Yield

 My family loves road trips!

We have never been anywhere together the 4 of us in a plane. We always drive. 

God has been ministering to me over and over again about the idea of a heart willing to “yield.”

As my daughter is 16 we are teaching her how to drive.  

Yielding to oncoming traffic is quite a challenging concept.

Yield. Easier said than done.

Yield or another synonym might be “trust.”

2 Chronicles 30:7-9

“Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were untrue to the Lord God of their fathers, so that He made them an object of horror, just as you see. Now do not stiffen your neck like your fathers, butyield to the Lord and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that His burning anger may turn away from you. 9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion in the presence of those who led them captive, and will return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

To yield is to give the other car the “right of way”

“Yield” means let other road users go first. It's not just other cars. Don't forget about bicycles and pedestrians. Unlike with stop signs, drivers aren't required to come to a complete stop at a yield sign and may proceed without stopping -- provided that it is safe to do so.  

Yield can be used as an agriculture term.

yield ; verb (used with object). to give forth or produce by a natural process or in return for cultivation- as in “This farm yields enough fruit to meet all our needs”

Yield- give GOD the right of way (Matt 6:33) 

Yield- LORD make my life & spirit fruitful for your kingdom purposes!   

John 15:8 (NLT)

When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

If we yield to God, we bring Him glory

If we yield to God, bearing fruit is not an “maybe” it’s a sure thing, a promise.

verse 9 says if we return to the LORD (repent & surrender) we find a compassionate God, a Faithful Father not a brow-beating God.

Compassion: 

Definition- sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.

Also defined as sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it. 

“The Latin root for the word compassion is pati, which means to suffer, and the prefix com- means with. Compassion, originating from compati, literally means to suffer with. The connection of suffering with another person brings compassion beyond sympathy into the realm of empathy.”

This is EXACTLY what Immanuel does He suffers with.

Our compassionate Jesus is saying “Trust me! I know how hard it is to yield. I’ve walked on earth too. I know what it is like to have free will. I suffered as a human and I suffer with you, along side you feeling your feelings. I understand”

This is the God who is pleading with us to “return” to Him and yield to Him! 

Yielding on the road can be tricky. It feels dangerous because there are other cars bigger faster scarier than yours.

It’s not blind faith. We must use wisdom and get to know the road manual (The Word of God) as we travel through this life. 

God will show us the way, if we’ll only let Him direct us and navigate us. (Prov 3:5-6) 

The bird who couldn’t chirp

 There was a bird who couldn’t chirp.

When he was born his parents were so proud!

A little boy-bird to raise; He would soar above the storms and sing praises to Yahweh! 

But at the respective time when all of his friends begin to chirp no sound came out…

Oh he tried but he was very very different …this bird… he just couldn’t chirp.

He didn’t get sad he thought that he could figure out other ways to communicate!

And he did…

But these other ways of communicating were a nuisance to everyone.

He would peck and peck and peck to try to explain his needs but the pecking bothered everyone around him and destroyed the little nest.

They’re little nest, the little home was so tidy before but now it was a mess because this bird …he just couldn’t chirp.

The little bird was not sad or mad at God because he figured out other ways to praise! He would flap his wings or fly in unusual ways but no matter what no matter how much time went by the little bird could not chirp.

Father-bird was sad because he longed to have a son who could sing beautiful tunes and follow in his footsteps.

Mother-bird grieved the most. She still sang but they were sad tunes.

Mother-bird didn’t understand. Did she do something wrong? How would this bird-son blend in with the world? What would happen when she died? 

She didn’t like the way other animals looked at him. 

She thought he was scorned as an outcast and she became very sad.

Mother bird and Father-bird adapted their nest and made it as comfortable as possible for bird-son to live in their home and communicate the best he could. Because even after many many years the little bird now bigger and stronger just could not chirp. 

One day Father-bird had a dream of a special place with rainbows and no tears and no pain and no death and no predators and in this place his bird-son could do more than chirp- he could sing! This dream made everything better because in this special place everyone could sing even bird-son.

Life was hard for bird-son living in a world where everybody chirped but him.  Gradually, he understood he was different and he didn’t mind being different because he always remembered the dream and that gave him hope. 

Again

 

Good king/bad king.

Good dude/bad dude.

Nice guy/really really depraved evil guy.

