Biting the Apple

“And the LORD God commanded, ‘You are free…but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Genesis 2:16-17.

Well we don’t have to turn too many pages in the Bible to see that humanity’s freedom to choose really can change the course of lives for the good or bad.  We are certainly living out the consequences of Adam and Eve's choices.  They had absolutely everything they could ever need or want.  They had the freedom to experience 99% of the blessings and extravagance of God.  Their lives offered so much beauty and privilege but humanity’s heart feels entitled to more…feels determine to run after that 1%...feels that the lack will satisfy like no other and produce what is missing.  The apple, that toxic thing that they had been told was forbidden, became their god.  ‘Adam and Eve freely chose to disobey God.  Human freedom means having the ability to cause your own actions.  God made man free to choose, even free to choose the possibility of sin and evil.  Adam was created with the power to obey or disobey.’ Redeemed, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p. 36.  And so are we! 

When we choose to do anything that we know is destructive we have plucked the apple of disobedience.  When we knowingly put ourselves in tempting situations we have chosen to linger around the tree.  When our freedom of choice places those we love in captivity we have spread our blankets under that tree and taken up residence.  Sometimes the freedom of others to choose forces us to walk out circumstances we otherwise wouldn’t have to experience.  ‘We are created with the ability to make meaningful moral choices.  God has instructed us, but He does not force us to love Him, obey Him, or follow Him.’ Redeemed, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p. 37.

But praise God that we are not left in our messes!  God has given us everything we need to be victorious over our sinful choices.  We are equipped in Him to choose what is right and good.  He will give us the courage and self-discipline to triumph over our weaknesses.  He will give us an escape hatch to flee from bad choices and walk in the freedom of the Spirit.  He will show us through prayer what masters over us and how to dash that idol on the rocks.  He will reveal just how rotten our apple is and invite us to enjoy the other 99% of His garden.  Be encouraged that we are not defined by our past choices once we lay them down, do the hard work required with God and live out the destiny that God has ordained for us.  God sees the sincerity of our hearts and will bless our choices when we choose Him and His commands.  Through the boundaries God sets in our lives we will walk in freedom.  

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” 1 Co 10:13.

Losing Paradise

“So the LORD God banished…from the Garden of Eden.”  Genesis 3:23.

Banished from the Garden of Eden…no sadder words have ever been written.  Adam and Eve knew paradise from the time their eyes opened and their hearts began to beat.  They knew a world that none of us will experience until Christ returns.  They had it all and they allowed it to slip away at their own undoing.  With paradise at their backs, we live out our reality:  consequences of sin.  But God orchestrated a plan that His little boy was born with a purpose to die so that we might live.  Because of His sacrifice we are redeemed.

We have all tasted the Garden of Eden only to be banished from its perfection.  I lost paradise when my daughter began living out her pain, choosing the darkness of drugs.  I lost my safe garden the day my heart stopped as the doctor confirmed my dad’s terminal illness.  Paradise became in my rear-view mirror as I lied and deceived Bruce by secretly spending money, creating barriers in our marriage.  When my sister Beth was given 2-4 months to live at her diagnosis our little garden community of sisterhood banished us into a land of loss.  The beautiful thing about losing paradise is that in all of those situations everything was redeemed or will be redeemed at some point.  Kristen is fully redeemed, my dad and sister are living out their redemption in Heaven and God has brought freedom to me from my secret spending.  I am now living out a beautiful marriage full of love, restoration and redemption thanks to Bruce’s grace and love.

The Garden of Eden represents that perfect picture in our mind and hearts of how life should have been, could have been and hopefully will be.  It is that thing or person that was prominent in our hearts.  Eden is a life where we didn’t lose that person we loved.  Eden is the day we walk down that aisle finally finding love.  Eden is the land of financial freedom and finally discovering that job.  Eden is when your child comes back home who has been separated from God.  Eden was then and Eden is up ahead but we must understand that living in the tension of the two is how we grow in intimacy with the One who made Eden.  Our way back to Eden is revealed through His word and our fellowship with Him.  He lights the way of the path back to Eden and true life is at the end.

“Behold, I am coming soon!  Blessed is he who keep the words of…this book.  My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done…Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:7, 12, 14.

What's In Your Cup?

“When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink.” Exodus 15:23.

