Christian Living

What Does It Mean to “Shut up to Faith”?

Jeannette Elizabeth Geist-Marcelli2 Comments

A couple of months ago, while reading one of my daily devotionals, “Streams in the Desert” by L. B. Cowan, the subject (and the title that was used) was about being “Shut Up to FAITH”, citing Galatians 3:23. Sometimes, like the situation I’m STILL in right now, God “shuts us up” to FAITH, allowing us to go through certain trials, abandon old rituals and embrace the new RELATIONSHIP with Him, “put off” the ways of our “old man” that kept us in those “chains”, to “put on” the “new man” in Christ, allowing HIM to lead and guide us on a path of FREEDOM we’ve never experienced before. That FREEDOM is being CLEANSED (1John 1:9) of our SINS, no longer allowing all those addictions, temptations, negative thinking, etc. to weigh us down. Instead, God shows us lovingly the areas of our lives that need to be changed and transformed, and then leads us by the hand on a Journey of FAITH and liberty down a road that we thought was forever “blocked” by all we’ve done in our past.

However, the SURRENDERING of the god of “SELF” must be done, for any of this to work, and succeed. By the time we get to “that point”, God has already paved out the RIGHT PATH He’s longing to get us on, in order to rid us of those chains that has been wearing us down. Once we HUMBLE our WHOLE selves to Him, and allow Him to be our Savior and Lord, asking Him naturally to “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil” that has been plaguing us, He takes us by His side, and “shuts us up” to Himself.

For every believer, it is a different amount of TIME, and a different way of doing it. It doesn’t just happen when we first come to Him, either. This devotional speaks of such men in the Bible like Moses, Paul and Silas, and John, who at one point in their journey of LIFE, God “shut them up” to change and transform their lives, and PREPARE them for either what lied ahead for them to do, or for others following them, but using them (like the Apostle John who wrote Revelation) to guide and warn others of the coming judgments God would have on His Creation, if they did not heed His Word and REPENT.  

I can relate to this part SO much right now, especially the “loss” part; December will make it THREE YEARS for me, being “shut up to FAITH”: “Dear reader, are you in some great trouble? Have you had some great disappointment, have you met some sorrow, some unspeakable loss? Are you in a HARD place? Cheer up! You are SHUT UP TO FAITH. Take your trouble the right way. COMMIT it to God…”—C.H.P.

But it really was necessary for the Lord to do this to AND for me. I had some major issues that needed to be dealt with, without having anyone else in my life around me at the time. It was best that God “sequestered” me (He just ‘planted’ that word in my mind–He does that from time to time… lol!) into a life situation that kept me from going to work in the world, being busy with this that, and not having the TIME needed to get me off my “crooked roads”, onto the PATH that He pre-destined for me long ago. Being a NANNY for about a year and a half “just so happened” to make that possible. The NEXT step was to get me back into school and start living out and using more of what I’ve been taught. There were things the Lord still wanted to “perfect” in me (Psalm 138:8), so the FRUITION of this Journey and the end of this “Season of Waiting” was still a way off.

                But, the Lord states in His Word, and I BELIEVE it to be TRUE, as it is written in Philippians 1:6 that “being confident of this very thing, that HE who began a good work in you WILL perfect it (bring it to completion) until the day of Jesus Christ”. Do NOT be surprised at all, WHEN, not if, the Lord does the same to you as you reach out to Him in FAITH, and ask Him to change and transform your life for the very PURPOSE He created you to begin with. You WILL see and hear Him in many different ways, “working all things together for good” (Romans 8:28), but it’s going to take some TIME, depending on YOUR LIFE story, and what He intended for you.

I got to the end of this devotional, and THERE it was, waiting for me—the VERY thing I’ve been crying and praying to the Lord again about in the last several days. I’ve been WAITING for such a long time, and I am longing for this “Season” to end, so here is the Lord’s sovereign power, love and might, working through this devotional to me, encouraging me one more time, to just “wait a little longer”: “Praise Him that He makes “all things work together for good” and that “God works for him that WAITS for Him” (Isaiah 64:4). There will be blessings, help and REVELATIONS of God that will come  to you that NEVER could otherwise have come; and MANY besides yourself will receive great LIGHT and blessing because you were shut up to FAITH.”—C.H.P.

