Be Careful of the voices you listen to!

Recently, I've been going through a tough time.  I"m learning though the tough times it's when God speaks loudest if I"ll just LISTEN...You see I do great at talking, but it's the listening part that's tough, but I"m getting better at it!

I sat down on Sunday night and listened to a sermon from my Pastor, Grant Etheridge.  It's the sermon I wished I'd heard six weeks ago when this craziness began.   You see, there are two voices:  The voice of the enemy, and then there's God's voice.  You can guess whose voice I"d been listening to.  Well, on Sunday as I put my ear plugs in and began to listen it didn't take long for God to get my attention.  I began to hear what I should've been doing for the past six weeks, quoting scripture to the devil, listening to God's voice, praying the scripture,  and holding fast to what I believe in.  Let me tell you,
I got up from that sermon a very different person Sunday night.

I put the devil on notice and I'm doing what I know to be right and true.  I'm spending time in God's Word, praying lots, and I'm going to be very careful who I spend time with and what voices I listen to.  I don't ever want to experience a miserable 6 week stint like that again.

So, here at the foot of the cross I hear the sweetest voice there is:  The One of my Savior, He whispers, draw near and listen!  I"m not done with you yet!!!!

You can hear the same sermon I heard on Sunday in two differet ways:

1.  Download the LibertyLive App on your device (video only) and it's the sermon dated 6/4/17..The letter to the Ephesians.  It is about a 45 minute sermon but you will thank me for it later.

2.  From Itunes download Liberty Live POdcast.  Evidently it's a podcast on there too.

Whose voice are you listening to?!!!!!

Blessings,
Alicia ROark

Day 3...LOVE

It's early, I want to sleep but God has woken me up to give me one word:  LOVE.  At the foot of the cross there is uncoditional love.  A love that knows no limits and is in full supply.  

It's here that not only I rest, but I experience His great LOVE for me.  His love is Redeeming!  He woos me and pursues me daily reminding me He is here ready to pour out His lavish, unconditional, redeeming love for me.  Even when I mess up, He loves me anyways.  Only this kind of love can be experienced at the foot of the cross.  That same kind of love took my place on that cross.  My mind can't fathom that kind of love.  I know the love I have for my family but for somebody to hang on a cross for all the sin I would commit.  That is LOVE in it's biggest form.  

He whispers, "I have loved you with an everlasting Love."  Jeremiah 31:3.

Blessings,
Alicia

Day 1..Rest

Yesterday was my last official day as Women's Ministry Director at my church.  I voluntarily stepped down because truth be told I'm exhausted after 14 years.  I need rest both physical and spiritual rest.   Resting is new to me.  I don't do it well nor do I get much of it.  Over the next 6 to 8 months I will be taking a break from ministry.  I will sit back and listen and learn more about He who began this work in me.

Today is day 1.  I rose to read my devotion and the verse was Jeremiah 6:16 "The Lord says, stand by the roads and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls."  I got in my car and headed to work and simply whispered I'm gonna listen today Lord.  Well, the only thing He said on my 30 minute drive is "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest."  

So, on this day/evening I rest in knowing He loves me, He cares about my every burden and He has a plan.   At the foot of the cross today I've learned even the smallest of burdens He cares about!  

Below is a song I've been listening to lots.  It's God's reminder that it's ok to not know what's next, it's ok for everything to not be perfect, It's ok to simply rest!

I look forward to this journey and resting in Him.

In His Unfailing Love,

Alicia