Favor Found With a Faithful Father

Walking season through season, I begin to ask the Lord, “What do you have for me in this time?” Whether it’s the wilderness or the promise land, it all serves a purpose in your life. Seasons are not only seasonal but they are catalytic. Each one prepares you for the next. As I am entering into once again another season of school and the business of life, I have chosen to enter it with a new perspective. A perspective that looks at the wilderness and imagines a bountiful field of flowers. A perspective that looks at an adulteress and imagines him a king. A perspective that sees tension and imagines it as a time to rejoice. A perspective that compels me to prepare for whatever flood may be coming my way.

In Genesis 6:5-6, “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.”

You see God saw that the people could only imagine the negative and the evil. He realized what was going on and it broke his heart that they thought this way. At times I find myself doing this and questioning God. When your too caught up in the moment, and not focused on God it seems so much easier to partner with the problem than to have hope of better things. Like the majority cases in life, there is one exception. In this case, it was a man.

Genesis 6:8-9 says, “BUT Noah found favor with God. This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.”

In verse 13 God speaks to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth. Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 wide, and 45 feet high. Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat- lower, middle, and upper. Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die, but I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat- you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring a pair of every kind of animal- a male and a female- into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. And be sure to take on board enough for your family and for all the animals.”

Verse 22 is very important. It states, “So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him. “

In Genesis Chapter 7, the Lord proceeds to tell Noah step by step details of the storm that his about to come and what to do to be sure that all life will survive on earth after the flood.  As Noah continued to do everything the Lord had told him to do it began to rain. (verses 17-18) “For forty days the floodwaters grew deeper, covering the ground and lifting the boat high above the ground. As the waters rose higher and higher above the ground, the boat floated safely on the surface.”

Verse 22-23 says that, “Everything that breathed and lived on dry land died. God wiped out every living thing on the earth- people, livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and the birds of the sky. All were destroyed. The only people who survived were Noah and those with him in the boat.”

I know that is a lot of scripture, probably scripture that most people would just skip over and not try to see deeper than the words, but all of this minor detail is the part that makes the story have a purpose.

I want to bring out the fact that God had complete and total control throughout this whole story. Sometimes in our life, we see the storm and we think God has lost his place on the throne or is taking a nap. The fact of the matter is, he is ALWAYS in control. 

It is very important that we recognize who Noah was. He was a righteous man who had a close walk with the Lord. Without being in close fellowship, Noah wouldn’t have been in a position to hear what God was speaking. BUT Because of this, the Lord was able to speak to Noah the precautions of what was about to happen. So many times, I believe if we would just spend time with God and stay in tune to what he is doing and speaking, then when troubles come we would be able to sit back and see God working behind the scenes when others may be blinded to his presence and role in the circumstance.

I can’t help but to recognize this same situation in our world today. We have the economy falling fast, we have wars going on, and we have all sorts of natural disasters going on. People’s reaction to these conditions is always interesting to me. So many times we instantly begin to worry, fear, protest, and even doubt, instead of really asking the Lord to include us in on his plan in this. Whether you believe it or not, he has a plan in EVERYTHING. No matter what the government says, God takes care of his people and he is in control of the things you allow him to be in control of, including your thoughts, emotions, needs, and spiritual well being.
You have a choice for yourself.

God told Noah EXACTLY WHAT TO DO in order to make it through the storm safely, so what makes you think that he wouldn’t do the same for you? You also need to recognize the importance of being obedient to every little detail. Noah did EVERYTHING that the Lord had commanded him to do.  From the number of animals on board to the length, height, and width of the boat even when it seemed illogical to build a boat, Noah did everything the Lord asked of him. I believe had he not, then things might’ve not turned out so great for him. He might’ve been one to get wiped out along with all of the others.

It’s often times seems to be more convenient  to ignore the details that God often throws at us. It’s easy to compromise in our obedience and do as much as we justify to be important, when the little things can be the things that make or break us. God isn’t holding anything back from his people due to the decisions of others. He is just as faithful as he was for Noah today. He is looking for someone to walk in a companionship with him daily and not discount his words or his plan but instead trust and lean into him for guidance and direction.
 He is longing to find someone to pour out is favor upon, like he did for Noah.

I want to be like Noah in every second of every season of my life. I want to be so close to the plan and things of God that when any storm comes, I’m safe - When everyone and everything around me is wiped out, I’m still standing - When a storm comes, Im prepared and ready for it because I have taken the opportunity to listen and obey the voice of the Lord. I know without his grace there’s no way I can do it on my own.
 I want to find favor with my faithful father FOREVER… just like Noah.

