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Archive for the category “Faith”

07 Oct 2015

Suit Up!

Earlier this year, I attended the Priscilla Shirer simulcast. She taught on the Armor of God. I wasn’t so sure when my small group decided to do Priscilla’s latest study – Armor of God. After all, I sat through the teaching the first time around. Would it hold anything different? After just one week into the study, I realized the simulcast was just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much meat in this study that it’s going to blow up any notions that I have ever studied about the armor of God before!

With Priscilla’s involvement with the War Room movie project, it’s become evident that God has been working this study in her for quite a while. The movie script probably sent a spark into her soul that has been fanned into a roaring flame through the message she carried forth in her simulcast and now in this study. The War Room movie is about prayer. (Disclaimer: I haven’t seen the movie yet, but have heard much about it.) The first day of the study was about the seventh piece of armor which doesn’t get much attention: prayer. Prayer activates the armor to work more efficiently.

Both the movie and this study have a similar message – it’s time to for the Body of Christ to wake up and suit up! We are in a battle and one that remains unseen to the naked eye. However, when we pray for eyes to see, I believe God clears our vision to see the devil’s schemes and the battle that is being waged over us in the spiritual realm. We have a very real enemy that wants us to stay asleep and stay comfortable in our complacency.

We can see the darkness closing in around us. Prayer reinforces the light, and the darkness has to recede. Darkness is the absence of light. If we have no light, the darkness will grow darker still. We as the Body of Christ have to shine the light. There is no other way that darkness will recede. I want to reinforce my words with love – I do not want to write hate speech about the things we encounter in this world. There are lost souls who need to understand the love Jesus has for them. We are to do our work and shine the light in love. I heard long ago: the opposite of love is not hate, its apathy. Apathy knows there is hopelessness in the world, but it’s an attitude of not caring enough to do anything about it.

I picked up a free book on the children of India. It’s overwhelming to know the numbers of children who beg and live with a constant state of hunger; who have nothing; who expect not to live past their teen years, if they make it that long. They are abandoned and lonely. They are exploited; and fearful. Think of your eight year old self; surviving on your own, doing anything you can to stay alive. Or your children abandoned on a train, to be kicked out on the street when the train comes to the end of the line. How can we help such an overwhelming plight of humanity? I have no answers yet. But we need to wake up and see there is a world out there counting on someone to step out and do something.

God gives us the armor; we have to pick it up and use it. Armor is defensive and offensive. Prayer brings the power to effectively wield the weapons. The weapons formed against us are nothing compared to what we have at our disposal. Priscilla wrote on day three during the first week of study (pg27 Wake-up Call paragraph): “The call to victorious Christian living is a wake-up call out of laziness, urging you to rise up and take serious action. Satan and the demons of darkness are hoping you’ll be disengaged and disinterested instead of alert, aware and active.” She goes on to say “Lazy, lethargic Christianity can no longer be an option.” The darkness will not recede on its own. We have to be lights in our communities and in our world. Let’s suit up! The battle is already in process; we just have to pitch in and fight for what we believe in!

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (The Message)

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30 Sep 2015

The Vision

Do you have a vision of the future? Do you dream about what your life will look like in five or ten years? I can’t really say I have a great vision of the future. Sometimes, it feels like the future is very dark. Just look around and see all the things happening. It can be nothing but doom and gloom. I believe we are meant to dream though. God places in us a passion for something. It’s a matter of discovering what drives us to fulfill our purpose. We all have a unique calling. I believe there is a beautiful future ahead for each of us. Even in the presence of such oppression and darkness. God has something amazing for us. We are in the times before Jesus returns. God chose us for this hour. It’s no accident that we are here for this hour. We are here for something greater than what we could ever ask or imagine! Just imagine that!