I was reading a new book yesterday called She Reads Truth. It is a very powerful book with co-authors who alternately tell their stories of heartbreak and healing. Yesterday, she described an imaginary situation where a group of women come to her home for coffee. They are each given a coffee mug and begin with small talk. She then asks them to imagine that instead of a beverage in the cup, their circumstances are in that cup. She describes the possibilities of the different sets of circumstances in that room. I began thinking of my life and the different beverages I had to swallow. One of my earliest was understanding that the vow I had made before God in marriage ended in divorce. My cup was subsequently filled with a loving marriage, and children that followed. Then one day the cup’s contents began tasting bitter as I realized that my daughter had an addiction problem. Then 8 years later my cup overflowed with the delivery of her life through sobriety which led to her own marriage and my grandchildren, one of the sweetest beverages I have ever tasted. Beverages of cancer, loss of loved ones and broken dreams followed but one thing has been in each drink…the gracious lovingkindness of the Father. My cup is certainly faded and cracked but it holds precious memories of heartbreak and comfort…sin and forgiveness...hopes dashed and dreams realized. The follow-up verse to the one at the beginning has been my experience in every season. ‘And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.’ Exodus 15:25.

What’s in your cup today? Joy and celebration…heartache and bitterness? Are you drinking the bitter waters or are you in a season of the most wonderful drink you have ever known? Whatever is in your cup God is there right beside you. He poured the drink knowing He would bring you through it and experience His best on the other side. There are things of God that we can only learn as we drink the bitter waters that bring us into deep intimacy with Him. The cup might crack but it will not shatter – trust in Him with all of your heart and always remain thankful.

“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:7.

Crumbling Foundations

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me…I will not fear.” Psalm 4:6

A while back Bruce and I discovered that we have mold under our 33-year-old home.  We knew at some point we would have to remediate so we considered our best options.  We found a man who needed work and had recently done the same work under another home.  Bruce ensured that he had the necessary safety equipment, and the man began our work.  The next morning Bruce went to pick up the man but he didn’t answer the door.  Bruce sent a text and received one back from his wife that during the night he had stopped breathing and he was in ICU.  Instantly Bruce’s world seemed to dissolve into chaos.  His imagination took him to places of intense fear as he tried to understand the impact our job might have had on this man’s life.  He called me and asked me for immediate prayers which we both began lifting.  We weren’t sure if he was a Christian so we recited God’s word back to Him that God doesn’t want anyone to perish but everyone to repent and have eternal life.  We begged God to extend this man’s life.  It was certainly a scary day, a day where we ‘prayed without ceasing.’  We finally received word that the man was doing much better and was moved out of ICU.  It was discovered that he had both an undetected heart condition and pneumonia.  Bruce and his friend will be going up there this morning to share the love of Christ with him.  When I think about that first day and the fear, disbelief and chaos we felt I was reminded this morning that ‘God is not a God of disorder but of peace.’ 1 Co 14:33.  I also remembered that God has both the desire and ability to shoulder our circumstances and our fears. 

I know we are not the only ones who have received that text…that phone call…that news.  We all have had our very cores shaken by an event.  We have all wanted to ‘un-see, un-hear or un-discover’ something that is disparaging.  But we must remember that the very breath we take is from God who determines every detail of our life.  He works in us and through us to orchestrate His will which involves many people and many circumstances.  We must believe with wholeheartedness and confidence that our future up ahead is His history, complete and revealed.  With His total knowledge of our future He is not going to make any wrong decisions on our behalf.  They might be tough decisions for us to walk out but we are each equipped by Him with whatever we need to pilgrimage through our circumstances. 

If the foundation feels like it is crumbling beneath you take it God who is the Rock on which we can stand.  He is our firm footing and will not let us fall.  

Wherever We Go

“Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

It is so easy to read a passage or verse so many times that it loses its power in the message.  I fear that this is one of those verses that we must intentionally read and pause word by word.  God gives us His do’s and don’ts for our walk.  He knows we have the capability to be strong in Him and very courageous.  He is well aware that when we completely trust in Him, our fear and discouragement melt away.  He describes the places we can count on His strength and courage…wherever we go.

I have experienced this first hand in my own life.  When my sister and dad were both in Hospice, Jesus walked with me down the hallways.  When my knees rubbed against the carpet during my child’s drug use His knees were also bent.  As my tears streamed down my face behind closed doors heartbroken over an issue He was right there wiping them.  When I was driving to the hospital to meet my new grandchild, He was in the car.  He was at my wedding…He was at my loved one’s funeral …He was there and He is here.  This verse boasts that He is everywhere and anywhere all the time.

