The Writing on the Floors

Our new home is almost ready for the Bassett family to take up residence. It's been 16 years since we last moved. It was at that time in 1996 that I have left my television job in Chattanooga to move back home to Mississippi and marry my husband. Now 3 kids later and lots of acquisitions, it's a bigger project and it takes much longer, too.

While the floors were in transition in the new house, I asked the children to come up with their favorite Bible verses, handed them a jumbo black Sharpie marker, and gave them the instructions: write on the floors. Will, our 7 year old, had a look on his face that read 'Last time I did this, I got in trouble' and asked, "You mean we can write on the floor and not get in trouble?" After asking why I was allowing them to write on the floors their scriptures, I explained how nice it would be to be surrounded by God's Word all of the time, especially when they're having difficult days. So, they commenced to writing first in the children's den.

Afterwards, they went to their bedrooms to write another favorite verse along with the verse I chose to pray over each of them while I was expecting them and still pray over them to this day which I shared in my first book "Forecasts & Faith: 5 Keys to Weathering the Storms of Life".

Did you know the act of writing scripture is dotted all throughout the Bible? God wrote on stone tablets for Moses (Deuteronomy 10:1-2), the Israelites wrote scriptures on their door frames (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), the Israelites wrote on the stones taken from the Jordan River (Deuteronomy 27:1-8), and writing would be a witness against Israel (Isaiah 30:8). John even stated in John 21:25,  "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."

Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I may not sin against you."

I want our new home to be a place of spiritual revelation, peace and loving wisdom. It was a lesson for our children that we're not only hiding God's Word in our hearts, but hiding it in our home, too.

(Inquiries are being taken for the remainder of 2013. If your church or organization is wanting Barbie to speak at an upcoming conference, please visit www.barbiebassett.com and click "Contact Info".)

Living With Accusers

Have you ever been accused of saying something you didn't say, doing something you didn't do or taking something you didn't take? Here recently, a couple of people whom I dearly love have been accused of doing something they didn't do. Their names were printed in news papers, posted on pseudo-news blogs and even mentioned briefly on television news reports. It wasn't pleasant to watch, read or listen to because I knew the truth of the matter. When you've been wrongfully accused of something, it's a tough road to travel.

The word "satan" in Hebrew means "adversary, one who plots against another". In the Greek translation, "satan" is diabolos which means "slanderer, one who throws (something) across the path of another". Also in Greek, another translation is the word epiboulos which means "plotter".

Are you seeing a connection here? The truth is no where near someone who is accusing another, who plots against another, who slanders or plots against another. 

Chances are, you've been accused of doing something you truly did not do. When you are facing accusations, it's a natural reflex to defend yourself, your character and your integrity. But God says He will defend you. Zechariah 4:6 says, "Not by might not by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty."

So what do you do when you find yourself in someone else's cross hairs? Stay strong. Press against the slandering words, the hurt and the pain which the adversary is throwing your way and look at what Psalm 34:7 says, "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them."

There's no need to fear man's words when God has His angels surrounding you on all sides. Your accuser doesn't have God's blessing of angels around them.

Stay Steady!

Just a few weeks into the new year and it's about time for people to slack off on their resolutions. It happens, right? I began to wonder: why do we falter just after a few weeks on what we set out to accomplish with such vigor previously? The word the Holy Spirit placed on my heart was diligence.

God spoke specifically about this when He gave the children of Israel the condition upon which He would bless them. Deuteronomy 28:1 says, "If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God...." Then God lists what will happen *if* His children are obedient listing a myriad of blessings.

To "fully obey" the Lord is to be diligent.  According to Websters dictionary, diligence is: constant in effort or exertion to accomplish what is undertaken, steady; not careless, not negligent; attentive and persistent. 

Notice in Deuteronomy 28 the promise says the blessing doesn't come until you are STEADY. Often times, people wonder why God allows bad things to happen or they question why God does things? Why do they question God? Because they aren't being steady and constant in application. The difference between winners and losers is the same difference between stayers and leavers! 

There are people who will do what God says, every so often, if it fits their dream for their life. But they won't obey the Lord if it doesn't fit what they want to do.

