meghanewhite

Do Not Fear Man

January 29, 2021January 29, 2021 meghanewhite

Hello, my name is Meghan, and I am a recovered people pleaser.

The disease to please is deceptive. It looks really nice on the outside. But it hides an awful, sinful truth. Pride. Wait a minute, people pleasers are so nice. They only want what’s best for others. No, not really.

As a former people pleaser I can tell you the ugly truth. You please people to make them happy and like you. I thought I was doing good. I was motivated by my own needs. It’s all about me. I did not see that at first, and yes, that sounds really harsh. Sure, the facade is niceness. But, it’s actually selfish. The motive to people please is fear of man. That is wrong.

I was not aware of my people pleasing ways until I was a teenager, maybe late teens. Once Jesus opened my eyes to my problem, He then showed me how dangerous it was. We are to fear God, not man.

The motive to please people is fear and insecurity. That is not from the Lord. I could jump through a million hoops and still disappoint many people, and I have. When Jesus began to unravel me, and reveal all of my ugly prideful ways, He set me free. There is freedom in fearing God and only God.

I am to please my Heavenly Father. He never shames me, guilts me, or turns me away. When you put God first and pleasing Him first, there are times you will offend people. It was hard for me to disappoint others, initially. Now, I’m pretty good at it. Hahaha!

People pleaser me: What will they think?

New creation in Christ me: What does God think?

Everything changed for me. My motivation used to be what would others think of “fill in the blank decision”. My motivation now is pleasing Father God.

The Bible is quite clear on this topic. We are to fear God and not man.

The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6, NASB

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25, NIV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31, NKJV

Now I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed someone, has the power to throw that person into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! Luke 12:4-5, NASB

If you are struggling in this area I feel your pain. I was in that same place. There is hope in Jesus for total freedom from pleasing people. You can start today. Ask God to reveal areas where you are fearing man and not fearing God. It will be difficult at first.

No is a powerful word. Begin with saying NO to things that you know are wrong. Pray about your decisions. Read the Bible and stay grounded in the truth of the Word. Ask God to give you strength and courage to say NO to the fear of man stuff in your life. The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say when you have to tell someone NO.

Fearing God does not mean we are rude, heartless robots. God fearing people love, forgive, show grace, and mercy. We just aren’t motivated by fearing man. We do what’s right and sometimes that means we are going to tick some people off. That’s OK. If we are obeying God and following His Word He will help us.

God first, always.

Love you all,

Meghan

Father God,

Thank you for your patience, grace, and love. Help all of us to stop fearing man. Forgive us for the times we have put other’s desires above Your desires. Help us to stay focused on You and pleasing You. Stop us from the disease to please people. Set us free. Help us to love others and honor You in our lives. We praise You, the One true God. You are Holy!

In Jesus name,

Amen

Food, mustard seed sentinel

Homemade Granola

January 27, 2021 meghanewhite

Walk into any grocery store and there are numerous varieties of granola. Some are good and some are not so good. The taste of homemade granola is superior to store bought. You can customize the granola with your favorite oil, fruits, and nuts. This basic granola recipe is a great foundation to build upon and make it your own.

Granola is calorie dense and loaded with all kinds of goodness like vitamin E, iron, folate, magnesium and a host of other vitamins and minerals. It tastes so delicious that it doesn’t seem possible that it’s packed with so much nutrition. This is my kind of healthy eating. Good tasting and good for you.

Granola is a versatile food. It’s a great snack all by itself. Mix some granola into your favorite yogurt. Have granola with milk for a real breakfast of champions. Add granola to a smoothie, or pancakes, or muffins. Be as creative as you like. No matter what you do with this delightful granola you will enjoy every morsel.

Making your own granola is cost effective compared to the high priced store bought stuff. There is no stirring involved with this granola recipe. Just press it into the pan and bake. So simple and so tasty. You will save money, have a nutritional snack, and feel great.

Happy Eating!

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

Homemade Granola

Ingredients

½ cup vegetable oil

⅓ cup maple syrup

3 teaspoons vanilla

⅓ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

5 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 cups slivered almonds

2 cups dried fruit

Yields 10 cups of granola.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl whisk together the vegetable oil, maple syrup, vanilla, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in the oats and almonds and mix until evenly coated.
Spread the oat mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Use a spatula to press the mixture firmly until it’s compact.
Bake for 40 minutes until lightly browned. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through for even browning.
Cool for 1 hour until the granola reaches room temperature. Break the granola into pieces and mix in dried fruit. Store in an airtight container for up to one month.

Notes

Spray your cooking utensils beforehand with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Add-ins: flaked coconut, any dried fruit you prefer, chocolate chips, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
Use chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or any nut you like.
Use coconut oil or olive oil if you prefer.

Go to the link below for this recipe and many more of my recipes on Mustard Seed Sentinel, Meghan’s Corner.

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com/post/meghan-s-corner-homemade-granola

God, Trials

The Waves Cannot Prevail

January 22, 2021 meghanewhite

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The gentle waves roll up on the beach and then gently roll right back. Over and over again the ocean repeats this beautiful rhythm. I have been watching this incredible show from our hotel room window this morning. My husband and I are finally celebrating our 25th anniversary (4 months late) with a stay at a gorgeous beachside hotel. Back and forth, back and forth the waves crash. How do those waves know where to stop?

God tells the ocean how far to go.

Do you not fear Me?’ declares the Lord.

‘Do you not tremble in My presence?

For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea,

An eternal limit, and it will not cross over it.

Though the waves toss, they cannot prevail;

Though they roar, they will not cross over it.