                I couldn’t have said it better myself; It has once again blessed me and strengthened me to go further down this road of FAITH, while waiting for the Lord to “perfect” all that He needs to not only in me, but in “that man”, in the Journey He’s planned for us, our future, His glory, our benefit, and others’ blessings. Most importantly, is the SALVATION of many that will come about because of this work He has done in me, and the others that have been “weaved” into this Journey of mine.

We’re really all in it together, so shouldn’t we ALL be helping each other through it? This has been my way of doing it; sharing what’s going on in my LIFE, and telling others how GOOD the Lord God really is; all YOU, the reader must do, is BELIEVE that He will do the same for you, TRUST that  He has a plan for you as well (see Jeremiah 29:11), LISTEN to what He says to you through His Word, His “still small Voice” (see 1 Kings 19:11-13), etc., and above all, spend time in PRAYER and OBEY His every word. When you mess up, because you WILL, ASK for forgiveness, and “put off” that part of the “old man” that snuck up on you once again. Beat down your PAST, tell it to SHUT UP, and be gone, in the Name of Jesus and start living the LIFE God meant for you to LIVE!! Let daring bold FAITH in Him completely transform your life—be ALL that you can be in CHRIST, and WATCH what happens supernaturally in your LIFE because you DARED to WALK IN THE DARK with FAITH!!  Be Blessed–

I May Not Have “Seen” It Yet, But He Keeps Leading Me TO It Through This Walk of FAITH!

Jeannette Elizabeth Geist-MarcelliLeave a comment

First off, I want to apologize for not being on here and blogging for the past two weeks—School was finishing up with finals, concert recitals, etc., and I also had to MOVE in the middle of all of that! I’ve been non-stop, even having to play out in a gig this past Friday at the last minute, and just in the past day or two, have finally slowed down enough to situate myself in my new living space, and just take a BREATH.

Stockton Concert Choir Recital, 4/30/2019 In photo: myself and Ariel Norbeck

As far as my grades go, it looks like I’ll be getting a 4.0 for the first time in my college career! I’ve gotten close in years prior, but as hard as it’s been on many of my fellow classmates and I this semester, it’s actually paying off! I’m so stoked to be able to honor God with my excellent grades!

Credit: YouTube lyric video—Danny Gokey

Now, about that title—I borrowed part of it from a song that I recently heard on the radio, which the Lord used not just once in the past two weeks, but TWICE😳✡️🌈, as a “God Wink” for me! I was reading one of my devotionals a little over a week ago, the Streams in the Desert, and remembered that was THE one that the Spirit lead me to taking the title of what will be my book series, and also, how this blog’s name came from.

The title of that devotional on May 1st was, “God Cannot Lie”. The Scripture verse was, “God that cannot lie, promised”, taken from Titus 1:2. As you read the devotional, it speaks of how FAITH is being exercised by believing that what God said would come to pass, is TRUE, and that it WILL, according to His timing and purpose of it all. The following quote that the author of the devotional uses, is where the Lord inspired me to get my title from—“FAITH, walking in the DARK with God, only prays Him to clasp its hand more closely.”—Phillips Brooks

Photo credit: Ex-Witch.com

I reflected back on these past two years, as I re-read that quote over and over again. It made me remember and realize that God has been moving mightily in my life every single day, and anywhere from one to several times a week, He’ll give me what has been coined by the Spirit to me, “supportive evidence” to prove to me, I’m on the right track, and to continue to WAIT on Him to bring me to the FRUITION of His intended Destiny for my life.

I absolutely LOVE the quote from the movie, “A League of Their Own”, when the announcer said at the end of the World Series game, “I’ve seen enough to know I’ve seen too much!” That’s how I feel by now—there is NO WAY after two plus years on this FAITH Journey, that I can deny God’s Hand in all of this—EVEN when it’s a song that “just so happens” to come on the radio, when I’ve been suddenly “led” to turn it on, and there it is!! NO ONE can tell me that God doesn’t move and do miracles in this day and age!! I’ll challenge ANYONE OUT THERE, to tell me different!! I’m talking to you BELIEVERS of God, NOT any unbeliever. Oh, I’d tell you the same, unbeliever, that God DOES do miracles today—2019, as He did thousands of years ago.

