The Shift

Blessings this morning. I am excited to be here. Blessings and welcome to Fertile Hearts and the Grace Space, where we are being fruitful and multiplying. And today we are multiplying the word of God. And do I have a special, a special word for y'all on today. Today we are starting off with our reflection, and we're going to really, really reflect on what we are calling the shift. Things are shifting, and it is time for us to continue to cast down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. And we're going to bring every thought captive, and we're going to do that in the obedience of Christ. And what we are doing is going forth in the purpose that we are divine. designed to do here on the earth. So today, being fruitful and multiple— multiplying. And of course, y'all know how I like to have my, my words. So, um, this one, although we are still taking the L out of the world and coming back with the word, but this is the year of multiplication. And so with that multiplication, what we are replacing is manipulation. So we're going to do spiritual multiplication as we combat spiritual manipulation. So today is a special word as we go through our reflection, our devotion, and our strategy and approach. But I do def— I definitely want to start with the reflection. So today we're going to reflect on the word happy, happy, happy. Let's reflect on Happy, and the word that's going to come from first Samuel twelve verse twenty-two. The Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake because it because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. That should like just reflecting on that. It makes me happy. Happy is like a temporary feeling because we have joy inside. That's the seed of joy. Joy that's being planted. When you have joy in the word of the Lord, it produces that feeling of happiness. So the Lord will not forsake his people. So no matter what you're going through, knowing that the Lord will not forsake you, it should make you feel happy. And also remember that joy that's inside of you for his great name's sake. So when you say Jesus, Jesus, it brings forth a happiness because you remember the Lord will not forsake you. And as long as you continue to dwell in that secret place of the Most High God, and that's his word, um, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself, you are chosen, you are seen, you are forgiven, you are a child of God. So continue to remember that. So what could be more rewarding than to know that you please the Lord? What could be— as we reflect today, it's going to be a real great reflection day. What could be more rewarding than to know that you please the Lord? When you enter into a relationship with God, he promises to never leave you. He's with you for the long haul, not only because it's not in his nature to leave But also because, simply put, you make him happy. You make it— you, you make the Lord happy when you are obedient, when you are— when you seek him first, when you put God first, when you love the Lord with all your, your heart. That's understanding. Lord, I need understanding in this moment. Let me seek you. Let me reflect on your word. Let me reflect on your spirit, your spirit of joy, your spirit of love, your spirit of peace, your spirit of— you are the Most High. Just to be able to reflect and think about you, Lord. So often we convince ourselves that we have disappointed God. This translates into shame in our relationship with him. But today is a special reflection. As I was saying, as far as the shift, there's no more shame, there's no guilt, there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ. So knowing that you you're in Christ. Like, just say— just saying the name of Jesus, it makes you happy knowing that you are protected, you are seen, you are loved, you are chosen. So spend time today delighting yourself in the Lord and feeling his delight over you in return. So delight yourself. He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High God, he delights in the law of the Lord. He is like a tree planted. So continue to plant yourself near the water of the living God and continue to meditate on the word. So today I want you to reflect over how do you think you make God happy. I will reflect on that personally and think about and reflect and meditate, and it brings a smile to my face to say, how do I make God happy. But a lot of times we think about how do God make us happy, but our— how do we make God happy? So just being obedient, being, um, loyal, being trustworthy, having that, that integrity, and continuing to grow and delight in yourself in the Lord. I feel like, you know, as I continue, I will continue to reflect on that today. But then also we're doing our devotion, and today we're devoting ourselves with I will always get up. I will always get up. Today, as we devote ourselves back to God, we deny ourselves knowing that I will always get up. In Psalms 37:23-24, it says, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down. But those thoughts, anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, Will be cast down. But although we may fall, may although we come short, we shall not be utterly cast down by the Lord. So no dream or goal or desire is without roadblocks or opposition. So knowing we already know that we're going to face trouble, we're not exempt. We know we're not exempt from anything that comes against us. We know that that suffering is producing a a a is giving us the ability to persevere. God don't want to see you just stay still. He wants you to persevere because there is a character— and that's why we're talking about the shift on today— because there is a character shift that is needed for you to actually step into the