Jeremiah 5:22 NASB

I have always loved the beach. The ocean brings me an immediate sense of calm. When I look out at what appears to be an unending sea, I can breathe a little easier. My soul feels relaxed. I am reminded just how small I am in this massive world that God created. My problems begin to shrink, and God becomes even larger to me.

The storms will come. The waves will get big at times. Everything may look as though it’s over. Those big waves come and crash, bigger and stronger each time. Yet those waves will not prevail. Sure a sneaker wave can knock you out, but you can and will get back up. Eventually the ocean will calm down once again.

The God who made oceans also made you. He cares about every single thing you are facing. He knows exactly what you need to learn from those big waves, or even those small ones. God is in every tiny detail of our lives. Awesome Holy God loves us so very much.

God will not let the waves prevail over you.

Did the waves knock you down? If you look up there is a hand reaching out waiting to help you. It’s Jesus’ hand. Our perfect Savior loves to save us in our troubles. So take His hand. He will help you, comfort you, provide for you, and heal you. Jesus is the all sufficient Savior.

I am going to take a bike ride along that beautiful ocean as those waves come just far enough and then roll right back. I see Jesus in those waters, and God’s mighty hand holding back the waves. And I know I’m going to be all right, and you are too.

Love you all,

Meghan

If you need prayer please send me your requests meghanewhiteauthor@gmail.com

It’s a privilege to pray for you.

Parables, Prayer

Always Pray and Never Give Up

January 16, 2021 meghanewhite

brown mountain near body of water — Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com

Have you given up? Have you lost hope? Have you stopped praying?

It’s easy to get down and discouraged. Life is hard, but God is good. There are no perfect people, including Christ Followers. We are not super Christians. We are ordinary people, who serve an extraordinary God.

We can all take a deep breath and know that it’s perfectly normal to get down sometimes. Being down is a great opportunity to be lifted up by Jesus. When I am down there’s one direction to go, up.

Jesus is the ultimate encourager. He was consistently encouraging the disciples to have faith and to trust Him. One great example of this is a parable in Luke.

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ²He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

⁴“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

⁶And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Luke 18:1-8 NIV

This unjust judge who has no faith in God, ultimately answers the widow’s plea and serves justice on her behalf. How much more will our perfect Father God answer our pleas? God is the true judge, without corruption. God who is just, will help His children. God loves us beyond our comprehension and delights in helping us.

Sometimes we give up on praying. We stop asking because we aren’t seeing any results. We may think, “Does God hear me?” “Does God see me and my struggle?” The answer is yes! God sees everything and knows everything. God sees our pain, and heartache, and trials. God has answers to our prayers in His perfect timing, in His perfect way, according to His perfect will.

Praying can be hard. Persistent prayer can be even harder. The unjust judge answers the widow because she persisted. We are to pray fervently. We are to be in a spirit of prayer. It’s a continual reliance on God all throughout the day, all the time. We are weak, needy humans. The only thing that can satisfy us is Jesus Christ. Persistent prayer strengthens our faith, and changes us to be more and more like Jesus.

Do not give up.

Things may look hopeless in your life today. Your circumstances may be impossible. God does some of His best work in impossible situations. God has no limits. He really wants our hearts more than anything. Ask Him for help. Ask Him for peace. Ask Him for wisdom. Ask for His will to be done in your life.

Always pray.

God loves you and has good things planned just for you. Trust God.

Love you all,

Meghan

I love to pray for you. Please send me your prayer requests meghanewhiteauthor@gmail.com

God, Trials

Where Are You God?

January 8, 2021 meghanewhite

A number of years ago I was at the end of my rope. I was frustrated, discouraged, and looking for answers. I had prayed all the right prayers and read all the right Bible verses, yet things were not going the way I wanted.

Where are you, God?

In an instant, I saw large red fingerprints on everything. My family, my home, my children, my problems, and concerns all had fingerprints. They were God’s fingerprints. He showed me that He was in fact at work in my life. From the smallest detail to the largest concern, God’s hands were holding it all together. I just hadn’t seen it.

I was so busy looking at my problems that I took my eyes off of God. He graciously reminded me that He was there the whole time. He was always there. My problems did not disappear that day. Something bigger happened. I was encouraged. My hope was restored. Peace came back in my heart because I knew God was handling it all.

God did not shake His head at me, and tell me, “How dare you!”. He lovingly showed me His presence in my life. God’s patience and kindness is overwhelming.

There are times when I know in my head that God is omnipresent, but I don’t always feel that in my heart. I am not always going to feel it, and that’s O.K. I have learned when I don’t feel God, I can trust the truth of His word, the Bible.

“For I, the LORD, do not change” Malachi 3:6, NASB

God never changes, ever. We can trust God fully and completely knowing He is constant.

“and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:28-30, NASB

We cannot be taken out of God’s hand. Jesus and the Father are one. Those of us in Christ cannot be taken out of His mighty hand.

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b, NIV

God will never leave us, ever. God will never abandon us or give up on us.

These are the verses that come to mind when I don’t necessarily feel God. The Holy Spirit reminds me through His word, the truth. God is omnipresent. God loves us. God will never abandon us. God is always working in our lives, even when we can’t see it.

I have also learned to press in to God when I can’t see Him. I know He is my source for everything. I know when I ask Him to help me, He will. God is faithful. God’s love and care does not change based on my feelings. I’ve heard it said that if you do not see God that He did not move, you did.

When we feel far from God it is an opportunity for our faith to grow. Every time I go looking for Him when I can’t see Him clearly, He shows up.

God is as close as your next prayer.

Love you all,

Meghan

Heavenly Father,

You are perfect, awesome God. Thank you for your love and grace. I lift up all those who feel far from you today. May they experience your amazing presence and peace. Touch their hearts and lives. Give them eyes to see You.

In Jesus Name,

Amen