There is a vision of the future that I get excited about every time I think about it. Every single day, we are getting closer to seeing Jesus. Even if I do not see Him coming in the sky – I will see Him when it’s my time to leave this earth. We are closer to seeing Him, but are we ready? We are told that Jesus will come when we least expect it. Beth Moore told her simulcast audience a couple of weeks ago to stop saying Jesus is coming on this particular day. She said that it’s delaying the time because we are expecting Him on that day! (She gave a humorous account of our predicting something that no one can predict).

Last week I wrote about The Day. Jesus sang the song as He was leaving for the Garden of Gethsemane – this is the day that the Lord has made. Finishing my thoughts about The Day, there is another day in which we are to rejoice. God set a day when Jesus will come once again for His bride. I think Jesus is at the threshold of heaven waiting for the word from God to “Go!” God is patiently waiting on the fullness of time. We are to be watchmen on the wall. We are to be about God’s work. We are not to be caught unaware. We are not to be in situations that we would be embarrassed if Jesus came for us. We are to have our conflicts resolved; forgiveness should be offered. We are given tasks to fulfill. We should not delay doing them. It’s time to get it done. We are to run our race until the end.

The vision for the future is bright. It is not a hopeless situation, but a hopeful expectation. Times are definitely rocking toward a dark day when the heavens will roll up and all hell will break loose. As long as the light is still shining on the people of God, we still have time to act. We still are able to reach those who are walking in darkness. God is still calling people to Himself. God has promised many blessings to those who endure until the end. Let’s run with endurance. Let’s face the giants of oppression with the power we’re given in Jesus Christ! We are not meant to shrink away, but stand in fight with the determination of a champion prize-fighter! We have already won and we need to remember who we are! We are victorious in the battle.

The vision of the future is brighter still. And we will rejoice together with one voice for the glory of the Lord! Jesus had that day in mind when He endured the cross; He endured the cross with joy because He had a vision of the future joy that surrounded the throne of God. As disciples of Jesus, we are the children of light. We are not meant to hide our light. Let it shine before all humankind so on that day, all the nations will be represented in front of the throne – REJOICING! Lord Jesus come! Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven! For this is the day that You have made; we are rejoicing with heaven for this day! And all God’s people said – AMEN!

Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” John 12:35-36

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23 Sep 2015

The Day

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. You may be familiar with this verse from Psalm 118. I think I have quoted it a thousand times. However, I never realized the significance of it until Beth Moore taught about the Passover meal one January at the Passion conference. In Matthew 26:30 we are told: When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Wow! If you read Psalm 118 with the thoughts of Jesus leading His disciples through the last Passover He would observe on earth, it is eye-opening. Jesus fulfilled that Psalm on that Day. It was The Day that God chose for that hour when every sin would be wiped away. On The Day, every knee will bow before Him. Some will rejoice in it; others will mourn for they didn’t recognize Him as the Messiah who came to take away their sins.

God set certain days into His calendar which have great significance. He called every Sabbath holy. He set times of festivals for the coming together as His people to remember all He has done. Three of those festivals are significant and must be honored in Jerusalem. The men were supposed to make the trip to Jerusalem. I must say I know very little about these festivals. I didn’t really know much about these fall festivals until this year when the emphasis was on the Blood Moons falling on the festival days.

One day stands out among these fall festivals. The Day of Atonement. Today is the observance of the Day of Atonement. The significance is found in Leviticus 16. If you are like me, you might have breezed through Leviticus when reading through the Bible. There are just too many rules to follow about cleansing and such; do this not that type of thing in this particular book. However, God put Leviticus in the Bible for all of us to understand the depths of sacrifice which must be made for our relationship with Him. We can’t do it by ourselves. There must be atonement for our sins before we can approach His Holiness.

A sin offering must be made on the Day of Atonement. Aaron had to make himself clean before he went in to present the offerings before the Altar of the Lord. Aaron was to cast lots for two goats – one for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat (Lev 16:8). The Lord’s goat would be sacrificed as a sin offering. The goat chosen as a scapegoat would be brought to Aaron. He would then lay his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites – all their sins – and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the desert in the care of a man appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place; and the man shall release it in the desert (Lev 16:21-22). Does this sound familiar to you?

