Perspective Maintenance

Not Forgotten

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What a comfort to know that I’m on God’s mind!  Have you ever had a day where you just wonder if anyone cares?  This week started out like that for me.  Yet, within a 3-hour span, God touched the hearts of 3 people in 3 different states to e-mail me notes of encouragement.  They were so timely – and ironically/incidentally/coincidentally (or not!), 2 of the messages had the same subject line: “Checking In.”  It was uncanny – because none of these people know each other – and I had to laugh as I recognized the hand of God at work in my life.  I had an appointment to “check in” with my Heavenly Father – so was I going to show up, or what?!

He is the glory and the lifter of my head.  He will not allow me to stay discouraged, even when I convene my own pity-party with hand-addressed invitations!  His love comes through the most unexpected sources sometimes.  One day recently, I realized the love I was looking for was coming through my 4 year-old daughter’s incessant desire to curl up under me and remain underfoot while she repeatedly hugged and kissed me.  Instead of asking her why she was so clingy or redirecting her to “go play,” I finally (duh!) got the message and began to receive the love God was sending me through her vessel.  And that day, I lacked nothing.

Have you tapped your hidden Source of provision today?

© Copyright 2009 by Kayren J. Cathcart

 “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

(Luke 12:6-7)

Rising to the Top… (kinda corny – pun intended)

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This morning, I was sitting at my desk eating my generic brand frosted shredded mini-bites cereal by hand (my doctor reminded me of the benefits of fiber), washed down by a generous swig of milk after each little biscuit.  Noticing myself getting full, I put the top back on my plastic container.  Then I started hearing little sounds like snow falling – but in my mind, I knew that couldn’t be happening at my desk.  So I looked closely at my container and saw that static was causing little bits of the wheat cereal to leave the pile (bits from the end of the bag) and cling to the top of the plastic container.  It was hilarious to me because I’d never noticed my cereal moving before my very eyes.  So I suppose this was a special occasion.  🙂

Now I’m not gonna get all deep and claim to have received some great revelation through my breakfast.  I will say that hearing this faint sound and subsequently choosing to look in an unlikely spot attuned me to the presence of God for the day in a unique way.  The sheer delight of everything in the earth being subject to Him reminded me of God’s greatness.

If He chooses to speak by cereal, who am I to protest?  He can speak in any way He chooses.  The question is:  will we listen?  And once we’ve listened, will we obey?

Will you stay with the crowd today, or will you rise to the top?  Press on, my friend!

© Copyright 2009 by Kayren J. Cathcart

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

(Colossians 3:1-3)

What’s Your Outlook?

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Yesterday was hard.  It was tough to focus, tough to push through.  I was overtired and I’m dealing with some transitions in my work environment – but let’s face it, who isn’t?!  I hardly had the motivation to get off the elevator; yet, when I did finally get settled into my cube, I found myself surfing various news sites and counting down to the moment when I could clock out.  Before I knew it, I’d read several weeks’ worth of Dilbert comics online.  Sound familiar?

As I commuted home, I was so convicted that I hadn’t been an effective steward of the time, life, health, and strength I’d been given for that 24-hour span that I determined to make today better.  Amazingly, it seemed God become the wind beneath my wings to help bring that to pass.  Today, it didn’t seem so laborious to start my morning.  I spoke to someone kind who was waiting for the train.  There was a melody in my heart.  I thought of one work-related task I could accomplish today – and I did it!  Things started looking up.

I guess the choice was mine all along!  What attitude will you choose today?

© Copyright 2009 by Kayren J. Cathcart

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”

(Deuteronomy 30:19)

Clear the Clutter to Get Victory in Your Secret Place

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“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”

(Proverbs 4:23, Amplified)

How many of us have emotional baggage and mental clutter that gets in the way when we realize our need to press into the presence of God?  Let me be the first one to raise my hand!  Too often, we allow issues, concerns, and circumstances to accumulate and gather steam.  Instead of releasing them to God and allowing the breath of the Holy Spirit to blow them away, we give life to the very things that come to choke the life out of us.  What started as a question has grown into full-blown worry; what began as a gnawing feeling of insecurity has mushroomed into a cloud of doubt; and what was initially apprehension has spun out of control into a tornado of fear.  Before we know it, confusion looms overhead as a daunting force to be reckoned with – and we wonder, “Where did that come from?!”  A foreign substance has infiltrated your secret place, but I have good news: it doesn’t have to stay that way!

Secret means confidential, private, restricted, covert, clandestine, and concealed.  Everyone doesn’t (and shouldn’t) have access to things classified as secret!  The heart is the secret place where God desires to dwell and have habitual fellowship with us.  When we lead a double life or “straddle the fence” (because we’re not honest with God, ourselves, or others), the secret place becomes defiled. 