hope that you have. So that's the desire. God knows the desires of your heart, so he knows the plans that he has for you, and those things are not to harm you. But to give you hope and for a future, to prosper you. So those are the times when we question the dream, the goal, or the desire, or if it can really happen. So sometimes now we're quite, you know, questioning. But we have to remember, as we reflect on how do we make God happy, knowing that we're going through different things, we can still go through those different things, but just knowing that Even if you misstep or stumble, get up and keep moving. Get up and keep moving. The Lord will not forsake you. The Lord will not forsake you. Now you gotta remember, God first. So the Lord will not forsake you. Not saying that others will, you know. So that's why you put the God first. When you put God first, you understand that he will not forsake you. And then when others or things— you feel like you are being forsaken by others, then you remember the Lord would not forsake me. And then it brings back that feeling of happiness. And that's that joy, is tapping into the joy that's inside you. And so as we continue to devote and reflect on those things, we also need our daily strategy and approach. So today the daily strategy and approach is going to come from Psalms. And it's Psalm 61:4. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. And we're talking about dwelling, we're talking about Psalm 91, dwelling in the secret place of the Most High God. We're also talking about the shelter of his wings, his covering, his protection, his, his covering. And that's a word that someone has yesterday was, you are covered. You are covered. Just even thinking about Job and, you know, God having the hedge of protection, you are covered. So there are several— this is just an example as we go through our daily strategy and approach. We want to kind of put ourselves in this situation. And so there are several Canada goose families with baby geese at the pond near our apartment complex. The little gooselings are also fluffy and cute. It's hard not to watch them when I go for a walk or run around the pool, uh, around the pond. But I've learned to avoid eye contact and give these geese a wide berth. Otherwise, I risk a protective goose parent suspecting a threat and hissing and chasing me. So that's a reflection. So even in that To keep staying in protection and safety, we have to guard our eyes. What are we, you know, seeking? What are we looking at? So therefore, you know, some things you might have to avoid to stay within the protective light, um, to avoid risk. The image of a bird protecting her young is one that scripture uses to describe God's tender, protective love for his children. In Psalm 61, David seems to be struggling to experience God's care in this way. He'd experienced God as his refuge, a strong tower, but now he called desperately from the ends of the earth, pleading, lead me to the rock that is higher than— he longed to once more take refuge in the shelter of God's wings. So today, for even for me, my strategy and approach is to Take refuge in the shelter of God's wings. Cover me, protect me, you know, keep, keep, keep me in your, your way, your will. Um, let me not do anything on my own. That's why today we're denying ourselves the things that we may want to see, the things that we may want to do, the things that— anything that is of us, Lord. Protect us, cover us with your wings so that I could not see what I need to see, what I need to do, where I need to be that I want to be. But I will be and do and see everything that you have ordained for me. So because of God's faithfulness, he knew he would ever sing in praise of his name. So like the psalmist, when we feel distant from God's love We can run back to his arms to be assured that even in our pain, he's with us, protecting and caring for us fiercely as a mother bird guards her young. So today we are covered, we are protected, but our strategy and approach is to call out to God and just know that it's God's faithfulness, his word. We know that faithfulness is God's word. The more and more We continue to follow Christ. That's why today we're following the change specialist. Today, for us to shift into the next, we need to follow our change specialist, which is Jesus, as we are a change agent. Now we are changing ourselves and denying ourselves of the things that we usually would want to do or be or say or think or do. Today it is All planted. We're going to reflect on how we make God happy. Am I being obedient? Am I being— am I following the discipline that has been outlined? Am I speaking in the way that God has ordered my step? Um, so as we go through our strategy and approach, to help define that strategy and approach for today, We want to ask ourselves, how does it encourage you to remember God's protective care for you? How does it encourage you to remember? To remember. How does it encourage you to remember? And what we are remembering is God's protective care that he has for you. How have you experienced his care? So we want to Remember that and adapt that same approach and strategy on today to stay in his protective care. And then we want to pray and say, dear God, thank you for your fierce protective love for me. Help me to rest securely in your tender care. And so thank you guys for joining the reflection, the devotion. I pray that you reflect on how you make God happy and how God makes you happy. And then also devoting yourself to staying under his protective care and also remembering to think about that strategy and approach to stay within his— God's protective care and covering. So thank you guys for being fruitful and multiplying.