If you're beginning to question *if* God will come through for you on your need, you're not being steady with your faith in Him and what He wants to accomplish in your life.

(Barbie's first book, Forecasts & Faith: 5 Keys to Weathering the Storms of Life, is now SOLD OUT.)                                                                                                                

New Year, New Season

A move is coming for the Bassett family. We are slowly looking at what is needed and what is no longer needed.

I had just returned from an errand and had our youngest, Lilly Faith, with me. As we pulled into the driveway, we both noticed a couple of car seats at the curb. She wanted to know why her car seat was being thrown out. "Well, you can't fit into your car seat anymore," I said. "You're in a booster seat now and we don't need car seats." Lilly Faith was not happy. "So we're just going to throw them away?" she asked. We got out of the car and I began to unload the car. I turned around to find Lilly Faith with her baby doll in her arms at the curb next to the car seats. She had put her baby doll in one of the car seats and she had commenced to sitting in the next one behind her doll. She was having a conversation with her baby doll the whole time. It was obvious Lilly Faith was not thrilled with the idea of putting out the old and moving on with the new!

We just recently ushered in a new season of Winter. Seasons change. They don't last forever. And just as seasons change with the weather, seasons change in our life as well. But letting go of things, people, habits, hurt and circumstances isn't easy. Although we may be miserable with them, it always seems harder to do away with them. The way the Lord knows whether we move into our new season with faith in Him or in unbelief, because of our worry of a change, often happens with our mouth.

Zechariah was a priest and a man of God. When the angel Gabriel appeared to him and told him his wife Elizabeth would be having a son, Zechariah couldn't believe it. He asked in Luke 1:18, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." It's almost like Zechariah was saying, "I hear what you're saying, but I can't see it happening." Even after Gabriel explained how it would happen, Zechariah seemed doubtful. God was ready to move Zechariah into a new season, but doubt was clouding the picture. The angel was trying to tell Zechariah, "This is going to be bigger than you are!"

When God brings a new season into your life, you can't talk the language of the old season. You've got to learn to speak a word in the season you're in. That comes by faith. That comes by cooperating with the Holy Spirit. Because of Zechariah's doubt, the angel had to put his mouth on hold until he could speak a word in due season (verse 20). Zechariah began to speak a word in due season in Luke 1:68. This time around, Zechariah didn't question God, he didn't scrutinize the word, but he praised God!

Sometimes you may wonder why the flow of the Holy Spirit may have stopped for you. It could be because your mouth isn't cooperating with the Holy Spirit and what God is wanting to bring you. Many times, God will give you hints or tokens of what He is wanting to do for you next before He even does it. It's like God is saying, "I'm so anxious, I just can't wait any longer! I've got to show them what's coming!"

God is getting ready to move you into a new season. Curb your tongue, your emotions, and your personality and know angels are listening to you. Seize the moment so that you can become resourceful for God and so He can use you to accomplish His plan. God will show you things that haven't even been conceived yet as He gets ready to move you to a new season with Him!

Is He Trying To Stop You?

It's "the most wonderful time of the year"...or so the song says? But even through the pageantry, lights, gift giving and Christmas carols, the devil's devices are alive and well. In many cases, they are multiplied. The more time people spend together, the more words can be spoken and more hearts can be broken. The devils of discouragement are at work even at the most glorious time.

Being in the public eye I'm always receiving emails, voice mails and anonymous letters from viewers who have an opinion about me they need to share. Over the last few weeks, viewers have told me I'm "fat", criticized my growing out my hair to donate it, and have even accused me of "tempting godly men who are trying to stay pure" (whatever that means).

What good is a spirit-filled Christian if they aren't going through adversity?

Before the devil can quiet your voice for God, he will try to stop you through other people. Most often times, the devil uses professing Christians to do his dirty work. When the opposition comes, you often feel like you're running through quick sand---you are having such adversarial conditions that your forward movement is slowing down. The winds of opposition blow and you gradually shut down and stop. The devil doesn't necessarily want you to go backward in your Christian growth, but he does want to stop you from going forward. God is about progress. Satan is about sitting still, caving into the pressures and doing nothing.