Inconsistencies between our talk and our walk reveal a need for God’s intervention and a commitment on our part to be transformed by the power of His Word.  The scripture says we must “keep and guard” our hearts – these are action words, not passive terms!   People who exhibit behavior contrary to the Word of God (which they may even profess!) indicate that they have a problem with boundaries, obedience, and God-given authority.  Behind their destructive or addictive habits, they’re screaming out, “I’m hurt!”  They accepted a “substitute fix” – but alas, it doesn’t satisfy the hunger growing in the pit of their souls.  They say they have faith, but they’re terrified deep down on the inside.  They say they love their brothers and sisters, but something bubbles in the pit of their stomach when they see them.  They say they have peace, but they find no rest.  These are the things God wants to address in the secret place – because when you get quiet, you have to face the real you and deal with your issues of trust and intimacy with God. 

You might be thinking, “That’s not me!  But I know somebody else who fits those characteristics!”  However, I encourage you to examine your own secret place closely.

When the spirit of compromise enters your heart, you’ll rationalize, justify, and make excuses – but all that matters is the truth of God’s Word.  To probe a little deeper in this area, ask God to help you identify:

  • What issue do you avoid facing and dealing with?
  • What obstacle appears impossible to overcome?
  • What challenge do you feel inadequate to conquer?
  • What terrifying fear has gripped and paralyzed you?

To walk upright in integrity is priceless – but it is attainable.  Give God unrestricted access to your secret place today – He will bring to light those things that have been hidden in plain sight from you.  He’ll uncover the treasures He placed in you that were tangled with the clutter of negative thoughts and images.  And He’ll cleanse you of those things you tried to hide, but no longer have need of.   May the clear springs of life flow from your heart forevermore…

To get victory in your secret place:

  1. Stop where you are – don’t get in deeper!
  2. Cry out to God earnestly and repent – humble yourself.
  3. Ask for God’s help and direction – listen!
  4. Obey! Begin to walk in the direction He shows you, without hesitation.

© 2009 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Steal Away to Jesus

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Disclaimer: Everything stated in this article is applicable to the author!  How about you?

“Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain’t got long to stay here.”

Lyrical Excerpt from “Steal Away to Jesus”

A Negro Spiritual by James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson

Why does it seem so hard for us to pull away from the things we KNOW are keeping us from abiding in true peace?  Why do we allow the all-too-familiar speed bump of the status quo to slow us down on the road to progress and success?  Could it be that we’re unwilling to make a clean break from what we intellectually know, visibly see, and mentally comprehend with our finite minds?  Maybe we subconsciously think, “Well, it’s not that bad, right?”  Is it possible there’s something deep down inside that wants to hold onto that habit, relationship, behavior, attitude, or memory? 

Perhaps you have recently found yourself thinking thoughts similar to these:

  • “Nobody else can organize/coordinate/orchestrate/manage this like I can.”
  •  “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to finish all that I have to accomplish!”
  • “I could delegate this task, but it won’t get done the way I want it to be completed.”

If so, you need to steal away to Jesus – soon.  Why?  Because the process will remind you that you’re not indispensable – only He is.  You are not a wonderful sensation or a marvelous phenomenon – you are a vessel He has selected and chosen for His use.  Only when His glory is manifested can you reflect it to this lost and dying world – and offer the hope of salvation that comes only through Him.  Yet, you are simply a vessel – one that carries the glory of Almighty God.  Always remember that it’s not your glory in the first place.  If you are so busy doing for others that you haven’t been replenished in His presence – beware!  You’ll be dispensing from your own reserves instead of tapping into Him as the endless Source.  And that, my friend, is a recipe for disaster.

Steal away means to “sneak out, slip out, slip away, exit, leave.”  It means to slip away from your regular activities and daily routine to seek His face.  Leave whatever you’re doing and get back to the basics – the core essence of your being.  Exit the madness and swirling torrents of drama threatening to overtake you.  When you spend time in the Lord’s presence, He’ll adjust your perspective and show you what’s really important –His priorities for your life.  It makes things much simpler; you don’t have to figure it out after all – just obey His instructions.  You’ll realize “I ain’t got long to stay here.”  With that focus, you’ll be able to turn your attention to the activities and assignments you were sent to do – instead of allowing extraneous things to accumulate on your plate to the point of overwhelming you.