So, what is your ‘wherever you go?’ Wherever you go might be that interview in hopes of a job. Wherever you go could the bank where you must get a loan to continue to eat.  Wherever you go may be the chemo chair at the medical building, or the hospital to visit your friend or family.  Wherever you go might be to place flowers on your loved one’s earthly resting place.  God promises that there is not one place where He will not accompany you.  It is the only definite in a verse of choices.  Will we choose courage and strength or will we choose fear and discouragement?  Either choice He will not be apart from us.  Either choice He will still be in our midst. Let us affirm that because He is with us wherever we go, we choose His strength and encouraging character.  We chose to believe Him for His word.  We chose confidence that faith is believing that the unseen God goes before us, walks beside us and is our rear guard to protect us. 

The Gate of Beautiful

“Now a man crippled from birth was being carried…to the temple gate called Beautiful where he was put every day to beg…When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money…Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ…walk.’ He jumped to his feet and began to walk.” Acts 3:1-8.

Here is a story of a man who had become accustomed to his disability. He had accepted the life of limitations and weakness. We can only imagine that at some point his prayers shifted from healing to providing. This passage paints the picture of a man who depended on others to satisfy his needs in his infirmity. No doubt that day after day people would give him a few pieces of money for his plight. But as we all know both money and kindness are extinguishable and unreliable. The cripple was begging for something that could not satisfy…would not last…did not heal. It was not until the interaction with those vessels of God, [Peter and John] that his life was forever changed. He went from dependency on man to dependency on God. He went from begging for something temporal to receiving something permanent. He went from being crippled in his circumstances to being liberated in his life. He begged for something small but God granted him something huge.

This man’s story was my story when my sister was sick with cancer. She was so young and was enjoying a beautiful marriage and sweet little daughter. She became terminally ill and so many people approached the gate of Beautiful…God’s throne room. Every day we all begged for more time…more health…more days. But God had a more beautiful plan for her, a plan where her days would never end…her pain would never return…cancer would be defeated for good. So many times, the things we pray for are less than what God is ready to give. We are invited and encouraged to pray for the desires of our heart, but we must frame our prayers with the wisdom and will of God. We must understand that sometimes we ask for desires that contradict the desires God has for our lives or the lives of others. God intensely loves us and relentlessly acts on our behalf to bring about His best for us. If our prayers are framed with knowing God, knowing His ways and understanding His will we will better understand when prayers are answered in a different way.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work in us..." Ephesians 3:20.

Heaven's Witness

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down…And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Hebrews 12:1.

Yesterday, the heavenly ‘cloud of witnesses’ gained another member. My friend who courageously and faithfully fought cancer for over a year stepped from the grassy knolls of earth to the beautiful streets of gold. The race that was put before her was no doubt the most grueling one of her life. She was a childhood friend of mine and we only reconnected 8 short weeks ago, but Divinity doesn’t consider the calendar the way we do. We talked back and forth many days and the middle school girl of grace and joy was the same middle aged woman who never changed. Her life of faith was one that testified not only from her mouth but also from her actions. One of the last times we communicated was just a week ago, when she was excited to consider that she would be able to start round 26 of chemo. Imagine being hopeful for that, but that was who she was. Forever thankful…forever hopeful…forever believing. Every time she ended her messages it was ‘I am hopeful and thankful for God in this journey, I have given it to Him.’

I will forever think of this beautiful witness when I am feeling overwhelmed. Her beautiful testimony will be in my arsenal when I need to draw a weapon against this world. I know that God placed her back in my life to show me an example of grace, endurance, love and gratitude. She knew Christ alright, along with His sufferings. No matter what, she pressed on believing God for what He claims. The thought of her finishing her race after participating in all that suffering makes me hopeful and thankful. It reminds me that some day after this journey is over I too can take hold of Christ since He took hold of me through the cross. I can be confident that no matter how painful life is, I’m just passing through. I am not a resident of this world but a guaranteed landowner of Heaven. I will miss her but I will see her again when my race is complete.

“I want to know Christ--yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings…I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…But our citizenship is in heaven.” Philippians 3:10, 12b, 20.