Reading through 2 Chronicles feels that way. 

You learn of different kings who made different choices all of which of course affect the lives of God’s people- the Israelites.     

In 2 Chronicles 29 Hezekiah becomes king. 

He is moved in his heart to clean house and align with God’s will.  

“Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place. For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the Lord our God; they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and turned their backs on Him”

2 Chronicles 29:5-6

 

The scriptures show us details of how they removed unclean and unholy things, they made a decision to cleanse themselves and they corporately made great sacrifices to the Lord…

Hezekiah desired to be right with God…

He didn’t want his time as the king to be wasted…

2 Chronicles 29:10

“Now it is in my (Hezekiah’s) heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us.”

I love this commentary by Dr. Charles Stanley:

“(M)any nonbelievers think the Bible is full of old folks tales. However we know God‘s word is absolutely true. We believe in God by faith but our hope in Him is not baseless. He confirms it to us through amazing archaeological finds* revealing the enduring witness of His servants. He even verifies scripture through the historical acts of Judah‘s enemies! It’s amazing what God can do when we’re obedient to Him as Hezekiah was and it is wonderful to think He could encourage believers thousands of years later with something He’s done through us”

{*referencing Hezekiah’s wall and tunnel in Jerusalem - these relics are still there today!}

In the lineage of good king/bad king we see a beautiful example of an “on fire” servant of God - king Hezekiah.

2 Chronicles 29:35

“There were also many burnt offerings with the fat of the peace offerings and the drink offerings for the burnt offerings. So the service of the house of the Lord was established again” (NASB)

In the NKJV, the word “again” is not there.

Again

We all have a love/hate relationship with the word again…

Let me explain:

We can repent over and over again

We can receive God’s mercies repeatedly, again and again.

We get to worship Jesus today tomorrow and in heaven again and again.   

We receive grace, God’s unmerited wonderful favor over and over again.

We hug our children, spouses, loved ones again and again.

We are thankful to God for these types of “again”

Then, there are those “agains” we grieve over and over.

We weep on the anniversary of a loved ones death year after year again and again.

We look at “missed calls” to see if the prodigal child/friend called, we mourn again and again. 

We wait with an anxious heart for a loved one to repent,  over and over, again and again.

We pray and fast and perceive God is telling us “no” so we sink down and cry all over again. 

We repent of repeated sins, over and over again.

For me, I deal with Isaac’s autistic behaviors over and over, day in, day out, year after year again and again.

When will this all end?

God is the restorer, transformer, and redeemer. 

In heaven, we won’t have to clean house like the children of Israel did under King Hezekiah’s rule.

We won’t have to dry our tears.

We won’t have broken dreams, all old things will be made new. 

What beautiful foreshadowing in 

2 Chronicles, tucked away like a toddler for her nap. 

“So the service of the house of the Lord was established again” (NASB)

Can you imagine? 

Can you picture it? 

The day when every nation every tribe every tongue will be worshiping Jesus!

Oh yes! 

In heaven that is the 1st action item every day! 

Worship! 

We will cry out “Jesus is Lord!”

We’ll sing to Him again and again! 

This reality is ALREADY happening now.

What an encouraging reminder for us here on earth…. whether your life today is a good “again” or a bad “again” whatever is on repeat like a broken record in your life give it to the Lord because in heaven we will worship him again and again!

All of us who are born “again” will proclaim HIGHEST PRAISE to the triune God forever and ever!  Hallelujah! 

Father Me

One of Jesus’ favorite names to call God is simply, beautifully, affectionately

 “Father”

In reading my One Year Bible the other day I came across the word “adopted” and it stuck a chord in my soul. 

We often quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

‭‭II Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We know this verse well! 

We read it, we pray it and we ask God for change in our hearts, lives, homes, churches, nation and world. 

However, what happens to a house that neglects to seek the Lord?

Right now we are in a drought in Southern California. 

We all know what happens to plants if you don’t water them …they will dry out and eventually die. 

God provides a stern warning to His people: 

  

“As for this house, which was exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done these things to this land and to this house?’ And they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who brought them from the land of Egypt, and they adopted other gods, and worshiped and served them; therefore He has brought all this adversity on them.’ ”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7:21-22‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Other translations say they “embraced” other gods, worshipped, bowed down, or gave allegiance to other gods or “laid hold of” other gods.

