Those Who Hunger

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6

Growing up my mother made the most wonderful beef vegetable soup. It was prepared mostly in the winter time as I remember. Even now, as I press on the door of my 50’s I can focus on her soup and almost taste its comfort. All I have to do is see the snow elegantly floating to the ground, feel the plunging cold temperatures and remember days out of school. These memories trigger a sweeter and kinder time that leave me hungering for the comfort of her soup. Other days, not so much because my focus is not there and the triggers are quiet.

Our hunger and thirst for God seems to act the same way. Our trials trigger our need for His comfort and nourishment. Our spiritual stomach growls highlighting its emptiness and need to be filled. ‘Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are promised satisfaction. They are described as people who have a thirst no earthly stream can satisfy, a hunger that must feed on Christ or die.' Believer's Bible Commentary, p. 1216.

I cannot delay in my pursuit of Him until the snow begins falling and the cold dark envelops. I must constantly pursue God and His kingdom to be given a steady stream of nourishment. I must open my heart during all seasons and make room for His nourishment. This hunger and pursuit of His filling is the feeding tube we all need for sustenance and strength. We must hook up to the lifeline of the Holy Spirit who pumps the living fluid into our spiritual veins.

We must empty out ourselves of our own strength so that there is room to receive the fresh waters of His power. Lastly, we must long for that righteousness in Him that only He can provide. ‘A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul’ Proverbs 13:12.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.

Those Who Mourn

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

The wonderful thing about this beatitude is that the blessing comes before we must face the loss. God places us on the road of preparation before we ever experience the individual grief. Grief comes in many forms as we live our lives. Obviously, the most severe form of grief is the death of a loved one.

Personally speaking, this beatitude has been put to the test and has proven it's worth in gold! The comfort that God has brought me in the loss of my loved ones has been unparalleled and ‘beyond understanding.’ Don’t get me wrong – I have felt the sting of salty tears in my eyes, more tears than I would ever wish to shed. But the comfort that has been mine has held back the flood of uncontrolled emotions much like the waters being held back for the crossing of the Jordan. God laid on my heart the truth that He called my loved ones home and they found eternal lift free from all pain and suffering. God’s nature is always love which is His motivation for everything. Grief places our focus on our pain - not on our loved one’s gain. We approach our loved one’s death as me-first, then them instead of them-first, then us. It is our humanity crying out.

Psalm 139:16 states my highest form of comfort. ‘You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.’ “The concept is that God has a departure date for us. He knows the exact time we will enter eternity. God does not see time the way we see time. God measures one’s success not in terms of longevity but rather as fulfillment of one’s God-given purpose in life.” Zig Ziglar

“Success is finishing what God gave you to do. From the world’s viewpoint, these things are great tragedies. But from the divine perspective, this was an incredible triumph, for each of our losses has represented them having finished well the appointed tasks they had been given to do by the Lord before their births.” Rev Harold Cook

My grandmother told of an afternoon when she had visited my grandfather’s grave 4 weeks after his death. She stated that for one moment in time she felt that God allowed her to feel the full extent of her grief at his gravesite. She couldn’t believe the amount of comfort that God had lavished upon her days since Granddaddy’s death. It was at that moment that she realized the full extent of this beatitude. She laid her mourning on the lap of Jesus and came in for the blessing. The other blessing I have realized in my mourning is the fact that my deep grief is a result from being blessed with a deep love. If I grieve it is only because I have loved!

Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.

Poor In Spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

Our first beatitude covers seasons that we all have experienced. Being poor in spirit can involve hopelessness in our circumstances wherein we have cried out and feel unheard. It can involve extreme loneliness in our situation when we feel as if no one understands the deep dark depression in which we find ourselves. For me, it has been the brokenness I experienced when I realized that attitudes that previously worked no longer do. Bottom line, being poor in spirit is desperation of the heart.

It is easy to get in a ‘poor in spirit spiral’ when we rehearse everything that is wrong with our lives instead of the blessings from God that carry us. Sometimes, if we will just step away and re-assess all that has been done for us and through us during our tough times we can get a handle on that spiral.

Laying our honest brokenness on God’s altar for surrender is paramount in releasing the hopelessness in any situation. God cannot do anything with our brokenness until we release it. He knows our hearts regardless of what is spoken to Him so why not come before Him in complete honesty.