Waiting on Wednesday

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True” Revelation 19:11.

A few weeks ago, Bruce and I attended a church in Charleston. They were giving an update on their capital campaign which was near the end. They reported that their necessary goal to break ground was $700,000. The previous Sunday was the day that people would contribute the amount that was on their hearts. The preacher said that at the end of the day when all the monies were counted they had only collected $180,000. Can you even imagine how defeating that must have felt for the leadership of this church? They had worked so hard and believed so big but the funds seemed to fall way short of the goal. Then something beautiful happened…God happened. He said that over the next 3 days, checks, texts, emails and online contributions began streaming in. By the end of Wednesday, they had collected in total $680,000! I have no doubt that the other $20,000 was collected shortly after.

On the way home Bruce was sharing how encouraging that story was in his own life. Bruce and I both have been waiting on God to come through big in different areas of our lives. We have tried to be patient and trusting…watchful but not demanding…prayerful but not willful. He turned to me and said, ‘You know, that story tells me that if God hasn’t moved or revealed His plan it’s only the beginning of the week.’ I was wildly blessed by that and assured him those words will preach in my blog! Our Wednesday is coming and God is preparing for that beautiful revelation. As we walk out Monday and Tuesday we will walk in faith, hope, and expectancy that God is who He says and He will do what He promises.

You might be walking out your Sunday…discouraged…lacking something…fearful. You might be sitting right on top of Monday or Tuesday where hope has returned and waiting is your offering. But let me assure you, your Wednesday is coming so hold on! Your Wednesday will catch you off guard because God loves to surprise His children. When we trust big, we will be astonished and amazed by the Wednesday He ushers in.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

The Ultimate Surprise Party

“‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’” but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 1:9-10.

One day in the summer of 2015, Bruce and I came home to find a surprise party being thrown for both our 25th wedding anniversary and my sister and brother-in-law. It was a great day and I couldn’t believe all of the beautiful details that our children prepared on our behalf. For me, a big part of the joy that comes from events is the processing of the day the next morning in my quiet time. I kept thinking about how as I was walking out my mundane days leading up to that event, they were secretly planning and orchestrating every detail of the surprise. As I was thinking of other things, they were thinking of me. As I slept they were wide awake creating…as I ran errands they were developing ideas…as I was cutting grass they were cutting ribbons and bows. I didn’t see it coming… (well, maybe a little idea) I didn’t hear any whisperings of it…my mind was on other things. When the party was revealed what a joyful day it was!

We live each day completely unaware of the things that God is preparing for each of us. He is orchestrating details that will string together a surprise like no other. He is connecting the dots of things already in place, and creating the next set of dots to hook together in time. We can neither hurry His plans nor alter them without His permissive will. We can make our plans and prepare for situations but it is the Lord who will direct our ultimate steps. We as believers are so confident in His handling of our eternal lives, but why aren’t we as trusting with our lives in the now? We must walk out our days with the confidence that His plans are awesome. We need some faith to know in our hearts that when we see nothing happening on our behalf, God is still working. We need to know that when we feel all alone and invisible, He sees us and is with us. We need to understand that just because we don’t hear the music doesn’t mean our party is not being planned.

I love the thought of God surprising me with unbelievable celebrations while living on this earth. I know that the most beautiful surprise party will be the one where I close my eyes to this earth and open them to heaven.

"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9.

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From Peril to Miracle

“In our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from such deadly peril, and he will deliver us.” 2 Corinthians 1:9-11a.

I feel extremely privileged when people reach out to me in their challenging times.  God has preordained purposes in His kingdom for all of us.  I know that God has given me a spiritual purpose surrounding these interactions with others going through their sufferings.  I must admit that when my own personal circumstances bump up again the suffering of others I sometimes get discouraged.  Yesterday was one of those days as I felt overwhelmed in sadness for my own personal trials coupled with the fear of losing a friend to cancer.  I told Bruce yesterday that I needed to see a miracle of some sort…that I needed to see God move.  I went to bed with a very heavy heart and prayed throughout the night.  I don’t remember praying for a miracle, just for the specific items that needed prayer.  When I awoke this morning, it was clear that God had moved through the night.  He extended life in the way that only God can ordain. That is a miracle! 