Adoption can be SO beautiful! 

However, when we choose to go away from our Heavenly Adopted Abba Father’s care and turn to a lesser idol, we end up in grave danger.

God is warning His people NOT to adopt or embrace any false idols. 

Look at Romans 8:15 (ESV)

“ “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” “

May we learn to cry out to our God in Heaven: 

FATHER ME!

Parent me.

Help me.

Abba!

Oh Abba!

I denounce any false gods or fake dads and say YOU ALONE ARE MY 

FATHER-Friend! 

I am a mom, a special needs mom and a caregiver.

Our Abba Father doesn’t just parent us, He doesn’t just give us the basics:

Food, shelter, all utilities covered, etc.

HE GIVES US LUXURY! 

When Isaac first attended special needs pre-school for autism, one of the first things he learned how to use was an iPad.

In our minds this was a tool only for people who had “means.”  iPads were new and quite expensive.

I remember holding back tears when I asked Isaac “what’s your favorite color?”

 and he clicked on the iPad the button for “red”

I was so excited to finally learn more about my son!

Things that he couldn’t tell me with words he could touch the button on the iPad telling me his desires and needs!

The Holy Spirit is in each one of us and the groanings and ‘sighs’ of our heart actually communicate our deep soul needs to the Heavenly Father! 

I am reading this amazing book entitled

“If God already knows, why pray?”

By Douglas F. Kelly

The author Kelly quotes Spuegeon-

 “Every Promise of Scripture is a writing of God which may be pleaded before Him with this reasonable request, ‘Do as Thou hast said!’ The Creator will not cheat the creature who depends upon His truth; and far more, the Heavenly Father will not break His Word to His own child”     

We all know that kids LOVE to remind their parents what they said!

“You promised us ice cream. Can we go get ice cream after dinner. You promised mom!”

In Jesus, all the Promises are Yes and Amen! 

2 Corinthians 1:20

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us”

We have a GOOD Father.

A Wonderful Counselor.

A Mighty God.

An Everlasting Father.

He is indeed Prince of Peace! 

This Father promises not only to get us ice cream, but He promises us eternity with Christ.

Absolutely Amazing!

We must be very careful not to be “parented” or fathered by anyone or anything.  

Only God in heaven could and should Parent us properly.

Oh Father, Father me.

Oh Father parent us and forgive us for being disobedient children.

We don’t always understand your parenting style, but we Trust you and we Trust Your Word!     

Thank you Father for loving us so lavishly! 

Thank you for blessing us over and above our wildest dreams

Purpose- Pass It On

 1 Chronicles 22:5 

David said: “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced; but the house that is to be built for the LORD must be made so magnificent that it will be renowned and glorious in all lands. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” Thus before his death David laid up materials in abundance.”

John10:10 

Jesus gives us abundant life!

Jesus provides life during life, and life after life. 

I love how here we see that David lives a life sold out for God and he also looks forward to eternity with God ….

Even though in 1 Chronicles 22 The word of God discusses David’s preparation for building a house of God (or the temple) … it’s spoke to my heart about leaving a Legacy for our children…”

He says “I will make preparation for it” 

David knew that he was not the one to build the house…

God had already selected Solomon (not David)

David proceeded to make the preparations and then gave Solomon the God-ordained assignment to build the house…

As many of you know I’m a big NBA fan….

This last NBA finals, Steph Curry won Finals MVP….

His dad Dell Curry was also a professional basketball player…

It always warms my heart to see this father looking with enthusiastic-pride filled eyes at his son…

God desires for us to leave a legacy for our children ….a legacy not of financial wealth or even athletic abilities but a legacy of faith in God! 

50-60 years ago this was important to parents…

Now, I see so many parents far more concerned with how well their children are performing in sports or high school Academics or even which college they plan to attend than their future treasures in heaven….

We need a shift…

We need to teach out children how to pray.

We need to teach her children how to honor God.

We need to teach your children how to listen to his still small voice

We need to model what a Christian looks like…

We need to live our faith and allow them to watch us share the gospel with others (even strangers..)

We need to model what it means like to fail forward in Christ.

We need to make preparations for this ( like David did for the temple)

I love David’s words to Solomon his son

in 1 Chron 22:12-13

 “Only may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed”

Today many studies show young people are depressed, anxious and suffering inside.... they need a purpose- they need God.