Years ago, as I enthusiastically described my first “real” job to my Dad (and the ink on my newly-minted college degree was still wet), he took that precise opportunity to burst my little bubble and give me a heaping dose of reality.  With over twenty years of military service and plenty of “real world” life experience under his belt, I consider him to be a pretty trustworthy resource.  He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “If you think you’re indispensable to your job – DIE.  Then see if they don’t fill your seat with someone else to do your job…while the seat is warm.”  His words hurt my feelings a bit (and bruised my ego a lot!), but as time passed, I’ve had to acknowledge how right he was.  It set me on an early path of learning to balance the demands and expectations of others with taking responsibility for cultivating my own quality of life.  I share those sage words with others who need a reality check.

For some strange reason, we think we’re supposed to be “super saints” who do it all – 24/7.  Not so!  Even our supreme example, Jesus, took time away from the crowds, noise, and hustle and bustle of everyday life.  In Matthew 15, he took several opportunities after serving others to “get away from it all” and retreat into the presence of His Father.  Depending on where you stand today and the boundaries you’ve set (and honor) for yourself, “flying under the radar” or “going off the grid” may seem like an action-movie fantasy or a harsh, drastic decision.  However, sometimes it’s absolutely necessary.  Often, we tell folks too much of our personal business, grant them unlimited access to our innermost thoughts, and expect answers, solutions, and validation they cannot provide.  The intimacy we’re searching for in people must first be secured in our relationship with Christ.  So don’t delay…steal away to Jesus!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

(Matthew 11:28-30, NIV)

 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?  Come to me.

Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.  I’ll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

(Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)

© Copyright 2009 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Is Fear Clouding Your Judgment?

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“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)

Have you ever felt too fearful to do something you believe God has called you to do?  At those times, you have to believe God’s Word because He is Truth, and He is not a man that He should lie.  Fear is the opposite of faith.  Faith empowers, emboldens, and thrusts ahead into divine destiny.  On the other hand, fear keeps you locked up as a prisoner in your own mind and a slave to your delusions.

Fear is defined as “a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.”  Synonyms include apprehension, terror, fright, panic, horror, alarm, and dread.  These words certainly evoke images of torment!  Nevertheless, when we nurture our relationship with God on a daily, consistent basis, we’ll walk in love and not fear; obedience, and not rebellion.

As we revisit the story of Moses sending the spies to Canaan (the Promised Land) in Numbers 13 and14, we see the children of Israel faced with a dilemma.  They had to choose to step outside the comfort zone of familiarity to possess God’s promise (laid out and waiting for them) or continue to wander in the wilderness without the provision God had already made.  Fear caused the majority of them to focus on the challenges they were well-equipped to overcome instead of standing on the victorious end result God had decreed.  Their perception was definitely skewed. In their insecurity, they saw themselves as inferior to the people God commanded them to conquer!  They even projected that their enemies saw them as they saw themselves – as grasshoppers (Numbers 13:33).

In Numbers 14:11, God’s anger was provoked by the people’s lack of faith as they were overcome with FEAR – in spite of His promise!  How disheartening it must have been for the Creator, with His perfect plan and divine will laid out, to hear His creation murmuring about how they couldn’t receive what was already set apart for them because of their own insecurity.  As if God weren’t big enough to fight for them!  As if He hadn’t already gone before them to prepare the way and make provision!

Yet, how many of us offer the same lame excuses today?  What “land of milk and honey” have you nearly forfeited out of fear?  Have you seen yourself – and subsequently influenced others to see you – as a tiny bug that can be squashed in one step?  Rise up!  God has empowered you with His authority to face your fears. You are empowered for the purpose of destroying, vanquishing, conquering, and overcoming them – not wallowing in them, nursing them, or catering to them!  If you’re paralyzed by fear or walking in disobedience (going in the wrong direction), your judgment is probably pretty shaky.  We’ve all been there – whether we care to admit it or not.

So where are you today?  Is fear clouding your judgment?  If so, consider these progressive action steps that will help you confront and conquer fear:

  1. Look at it – identify the real issue (don’t keep sweeping it under the rug)
  2. Deal with it – get support and help from the brethren
  3. Be delivered from it – let it go!
  4. Help deliver others (minister deliverance) – walk in freedom and spiritual liberty

Know that “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7).  When you take that first step, you’ll see the cloud of fear melt away as the light of God’s truth shines into your situation.  Why believe a lie? 

