick correction. And he said, No, your first ministry is to me. Ministry means to serve. It's it's me. my relationship with him must be first. And he had impressed on me, you're gonna think I'm totally kooky for this. And that's fine. I am kooky, but he may use other words. But I wear specific rings for they mean something. my order of my rings is a daily reminder of what comes first. So this, this ring on my right hand, I had to think about what hand I'm wearing it on, on my right pointer finger, I was I learned that this is what this this was for the Hebrews traditionally. This was the wedding finger. And so I gotta a ring specifically and that's to remind me of my covenant to to Jesus, my covenant to my my Lord. He is my first. He's my first love. So I put this on first. And then I wear my wedding ring on the normal wedding ring finger. And then I got these sweet rings that I adore that have my children's names on them. And that goes on last. And I have this thumb ring. It's new. And this is just because I think it's cute. And it was from my grandmother. So that goes on last because it's just extra. But that kind of reminds it's like this daily reminder of what needs to be first. Lord, help me to keep my eyes on your order in my life. I want you first. I want my heart to be yours first. And then to my husband. And then to my children. And then the rest. What is that supposed to look like? It's a simple little rhythm that I do that I actually wasn't even planning on sharing that, but there you go. But getting our house in order, getting things in order, getting our hearts in order, we have to seek him first. He says seek first the kingdom of God. We need to seek him. Because gosh, if we are not careful, we will get swept up. We will easily and quickly put so many things before him. You have a to do list? I love a to-do list. I'm pretty loose with a lot of structure things, but I do love a good to-do list. And I will tell you, if I am not intentional and pay really careful attention, I will take my to-do list and I will edge out anything that has to do with the Lord. I will put so many things on there that is before him and all of a sudden he's not anywhere near my to-do list. He's not in my day at all. I'm just tasking. It's it has to be that intentionality of bringing him into it. Lord, is this for me? And we will put so many things ahead of him and eventually just shove him Edge him right out of our priorities. Jesus would go and take time. He would get away and he would get quiet and he'd listen for the leading of the Lord. Why wouldn't we need that? We do, we do need that. Every day. He put the father's will above his own. Why wouldn't we need to do that? We do. So I'm curious, when you hear that phrase, you know, get your house in order, seek first the kingdom of God. What what do you seek first? Like let's just let's keep it super basic. First, you open your eyes. What's that look like for you? Seek your phone first. Listen, I'm calling myself out here too. I did not do this perfectly. I am not putting myself on a pedestal and acting like this is the easiest thing in the world. But the distractions are not gonna go away. And we gotta keep our eyes aware. But seriously, what do you seek first? Does it work? Phone? Family? People in general exercise, food. If none of those like jabbed you in the soul like they did me, maybe it's something totally different for you. And I really encourage you to, I don't know, pause this or set aside some time and really ask. What is it for you? What comes first for you? What are the things that fill your attention and heart and longings and your to-do list. What what comes first when you first open your eyes? What are you doing first? Like, do you seek him? Do you notice? Do you notice him? Do you notice that he's there? Because he is. Gosh, isn't that crazy to think? The God of the universe. is right there to be with you throughout your day. I'm serious. The Holy Spirit, He says He has never left you or forsaken you. He is always right there. Jesus said that. So when you open your eyes, notice him. Take a minute, notice him. Give him your first thoughts. If you had a dream, I encourage you to process that with him. If you can write it down, do it. So many times we miss things God wants to say to us because we forget our dreams. Not always. But man, I've I've had some very powerful dreams and I'm so grateful for them. He has spoken amazing things. But I encourage you, you know, first thoughts. No phone. I encourage it. I'm not saying I'm the example and I do it perfect. There are days that, gosh, it is nuts how much time you can waste first thing on a phone. All of a sudden you're like, what? I went to check this one thing. And all of a sudden I've lost 10 minutes or even more. That's mm mm. That's super frustrating. I lose a lot, a stupid amount of time doing that first thing. That is something I really strive to cut out. I need I need his strength. It is not by my own strength, it is by his strength only can I deny myself those kind of distractions. But giving him those first, Lord, I see you. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for being with me. Just noticing him, noticing his presence, turning our face towards his first. What could that look like? You know, I I sit and have coffee with scripture and I spend time and I have some some devotion. Sometimes it's just scripture. Sometimes I'm journaling. Sometimes I do a prayer walk. Sometimes I I run. But I want my first part of my day to be about seeking him. Because he knows what's coming the rest of the day. And he wants to prepare me for it. How cool is that? How cool is that? He's like, hey, I know what's coming. I know the word you need for today. Let me give that to you. Let me give you something that's going to equip you for what I know is coming later. Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Please don't let me forsake. that gift of your Holy Spirit wanting to come and equip me for the day? And we do. I'm we, so don't we do. And towards the end of that time, I try to have a very simple journal. It is just a plain little journal, very, very simple, just lined pages. on the front of it, you can't read it 'cause it's it's yellow. It says, Into your hands I commit anything, anywhere, anytime. And I mean that every single day. I want to get my mind on that, that those words into your hands. I commit my those were some of Jesus' last words on the cross. He said, My spirit, but I I wanna I wanna grab onto that heart of I commit my anything anytime anywhere into your hands, Lord. And so I started this a few months ago. It's been a really helpful practice and on that some of the scriptures that I kind of put my mind on when I'm doing my to-do list is I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I'm sure you've all heard that verse, Philippians 4.13. And that was my my labor and delivery verse. It's his strength, not mine. I need his strength. But I can do anything that he calls me to. Anything. And just remembering that. And then John 15, 5. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit. For without me, you could do nothing. I'm sorry, those two things are so important for us to remember. And then we won't fill our day with a bunch of meaningless nothing. Because we'll have him right there being like, no, no, no, that's not for you. Leave that. Like when I'm walking my dogs and they go and I have two golden retrievers for those of you that are new here. And I walk them and sometimes they're like vacuums. And I'm like, ooh, I need that. I need that. I need that. No, you don't. No, you don't. That's not food. And I I'll say, leave it. No, that's not for you, leave it. Makes me laugh. We're like golden retrievers, you know, like, is that for me? No. No. Leave it. Or sure, you can have that stick. That's for you. Enjoy that. Cause he's not a god of no. He doesn't always say no. And I do let him play with a sticker too. Not that I'm God. We know that. We know that, But there are just some things that I I want my list for each day. I I want to be sure that my my to-do list for each day is submitted to him and just remove anything. Remove anything that I put on there that's not for me. Cause if it's not for me, then it's against me. I don't want it. That's what the word says. If you're not for him, you're against him. And if it's for a for him, then I'm for it. If it's against him, then I I don't want it. I also take that time to write down anything that I'm wrestling with or a question that I I don't know. Do I do I do this? Do I do that? What do you say about this, Lord? A thought that is kind of on repeat, things that I'm concerned about, just downright worried about. I write them down. Lord, show me what you say about these things. And he always answers. He may not answer right there and right then while I'm sitting there waiting for the answer. He may answer later today, later that day, or the next day, or sometime in the week. But when we bring him stuff, he always answers. Trust him, trust him to answer and have your ears to hear. Ask for ears to hear and eyes to see when he answers. And the other thing that I've recently noticed, have your house in order, is the position of our hearts. Like when we're when we're talking to him, I don't know about you, but I will be quick to ask for protection. Lord, please protect. Lord, please protect. Lord, please protect this. Protect this. Protect protect my kids. Protect this. Protect protect this conversation. Protect my home. Protect my husband while he travels. Protect my dogs. We want his and he that he is our protection. He's our shield. He's our strong tower. He is that that's who he is. He is our protector. He's our good shepherd. That's who he is. I have recently been challenged with do I ask for that first? Because I also ask for direction when I feel like, do I go this way? Do I go that way? Do I choose this thing? Do I choose that thing? Which way, Lord? So we'll sometimes we'll ask him for direction. Sometimes we're a little slow to ask for direction. But sometimes, you know, we get there and Lord, I ask for direction. So I feel it's easier to ask for protection. Then it's a little easier. Well, it's easiest to ask for protection. It's easy to ask for direction. But you know it's not easy. You know it doesn't come first to our minds, I think, to ask for correction. Do you realize just how desperate we are for his correction? We need his correction. We need, I mean, ultimately, don't we really want that? Don't we wanna know when we've turned down the wrong way and he's like, uh-uh, don't we wanna know like right then and there or like a mile down the road rather than 20 miles down