Speak It Out loud!

tammyrimer Voice of Clarity, What's in my heart

“Speak it out loud and you suck the power right out of it.” This statement has truly changed my life. As Christians, I believe it is sometimes harder to get out of a cycle of addiction because we are afraid to share our sins and struggles for fear of judgment from other Christians. As humans, that struggle is then compounded because, once addicted, it is terrifying to think of life without it because it has become a natural part of your life. I have spent years in this cycle of behavior, not having a clue how to get out of it, all the while stepping further away from God and hating myself more and more with each time because I didn’t have the strength to break free, even though I so desperately wanted to.

Then, this simple statement was made in the middle of a powerful sermon this past Sunday and it was the only thing that stuck in my head and it weighed so deeply on my heart that it brought me to tears, “Speak it out loud and you suck the power right out of it.” So I did. And I did again, and again, and again – and I cannot tell you how true that statement is.

God is NOT ashamed of our sin or our disobedience. Like a parent, He always wants us to be whole and healed and does not love us any less when we fall short. Whether it is because of pride, embarrassment, fear of judgment or persecution, or Satan whispering in our ears that we are not good enough or unloved because of our sin –we hide our addiction away and never reach out for help and try to fix it on our own – which will only lead to failure.

I am writing this at 1:40 AM because I can’t sleep because I feel so compelled to share with you that if you are struggling with addiction too, and are too afraid to tell someone and reach out for help, please know that when you speak it out loud – I promise you- the power WILL be sucked out of it and you will feel empowered each time you speak it to overcome it. This step has to be the FIRST step in moving out of addiction before anything else can or will improve.

I am no longer hiding this because I have realized that when I hide it – I give it power over me. When I hide it, it causes separation between God and me. When I hide it, it opens the door to sneak back into my life to become the unhealthy crutch it once was.

The statement “There are no 2nd chances” is a big fat lie. Speak it out loud and trust God to open the doors to healing. No matter how many times you have tried in the past to break free, when you stop hiding it you will find that all the help you need is right there.

 

 

What are you saying God???

tammyrimer Listening to God, What's in my heart , , , , , , , , , , , ,

imagesRomans 12:1-2 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

How many believers struggle with hearing from God? I did. I struggled for years, three years to be exact. In 2011 my heart was convicted in how I was living my “Christian” life. God was tugging on my heart, whispering my name…I could feel him… but I did nothing.

Time would pass, but the conviction never did. It just continued to grow stronger until I could finally no longer ignore or deny it. I began to write in my journal about this and would ask God to tell me what He wanted. There was no answer – just an empty feeling in my heart with a side of conviction.

For 2 years this pattern continued. I believe this is the definition of Insanity – keep doing the same thing, yet expecting a different result.

Up until this point my prayers to God went something like this “Hey God, I need you to tell me what you want.” “God, why can’t you just tell me what you want me to do.” (IE make it easy on me – don’t make me actually have to do any work in figuring this out!). “Come on God, I’m sick of feeling this way, just tell me what you want and I’ll do it.”

God knew better. I wouldn’t do it because I was not mature enough as a believer. His timing is always perfect. If this happened in the timing I wanted it would have failed for sure.

Finally, one day I had a realization. Maybe it would be a good idea to actually try and LISTENED to God.

I decided to dedicate an hour every morning to getting into God’s word – to understand better who He is, what He wants, How He speaks, and how to understand what He is saying.

It was in this time that SLOWLY my eyes began to see more clearly my real relationship with God. It was mediocre at best. How thankful am I that God never grows weary of his selfish and slow-to-catch-on people.

As I drew closer to God in His word – I GREW closer to Him in my heart, my soul and my mind. He became real to me again. You may ask what I mean by real??? I mean present – A present being, a present Father, a present friend, a present provider, a present protector…PRESENT [spiritually and physically with me].

As my relationship with Christ grew stronger, the desires of this earth had lessened. Everything started feeling so temporal to me, so fleeting. God has captured my heart for the eternal.

Please know this was NOT an overnight transformation – but a three plus year process of yelling, crying, begging, forgetting, sinning, working, sleeping, toiling, and did I say yelling?? Yes, I yelled at God a lot over these three years. I couldn’t understand the calling, the burden He had placed within me and that was frustrating and scary all at once. I was fearful of making any decision because I was scared to make the wrong one. I still didn’t know what He was saying to me. All I knew was that what I was currently doing was not my calling – my gifts were meant for more – and that He had something different for my life.