- - Natalie Hallford

Being Convinced

 Everyone believes something. Some people base their beliefs on their own life experiences. Some run off the experiences of others. Some have accepted other peoples thoughts and opinions. Some have developed their own out of pain, hurt, heartache, or confusion. I have recently have pondered this process of believing. What you believe really makes you who you are. I feel as if who you are and your circumstances are completely and totally what you make it to be. If your reality was actually factual, there would be no need for faith. Faith is the confidence of things hoped for that are unseen. Reality is what is seen and what may seem real to you ow, but faith (hope for the unseen) isn’t needed if everyone had to settle for their reality. Many times we live our life out of this place called reality instead of a heart of faith. We tell our faith what our circumstance is instead of telling our circumstance what our faith is. I have been puzzled and perplexed with this idea of HAVING A CHOICE TO LIVE THE LIFE I WANT TO LIVE. From every minute to every year, it's all what I create it to be and my perspective.

I want to bring it back all the way to Adam and particularly Eve. I was reading in Genesis 3the other day, when the Lord showed me an important factor to living the abundant life that is available for everyone. He shined a whole new light and a whole new perspective on this story for me.  In verse 1 it proceeds to say:

“The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals  the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, “You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

And verse 6 says- “The woman was CONVINCED….. and I want to stop it there!

You see, Eve started out with a word from God. She knew exactly what God had told her to do and exactly what he thought about this situation. Not only did she know what the way of the Lord was in this situation, she knew the consequences of what would happen if she chose to disobey the command of the Lord. We see that in just four verses Eve had been convinced into taking a path that wasn’t meant for her to travel. She was convinced. This is the main point that I want to get at. The word convince means to literally bring (as by argument) to belief, consent, or a course of action.

Despite the word from the Lord that Eve had, she still was able to be convinced otherwise. This to me resembles so many people in today’s society. They have become walking human beings of only what others have convinced them that they are. Some have been convinced into believing that they are nothing but a depressed little girl in a lonely world full of hopelessness. Some are convinced that they are nothing but a trampled rose that no one will ever love. Some are convinced that they are a homosexual and will always lived confused. Some are convinced that they are the sinner that is too far gone for God. Some are convinced that they have no value and therefore would rather take their own life. Some are convinced that they are ugly and will never amount to anything. Some are convinced that they will never be good enough and will never succeed. Some are convinced that the only thing that takes the pain away is drugs, alcohol, or sex. Some are convinced that hope is foreign and peace doesn’t exist. Some are convinced that their identity is found in other people. Some people are convinced that life is nothing but a fairytale with no happy ending.

No matter what you believe, there is a reason behind it. And let me tell you, that if the reason behind what you believe is anything other than the word of God – then it’s probably just a reality your choosing to live in, and being convinced that that’s who you are. We have a culture that loves to create a young generation through convincing them to believe things that are totally not from the Word of God. I can’t help but to wonder...”What if Eve would’ve stuck to what the Lord had told her? What if she wouldn’t have allowed Satan to convince her?” I honestly have to say that I believe the story would have played out a complete and totally different way. But because she was convinced, she became naked and ashamed.

This is our youth in a nutshell. Ashamed of themselves for the lie they have believed themselves to be. When your reality is the lie of Satan and not the truth of God – you will always be ashamed. You can’t ever feel satisfied playing a roll of something you’ve been convinced to play, when the one who made you didn’t make you that way. It’s impossible. I believe that if this generation would rise up and take a stand to all of the lies that Satan has tried to convince us, the world would be a different place.  I’m reminded of the scripture in Psalm 119:9. It says, “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.” If we would read the word, to figure out who we are there would be no convincing.

For a silly example, I am fully aware that I am a girl. If someone were try to convince me for the rest of  my life that I was a boy, there would NEVER BE A DAY that I would actually believe that. I want to get that way with who God says I am. When the enemy wants to tell me I’m a failure, I won’t ever be able to believe it because it word says in Phil. 4:!3 that I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives me strength. When he says that I’m ugly and I have to live in insecurity all of my life, I can say I was made perfectly and wonderfully in the image of Christ!!!  This is my goal and my prayer for everyone. That we would be so caught up and grounded in the word of God and who it says we are that nothing can ever CONVINCE us of anything otherwise.

I urge you to evaluate your life and your actions. Who are you and why are you that? Is it because someone has filled your identity with lies and convinced you that you are something you’re not. Or maybe something tragic has happened to you and their actions told you were something your not. Whatever it may be, I pray that you make sure it’s what God has to say about you. If not, It’s not true. Although, it may be your reality, it doesn’t have to be. You can be one choice away from living the abundant life that he has called you to live and being who he has created you to be.

- Natalie Hallford

Sustained through the Storm and Drenched in the Desert

Judges 6.