Verse 19a reads

 “Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.”

We need God’s love to awaken true life in these young people!   

David could’ve said I’m getting old I don’t care about gods temple but that is not the case at all. David care very much about legacy and about Solomon’s work beyond David’s earthly life…

David passed on TRUE purpose in life seeking the Lord!  

Even children

 God cares for the unborn! What a win today was June 24, 2022.

One month ago we were (and still are!) grieving the horrific murder in Uvalde Texas with the shooting of children & teachers at a public school…

We still grieve and mourn…

Today, let’s take a moment and bless our Lord God Almighty for finally overturning Roe v Wade.

“For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭78:5-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse always blessed me. God cares for the unborn. 

In fact ALL of us should care for the unborn. 

When I was in high school a girlfriend of mine- I’ll call her Suzi … became pregnant.   

She seriously considered abortion but then later said “I waited too long” Back then, there was a time restriction and late term abortions were not yet in vogue.

She decided to give her child up for adoption.

I always remember how proud of her I was for choosing life.    

She wanted to ensure her baby had the best possible life and chose the parents!

There are many verses that speak about life ….

     

I’m not sure when or how abortion became so controversial. It’s quite simple life begins at conception…

“The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.””

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1:4-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:13-17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Without getting into the political arguments on either side we turn to Jesus- we ask God and look into the Scriptures to find out what the truth of the Word is…

God stands for life! 

“Turn us again to yourself, O God. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved. O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, how long will you be angry with our prayers? You have fed us with sorrow and made us drink tears by the bucketful. You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations. Our enemies treat us as a joke. Turn us again to yourself, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭80:3-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.”

Psalm 78:4

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10:10-11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God wants us to pass on the legacy of faith to the next generation…

I remember a few years ago I was at the Huntington library & Gardens in San Marino with my family.

I saw a cute stylishly dressed young lady maybe in her early 20s. 

She was walking around the gardens all by herself. I passed by her and I noticed she had a tattoo on her forearm of a hanger. 

I asked my daughter Olivia if she knew what that tattoo meant -if it had any meaning- I thought it was the tattoo-symbol of a band or musician. 

Olivia said mama that means “abortion rights.”

I almost started crying. It grieved my heart so deeply that a young lady would get a tattoo of a hanger (symbolic of the way some women would use a wire hanger to kill their own baby) and she would put that tattoo on her arm…

I see the pro-choice argument about reproductive  rights and women’s health care…

(Although I do not agree- I see the legal theory) 

But the bottom line is Roe has gone too far …there should have never been a Roe. If a woman wants to kill her baby I don’t understand how that ever became legal to begin with? Babies were formerly celebrated not destroyed.  

God must judge those who intentionally take the lives of the innocent….

Even for those who have had an abortion they struggle with things like-

-Guilt

-Remembering the date/month the child would have been born

-Dreams of the child

-cramping & pain

- blood loss

-unforgiveness

And even in some cases scar tissue and inability to have children…

Last night I attended a women’s event and the speaker discussed how things are going to get worse in our country… 

People believe this is a right that was taken from them (even though abortion is no longer a federal right, it is still in our country allowed based upon the state)  

May the Lord keep us prayed up ~stirred up ~and ready to share the Truth about babies with people in the world! 

John (Jesus’ cousin) lept in the womb of Elizabeth at the sound of Mary’s voice… 

Any and all moms know that you fall in love with that baby once you feel that child moving & growing in your womb…

But we are raising a generation of young ladies to hate the baby growing in their wombs… 

Lord help us! 

https://connectusfund.org/11-best-prayers-for-unborn-babies

prayers for the unborn (from

A Momma’s view): 

“God of my praise, when I think of the incredible complexity of this new life forming inside me, I can only bow in worship of my great Creator. I think of the little fingers and toes being created by you. You are creating a new life in your image. I’m excited to see what my baby will look like! I praise you that this baby is fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are marvelous – this I know very well. Amen.”

Let’s pray -

Lord we pray women would realize the privilege it is to carry a child. 

If they feel too young too scared too unworthy or angry about the baby may they please consider adoption Lord Jesus! 

We know many people are angry about this decision that the Supreme Court ruled regarding Roe v. Wade.