So those who name the name of Christ, and believe in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Spirit)—when God says that He cannot LIE, do you TRUST Him? Do you BELIEVE Him? He wouldn’t be God if He lied! How could anyone TRUST Him then? WHY would anyone trust Him?

After leaving the concert recital, not having anyone there for me, I felt a little down. Immediately I was wishing that the Lord would bring “that man” into my life, and let me get on living as a married person, instead of going through this desert “season” of dryness, and lovelessness. I don’t have my parents around anymore, who would always come to all my performances when I was singing, or in a play. I started to weep, and suddenly, the Spirit had me put on the radio, which I wasn’t really in the mood to do☹️😒, but wanting to be OBEDIENT and trusting, I went ahead. The radio station was still in their week of a “sharathon” mode, and to actually listen to a song at any given time, was a miracle in itself at that point🙄. Well, as God would have it✡️🌈, not only was there a song on the radio at the time, but it was Danny Gokey’s song, “Haven’t Seen it Yet”. It was about three-quarters of the way done, but with God’s perfect SOVEREIGN TIMING 😳 I heard from the bridge of the song, onward! Here are some of the lyrics written out, and then the rest in the pic: “He is moving with a LOVE so deep/Hallelujah for the victory/Good things are coming even when we can’t SEE/We can’t see it yet, but we BELIEVE that” (2x)

song credit: Danny Gokey

Let me tell you something, Naysayers—even people like Pilate and Judas Iscariot would have noticed God’s work in my life by now, if you don’t! I don’t say that to be rude or cruel, but SOMETHING has got to wake you all UP to SEE that God DOES work TODAY in people’s lives (“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”-Hebrews 13:8), but you have to “Call upon the LORD” (Ps.4:1; 17:6-9; 18:3; 50:15; Isa. 65:24; Jer. 33:3), and be serious and consistent in your prayers about it, in order to start SEEING the results! My “man” isn’t in my life—YET; I don’t have a decent job, or a place to call my own—YET! BUT GOD—do you see that??—But GOD “will (and HAS!) supply ALL my NEEDS, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19)! He’s been taking care of me every STEP of the way so far on this Journey! I’d be a FOOL to stop believing now! The “God Winks” that He has provided, has been astounding, and encouraging enough to keep me going, letting me know full well that “He that started a good work in you, will carry it on to completion(Phil. 1:6).”

Photo credit: In Touch Ministries

EVERY TIME I stepped out in FAITH, the Lord God has responded in kind—giving me what He did with that song on the radio, for instance. I’m amazed more and more, especially with the EXACT TIMING of it all! Even where the song lyrics were at the time I was led to turn the radio on, makes it even more astounding! It’s as if God was using the song to “answer” the questions I was crying out to Him in those moments. ❤️✝️🙏🏼 It encouraged me so much. My situation hasn’t changed as yet, but He brought me once again to a place of PEACE and ASSURANCE that He IS “working all things together for good” (Rom. 8:28). God IS up to something good, and as always, I am willing to WAIT on Him to do all that He needs to do, in order to make it ALL “come to pass”(Ps. 37:5).

Taking God at His word is something you the reader, are going to hear me talk about over and over again, as well as OBEDIENCE to Him, and TRUSTING in His word. I wouldn’t have seen all the “God Winks” I’ve seen so far, and experienced His wonder working power in my life, if I haven’t been BELIEVING what His word says IS true!

The man I am waiting for, IS worth waiting for, because the Lord God has HIS Hand in it; I am working hard in school, to not only do well for myself and my future husband and family, but also because it brings God honor and glory. The more I hang onto God’s Word and have FAITH in it, even while still in the DARK about what God is ultimately going to do, WILL lead me finally to that Destination that God had for “him” and I all along, and for whatever ministry or ministries He puts us in.

Photo Credit: Tony Evans Ministries

Waiting patiently is just one of the STEPS I’ve had to do on this Journey. It hasn’t been easy, but the Lord has been faithful to show me encouraging SIGNS along the way, to make me realize that He IS “perfecting that which concerns me” (Ps. 138:8).” May you allow Him to do the same in your life. Be Blessed.