God told Moses “this is to be a lasting ordinance for you. Because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a Sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. (Lev 16:29-31) With Jesus, He fulfilled every detail of this Atonement. We no longer have to have a scapegoat with the sins of the people on its head. Our sins were nailed to the cross once and for all. However, there is significance in the observance of this Holy Day. God said – this is to be a lasting ordinance for you. Deny yourself – a day of rest. Fasting and prayer. A holy day.

There must be significance in this Day. It is God’s holy day. It is the Day the Lord has made; we must rejoice and be glad in it! We celebrate Jesus’ birth and we observe His death at special times, but do we deny ourselves anything on those days? Do we set them aside as holy days? This is the one that God calls us to be set aside; to remember all He has done for us. He has taken away all our sins so that we can have a relationship with Him through Jesus. This is the Day the Lord has made – Rejoice! Be glad for all He has done! Take the time today to remember and honor Him in some way. Fast. Pray. Whatever the Holy Spirit leads you to do today. Do it in the Name of the Lord Jesus – our scapegoat, our perfect Lamb sacrificed for your sins.

The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for his is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:27-29

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16 Sep 2015

Wiped Away

The end of the seven-year cycle passed with a whimper. God has used this seven-year pattern throughout much of modern history to raise nations up or bring them down. He has used it to wipe away debt. Over the previous seven-year cycles, debt has been wiped out by dramatic swings of the stock market. When the last few weeks were showing the same signs of a likely crash, I thought God was going to do it again. But the time has passed and to my knowledge, nothing has happened. Did God forget about this timetable thing? Didn’t He know we were anticipating something to occur? It’s almost a disappointment. Until I come to my senses and realize this is something we don’t want to see happen!

It just shows us: God’s ways are not our ways; God’s time is not our time. It also occurs to me; there is something always going on behind the scenes that we are not privy to. There is an ongoing war, which is unseen to our naked eye. It is a spiritual war; which if seen, would cause us to faint dead away. God has a plan we do not see. We are not privy to His thoughts. We can seek His guidance and ask for wisdom. God gives us His Spirit to communicate His desires to us. We have to be paying attention to His promptings.

I was listening to the evening news last night when I heard this comment by the anchor: the fires raging in California are wiping away houses and whole towns. California has seen disastrous fires over the last few months. Fires are destroying millions of acres of forests, homes and towns. Flooding is also going on in part of the western states. Both are extreme natural occurrences. They are historic in measure. What in the world is going on?

Nothing catches God by surprise. He doesn’t pace in His throne room looking for an answer to the world’s problems. He already knows the circumstances. Our job in the meantime is to believe in His Sovereignty and in His goodness. Fire burns away the perishable things, but leaves the imperishable. Floods leave behind a new landscape. We are to believe God is who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do. We are to trust in Him and live according to His perfect will and pleasure. Through the Holy Spirit, we are given eyes that see and ears that hear. We are given a greater understanding into God’s perfect plan by His Holy Word.

Beth Moore spoke on Saturday about being audacious. She said we are built for fire. It’s the passion that burns in our bones. The fire of the Holy Spirit does not consume us but fuels us. In the last days, we will be given greater audacity to have more “guts for God’s glory.” We are not given a spirit of fear. We are given the power of the Holy Spirit! In future events, Beth mentioned fear will go viral. We cannot be swept into the wildfire of fear. And we cannot be lulled into complacency. We need to be awake to the world around us. What is unseen can be made known to those who are aware. God says He will pour out His Spirit on His sons and daughters in these last days. The Holy Spirit is our guide and our teacher.