The Galatians were a people who used to be on fire for the Lord. But the devices of Satan came in and began to infiltrate their minds and their emotions and eventually slowed them down in their spiritual growth and influence. Paul told them in Galatians 1:6, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion..." The devil will have other people to misuse you, confuse you, and abuse you.

When the comments, critiques, trials, and accusations increase, don't stop moving forward. Just pause. Ask the Holy Spirit to touch you with a fresh word. Psalm 46:10 gives great advice: "Be still and know that I am God."

Occupying the blessings of God isn't going to come in a day. It's a process. Spiritual warfare is necessary.

(Barbie is the guest speaker tonight at Oakland Baptist Church's ladies night out in Corinth. She will be speaking and signing her books this coming Tuesday, December 11 at the Walthall County Library in Tylertown at 11am.)

December Update

This has been my first week off the 10pm news. Someone asked "How does it feel?" I feel like I've been given back a portion of my life! I've enjoyed not having to rush through dinner, bath time with the kids and story time just so I could trot back to the tv station. It's a more leisure approach and it's been a welcome one. Thank you for all of your comments and posts on the "Barbie Bassett WLBT" Facebook page as well.

Books are in stores now ready for Christmas shoppers! You can currently find them in Jackson at Lifeway Christian Store and Lemuria Books in Jackson, the Indianola Pecan House in Indianola, and Expectations in Brookhaven. If your location doesn't suit any of these, you can purchase them at www.barbiebassett.com with a special pricing discount. Be sure you signify how you want your book to be signed if you are giving it as a gift.

Orders received before December 18 will arrive before Christmas and they can be shipped anywhere. Please note: There are 64 copies left of "Forecasts and Faith: 5 Keys to Weathering the Storms of Life" and there will not be a 4th printing of this popular book. My devotional, "Carry An Umbrella When There's No Rain in the Forecast: 365 Days of Living by Faith," has been a stocking stuffer for many.

(Barbie will be emceeing the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation's Ag Ambassador event this Saturday. She will also be the guest narrator at First Baptist Church of Madison's Christmas Spectacular this Sunday with performance times at 3pm and 6pm.)

Dealing With Family Conflict At The Holidays

Everyone has someone they wish wasn’t in their family. And every generation blames the one before. When my children act in a way contrary to how I’d prefer, I often tell my husband “He takes after your side of the family!”

What better time to find faults in our families than at holiday time. All gathered in close quarters, we almost dare our relative not to act the way they did the last time we were together. In the past, we may have tried to make a mends but for some reason, there is no break-through in the personality differences. Therefore, we walk away hurt after another holiday has come and gone vowing to give the offending relative a piece of our mind!

Moses found himself telling God he just couldn’t take it anymore. The children of Israel were whining, complaining and unwilling to work on their spiritual deficiencies. They began to murmur against Moses and the Lord. God was not pleased at their actions or words. God had not only provided their freedom from slavery, but they wanted even more. Even worse, they really did not want anyone to tell them what they could or could not do.

Moses was so depressed at trying that he actually told the Lord in Numbers 11:15, “If this is how you’re going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” Moses wanted to die because the conflict was so bad.

There will be times in each one of our lives when God gives us a task to do that appears to be far too great for us to handle. At first, prideful thoughts can tempt us to think we can handle the conflict no matter how great the challenge may seem. However, God did not create us to work independently of Him.

If you want to reach your full potential, allow God to have the relationships causing you such worry. Many people believe they have given their problems to God, but they haven’t. They lay them down at His feet only to turn around and pick them up again.

How do you know when you’re still carrying the burden of a strained relationship with a family member?  You know it by the weight of that burden. If it is heavy to the point of being destructive, stop and ask God to show you if He wants you to bear this load on your own. Jesus instructed His followers in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus wanted the people to give their burdens--including their strained family relationships--to Him. A yoke was used to couple animals together so they could work more effectively. When we share our burdens with Him and show a gentle and humble attitude to our offenders, Jesus comes alongside us and lifts the yoke up so it is not weighing us down. But if we insist on shouldering the weight alone, we will fall and not get up.

It boils down to a matter of trust. Do you trust God with your strained family relationships?