It is also imperative to find a few Christ-centered friends with whom you can share your brokenness. I know personally for me within the past year there have been two times in particular that have played out this principle. The first was Griefshare at my church which enabled me to share deep wounds and brokenness with other people in pain. The other time was a woman’s retreat I shared with precious women back in October. When we get together as a Christ-centered group we see the pain of others helping us to put our own suffering in prospective. ‘Broken hearts and broken lives don’t get put back together while you’re laying on your bed in the dark. They get healed inside the arms of healthy love.’ Living Your Life As A Beautiful Offering, p. 18. The loving support of Christians between each other is a command from God. ‘Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.’ Gal. 6:2.

Usually being poor in spirit is the result of long suffering and waiting on a situation to resolve. The longer our trials consume us the more likely we will spiral into helplessness and hopelessness. We must trust in our Savior during times of wait. He has not forgotten us and has never left us. ‘I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud.’ Psalm 40:1 – The Message. ‘The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’ Psalm 34:18. ‘He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.’ Psalm 147:3.

The lessons we learn during our brokenness will be the faith we rest on in future trials. It will be our hope during the next season of suffering. Our pain is never wasted and will be used for our future ministry in giving hope to others in the midst of their pain.

We will be delivered from our troubles and our lives will reflect the beauty of this blessing. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed Are Those...

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Matthew 5:3-10

I have begun a Bible Study called Living Your Life As A Beautiful Offering by Angela Thomas. It is based on the Sermon on the Mount in the Bible more commonly known as The Beatitudes. The Latin word beautido comes from the same root that means beautiful. Honestly, I have always felt like this was an impossible list to live up to. The author hit the nail on the head for me when she called these the when you do’s opposed to the gotta be’s. The freedom of knowing that this is more a cause and effect instead of a list measuring my successes and failures has liberated my heart.

For me the past year has been a year of brokenness, mourning, exhaustion and feeling unfulfilled on so many levels. I am anticipating wonderful spiritual breakthroughs in studying these beautiful promises of what will occur as a result of when we choose a certain way of living. Over the next little while, I will be taking each when we do and celebrate the what we will get!

Please pray for these next weeks of devotionals to work in our hearts and liberate our spiritual barriers. 2011 is going to be spiritually great…blessed are those who study His word!

Smelling Like Pigs

“He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said… ‘I will set out and go back...’ But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:16-20

We all have heard this story until it has become mechanical, numb to the powerful message for which is possesses. It is not a story that should highlight the selfish runaway since that character can be any of us on any given day. It is not the story of an embittered but justified older brother who consistently does the right thing with little notoriety. It is the story of a waiting father with arms wide open and passion for his wayward son in his heart. It is the story of unrelenting hope on the part of that father with a determination to never take his eyes off the horizon for his son’s return.

Many of us at some point have gathered our things and set out to find a better way searching for that illusive something that will fill our stomachs. Like the wayward son we find ourselves ‘smelling like pigs’ – empty, unfulfilled and hungry for what we once knew. We see ourselves for the depleted souls that we have become and cannot imagine our Father seeing us any differently. But He does…

In our story, the father never gave up scanning the horizon for his son’s return and neither will our Father. He constantly searches our circumstances and leaves spiritual bread crumbs to find our way back to Him. He knows that we cannot cover the distance on our own so like the father in our story, He makes up the distance running to us. He meets us halfway knowing our deficiencies carrying us part of the way back. When we are living in our distant country, our deepest place of brokenness, it is never beyond the scope of where our Father can restore us. Our brokenness is the point in time where the Father runs to us, picks us up and begins restoring our lives the way only a parent can. When we incline ourselves to the Father He will cover the ground we cannot do on our own.

As we come back to our Father with the heart of a beggar He will restore us to the position of a prince or princess.

Walk It Out!

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword…it penetrates…it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Heb. 4:12

This year has been a year of ‘being laid bare and attitudes uncovered.’ It has been a year of dark desert wandering and transformation of the ‘unlovelies’ in my heart. The word of God is indeed living and active and breathing life into the dead dark corners of our hearts.

In 2010, through His word and mediation on His revelations I have walked around in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3); I have sulked under the broom tree (Jonah 4); I have been protected and delivered from giants (1 Sam. 17); I have grumbled in my wilderness (Exodus); Raging storms have been calmed and enormous mountains have fallen praise be to God! If we are really connected to and engaged in His word we will walk out the Bible in our lives.

