18 Aug Anchor Deep

“Anchor Deep”

Life is good and life is hard. Some days are a walk in the park, a laugh a minute; some days are just so-so, ordinary, nothing spectacularly bad or good; and still other days can feel like a tornado blew in and swept us up in chaos and confusion leaving wreckage strewn all over the front lawn of our heart. Some days leave us wishing they’d never end, while other days leave us praying…begging, “Come, Lord Jesus, NOW! This very minute!” Just turn on the news any given night of the week and you’ll join me in that prayer. This is life, friend. The forecast changes daily and life, well, it just keeps on getting life-ier… and stormier the longer we live it. We try our level best to batten down the hatches and hold it all together but the wind keeps whipping up and spinning us around like Dorothy on her way to Oz except that this is not just a bad dream with munchkins and witches and flying monkeys and lions, tigers and bears… OH MY! This. Is. My. Life!

Good day. Hard day. Oz day. On any given day it’s Who and what you’re anchored to makes all the difference.

I grew up in Florida, where there is more water than land. And where there’s water there are boats. Boating is a way of life in the Sunshine state and big business. Florida is also the state that gets hits hardest by hurricanes and tropical storms.

An important fact to note: Boats and storms are not compatible.

“Hurricane season” signals 24-7 storm watches and warnings that call for extreme preparations. Preparation is the operative word here, meaning before the storm hits do something to make sure you and your boat are secure. For boat owners, preparation means working quickly and strategically to get their boats out of the water, if possible. But if they can’t get the boat out of the water then what? Tying a boat to a dock or running a line to secure it to a tree may seem like the safe and secure thing to do but it’s far from it. Tropical storms have been known to snap huge trees like toothpicks and crush well-built docks into smithereens sending boats sailing through the air and landing in trees or on rooftops.

The best chance a boat has of surviving a storm is to prepare before the storm hits by taking the vessel out into the middle of the inlet, harbor or bay and dropping the anchor deep; down beneath the surface of the water where the storm is raging to the quiet calm depths where there’s not so much as a ripple… down deep where the boat is held firm by the anchor it’s attached to.

Before the storms of life hit make sure that you’re anchored deep.

The Bible describes hope in God as “an anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19), something sure, steady and dependable. This “hope” in God is not some cross-your-fingers wishful thinking. The hope that God gives us is something we anticipate with joyful and confident assurance and expectation because we know and believe WHO God is and WHAT God says He will do. And how do we know this? Right… because we’ve cultivated a relationship with Him through His Word. Anchoring deep is about cultivating an intimate relationship with God. Spending time with Him. Keeping continual conversation (prayer) going with Him. Listening to Him. Loving Him more and more as you get to know Him in His Word.

Remember last week I talked about speaking and believing the things God has already said in His Word? I just can’t stress the critical importance of that as we walk out this thing called life. It’s paramount that we operate from a position of active faith in the One who always is who He says He is and always does what He says He will do and never, ever lies (Hebrews 6:18). And that’s a certainty we can be sure of. Our assurance is built on God’s assurance to us. Therefore my say so is built on what God says is so. Without that you’ve got nothing to anchor your life to that will hold you when the storms hit. And they will hit. But we have H O P E.

The hope we have is Jesus Christ and that’s where we anchor our life… in Him. He is the unbreakable spiritual lifeline anchoring us to the very presence of God Himself. He is the Lifeline that won’t slip or break down; no matter how great the force and pressure bearing down on it…this Anchor holds!

The Greek word for anchor is agkura and it means anchor. How about that? But it’s origin is in a Greek word that means arm, or a bend, the curve or inner angle of the arm, the bent arm; anything closely enfolding, as the arms of the sea, etc. (Strong’s Greek Dictionary). It’s a beautiful picture of wrapping our arms, our very selves and our lives around the hope of God and His promises to us, burying ourselves deep in His Truth.

The storms of life are going to come. Count on it. So consider this your spiritual weather forecast: There’s a storm heading your way. Make the necessary preparations NOW. I’m not talking about storing up water and food. I’m talking spiritual preparations… the Water of Life, the Bread of Life, and the Love of God that fills your soul full of confident assurance and hope in the One you’re anchored to.

The hope God gives us is a certain assurance strong and true, and faithful. That HOPE has a name:
J E S U S. He is the only sure foundation in which to anchor your soul.

“We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God…” (Hebrews 6:19-20, MSG)

You are greatly and dearly loved by The King!
xo,

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#ShowHerHow:

Let’s put this message into practice and begin anchoring our soul by cultivating intimacy with Jesus- learning to talk to Him, to listen to Him and respond.

What’s on Your Heart?

1. In what ways has life been particularly challenging and hard for you lately?

2. What is your typical method of dealing with your stuff?

• Where do you typically run first when dealing with the stress, disappointment, heartache, pain, sickness of your circumstances?

Start the Conversation:

3. The Bible is referred to as God’s Word because it is God speaking to us, His children. So- go get your Bible and your journal or something to write in and find a place to sit down and take five or ten quiet minutes to have a “conversation” with the Lord.

• First, say, “hello” to Him. Because He’s right there and it’s just good manners to say hello. And then you might want to tell Him thank you for how good He is and has been to you.
• Next, tell Him the main thing that’s troubling you. Your conversation doesn’t have to be pretty and polite and worded with fluff. Remember, you’re talking to your “Father,” your Abba (Daddy). Just tell Him what’s on your heart. It won’t shock Him. Nothing does.
• Now open your Bible to Psalm 139 or Isaiah 43 (or one of your favorite passages of Scripture) and let the Lord speak and answer you.
• Write down anything that strikes your heart (it may have absolutely nothing to do with what you’ve just told Him).
• Record anything He tells you to do in His Word… and do it. If it’s “praise Him” then praise Him. If it’s “think about how wonderful He is”, then do it.
• After you spend a few minutes doing that, think back over your circumstances and write down a few words about how you feel now or any change of heart your may have. Any difference? I sure hope so!

YOU, my friend, just had a little talk with Jesus! How does it feel? Now keep that conversation going… you-talk-He-listens, then He-talks-you-listen… and you respond. That’s how you anchor yourself deeper in Him and His Truth.

He loves you so! And I’m so proud of you!!
xo – P

#ShowHerHow | #MakingTheMostOfNow | #AnchorDeeep | #GodsWord | #talktoGod