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (III John 1:4).  Press forward to receive all God has in store for YOU.  Trust HIM – He is faithful to His Word and keeps His promises.  Remember:  When God is on your side, HE fights for you and victory is assured, guaranteed, and certain.  That alone should dispel any nagging fear hanging around!  Now get moving in the direction God has instructed…

© Copyright 2008 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Don’t Neglect the Gift Within You

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“Do not neglect your gift…”

(I Timothy 4:14, NIV)

Many times, gifts that God Himself has given us lie dormant.  We’ve allowed precious treasures He has entrusted to our care and stewardship to be hidden, inactive, and underdeveloped.  Often, we don’t really venture outside of our comfort zones until the pressure we’re experiencing becomes almost unbearable.  Then, under the weight, we finally yield and say, “Okay God – You win!!!”  When a storm comes to shake us out of our grogginess and complacency, we cry out, “Mercy!  Please help me, Lord!”

It is imperative that you cultivate, nurture, develop, and mature your gift.  If it weren’t important, Timothy’s mentor wouldn’t have admonished him to “stir up the gift of God that is in you” (II Timothy 1:6).  Was Timothy lazy, fearful, or just comfortable?  Perhaps he just wasn’t operating at maximum efficiency and effectiveness.  As a matter of fact, Paul seemed to admonish him to shake off his comfortable contentment with the status quo and stop settling for the mediocre and familiar.

If this sounds like a place where you find yourself, it’s time to give your gifts a wake-up call!  Repent, pray for direction, commit to purposeful action, and GET MOVING!  Your gift will take you into the arena of greatness (Proverbs 18:16).  Be so focused and single-minded in tending to your gift and executing God’s purpose that external influences and distractions cease to matter.  I’ll admit that it’s not easy or passive activity.  Jude 1:3 admonishes us to “earnestly contend for the faith.”  That means it’s going be a press.  Sometimes we’ll have to fight; yet, Matthew 11:12 tells us “…the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”  I dare say that your destiny is worth fighting for.  The purpose of resistance, opposition, and pressure is to propel you toward opportunity – which is cleverly disguised as adversity!  Will you polish your gift and seize the opportunity? 

What will you do with the door opened by your gift?

 The world anticipates your response…and destiny awaits your embrace.

© Copyright 2008 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Resistance Builds Resilience: There’s Purpose in the Press!

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Pressure can be defined as “force, weight, heaviness, stress, strain, demand, load, burden, or difficulty.”  Does any of this sound familiar to you?  Everywhere we look these days, pressure is evident.  Sometimes it feels like more than we can bear, but we must keep putting one foot in front of the other to make progress – no matter how fast or slow we seem to be moving.  In II Corinthians 1:8-9, Paul revealed that being under intense pressure caused him to rely even more exclusively on God.  Our attitude when navigating tests and trials will determine what emerges when the pressure diminishes.

Sir Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion states: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”  Therefore, we can deduce, infer, and conclude that when something comes up against us (like pressure), we are compelled to respond with an equal and opposite force.

A force is a push or a pull upon an object which results from its interaction with another object. Forces result from interactions!

Citation:  http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS/CLASS/newtlaws/u2l4a.html

Instead of running away from opposition, we’ve got to build some spiritual muscle and PUSH BACK!  We must allow the resistance to make us resilient (elastic, flexible, durable, strong, buoyant, and quick to recover) – we’ve got to bounce back!  God uses challenges and pressure to bring about a desired result.  Can you identify what fruit is being produced in you during this season?

Don’t Neglect the Gift Within You

“Do not neglect your gift…”

(I Timothy 4:14, NIV)

Many times, gifts God Himself has given us lie dormant.  We’ve allowed precious treasures He has entrusted to our care and stewardship to be hidden, inactive, and underdeveloped.  Often, we don’t really venture outside of our comfort zones until the pressure we’re experiencing becomes almost unbearable.  Then, under the weight, we finally yield and say, “Okay God – You win!!!”  When a storm comes to shake us out of our grogginess and complacency, we cry out, “Mercy!  Please help me, Lord!”

It is imperative that you cultivate, nurture, develop, and mature your gift.  If it weren’t important, Timothy’s mentor (Paul), wouldn’t have admonished him to “stir up the gift of God that is in you” (II Timothy 1:6).  Was Timothy lazy, fearful, or just comfortable?  Perhaps he just wasn’t operating at maximum efficiency and effectiveness.  As a matter of fact, Paul seemed to admonish him to shake off his comfortable contentment with the status quo and stop settling for the mediocre and familiar.

If this sounds like a place you find yourself, it’s time to give your gifts a wake-up call!  Repent, pray for direction, commit to purposeful action, and GET MOVING!  Be so focused and single-minded in tending to your gift and executing God’s purpose that external influences and distractions cease to matter.  I’ll admit that it’s not easy or passive activity.  Jude 1:3 admonishes us to “earnestly contend for the faith.”  That means it’s going be a press.  Sometimes we’ll have to fight; yet, Matthew 11:12 tells us “…the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”  I dare say that your destiny is worth fighting for.