Sometimes we are so focused on the big miracle…the obvious miracle…the designed miracle that we miss out on the one right in front of us.  We arrange in our mind exactly what the miracle should look like and then fail to see the revealed one.  A miracle is getting that check in the mail that allows one more month’s rent payment.  A miracle is the child who gets another night with her mother.  A miracle is feeling the emotions of despair when going to bed only to feel the spirit of joy the next morning.  It dawned on me after my statement about needing a miracle that I might have already gotten one I didn’t know about.  What if God gave me a miracle yesterday by delivering me from a fatal car crash?  What if my miracle was that one of my children wasn’t struck by a car while crossing the road?  We get miracles each and every day through the mundane but fail to recognize them.  I am so grateful that God performs supernatural acts on behalf of all of us even when we are not aware. 

What is your peril today?  Take it to God and believe Him for His intervention.  Pray for your miracle but hold your design loosely so God can have room to work His power.

“On him, we have set our hope.” 2 Corinthians 1:11b.

Sweet Whispers

“Blessed is she [he] who has believed that what the Lord said to her will be accomplished.” Luke 1:45

Let’s face it. The success or failure of any relationship that we experience will be determined by the level of trust in which we have for those involved. If we have a deep and intimate relationship with someone opportunities are frequently given to build this trust. When trust has been proven over time, belief and confidence in that person is born. The same is true of God. God is a personal and individual God who desires deep fellowship and intimacy with each of us. Over time He proves His faithfulness again and again, but are we really trusting Him? Do we honestly believe in our hearts the things that we say we believe or are they just Christian platitudes?

Our sweet verse this morning highlights a very important principle beginning with the word ‘her [him]’. This word is so very important because it proves that God speaks to us individually. He whispers things to us that are for our ears only. He speaks through His Spirit and gives us ears to hear if we are listening. He reveals promises and intentions for our present and our future. So, do we believe Him when He says we will not face our circumstances alone? Are we confident that nothing…illnesses...financial troubles… relational challenges…loneliness will separate us from feeling God’s love? Are we convinced in our chaos, God brings perfect order even when we cannot see it? Have we set our hearts on reliance that not only will God bring work, but He will bring purpose and prosperity? The list goes on and on so the question becomes ‘Do we want to be blessed?’

The person who is blessed is the one who believes God over her doctors. The man who is blessed is the man who knows God will deliver work. The blessed woman is the one who anticipates the prodigal child walking back down the driveway. All of us can fill in our own blank but we all have one thing in common that will bring about this blessing…Choice. When we choose to trust God for anything we give Him the opportunity to start building an trust in everything. He is faithful and He will come through in all ways, in all times and in all circumstances. What better deal can you get?

A Birthday Card to Heaven

Daddy, as I open my eyes this morning like I have a million times before, I find myself with overwhelming gratitude for you. This day, your earthly birthday, only comes around once a year but the gift of your life is experienced daily. You see, just as God promised, death was defeated and life won! I think about how you are winning right now as you gaze into the face of God – something for which I'm excited for you. I think about the way you are winning as you have no more tears, no more cancer and no more sadness – something I prayed for you. I think about how you are winning in ways I cannot comprehend on this side of Heaven. But I want to tell you that you are not the only one winning.

I won the day you accepted Christ as your Savior and I wasn’t even yet born. I won the day God placed me with you and Mother. I won the day you guys decided to give me sisters. I won each and every moment that we spent together for 49 years…the bicycles rides… the attempted tennis matches…the nightly devotionals…the rides to church. My past winnings go on and on but they continue every day. Because you showed me the kind of man you wanted for me I’m winning. Because you showed me how to love your children well I win every time I share time with mine. Because you exemplified what standing up for God looked like, it gives me courage when I need it. Because you lived every day with a resemblance of who God wanted you to be, I win because you gave me that picture.

So, on this precious day which would have been your 81st birthday, I celebrate your life and the fact that death did not win and we did! I love you and will see you again one day!

Our Groanings

“When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; and my soul refused to be comforted.  I remembered you, O God, and I groaned…I thought about the former days, the years of long ago… ‘Will the Lord reject forever?  Will he never show his favor again?  Has his unfailing love vanished forever?  Has his promise failed for all time?  Has God forgotten to be merciful?’ Then I thought, ‘To this I will appeal…I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.  I will meditate on your works and consider all your mighty deeds…What god is so great as our God?  You are the God who performs miracles; you display power among the peoples.  With your mighty arm you redeemed your people…’” Psalm 77:2-15.