Wilderness suffering is the classroom for our faith. ‘Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ…praise God that you bear that name.’ 1 Peter 4:12, 13, 16. Not that we enjoy the suffering but the rejoicing comes from the deliverance and emerging faith from the suffering. ‘We are often weary in His service, but not weary of His service.’ Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 2169. Just as God doesn’t waste one bit of our pain in suffering, we cannot waste one bit of our growth and response to Him in our suffering.

If we are Christians, we have either just come out of a trial, are presently in a trial or will experience one in the future…just walk it out and let the Word be your guide!

Showing Ourselves

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciple.” John 15:8

Funny thing about Sundays – they are not the only day of the week God wants His glory shown. In the Bible God did His most powerful work through businessmen and women during the week. Below are just a few of His callings in the workplace:

Moses and David – working as shepherds
Abraham and Isaac – successful businessmen in the marketplace
Joseph – grain administrator
Elisha – plowed fields
Amos – sheep breeder and tender of sycamore trees
Daniel – government official
Jesus – carpenter
Disciples – fishermen, tax collector, etc.
Lydia, Aquila and Priscilla – successful business people who financially helped plant churches.

The list goes on and on as they walked their spiritual journey with the focus on God’s kingdom. It is so easy for us to leave the church on Sundays inspired, spiritually fed with our souls nourished only to leave His altar behind. We enter into our own arena of work (including those who do not work out of the home) and spend more time with our colleagues and acquaintances than with our family. Within a few weeks of getting to know someone they most likely know our marital status, some details about our spouse and the names of our children. There is much talk about the workplace, responsibilities and the opinions of co-workers. But do our acquaintances know our God? Are they aware that we are working for Him instead of working for some earthly gain? Do they hear the name of our Savior on our lips showing ourselves to be His disciple?

Do they know that we belong to the most amazing Father in history who is the reason for our presence, our blessings and our successes? We cannot claim to know Him, love Him and be His disciples without giving Him the credit for all things. Is there a chance that if He is not on our lips He most likely is not on our minds and hearts?

It is our responsibility to reflect His image and claim our place as disciples in the workplace as well as on Sundays. How else will the lost recognize Him?

Father's Perfect Plan

“The word of the LORD came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;” Jeremiah 1:4

Each of my children was planned and loved in thought before they were ever born. I had thought of having children since I was a little girl and knew that someday I would be a mommy. It was a plan I had more for myself than for my children.

God knows each of us and our children spiritually before we are ever formed physically. He has known us, loved us and set us apart for a divine purpose – a purpose for us alone to accomplish in His kingdom. This passage is dear to me as it removes the random placement of babies in the world. Each baby is specifically chosen and set apart from the Creator of the universe to accomplish something holy and unique that only that child can accomplish. The importance of every child coming into this world is ordained before conception ever occurs. Every child has a place in His kingdom and is royalty. No one child’s crown is any shinier than the other and no child’s service is exalted any higher.

I remember seeing my children on a screen of an ultrasound and loving them first in that form. There was no love returned at that point but a one-sided love until that child grew into the fellowship of the love we shared. That is how the love of God begins…His love for us is first and complete without any participation from us. It is the basis for which we begin and we grow towards Him in understanding, reciprocated love and fulfilled purpose. He has set us apart before our formation and the responsibility lies within us to pursue His foreknown purpose.

We were all created with spiritual puzzle pieces that when perfectly placed together form a Christ-like image of beauty, love and purpose. Our picture begins to come into focus and reveal the image for which we were born into this temporary place called earth. Once the earthly puzzle is complete God will bring us to our heavenly home in His kingdom and we will enjoy ‘living like royalty.’

Whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one or expecting the birth of a sweet one, take comfort in Psalm 139:13-17 as I do:

'You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!'

There is neither birth nor death that has not be ordained and perfectly planned by a perfect Father.

Personal Saviors

“You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3

Simple…easy…very understated. We profess our Christianity and claim our God…one God…the only God…and yet we serve many idols. I am enjoying a new Bible Study that puts a new face on an old commandment. Our verse this morning is a commandment that carries all other commandments much like a ship carries its cargo. A ship is only as good as its body which requires solidity, strength in its ability to carry and uncompromising structure. The same is true with our obedience to this first anchoring commandment. Without obeying this first command all of the others fall away, the hole in our vessel of faith is exposed and our ship sinks.