Whatever suffering we must endure here is nothing in comparison to the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). Jesus is worth the sacrifice we must endure. Jesus asks us to count the cost of following Him. Do we have what it takes when everything is wiped away? Can we say with certainty, Jesus is everything to me? In God’s economy, up is down. In humility, we seek the all-knowing God who does not leave us in times of trouble. We will have trouble in the days ahead, but we are given a greater hope in the future. God is who He says He is. And He delivers on His promises!

For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.) Romans 8:22-25 (NLT)

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09 Sep 2015

Usefulness

I like to play golf. When I was a child, my Dad taught me how to play. When I played with my Dad and his buddies, he would brag on me, and I would beam from ear to ear. My Dad no longer plays, but he still enjoys hearing about my round when I see him. It reminds me how God as our Father loves to see us use our talents. I think it honors Him to use what we are given. I believe He also has a sense of humor when we do something funny, and we can laugh at ourselves. I think He smiles when we have good shots and give Him praise when the ball does a miraculous curl into the cup. God is a good Father and loves His children. He wants to do great things through us with all our talents and gifts.

If you’re like me, it’s hard to believe that God could really use me. I don’t have anything that seems to be useful as I see it. Sure, I write. I serve in my church family. But what is the work that God has designed me to do in this time? I struggle with that concept. I know one of my gifts is helping. I have been a great helper throughout my life. I was my Dad’s helper during those early years. When I was in college, I was the women’s basketball coach’s right hand. I have had many jobs throughout my career where I was the boss’ go to person to get the job done. I have been in training for God’s great task all my life – if it’s a help related kind of thing. But that doesn’t seem like much. It doesn’t take much effort on my part to do something that comes so natural to me – like golf. It’s second nature. Shouldn’t this great task be harder than my own effort?

Maybe it’s not the task itself that will be the greatest challenge, but the effort to be obedient to it when the time comes. It will probably be out of my comfort zone, and I may have to be in a hard place to do what I’m called to do. It will be a willingness to do what God asks me to do. It will cost me something. I will have to make some sort of sacrifice on my part. It will challenge my abilities to stay focused during those hard times. And it will take a humble attitude to do it in a manner worthy of God’s glory. But in the end, it will all be worth it. I want to be useful for God. I have said many times, the answer is yes even before I know the question. But when the time comes, will my answer truly be yes?

The gifting the Holy Spirit gives us is not for our own benefit. Our gifting is to be used for others – for the brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those outside the family of God. God kept giving me the same message over the last couple of days – get busy. God wants His people ready for service. God has given us this hour to live for His glory. It’s all going to come together; the time, the place, and the people coming together to be the hands and feet of Jesus. He has chosen us for His team. We may not get any reward here on earth for what God calls us to. It’s only when we get home to heaven that the rewards will be given. We have to be patient in our works for Jesus.

The works do not save us but give us the opportunity to be like Jesus to someone here on earth. Jesus said He came to serve not to be served. The mentality of the church people has to change. We are not to be consumers of the word without any deeds. James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote in his letter that faith without works is dead (James 2:26). It’s a dead religion. It serves no purpose. God will use us when we have our hearts surrender to His will and His purpose. With the right heart attitude, all the glory goes to God. And it will truly please Him when He sees us doing the work He calls us to. It’s time to get busy for time is growing short, and the day is almost done.

If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. Romans 12:6-8 (The Message)

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02 Sep 2015

The Cornerstone

My church has just finished “The Story” published by Zondervan. It’s the Bible in a story form. From beginning to end – it’s all about the Word of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us – Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone – the perfect point of a foundation. Nothing can be built on an imperfect foundation. It will not stand. The Story walked us through God’s story of redemption through Jesus. The Word is the foundation of our lives. It’s the seed that takes root and becomes a fruitful tree. The root is long and keeps the tree from falling during the most difficult storms. When things get shaken, it’s the only thing that will keep us grounded.