Lord Jesus help us to love on those who are angry and to show them the Truth from scripture and be a beautiful light and example of a God-loving God-fearing person that walks in the steps of Jesus. 

Father please protect those who are continuing to stand up for life. Please do not allow states like California New York and Colorado and Oregon to expand their laws to kill babies - it is horrific God. We do not stand with the law makers who want expansive laws on abortion- we’re asking for more intervention more breakthrough God !

we know you’re not done with America!  In Jesus name we humbly ask …amen

Detour

 Detours/Change of Plans

◄ 1 Thessalonians 2:18 ►

For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. (NIV)

That snake -the serpent of old can’t stop our prayers!

At this moment I am in a hotel in Utah.

Olivia asleep (16)

Isaac asleep (14)

Summer vacation plans gone awry.

Detour.

We planned to drive through Utah & Idaho on our way to Montana.

We planned months ago to visit our friends in Livingston Montana.   

We packed.

We set all our affairs in order.

We asked friends to water our plants, feed the cat & feel free to use our pool too!

We got money for gas (no small expense, due to the recession in Southern Calif the price is over $6.00 a gallon!) 

I even had to make arrangements for an attorney to fill in for me at a court appearance in Pomona (vacations & rest are important right?) 

Last year, in 2021 my husband and I prayed and we decided it’s probably best not to travel to remote distances any more.

Isaac had 3 seizures in 2020. 

Although he has been seizure free since Nov 2020, we do not feel the same. We aren’t the same.

Just like life has changed since COVID emerged, life for the Gonzalez’ changed post epilepsy. 

We decided to go back to Livingston, visit our friends but we had no expectations- things could happen …and we needed to go on an adventure again.

It’s raining in Montana right now.

Not a big deal right?

WRONG.

They had 8 inches in 2 days.

2 bridges were washed out & they evacuated Yellowstone.  

Excuse me?

Yes.

They evacuated the first designated National Park. Yellowstone National Park

Needless to say, we aren’t going to Montana.  

I tried so hard not to cry.

I felt like the girl who stubbed her toe so bad but didn’t want to cry in front of friends so she bit her lip as a distraction… 

I held it together for a few hours….but when Isaac said “SWIMPING”

I decided I would go in the spa and let the tears flow, here in Utah, on vacation, in tears yet again. 

It’s ok God

It’s ok.

It’s ok.

Be with our friends!

Keep them safe!

Help us LORD know what to do next.

You see, “National Park adventures” 

That was our thing.

My husband would plan, research, pack accordingly, and hit the road.

Olivia and Isaac have been coming along since they were babies! 

When Isaac had the seizure in Idaho after we finished driving through Yellowstone I literally said to myself “I’m never going back to Montana”

I thought if I said “I hate you Montana” and vowed to never visit there it was like an outlet for my pain…

….but it doesn’t work that way. 

Pain must be processed. 

David couldn’t go “around” the valley of the shadow of death…he had to go through it (Psalm 23)

Jesus didn’t go around the Garden of Gethsemene before getting to Calvary, He had to go through. (John 17)

Same for us.

Pain must be chewed,  processed, refined and eventually God uses it and turns ashes into beauty. He is so creative.

My friends are special. 

They put the dogs away because Isaac is frightened of them. 

They decided & made plans to buy our favorite foods & snacks.

They redecorated to make it more comfortable.  

They mentioned the rain, but we had no idea it would be like this! 

Neither did they.

I could say something cute like “well I guess God took us on a detour.”

Although that statement is TRUE, it doesn’t soften the blow. 

Someone I know recently had a miscarriage… 

I asked someone to pray for this little family of three that was supposed to turn into a family of 4 (baby 2 expected in September 2022) 

The response was “You know. Something was probably very wrong with the baby. These things happen for a reason”    

This is the WORST thing to say to someone who is currently hurting.  

Whether it is the unexpected loss of a vacation plan or a loss of a child.

You want to scream “well whatever the reason is, the reason SUCKS!”

Adult tantrums are real~ I call them mommy melt downs.

We aren’t to lie to ourselves, tape Romans 8:28 to the situation, dust off the dirt & say “all is honky dorry now!”

No.

We can cry.

We can scream and then we can and must still praise the LORD.

We can give God our honest conversations…

Lord be with us! 

For all of life is really a detour

Prov 3:5-6