The author of No Other Gods by Kelly Minter describes two gods- a professed god and a functional god. ‘A professed god is who or what we say our god is; a functional god is who or what actually operates as our god.’ Many of our functional gods are things we become infatuated with in our circumstances. For me, it was my secret spending that replaced my professed god during my dark journey through my daughter’s drug addiction. The word infatuation means ‘an intense but short lived passion or admiration for something.’ I had a professed god but my functional god was fed and ruled my life. Other areas of functional gods include worry, drinking too much, over-eating, drug use, control, etc…anything that replaces God in search of a solution. We cannot be infatuated with God (a short-lived passion) but must be infiltrated by God.

Another functional god has disguised itself in my service to God. I professed that God was the reason for which I served in helping those in need. In reality my functional god was the desire to be accepted and to be perceived as hero. I failed to set boundaries and burned myself out. We cannot claim obedience to this commandment and serve another idol in our lives.

Pray that God will show you what is operating as a functional god in your life creating a rip in your spiritual vessel.

Another Way Home

“They entered…where the child was…and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave…But when it was time to leave, they went home another way…” Matthew 2:11-12

Everyone loves the story of the birth of Christ. It is probably one of the most well known and well loved stories throughout history. In this passage the focus is on the wise men as they traveled by way of the Bethlehem star to find the Lamb who was sent to save mankind. They were visited by God in a dream who warned them that after they found Jesus they should go home another way…a way that didn’t involve Herod who wanted information about the baby for malicious intent.

Every one of us has our own testimony of the birth of Christ in our own lives. Whether we were born into a God-centered family or God was received later in life, we all possess within our hearts a birth story. Each story is personal and unique as we pursued a Savior who could transform our lives. Each story tells of the treasures of our hearts that we surrendered to Christ. Each story testifies how we fell down before Him, worshipping Him and opening our hearts to Him.

Once the wise men encountered Christ their focus was returning home. But they knew they couldn’t return the way they had come. As Christians, once we have visited the King, surrendered our hearts and have chosen to worship Him we cannot return to our present lifestyles. We must be homeward bound with Heaven as our destination. Once we have stood before the Messiah and proclaimed Him as our Savior we must forge a new path…a path that was cut for our individual journey with God.

When we find Jesus we will never be satisfied experiencing life ‘the way we came.’

December Living

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John 2:15-16

It is extremely easy this time of year to get caught up in the things of the world. The month of December perpetuates hectic schedules, fancy parties and the desire for expensive gifts. We actually are walking and moving within a living catalog as we are saturated with the ‘must do’s, the I wants, and the must haves.’ We travel from page to page in living form justifying our purchases and squeezing in our desires. Everything we work so hard for during the year is thrown into the mix creating a ‘pay the piper later’ attitude. The problem is that January rolls around and the catalog is used for fire kindling. The bills roll in after the fact along with our good sense.

There are also ‘December days’ in our spiritual lives which causes us to focus on the worldly things instead of the spiritual things. We replace our love for God with our love for ourselves without even realizing the shift. We place our faith in our own strength and wisdom creating a break in fellowship with God. We build idols without the awareness of what we are constructing. Greed comes in many forms whether it is our time, money or service.

‘The threat to fellowship is anything that causes you to lose your first love for God. Loving money or things more than God will break your fellowship with Him. Your sinful cravings or lust can capture your first love. You can even fall in love with what you have or what you are able to do. When your love is not pure toward God, fellowship with God is broken. Your fellowship with others will then reflect your broken fellowship with God. Greed of any kind is a dangerous threat to fellowship with God.’ Experiencing God, p. 241.

Let us get out of our December thinking, and return to our first love… ‘for He first loved us.’

Loving the Unlovely

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

To walk in the light with Jesus as our example we must emulate His journey. While on earth He found His way by staying in the light of His Father. He came with one agenda – to do the will of God. He didn’t move until God initiated the move and He didn’t tarry when God called Him to duty. He moved within the boundary of the Light creating unprecedented fellowship with mankind and serving as the ultimate sacrifice for mankind.