There was a time in my life when I didn’t read the Bible. I didn’t understand that it was living and breathing. I didn’t understand that it was God’s inspired word. I didn’t have a basic understanding of the most foundational aspect of a Christian’s life. They say that when the Bible is falling apart; the life of the one reading it isn’t. It wasn’t until my life was falling apart, when I found the Word was the answer I was seeking. My life was off track and it’s the only thing that brought me back. The more I read the Bible, the more I want to learn.

On Monday, I was listening to James MacDonald speak about the foundations of our faith. He called this sermon “Back to School.” It’s getting back to the basics to truly live a changed life. The Word is the instrument that causes the change. We saturate our minds with God’s truth, and it will develop a foundation that will never be shaken. We have to get back to believing in the Word.

The Word is beautiful in its complexity and its simplicity. It has so many layers that we just don’t get! I listened to a snippet of a messianic rabbi speak about Holy Communion. He opened up the Word and talked about the significance of the wine. The wine has two representations: one through the Passover wine and the other as the betrothal wine given to the woman before the engagement.

In Jewish customs for arrangement marriages (back in biblical times), the dowry was paid by the potential bridegroom for the one that was chosen. After the payment, a cup of wine was brought to the woman to consummate the engagement. If the woman accepted the wine and drank it, then the engagement was set between the pair – they were officially married. The man did not drink the wine. It was only for the future bride. The bridegroom left the woman with her family while the husband went to prepare a place for them to live. Once the bridegroom had made the necessary arrangements, He came back for the bride. When the bridegroom came back, a celebration began. The bridegroom would then be given a cup of wine to drink at the celebration. Jesus gave the illustration of the end of times concerning ten virgins waiting on the bridegroom’s appearance. Five were ready; five were not. Jesus’ words were recorded in Matthew 25:13 saying “keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” of the bridegroom’s arrival. No one knew how long it would take the bridegroom to prepare that special place.

In Jesus’ last Passover supper, He passed the cup of wine to His disciples and told them to drink it. Jesus said the wine represented His blood. In Scripture, we are told that blood contains life. Jesus’ blood is the covenant of everlasting life. When we take that cup, we are agreeing to His proposal of marriage. We are to consider this cup very careful. Jesus told the disciples that He would not drink of it “until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). Jesus said that He was going away to prepare a place for us, and He would return one day (John 14:2-3)! When He comes back for His bride, there will be a mighty celebration on that day! The marriage will be complete, and we live with Him for eternity!

Jesus paid the dowry for His bride (the Church) by His death on the cross. Jesus said that His body was the bread that was broken for us. Jesus’ declaration was written in John’s Gospel: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). Manna came from heaven while the Israelites were in the wilderness. But the Bread of Life that came down for us; is a life-giving bread that when we eat of it, we will never be hungry again.

Layer upon layer as we take this Word and devour it, it transforms us into a beautiful bride for Jesus our cornerstone – the foundation on which we stand. We will never be unsatisfied with the life given nourishment of this Holy Word. From beginning to end, it is the everlasting covenant that we can trust for eternal life.

You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.” 1 Peter 2:5-6

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26 Aug 2015

Standing Firm

For the last few weeks, I have been enthralled with the topic of the September events that are projected to happen. There are so many theories floating around; any of them could be possible. The theories range from a major 9.0 earthquake shaking the West coast, a meteor falling into the Atlantic Ocean, world-wide economic collapse, or even the country being split in two. And let’s not forget the hoopla around the blood moon events. Many claim that they have heard from God on these events happening. The end of the world is near. We’ve heard it all before. It’s just interesting to me that not only are the biblical people speaking about economic collapse but many of the secular people are saying the same thing. There is some validity to that theory. But I do believe we are in for a shaking in our world. I believe there are some things that God has in store that will take place in September. We might not understand it today; but when we look back, this September will be very significant in the end of times events.