Today’s passage is quite lengthy but one worthy of our consideration.  Life can be so brutal and unapologetic when doling out the circumstances.  Our psalmist lays out a scenario that is not that different for us thousands of years later.  He is wide awake in anguish when he should be asleep.  His brain won’t allow him to rest due to something he is facing in his life that seems hopeless.  He even groans when he thinks about God because he is fully aware that God can save and rescue because He has in the past.  His thoughts turn to rejection and abandonment when thinking of the One who could act if He chose to but apparently was not.  He began to doubt God’s favor and promise…began to question His love and mercy.  Then the beautiful shift was made as the psalmist, in his despair, CHOSE to remember God’s intervention in the past.  He CHOSE to focus on what God has done instead of what he is waiting on God to accomplish.  He CHOSE to reminisce about the beautiful days long ago when life was sweet, prayers were answered, miracles were revealed and God was faithful.  His shift of heart turns to the future of when God will again show up and show out!

I know that as I sit and wait on my miracles, I sometimes question if I heard God wrong.  I sometimes wonder if what I’m waiting on is ‘my will be done’ instead of ‘His will be done.’ Do I groan when I remember how He saved my daughter from death, knowing He has the power to do other things for which I wait?  Do I wonder if His promise to me was just a fabricated wish list in my mind and heart?  The answer is in this passage – yes, sometimes I do consider those things if I am honest.  But, the important part is that these considerations prompt my appeal.  I deny the notion that God has failed me.  I refuse to accept that I have lost favor with God, and His mercy and love have changed for me.  I reject that God no longer works miracles in our lives and fails to redeem.  I will continue to expect rescues, deliveries, and divine miracles because there is no other god like our God. Our minds and hearts have the ability to choose what we consider, so why wouldn’t we choose the good, the loving, the hopeful and the encouraging.  Why would we choose to wallow in doom, hopelessness and timidity when we are sons and daughters of the King who is just as much on the throne today as He was in the Bible.  He is still King and the tomb is still empty!

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you may live and your children.” De 30:19.

The Scarlet Cord

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

There are so many stories from the Bible that document this verse in not only theory but reality. One of the most unapologetic stories told is the story of Rahab, the prostitute who by her faith was essential in a major victory for God’s people. She heard how God had performed miracles on behalf of His people, and was certain that her city would fall. She was actively making a living as a prostitute when she entered into an oath to help God’s people escape while planning their takeover. The agreement went like this: 'Since I helped you in the planning of the defeat, please help me and my family when the city is taken over.' When they attached, her mark of inclusion would be a simple red cord that hung in the window. She could have easily felt that because of her imperfect lifestyle she didn’t deserve to live. She could have been riddled with such shame and embarrassment that she felt unworthy to enter into an oath. But thankfully, she allowed her faith to paint a different picture of who she was. She was worthy of saving...she was invited into deliverance...she was not defined by her past choices.  She bought in to the fact that God was God, and everyone was invited into His family. She didn’t wait until she was a cleaned-up version of herself to act on behalf of God. She came to the table with filthy rags…a list of sins stamped upon her life. She courageously hung a scarlet cord in the window to stand out that she belonged to Him.

It doesn’t matter what we have done in the past or in what activity we are still engaging. When we determine that enough is enough, we can fly our white flag in surrender. While we are still imperfect we are invited to seek deliverance and redemption. Through the blood of Christ, we are recognized as one of His beloved children. When Christ truly becomes our life, others will see the Scarlet Cord hanging in the windows of our heart through our actions. We don’t have to wait until we are best versions of ourselves to turn to God. That is the whole point: It takes God to transform us into the best versions of ourselves.

"For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:3.

Our Cities to Seize

“Now Jericho was tightly shut up…Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands.’ Advance…March…Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!” Joshua 6:1-2, 7, 16.

When my grandson was much younger I would try to point things out to him that I thought he would enjoy seeing. I remember specifically sitting on the patio and trying to get him to see a bird up in a tree. It didn’t matter how I described where the bird was perched, his eyes couldn’t focus on the bird. It was easier for me see the bird because I knew what it looked like and where I was to focus my eyes. I can only imagine Joshua as he stood from afar overlooking Jericho seeing their walls completely shut up tight. The LORD was trying to get him to see a captured city…a delivered promise…a supernatural victory before the triumph. What Joshua was being asked to see was invisible to him with his human eyes. What Joshua was being asked to believe was that God’s ways would bring him this win. ‘This battle would not be won with muscle, but won with faith.’ Believing God, Beth Moore, p. 109.