Look at any street light and you will see an arc of light on the ground that the light casts. Standing within that light our sight is sharp and precise but when we move out of that circle we experience the contrast of our cold and black surroundings. Within that light we move in and out in activity with limited restrictions. The same is true while living within the lighted will of God. We will be shown things from above with precise and sharp vision.

Another aspect of the example of Jesus is to love in the Light. Jesus was loved by many during His time on earth but was also hated by many. It is impractical to think that everyone we love will love us in the same way. There have been a few relationships in my own life wherein the more I loved the less I received love. It is not difficult to love when love is returned, but to love those in our lives who are difficult to love is radical love as Jesus demonstrated. He died for us ‘while we were still sinners.’ He loved those who hated Him and put Him to death. He interceded for those who crucified Him as He prayed for God to forgive them.

‘God enables you to love your archenemy. If you can love your enemy at level 10, your capacity to love other persons will increase. All others you have been loving will receive a greater dimension of concern than you have previously been able to give. God can deepen our capacity to love as He enables us to care for the unlovely. When we learn to love on a deeper level, our capacity to love others grows.’ Experiencing God, p. 236.

I have experienced this first hand as I was called to forgive and love over and over again. I was called to show mercy and compassion where there was none to be found for me. I was called to love not based on what I was receiving but what was being asked of me by God. Looking back He was building my character to move me closer to His image. It wasn’t about what the other person deserved, rather God developing my heart for future work in His kingdom. God is all about relationship and growth to accomplish the Kingdom work for which He created us.

Stay in the Light, show mercy, love the unlovely and keep in mind we may be someone else’s ‘unlovely.’

Father and Child

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another...” 1 John 1:7. “Everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.” 1 John 5:1-2

This morning I am learning about the word ‘koinonia.’ It is the Greek word most frequently translated as fellowship. In my study it is described as ‘the fullest possible partnership and fellowship with God and with other believers. Koinonia with God comes only from a real, personal encounter with the living Christ and surrendering to Him as the absolute Lord of your life.’ Experiencing God, p. 229.

As parents we love and protect our children. We watch out for their best interest and want them to experience every form of love. So what happens when someone doesn’t show love to our children? It blocks our relationship with them. You and I can have an intimate and active relationship but if I treat your child with a lack of love you and I are going to have a problem. We will no longer be able to experience the open flow of a relationship due to the brokenness of the relationship between me and your child.

The same is true of God the Father as we treat His other children less than what we would want for our children. Our relationships with other believers express our true relationship with God. We cannot live in true fellowship with God and out of fellowship with His children. It would be extremely difficult for me to love you if you do not show love to my children. If we are to sincerely and honestly love God we must open our hearts and love other believers. If there is a barrier between you and one of His children, there is a barrier between you and God.

Barriers can provide growth in relational opportunities at the proper time. We cannot know how God works but thankfully He is a patient and loving God. He will allow His children relational license to interact with each other, but at some point He will step in and mediate just as we do with our own children. We learn to love through experience and example and God provides both.

The depth of the love you show to my children will determine the fellowship we will experience. That is the application for love that we must apply to our co-heirs in Christ.

Your Chariot Awaits...

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south…’ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official…The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’ Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. ‘How can I…unless someone explains it to me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him…Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.” Acts 8:26-39.

The sun rose that morning and Philip had many things to accomplish I am sure. As he went about his day surrendered to God he was given an extremely vague assignment without details. He was obedient to God with this assignment without asking questions. He obeyed the instructions anticipating God’s activity along the way. Once a chariot was in sight he was given the next baby step of approaching the chariot. Philip immediately ran up to the chariot once again without any details. I would imagine any of us would feel uncomfortable with these limited instructions with a perfect stranger and important official no doubt. In the end, Philip’s assignment allowed God to work through his obedience to save a lost soul who would have a valuable impact in his region. Scripture says that Philip was suddenly taken away, and the eunuch did not see him again but was filled with joy.

This story has so many applications in the life of the Christian. First and foremost, there will always be chariots along the way for God to assign our service. Secondly, we must be surrendered to recognize our chariots. Thirdly, we must not tarry but approach our assignments making ourselves available for the next set of instructions. Through this process God will accomplish His purpose through those who are surrendered to Him. The final principle is that while Philip was His chosen instrument for this man’s salvation the real glory went to God as the vessel was removed and replaced with the Holy Spirit.