There are several things that really are scheduled to happen like the Pope visiting the US around September 23rd. He is scheduled to speak at the UN conference concerning the new Agenda 2030 that will set guidelines for a possible new “world order.” He is also speaking to Congress during his visit. There is the CERN collider ramping up to full steam. This super collider is supposed to “explain” the big bang theory. The apex of this ramping up is expected to occur around the end of the month. September 21st has been declared as the “Day of Peace.” Jade Helm – a military training exercise – will be wrapping up on September 15th. I don’t know if any of these things could be world-changing events, but we won’t know until things unfold in the future.

What’s interesting is the fact that these events are all coinciding with God’s feast days. September is the month of the fall feasts that God set in Leviticus 23. On the fourteenth, the feast of Trumpets begins. The Day of Atonement, considered the holiest of the year, is on September 23rd. And on the twenty-eighth, we celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. I say “we” because these are the Lord’s feasts. If we are the Lord’s, then we should be celebrating His appointed times. I think we consider these things as Jewish feasts, but I believe this is for all of God’s people – both naturally born and the adopted sons and daughters of the King!

One thing that I come away with when watching and hearing these messages – it’s time we are prepared to meet Jesus – our hearts need to be right. Today. We should stand firm on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 7 to have your house built on the rock – when the storms come, the house stands. The foundation is secure when Jesus Christ is everything to us. The culture will change with the wind of opinion. But our hearts need to be set on the foundation of Jesus alone. If the world is shaking, then those who call on the Name of Jesus need to stand firm!

God is seeking those whose hearts are pure and righteous before Him. He is looking for those who will stand in the gap in these times. He is looking for the prayer warriors who will stand in the gap interceding for others. He is watching to see what we do, the actions we take in these times. Now is not the time to be complacent; it is not the time to run and hide (which I like to do). This is the time to stand firm on the foundation of Jesus. It’s the time to love like we’ve never loved before. It’s time to be unified with one another – laying aside our differences and joining together as the Body of Christ to help those in our communities, our nation and our world. It’s time to stand firm in the knowledge that God is in control – no matter what!

God doesn’t give us a spirit of fear. He gave us the Spirit of Boldness; the Spirit to testify to the great things He has done. We have a command to go and tell. Maybe these events can lead to a conversation with someone who doesn’t understand the hope that we have in uncertain times. I was reminded on Monday, that God has chosen each one of us for this time to live. God chose us for this time and place! We could be His instruments for the greatest revival ever seen. God is looking for ones who are ready to do His work. Let’s get ready! Stand firm in the truth!

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm. Psalm 20:7-8

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19 Aug 2015

The Warrior

As a child, I loved to pretend. When I was growing up in the 70’s I followed all the action heroes of the day. I was introduced to martial arts through a television show. I loved it. I grew up in a small town in the south that didn’t offer martial arts. The probability of my Mom allowing such a thing for me was relatively low since it wasn’t proper for young girls at that time. So I pretended that I could do all the things that I saw in that television show. I was a fan of Wonder Woman too. I envisioned becoming a mighty warrior. I loved to see women who were more than the damsel in distress. They could stand up for themselves and for their loved ones against their own bigger, stronger adversaries. They could defeat the enemy without the aid of a man to fight their battles for them.

As an adult, I learned a form of martial arts when I was in my thirties. By the time I took the class, I had underlying health issues that eventually caused a lack of muscle strength that took me out when trying to perform a hard kick. My dream of becoming a “warrior” chick ended. I don’t think becoming a warrior was God’s plan for my life. Or was it? Maybe my vision was a bit different from God’s. In Ephesians 6, Paul wrote about the armor of God that we are to put on. We are to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. There is confirmation there that we are supposed to be warriors for Jesus! I don’t have to pretend, God makes it possible for me to be that warrior chick after all!

Paul wrote to the Ephesians to take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (6:17). The sword is used to go against our enemy. It is an offensive weapon. When we have the sword of the Spirit, we have the most dangerous weapon in our hands for moving us forward against the enemy (Louie Giglio’s teaching in his sermon series Breath on a Page). The enemy is always trying to get us to turn back. When we have the sword, we have the weapon that can cause the enemy to flee from us. Jesus gave us the example when He was led into the desert after He was baptized. After forty days of solitude and fasting, the enemy came to tempt Him. But Jesus spoke the truth to Satan, and Satan could not stand against Him.