Romans 12:1-2 is a verse that I wish I read a few years ago. Then maybe I would have understood earlier that in order to hear from God and understand His will – I need to give my life COMPLETELY over to Him, and offer my life as a living sacrifice to Him. That I need to give up the patterns and cares of this world and to live in full obedience to Him.

No one can serve two masters and that is what I was doing. I was serving self, I was serving worldly idols. I was NOT serving God…until now.

Fellow believer, if you are hearing from God but struggling to understand what He is saying, press in to Him deeper. Offer yourself as a living sacrifice for God and put this world behind you…He will guide your steps and will make clear where you should be and you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is for your life – His good, pleasing and perfect will!

 

 

Where Can I run?

tammyrimer What's in my heart

three-crosses.jpgAt the feet of Jesus my world changed

Everything is brighter

I saw a picture of what I can be

 

 

My life will never flee from what I’ve seen

Your heart is my desire

I want to know you like the child you see

 

Where can I run from your love

You search me and know all my heart

If I climb to the heights you’ll be there

If I make my bed in hell, you’ll lead me home

 

Before the earth existed you knew me

You call me to be holy

I will praise you for the way I’m made

 

How precious are the thoughts you think of me

Could anybody count them?

They are greater than the sands by the sea

 

Where can I run from your love

You search me and know all my heart

If I climb to the heights you’ll be there

If I make my bed in hell, you’ll lead me home

 

I open up my heart please search me through

Does anything displease you?

Lead me on the way of your cross.

 

Where can I run from your love

You search me and know all my heart

If I climb to the heights you’ll be there

If I make my bed in hell, you’ll lead me home

 

Living a life of Submission

tammyrimer An Early Morning Vitamin, Listening to God, What's in my heart

blessedAn excerpt from the book Follow Me by David Platt

Ch. 4  “When followers of Christ share stories of how they became Christians, they often say something along the lines of, “I decided to make Jesus my personal Lord and Savior.” Initially and ultimately, of course, it’s wonderful to hear brothers and sisters recount the moment when their hearts were opened to the incomprehensibly passionate love of God…. At the same time, when I reflect on that particular statement – “I have decided to make Jesus my personal Lord and Savior” I can’t help but wonder how much this idea represents some subtly yet significantly dangerous trends in contemporary Christianity.

On one level, this statement minimizes the inherent authority of Jesus. Surely none of us can decide to make him Lord. Jesus IS Lord, regardless of what you or I decide….

…The real question is whether you or I will SUBMIT to his lordship, and this is the essence of conversation.

End excerpt.

After reading this section of the chapter I had to pause. It begs the act of self-examination. I know Jesus is Lord of all of us, regardless of whether we all believe it or not. I believe it. But in my life, do I live it? And when I say Live…what I mean is submit?

Understanding and believing that Christ is our Lord and Savior is honestly, one of the easier parts of this relationship. You look out the window and you know there is a creator, who absolutely loves each one of us. He loves us so much that He has designed a beautiful life and path for each of us, that is there if we really want it.

Where it gets hard is the relationship part – the step after believing. Satan does an amazing job of distracting us from what God truly intended for us. It is so easy to fall into the trap of selfish living. Needing more things, more money, more recognition, bigger house, nicer car…the list goes on and on.

Christ calls us to a life of serving others and putting others before ourselves [Matthew 29:40, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.] Submitting our wants, desires, and selfish ways, and focusing on serving and helping others is the first step to living a life submitted to God.  [John 3:30; He must become greater, I must become less].

It is not sinful or wrong to have desires and to plan life for yourself. God wants to bless us with everything. He wants our lives to be filled with joy, peace, love and happiness. Where the sin comes is wanting the ways of this world more than the ways of God [Exodus 20:3, there shall be no other God before me].

When we live a life of submission to Christ our hearts, desires, wants, needs will align with His and the true blessings of a fulfilled life will be yours.

My prayer today is this: “Lord, help me to live a life that is truly in accordance to your will. Help me to keep you first, before all things in my life. Help me to submit my desires to you, trusting that you know best and have my best interest at heart. I trust you with all that I am and am grateful for all that you have already blessed me with. You know my heart, my desires and my needs. I give them to you and pray that your will in my life be done. Amen.

Grey Living

tammyrimer Listening to God, What's in my heart

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“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord. On His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by the streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalms 1:1-3

These verses speak volumes in today’s time. We live in a world where any opinion and every opinion are taken as truth. Generations are growing up in a world of complete grey – with no absolutes. What a confusing time in which we live.