Make no mistake – today’s pressure is real.  However, the purpose of pressure in the life of a Christian is significant and undeniable.  Pressure is what transforms a lump of coal into a diamond, what differentiates a victim from a victor, and what converts a worrier into an intercessor.  Through the pressure in your life, choose to rely on God even more, then watch Him mold, shape, and form you as He sees fit.

The purpose of resistance, opposition, and pressure is to propel you toward opportunity – which is cleverly disguised as adversity!  Will you seize your opportunity?  What will you do with it?  The world awaits your response…and your destiny awaits your embrace.

© 2008 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Contents Under Pressure

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“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia.  We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.  Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”

(II Corinthians 1:8-9, NIV)

Is it just me, or is this a time of intense (and yet increasing) pressure?  Pressure can be defined as “force, weight, heaviness, stress, strain, demand, load, burden, or difficulty.”  Does any of that sound familiar to you?  Everywhere you look these days, pressure is evident.  Sometimes it feels like more than we can bear, but we must keep putting one foot in front of the other to make progress – no matter how fast or slow we seem to be moving.

We’re all hesitant to shake a warm soda can before opening it.  Why?  Because the contents have been packaged under pressure.  When we “pop the top,” the pressure is released, and what was on the inside definitely comes out.  When the pressure you’re under now is released, what will flow from you?  Will it be true worship, praise, thanksgiving, and adoration to God for bringing you through the trial?  Our attitude when navigating through the tests will determine what comes out when the pressure diminishes.

Make no mistake – pressure exists, and today’s pressure is real.  However, the purpose of pressure in the life of a Christian is significant and undeniable.  Pressure is what transforms a lump of coal into a diamond, what differentiates a victim from a victor, and what converts a worrier into an intercessor.  Through the pressure in your life, choose to rely on God even more, then watch Him mold, shape, and form you as He sees fit.

Are you a diamond in the rough or a jewel in the making?

Yield to the pressure and allow God to transform you for HIS glory!

© Copyright 2009 by Kayren J. Cathcart

A Prayer to Build Your Faith in God

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Author’s Note: 

When I posted the January message, I reluctantly admitted that I was personally Running on “E.”  Therefore, I decided to take a few weeks to reconnect to the Source of peace, love, life, joy, and all that I need.  That was a good decision, for I have been refreshed in His presence.  I encourage you to do the same – sooner than later.  Your spirit man and your natural man will thank you 🙂

I was asked to share the prayer below, written during the recent WIW series on “Building Your Faith in God.”  I challenge you to be transparent with God – He knows your innermost thoughts and wants only His best for you.  This is stepping out of my own comfort zone to post an intimate prayer from my heart for the world to see, but if it blesses someone and leads to their deliverance, then it’s worth it.

I am glad to report that God is at work in me, and I am grateful for His patience with me!  I pray that it will help you face and OVERCOME whatever fear stands in the way of your victory.  Go forth boldly!

A Prayer to Build Your Faith in God

Lord God, Great and Sovereign Holy One,

Cleanse me of all unrighteousness, I pray.  I choose to forgive those who’ve offended me, and I ask you to forgive me.  I need Your help to create and sustain a new mindset and a consistently healthy lifestyle full of the true, pure, uncontaminated love of God.  I cannot do this by myself. 

I need You to create in me a clean heart and renew within me a right and steadfast spirit.  Cleanse, purge, purify, and perfect me into the image of Your dear Son, Lord God.  Let there be no hidden corner of iniquity, sin, or unrighteousness that I try to deny, cover up, or ignore.  Change me for Your glory – I’ve been this way for much too long.  Make me what and who You need me to be.  I want Your results, which means I must yield to Your process.  I trust that what You choose for me is right, fitting, appropriate, and just.

Help me to release to You and overcome every:

  1. Food addiction
  2. Destructive habit
  3. Hidden lust and craving
  4. Nasty, ungodly attitude
  5. Stubbornness, rebellion, and pride
  6. Indecision and anxiety
  7. Unbelief, doubt, and fear
  8. Self-sabotage
  9. Stinkin’ thinkin’ and negativity
  10. ANYTHING that blocks, hinders, and impedes the flow of the Holy Spirit
  11. Laziness and undisciplined behavior and thoughts
  12. Complacency

Fill me with the fruit of the Holy Spirit in abundance that I may be a vessel pleasing in Your sight that manifests Your splendor and glory.  I know You are faithful to meet me as I press toward the mark of Your high call that’s on my life.

In the precious name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

© 2008 by Kayren J. Cathcart