The Bible is not just another book as Pastor Louie Giglio reminded us in his second or third message of his series. When we respect it as God’s breath on a page, we understand that we hold something very extraordinary in our hands. There’s nothing else like it. It is an everlasting document that cannot be destroyed. The power that it contains cannot be matched by any other book. The purpose of the Bible is not to gather dust on a shelf or night table, but to be devoured; to give us life everlasting. It cuts deep to the matters of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 states that the Word is alive and active; sharper than a double-edged sword; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

As I take in this life-giving word, I can feel the warrior spirit rise up in me. I can hear the “swoosh” of the sword coming down to divide anything that is not relevant for the abundant life that Jesus has given me. I feel the power of the Word welling up in my soul. And I can have the confidence I need to move out with God’s breath lifting me higher. It has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the work that God is doing in and around me. I get to participate in His plan. I become what He desires for me because of His work through His word. We are all a work in progress. The progress can only be made as we feed on His word. When we are full of His nourishment, we will be strengthened to complete the tasks before us. Breathe in o’ mighty warrior and let His Spirit fill your lungs and your heart full of His grace and love. Be the one He has chosen for such a time as this!

Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things. 2 Timothy 2:3-7 (NLT)

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12 Aug 2015

Broken Walls

Hand me the hammer, please. It’s time to break down the walls. Walls need to be broken down that keep us from others. I am the world’s worst about keeping to myself; I don’t really like to let people in because then they would know the real me. I was convicted over the weekend that it’s time to be real. I do feel that time is moving quickly to that point – whether Jesus comes back or something else huge that will occur – that will change everything. I don’t know what God has in store, but something major is brewing. God is giving us warnings that are escalating beyond a normal pattern. God frequently works in cycles, and I believe we are coming to another major end of a cycle. With conviction, I realized that the book that God called me to write needs to be done very soon. In it, I share my testimony. As I was writing it over the last few years, I had to come to grips with many issues that had been hidden from my view. I had some blind spots that needed to be revealed. In sharing my testimony, I am letting others see things as they are (or were).

Walls do nothing but keep others out and ourselves in. There is no communication between walls. As I have observed the Body of Christ, as we gather during our worship times, we have isolated ourselves from those who really need to see Jesus. We have built walls that show the world a different picture than what the Bible has given to us as an example. The first believers were living life together as a family – day in and day out. Like most families, they saw each others mess. Yet, they loved one another no matter the mess. They showed love to those around them. Outsiders took notice that the Jesus followers were different. They were overpowering non-believers with love and that love grew the church body. Jesus followers were giving all they had to take care of others. They were on mission to be a disciple who made other disciples.

Paul had to call out one church that wasn’t living as they should as followers of Jesus. Paul wrote to the Body in Corinth about a problem. The people of God in that area were not acting in love, and it was an issue that needed to be addressed (1 Corinthians 6:8-11). We all have sins of our past. Some of those sins keep us in a place of shame. However, when we have been forgiven, those sins are no longer remembered – they are forgotten by a gracious God. We cannot hold the past against anyone. We all have fallen short of living a life of righteousness. We as the Body have an obligation to break down the walls that separate us from the outside world. We are told to go out in the world, but don’t become like the world. We are supposed to be different; we would rather be like everyone else. We are told to love one another so that we can show the world the difference in our “family.”