David (the author of the book of Psalms) shares a warning to us in living in the grey.

Today, there are so many places for us to seek counsel, stand in the way of sinners and sit in the seat of mockers. This world has become a place that loves and accepts and even encourages blurred lines and partial truths. Many sinful ways of living have become accepted as a proper way of life. Drugs are made legal, Playboy is a high quality brand, homosexuality is embraced, divorce is a social norm and so on.

Please know – I am not listing these pieces in judgment but rather in highlighting some of the sinful behaviors, we (even as believers and followers of Christ) have come to accept as normal, natural and right.

It is SO easy to fall into the “grey” way of living and to live among the wicked to a point where truth no longer shows, even among those who proclaim Christ as truth.

David says, in paraphrase, “The righteous man delights in the law of the Lord and on this law he meditates day and night.” I love this verse because what he is saying here is that we know and understand God’s truth and we embrace and believe it for our own good. And when we meditate on God’s word and make it a part of our daily life and memorize it and hold it close to our heart – we are protected from falling into a “grey” lifestyle. The truth of the Lord is clearly seen and understood and we abide by it because we know it is what is GOOD for us.

Just like a parent setting guidelines and rules for their children – God has set guidelines and rules for us – out of love, not control, out of protection, not punishment.

David goes on, “he is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.”  YES. When you come to the word of God and mediate on it day and night, you become rooted in the stream of LIFE. You have a power source, a food source, flowing into you daily, keeping you strong, healthy and fed.

When you stay rooted to God, you will naturally yield fruit. What does that mean you ask??? It means others will see the joy within you, they will want to understand why you are so strong and fearless of life and the stream of life flowing in you will naturally want to flow out onto others and you will become a disciple of Christ – sharing your testimony and good news with those who don’t know.

FRUIT. Others will see the truth in you and will become seedlings blossoming into their own tree, rooted by the stream through your discipleship.

The last statement David makes in this verse really spoke volumes to me. “Whatever he does prospers.” For the past 2 years I really struggled with “What is God’s calling for me?” I felt frustrated because I felt what I was currently doing wasn’t right and that I was missing out on what God had for me. Now, as I have rooted myself in His word and meditated on it day and night (as the Psalms says) it has all been made very clear!

If you are living a life rooted in God then whatever you do prospers, because God is at the center of it. God doesn’t have his will “hidden” from us. He’s not sitting in heaven saying to me “Okay Tammy, good luck finding my will for your life. You’re getting warmer. No now you’re colder….” But rather God calls us to a full life with Him – it is the same calling for me, for you and for your neighbor. Our calling is to live a life right with Christ and to share His love and life with others.

When we die to ourselves and allow Christ to live in us – we are living His calling and anything we do will prosper. Please don’t mistake, “prosper” for becoming rich and everything you do will succeed and turn to gold. J God’s definition of prosper and our worldly definition is a bit different.

Even though we are rooted in Christ, we will still encounter hard times – but now we have a solid life source to keep us strong. I want to encourage you to continue reading beyond Psalms 1:3. David compares the man rooted in God verses the man not rooted.

My prayer for you today is that you will dedicate time daily to meditating on the word of God. Plant your heart and life near God’s life stream (his word – the Bible), allowing Him to flow in you daily, keeping your soul strong and fed. Go out and show others what God has done for you and “yield fruit” showing others the love of Christ through your own salvation.

 

The Rewards in Taking Risks

tammyrimer What's in my heart
Teddy R.“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt
On his approach to work and life

 

My husband found this quote this morning and sent it to me, in an attempt to encourage me after a sad and painful experience with someone this week. This person was set out to hurt and deflate me with harsh words. After her exchange of words, her goal was accomplished. I did feel hurt and deflated.

 

But in remembering to keep my eyes and heart focused on the things that really matter (living for our dear Lord and Savior, not people) and after reading this quote, my heart is healed and I am ready to move forward, staying focused on my calling and living to glorify God, even in the mundane tasks I do throughout each day.

 

Today I want to encourage each one of you to look past any heartache and pain that others try to cause in an effort to elevate themselves. Our worth and blessings come only from God and the opinions of mere man do not affect our current work or eternal worth.

 

Keep your eyes focused on God. Trust in His will and His way for the life He has blessed you with. And leave the stresses and distractions of this world to satan.

 

God bless you today.

Following His call for your life…

tammyrimer Fishers of Men, Voice of Clarity, What's in my heart

fishermenLuke 5: 4 – 7  When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.” 