We cannot miss the activity of God which is all around us. We must posture ourselves in expectation of receiving assignments from God. Everyone has a function in the Body of Christ to bring those unsaved souls to Him. We must open our spiritual eyes and ears to accomplish His will. ‘He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.’ John 8:47.

This example was lived out in my Griefshare group. The morning before the group was to meet one night, I realized that the subject was ‘Why God?’ I felt God was leading me to put together a handout explaining the unconditional and sustaining love of God and His character. After the group went through the evening this one member informed us that she didn’t believe in God but took the handout home. She came back a few times then never returned. Through Griefshare she was exposed to the transforming comfort and healing of God through the testimonies of the other members. She never returned but her chariot has been touched by God through our little group. God used this group to introduce her to the real God and to experience what He can do through the life of a believer at the most difficult time in their lives. We will never know what impact this group had on her but much like the eunuch she was shown the face of God in a hurting nation. Some things you can never ‘un-see’!

Don’t miss your chariots for they are lining your streets!

In One Spirit...

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Co. 12:4-7

This message was from Paul to the Corinthians to warn them against their spiritual elitism. Some of the Corinthians were maintaining a sense of spiritual superiority based on the fact they had been given the gift of tongues. They acted as if this was the only gift the Holy Spirit enabled creating some division among them. "Paul says here, 'No, your unity is not found in the possession of one common gift, but rather in the possession of the Holy Spirit who is the source of all the gifts.'" Believer’s Bible Commentary.

When my children were little I volunteered in the PTA like many of you. The goal of the PTA Board was to serve as one body with many functions. The creation of committees enabled work to include the gifts of everyone. Without these committees and the overall direction and guidance of the Board there would have been a lack of unity. Not everyone could serve but some could give in monetary ways. Not everyone could give financially but many could donate their time and talents. Each role was vital to the overall good of the school.

Any Christian organization should also function in this manner as the focus should always be kept on the Head, Christ. The unity of the Church will begin and end by maintaining this focus and earnestly seeking our part in the church. ‘There is no believer who does not have a function to perform.’ Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1791.

It is easy to look around and feel intimidated by the service, monetary gifts and talents of others. This is why we should take our focus off of the ministries of others and focus on what we are being called to accomplish through the Holy Spirit. Each ministry (calling from God) is equally important and created by God for our service. Our ministry may be a beautiful voice for song serving in front of the congregation or singing Jesus loves me to a child privately. Don’t ever underestimate the power of your calling because our service, in whatever form, is the obedience of a child when the Father calls. Obedience will always be blessed by God.

It is essential to pray to God for Him to show us where our talents and service lie so that we can work in the Kingdom for the overall good of bringing lost sheep to the Shepherd.

In Christ

“This is the message you heard from the beginning. We should love one another. Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ and to love one another as he commanded us.” 1 John 3:11, 18, 23

From the beginning was God and God is love. Love has been the foundation of His message since before the earth was formed. It is the message of hope when there is despair, forgiveness when there is wrongdoing and life when there is death.

Love has body parts to express itself in the Body of Christ. We are to be His hands and touch the lives of others pointing them to God. We are to be His feet and walk in His ways showing others the path to truth. We are to be His mouth to speak of His faithfulness in our adversities. We are to be His ears and eyes hearing and seeing the cries of His people.

This agape love can only be accessed through the love of Christ. It is ours to receive when we love Him who is loved by His Father. Love flows when there is no barrier. To say we love and not act in love is contradictory and a stumbling block to our relationship with God. Our actions should follow our statements of belief instead of offering ‘chin music’ as my sweet daddy use to say. Chin music without action is just chaotic noise but faith and service in action is the beautiful song of the Holy Spirit.

We must love one another as Christ loves us. The Kingdom work gets accomplished in its highest beauty when all members of the Body are working in unity following the wisdom of the Head of the Body.

‘In Christ we who are many form one body, and each belongs to all the others.’ Rom. 12:5

Follow The Leader!

“Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’” John 14:6

How many of us ask the question daily that Thomas asked Jesus? I know for me that question can be heard in all of my prayers. It can be challenging to know the direction in which God wants us to move. I am constantly going back to Him for clarification and confirmation. Sometimes I am caught up in analyzing whether the direction is from Satan or is indeed the activity of God. Our example was given in the wilderness when Jesus did not focus on Satan and his ways, but rather focused strictly on what lined up with Scripture. His focus was on the written Word instead of the disorienting distractions.