What tightly shut Jericho stands looming on your horizon? What is God asking you to believe when what you see is a city unable to seize? If God has asked us to move, we must believe Him and move. If God has asked us to sit and watch, we must believe that He will move. His ways are so mysterious and strange to us, but God has been rescuing and redeeming since the beginning of time. We must try to see things with eyes of faith, since that is most certainly the vision it will take. If God has promised us something, we must advance in that belief. If God has required action on our part, we must march into that action with complete confidence. When God asks us to shout, we must shout our testimonies to the heavens. We must believe that whatever He has promised, we have already received it in the heavenlies. Then, one fine and beautiful day He won’t have to ask us to shout…we will be shouting words of joy and gratitude.

"I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours." Mark 11:24.

Love Reaching Into Eternity

“Then the LORD said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you.” Exodus 34:10.

Since I became a mother, one of the things that makes my heart soar is to do things for my children. It might be to send them a recipe they’ve requested for the millionth time. It could be to answer a question for them, make a call for them, or do any other activity that blesses them. It is my pleasure and joy to have them included in everything they have time to enjoy. Our pattern for loving parenting is displayed in the heart of God. Since the beginning of time God’s heart has always been for His children. He wishes to spend time with us, show us things that astound us, teach us things that will grow us and reveal things to us that will bless us. How does God accomplish all of this? We can access all of these things and more by simply making the time to be available to Him. He invites us…we decide the rsvp. He seeks us…we decide if we want to be found. He whispers and calls to us…we decide if we have ears to hear.

You can certainly tell those who have accept the call…who have decided to be found…the ones who hear the message. Their lives display wonder after wonder of how God is working in their lives. He surrounds us with a sphere of influence in which He moves and works, showing His love for us. He wants our lives to display his wonders, and desires our friends and family to see all the things He does for us individually and collectively. He wants that with all of us. He is such a personal God of personal intimacy, but will we make the time? Will we rsvp to His party of two?

It doesn’t matter how long we run or how busy our calendar might be. He is a patient God and will wait for His children to respond to Him. His love reaches beyond eternity and His heart is ever beating for each of us. The more we slow down the more God speeds up in our lives. The more we decide to ‘be still’ the more activity we will see from Him. The more of Him we allow into our lives the more He acts on our behalf showing us to be His beloved.

“Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.” Jeremiah 33:3.

Going For Glory

“Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’" John 11:40

Bruce and I went to watch our grandson Carson play football on Saturday.  At one point in the game a player from the other team hoisted up the football and let it soar.  I could see the direction of the ball and knew it was going to come down close to Carson.  As I looked at Carson I saw another boy who was also anticipating the ball.  The two jumped as high as they could to intercept the ball both crashing into the other and falling to the ground.  Neither came down with the ball but they certainly prevented the receiver from making the catch.  After the game, my daughter asked him if he got hurt when they ran into each other.  He simply said that all he knew was that they were both just ‘going for glory.’ I absolutely LOVE that boy and LOVE his message. 

As Christians, we can have a life with God of excitement, adventure and wonder.  We can enter the game when the signal for us is called.  We were not created to sit on the bench and watch others leap for the catch.  God intended for us to participate with Him and share in His glory.  But sharing in His wonderful glory means we must work for it.  We must be intentional in the daily grind if we are to be effective when it’s our turn to jump for the ball.  We can’t be timid, lazy or complacent, but must enter the game with confidence and belief.  Carson went for the glory because Carson had two things that we also have with God.  He had authority to go for the ball, and the belief that he could accomplish the catch. 

Going for glory means believing in God’s promise when you don’t see your desired outcome.  Going for glory means keeping God’s commands when our culture does not.  Going for glory means obeying God and leaving the consequences to Him.  Going for glory means believing our loved ones can be healed when the doctor says otherwise.  It means putting on our expanded view of life and understanding that we will all be in eternity one day.  We go for glory when we accept that what has been lost on this earth will be gained in eternity. 

Whatever pass you are waiting to receive…leap…stretch…go for glory!  Keep your feet ready and eyes on the sky so when it is time you will have what it takes to come down with the ball and gain Glory!