As I read through the full passage Luke 5: 1-11 this section in the middle (verses 4-7) really caught me. The fishermen were tired. They worked hard all day and bore no fruit for their efforts. They probably came in from the water feeling defeated, embarrassed and frustrated with all the wasted time for that day.

Then Jesus comes by and talks with them for a time. The scripture doesn’t indicate what Jesus said here. But after teaching from the boat, Jesus tells the fisherman to go back out and drop their nets. So, with faith, the fisherman went back out.

Now this is the first thing that really caught my attention. How many of us would go back out and drop the nets again? Do we truly trust God, when He speaks to us? Do we believe that if we obey His calling that He will be faithful to bless our actions? Do we trust that He will work it all out for good or do we fear that God can’t accomplish what He is calling us to do?

Well, the fisherman trusted in blind faith and went back out and dropped their nets. They heard God (although I am not sure they truly understood the magnitude of who was speaking to them as you’ll see in a few verses) and took action on His calling – His command, and went back out in the waters and dropped their nets.

This is what caught me next. What if they didn’t go back out in the water? What if they decided they were too busy or too tired to try again? What if they thought that they knew better and that nothing would ever come from going back out and dropping their nets?

I will tell you what would have happened… They would have missed out on not only the blessing of God but they would have missed out on the true EXPERIENCE of God in hearing Him and acting on His word and calling for them.

How many times do we hear God’s still small voice telling us to do something where He is just waiting to bless us (and others) with amazing things and we don’t act? How many of us feel too busy or too tired or ill equipped to move for God?

For myself, I know I have heard God’s calling and have not acted. My reasons? Too busy, not sure it was God, too scared, lack of confidence…[fill in the blank] because I am sure I have said it. I look back and feel sad at now understanding the time I have wasted in not moving when He called me.

But in verse 6 the fisherman experienced the blessing of God because they acted in faith and obedience. And in verse 8 they are overwhelmed with emotion, telling God to “Go away from me, I am a sinful man.” (This is where they truly understand the magnitude of our Lord).

That experience was more than pulling up a net full of fish. It was an act of love and blessing straight from God. I am sure you had to be there and experience their emotions throughout the day (and maybe even throughout the years before – who knows). We were not there to hear what Jesus shared with them when He taught in the boat – but maybe hearts were stirred before the calling from Jesus was spoken.

What I am sure of is the men didn’t fall to their knees because Jesus brought them a net full of fish. What brought them to their knees was the realization that they were unworthy of a love so pure and so righteous, yet they received that love none the less. They realized and experienced the true nature of God and were overwhelmed with His glory in that moment.

God has that moment designed for each one of us – if we would just be willing to go out in the waters and drop our nets.  God wants to have that personal experience with each one of us. And as the love of a father, He wants to bless us abundantly (which doesn’t mean we become millionaires but rather we are 100% fulfilled in him and our souls are filled to abundance with His love).  He has a personal calling for us all and has gifted each of us with an amazing unique talent that is personally ours, as personal as our fingerprint.

My prayer for you today, is that you take some time to LISTEN. Just sit in silence with God and trust me when I tell you that in the silence, He will speak to your heart. Allow Him the time and space to share His will and calling on your life.

His will is perfect and his blessings are filled with love and goodness for you….Do not be afraid to follow His call for you.

 

 

The fleeting “riches” of this world

tammyrimer An Early Morning Vitamin, Voice of Clarity, What's in my heart

 three crossesLuke 9:23 – 24 says this: Then He said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”

This verse spoke to me in a different way than it ever has in the past (which is why it is the LIVING WORD – amen). When Christ uses the word “daily,” I believe He is reminding us that the action of following Christ is an ongoing and purposeful decision.  We are to be intentional with our walk with Him and intentional with our faith, words, choices and actions.

So often people believe “I did my part when I asked Christ into my heart.” And they truly believe that was their part in taking up their cross. NO! God wants a daily relationship with us. He wants us to daily remember that we are His child and that we are alive because of Him. Our act of worship and love and thanksgiving should be a daily act.

But I believe the other part of this verse is the word “cross.” The cross was an act of complete and pure love and sacrifice. Christ is reminding us that in this life there will be pain, heartache, fear and sacrifice. Often times people turn away from God in times of pain and hardship believing there can’t really be a God if He would allow such horror and pain. NO! God tells us clearly that satan is the prince of this world and that there will be pain and hardship in this life.