I have often wondered what it would have been like to live in the time of great revivals; where record numbers were coming to Christ. I wondered what it was like for those early disciples who were so eager to share the story of how Jesus died, but then three days later, he arose from the grave! People saw Him and touched Him. They were eyewitnesses to the greatest event in history. I wonder now, what this next event that God has in mind. We may be in for a time of another great revival. Maybe God wants to use us to lead the way. But it’s going to take a hammer to break down those walls that keep us from reaching out. It’s time to be more like the first century church – taking care of one another and showing love to those outside the family. It’s time to meet the needs of those around us and tell others what Jesus has done for us. It’s time to be real and authentic. We will need to be the light to those who are still experiencing the darkness. When the walls are broken down, the light can finally be seen!

No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:15-16 (NLT)

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05 Aug 2015
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The Mini Meltdown

For the last month or so, I have been praying for a miracle. I had in mind that it should happen around Friday (due to my immediate needs). It didn’t happen. The enemy had a field day with me. I gave him every opportunity to attack me when I was vulnerable. My physical appearance didn’t change, but my emotionally charged inner child ranted and raved at God. I am so glad we serve a patient God. God let me have my say without striking down with an angered response (which He had every right to). My feelings were hurt. I was greatly disappointed. Why hasn’t He directed me out of my circumstances? Why am I still waiting for something to happen? What am I waiting on? I thought God was in this with me. But for the life of me, I don’t understand why I am in the mess I’m in. I thought I was doing what I was called to do. I thought I had been obedient. On and on; tears rolling; red eyes swollen. I just couldn’t get past it. I was stuck in that place.

Friday night, I sat down to eat my supper and tuned into one of my favorite websites for a short word on whatever the topic of the day was. I listened to Monday’s broadcast because that was the only one that really interested me. The topic was about a woman’s story of how she moved to Haiti because of God’s direction. Her story was pretty amazing… again God you did it for her, why not me? Blah, blah, blah. Pity party of one, this way please! After finishing my meal, out of the blue, one of my friends called me. She normally doesn’t call often, but on this night she felt led to do so. With her call, I got out of myself and focused on someone else’s life. We caught up on the details with one another and called it a night. When I laid down that night I was still upset about my circumstances.

I woke up once during the night, and still had the events on my mind. I got up from my bed to write a letter to get out the anger, the hurt and all the things that had welled up within. In the morning, I was feeling a bit better. I began my quiet time with an apology to God for my mini-meltdown. I opened the Word and began to listen as I read. Now that I was ready to hear, three things were brought to my attention.

First off – when I was watching the video on Friday night, the woman kept repeating this phrase “God was telling her she was not alone in her circumstances.” God reminded me that this was true for me as well. I noticed her using the phrase a couple of times, but didn’t internalize it until Saturday morning. He also reminded me of my friend’s call. Sometimes I feel so alone. My Mom used to say she didn’t have any friends, but she had so many friends who truly believed she was their best friend. It’s hard to resist the lies of the enemy when we are in that pit of despair.

Second. I began to read about contentment from Beth Moore’s commentary in the “Voices of the Faithful” for August. She wrote “Contentment has little to do with what we have or lack. It is a state of mind.” She went on to write about Paul’s explanation of contentment found in Philippians. “Paul explained that Christ had used circumstances to disciple Paul in the art of contentment. Discovering the power and the presence of Christ in every circumstance was the secret.” I am okay with my circumstances most of the time. Friday was the exception not the rule. I was disappointed. I was frustrated. And I was acting out in my flesh. God is working in my current circumstances for a greater work in me. God is working to grow me up.

The last thing that was brought to my attention was from Charles Stanley’s monthly devotion for Saturday’s reading. Again, he pointed to Paul and Philippians. Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter. The letter is full of rejoicing and praising God. Each sentence in this devotional was like God speaking into my heart every word on that page. The direction was to “focus on Christ instead of the circumstances – God will comfort your heart and bring you safely through the trial.” Dr. Stanley mentioned that focusing on Christ is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. He said to dwell on His provision (even when we don’t see it) and care instead (even when we feel alone). Believe in God’s character – which never changes. All it takes is a glimmer of hope to get out of the pit of despair.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

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