Every stage, every area, every walk, and every day I find myself wanting to seek God and not only seek him but to find him. I know that I am called to be a sheep under the commands of the greatest shepherd. People so many times let fear of the uncertainty paralyze them. However, I want to remind you that his sheep hear his voice, but there aren’t words to describe the peace that comes with confirmation, or a sign, from the Lord. You see there are times in my life that I question, “Is this thought, is this calling, is this direction, is this action, is this emotion, is this plan really you God?” You do have to understand that it isn’t a bad thing to want confirmation about a certain issue, but never mistake that with doubt. The lord says to take every thought captive and make sure that they obey Christ.

In Judges 6, starting in vs. 36 ending vs. 40, we see that Gideon was asking God these same questions.

“Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.”

“Then Gideon said God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was drying in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.”

Not only did Gideon ask God to give him a sign, he was specific with what he wanted to happen in order for him to believe that what he doubted was actually  true and it was from God. Within this passage, I find the harvest that is reaped when you seek until you find and the result of walking in the will of God.

The first thing I see within this passage is the word IF. So many times this is our first response to God, “IF this is really you, where is the money? IF this is really you, then why do people not like me? IF this is you God, then why does everyone seem to fail me? IF this is you God, then why am I still single? IF, IF, IF, IF! It’s funny we ask these questions as if we are somebody that can play the game better than the champion. God has  not only already spoken to us what to do but PROMISED that we would do it. So many the enemy tries and sometimes succeeds at stealing that vision, that word, that call and that thing that 

God has already 

PROMISED US. 

Sometimes I find that we end up choosing the powerless lies of the enemy over the promise of the Almighty God. This can be seen in various ways. It can be doubt. It can be fear. It can be insecurity. It can be pride. Although Gideon started off questioning God IF, he could’ve stopped there. I honor the fact that he looked over that thought of inadequacy and instead still pursued to see if this was God’s will for him. Beyond his feelings of his flesh, he was willing to consider paying the price to fulfill the promise. So many people quit after the first feeling of uncertainty instead of surrendering and realizing that God has created them for a bigger purpose than themself. Gideon was specific with how he wanted his answer. This really shows me that God is a personal God and although he may not understand our doubt, he is willing to stoop down to our level to speak to us. 

I think of it like a young infant. When trying to get them to understand something you can’t use college level words or they will never hear what you have to say. This is the same thing here. God was open to Gideon’s language. Beyond the simple words on the page, I see that Gideon was wanting more than a wet fleece on a dry ground. I believe that Gideon, first of all, was wanting to be different that his surroundings. Gideon wanted to be assured that when the world around him was nothing but dry bones, that the Lord would fill his cup. As God always out does himself, that next morning not only did he wet the fleece, it was drenched. The Lord supplied the abundance of living water and that same living water is available to us – even when everyone or everything around us seems to be dry and dead. In order to sustain through the desert, you have to seek until your being drenched by the spring of life.

After God had done exactly what Gideon had asked him to do, Gideon STILL wanted another sign. Despite that Gideon felt he needed another sign, the fact that God gave him another sign is what totally blows me back. I think that Gideon was wanting the confirmation that when the storm comes, he wants to remain stable. Gideon was wanting the security in the fact that times may get rough and the rain may take out everything around me, but I want to remain unchanged. He was seeking a confidence that he didn’t have in himself. 

The thing that you have to admire about Gideon  is that he wasn’t afraid to ask. 


He wasn’t okay with just seeking, but he wanted to seek until he found and until he was certain. 
He wasn’t okay with just acting and not being completely sure that it was God. 


I believe that there is a balance here. It’s a balance between instant obedience and acting out of one’s own will not knowing if it’s God’s will.

I see that at times we question the big or small things that God may have for us, but if we would continue to press into the confirmation that he IS WILLING to give to us over and over again, than there will be no excuses for taking the wrong path.

God guarantees four things when you are walking in his will. First and foremost, you can are called to  be different than your surroundings. Second, he will never hold back from you the living waters that he supplies even in the driest of times. Thirdly, when the storms come, the strength, hope, and faith you have in him will sustain you. And Lastly, God is simple and will defeat confusion with confirmation.

Thank you God that you speak to us and that your sheep hear your voice. I thank you Lord that you call me worthy enough to serve you and communicate with you. I pray that you would, in all areas of our lives, lead us. I pray that you would help us be obedient to your word. We wouldn't doubt who you have said that we are and the promises you have already given to us. Instead we would just fully embrace what you already say we have. Thank you Lord that even in the desert you can keep us drenched and your strength sustains us when the storms come. May we find you in every situation, good and bad. Thank you Lord, Amen.

-Natalie Hallford