the road? Correct me quickly, Lord. That is on my lips recently. Correct me quickly. Correct me quickly. search me and know me and reveal any wicked way. So that that wicked way that's little me right now, maybe, maybe it's bigger than we even realize, doesn't take us down a A more wicked way. Correct me. So I wanted to offer those three words too. But I think that our our human, our fleshy hearts would probably misorder those and we're quick to ask for protection. And I'm I'm thinking we need to flip it. Lord, correct me. Send your correction. Send your correction. Give me ears to hear and feet to follow. Show me where I need to be corrected. Give me a humble heart. Align my heart with yours. Like we want to be for him. We wanna be aligned with him. So correct me, direct me, and protect me. But I've been challenged to make sure it's in that order. 'Cause I think sometimes we're like quick to give me the gimme the protection. Give me the blessings. Bless me with a correction word. That will keep our house in order. Ask him. Ask him. Ask him to show you. He's so gentle. He's so loving. He's not gonna hit you in the head with a two by four. Unless you go twenty miles down the road and it's the only way you're gonna listen. He's a good father. He knows what we need. That's the kind of discipline you choose. I've chosen it too. So I'm not I'm I'm you're not alone. But I much prefer having tasted both, I much prefer Lord correct me quickly. Correct me quickly. Please don't let me go down that idiot road again. Or a totally different idiot road. And don't think you're above it. Keep that heart humble before him. When he is first, when your house is in order, you will be so blown away. You'll be so blessed by the freedom. Your to-do list will look totally different. You're resting in him. And where he has you and you're allowing him to be the lamp to your feet and the lamp the light to your path. So I'm I'm curious. What needs to be reordered in your house right now? Is there anything? Do you feel like the Lord's like, no, keep going? Great. Is there any tweaking that needs to happen? Is there a completely major overall that needs to happen? I've been there. And it's worth it. It's worth it. Is there anything before him? Is there anything that's taking up more space than him? Since I heard that whisper, since I heard get your house in order. I found it so helpful to ask those questions, to to check in with him frequently, regularly. Lord, how's the order of my house? How's my order? Because even once we get it in order, it can quickly get out. And all jumbled up. But it's never too far. It's never too far. Ask him. Lord, I ask that you would set aside time. That you would show them some time, this person listening, this heart listening. You would show them some time to just set aside for you. To go through the order of their home, the order of their heart, the orders of their attention, their desires, their worship, their finances, their priorities, all of it. We want to give you our first. We want you first. Help us to keep you first. We want you to be the Alpha and the Omega. We want to commit. Our whole hearts to you anything, anywhere, anytime. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for what you're doing. Thank you for your correction. Thank you for your direction. And thank you for your protection. You're such a good, good father. Help us to notice you and intentionally bring you. Along in our hearts in everything we do. And to seek you first for your glory and not ours. In Jesus' name. Amen. Well well thanks for being here. what's for dinner? What are your some of your favorite summer meals? I think tonight we're having burgers. I think we're gonna do burgers and tater tots. What do you put with burgers? I feel like that's the only thing I I used to make this tuna pasta salad. It's my daughter's favorite, but because she's not here, she's in college. I'm super happy for her. I love I love watching her do life. But my flesh says because I miss her. But she's the one that is our favorite tuna pasta salad. You just cook pasta, canned tuna fish, mayonnaise mustard, and then vegetables like some cucumbers, carrots, hard-boiled eggs, and olives, lots of olives. She loves olives. That's what we put typically with cheeseburgers. But I think tonight it's tater tots. What do you put with yours? I wanna know. I need some some burger burger sides. Just curious. I'm always looking for new things. But thanks so much for coming and hanging out and share with me what. God is doing and speaking in your life. It is so amazing. It's so fun for me to watch my brothers and sisters grow with me. It just is. I get a thrill out of it. I love when I see the Lord moving and working in all of us. It's why I share with you what he whispers to me, how he corrects me, how he changes me, sanctification. It's fun. It's fun when we do it together. Maybe not in the minute, but it's so cool. It's so cool. He's always doing something. He's always working. Thanks for coming. Love y'all. Bye. was this for you today? You're not alone. God whispered these things to my soul first. And then he whispered, there's more. When you hear that, who do you think of? Who stirs in your heart when you hear there's more? Pray about sharing this with them. Yep, them. Yep, you. Remember, we don't go to church. We are the church.