Just because we have a relationship with Christ does not exempt us from hardship, as it did not exempt Christ from hardship. But Christ promises to be with us in and through the hardship and often times we come out so much stronger and with a better understanding of our loving God – stay focused on Him in your hardship.

Just as Jesus lived with purpose and intent about being the light of this world – daily, so must we. Just as Jesus lived a life of pure love and sacrifice in obedience to God the Father – daily, so must we. When we die to this world and self and we begin to live for the eternal, for God – daily, we will then be truly alive!!!

Examine your life right now…what are you truly living for? What is the main focus and drive behind your daily choices – for your life? Are you living for the things of this world or for the eternal? Are you taking up your cross – daily?

Living for the things of this world are temporary at best. Look around the room you’re in – when you are out today, look around your city. Everything eventually breaks, falls apart, dies – nothing of this world is lasting.

The “riches” of this world are fleeting – but life in Christ is forever. More precious than gold and silver is the love and life of Jesus Christ. Live for the everlasting and don’t die for things that are dying right along with you….Live for Christ.

Beauty was not meant to be skin deep

tammyrimer An Early Morning Vitamin, Voice of Clarity, What's in my heart

SONY DSCThis morning when I was leaving Zumba class, I walked past a beautiful bed of flowers at the church. Beneath that beautiful bed I could faintly smell manure. Immediately the thought came to me and made me laugh out loud at the obvious symbol.

Many times we try to make ourselves look beautiful on the surface, but underneath that surface is a world of manure. We live a life focused on only the surface to be sure that everyone else sees a strong successful person with no pain, sin or trauma in their life.

We waste so much time focusing on the surface, that we never take the time to go deeper to try to clean out or deal with the manure.

I am a key offender of this. So worried about what everyone sees on the surface , rather than addressing who I really am, on the inside.  What I got from that was a very shallow life, which only ever made me feel empty inside.

During a recent “coming to Jesus” moment in my life, with my marriage, God opened my eyes for the first time. I saw the whole picture – not just my surface – not just who I believed myself to be, but everything I really was.

The amazing thing is, God did this with such love. No judgment – just “Hey Tammy, why are you expecting perfection from others when you have this pile of manure hidden beneath your own surface?” I was convicted for the first time.

I saw the darkness in my own heart for the first time. I began to pray daily and the first thing I asked, daily, was “God, please take this darkness from my heart.” Eventually I added that He would make satan a footstool at my feet and that he would no longer be allowed to whisper his hateful lies to me anymore.

Chains began to break and the “stink” of my manure began to fade. What I am learning in life is this. Many of us will start out with worrying about our surface and ignore the manure inside. BUT once we become aware of the manure, and with real repentance, ask God to remove that manure, what I found is that the manure is what makes us stronger in our faith and makes our outsides mirror our inside – beautiful, just like that bed of flowers.

My relationship with Christ is so much stronger now BECAUSE I saw what He saw. And I watched as He lovingly helped me through my stink, as my Father and Counselor, to bring me to a place of true repentance, forgiveness and peace.

Many of you have “manure” buried under your surface and feel trapped because you don’t know how to change it or you are hanging on to it as a wall of protection. There is freedom from that bondage and that freedom is called Jesus Christ.

He tells us to give Him our burdens and He will lighten our load. He is your Father, and as a father, He loves you beyond measure, beyond words. Give your manure to Jesus – because only He is able to truly clean your heart, cleanse your soul and give you true freedom from sin, pain and heartache.

My prayer today is that you will allow Christ to create in you a truly beautiful surface through cleansing what is inside your heart – removing your manure and setting you free.

What does it mean to follow Christ?

tammyrimer Fishers of Men, Voice of Clarity

follow me 5 for web

Somehow many have come to believe that a person can be a “Christian” without being like Christ. A “follower” who doesn’t follow. Many people have decided to take on the name of Christ and nothing else. This would be like Jesus walking up to those first disciples and saying, “Hey, would you guys mind identifying yourselves with Me in some way? Don’t worry, I don’t actually care if you do anything I do or change your lifestyle at all. I’m just looking for people who are willing to say they believe in Me and call themselves Christians.” Seriously??? (excerpt from Multiply).

I found this paragraph to be terribly convicting and powerful. I am (was) just as guilty as those he is writing about. I lived a life no different from non-believers. Praise God for sticking with me until I finally got it . My prayer today, for you, if that you will examine your life for Christ and ask Him what he would have for you – what great calling and purpose you are meant to fulfill and live out while you are still here. Without truly following Him, you may never hear His voice, His purpose for your beautiful life. Seek Him.