‘When Canadian Mounties train officers in anti-counterfeiting work, they don’t let a trainee see a counterfeit bill. Instead trainees thoroughly study the genuine bill so they can readily identify anything that doesn’t measure up to that standard.’ Experiencing God, p. 194. I love this fact about recognizing genuine from counterfeit.

Satan is the counterfeit of God. Everything God does Satan will deceitfully and effectively emulate. We must keep our focus and examination upon God’s truth and His way to receive life. Through our intense study of His word there is nothing He has left out in living a life victoriously through Him. Satan holds no power over God but certainly holds power over God’s children if we do not arm ourselves against him. Satan is as real as God and works full time at destroying our faith and testimony. He cannot touch our salvation so he goes after the next best thing – our ability to witness through tough times. He holds up all types of counterfeit bills for us to pass off to others.

At certain times in my life, my spiritual wallet contained counterfeit bills of bitterness, unbelief and feelings that God wasn’t near. It wasn’t until I began intense time with Him every morning that I could recognize the counterfeit bills for which I was carrying. God faithfully replaced old thinking with new and reminded me of past faithfulness and future deliverance.

Whatever we focus on will power our thinking. Satan does not know the mind of God so our focus should be on the One who knows the way.

Proving Faithful

“Now it is required that those of you who have been given a trust, must prove faithful.” 1 Co. 4:2

When my children were young, on occasion (very few!) they would come to me and ask if there was something I wanted them to do to help me. I would generally give them an assignment and continue on with my own list. A little while later they would come to me and ask for additional assignments. Upon following up on their first duty I realized that instead of completing the first task, they had plopped down on the couch and watched their favorite show. In frustration I would ask them why they had offered their help only to fail to follow through. It generally was due to the fact they put their own desire ahead of the task at hand. Another cause was that the duty I had assigned wasn’t the one they had wanted. They had become bored, disinterested and lazy when asked to complete what they had been given.

Sound familiar? God will not entrust another assignment to us when we haven’t proved faithful with the ones He has previously given us. How many of us can actually name His Ten Commandments from the Bible? How can we obey and prove faithful when we don’t even know what the commands state? We cannot lay on our spiritual couches in our laziness. He has given us a precious trust of love, promise and blessings but we must prove faithful. He will never give us more assignments and blessings if we are sitting on the unfulfilled ones. ‘God doesn’t give you His commands so you can choose the ones you want to obey and neglect the rest. He wants you to obey all His commands from your love relationship with Him. When He sees you are faithful and obedient in a little, He will trust you with more.’ Experiencing God, p. 185.

As we experience life obeying the original ten commandments God will assign additional activity for us to accomplish for Him. As God sees our heart full of passion for Him and the desire to do His will we will be given additional tasks to complete.

‘To those who are given much, much is required.’

Setting Up House

“Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves me, he will obey my teachings. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’” John 14:23

There is a certain spiritual order of things in the emergence of our relationship with Christ. First and foremost is the decision to accept Him, pursue Him and love Him. Through this love we are called to a higher level of living. We are called to seek Him first and His teachings which grants access to the Father. Through the intercessory role of Christ we are made pure and forgiven in the eyes of God through His sacrifice. Once we are powered by His love and motivated by His teachings we invite the Trinity to take up residence in our heart wherever we are at that moment. Once invited in, the work of obedience on our part is our daily walk.

God doesn’t wait until we have cleaned house but relishes in the responsibility of cleaning house with us. He meets us where we are and works the redemptive work from ground zero. Each level of obedience and service will require fresh knowledge and understanding of Him. ‘The previous level of your walk with God will not be adequate for the new work God does through you.’ Experiencing God, p. 181.

One of the chapters in Dear Adversity describes me and Christ entering a room to decide what should remain and what clutter should no longer have a place in my life. ‘As I entered this room I was caught off guard when the first action item was to clean up all of the broken glass. The different shards of glass were reflecting different shapes and colors throughout the room. It was difficult to make sense of this room since there were so many distractions through my perception of the individual pieces. Together Christ and I knelt and piece by piece decided which had worth and were part of our new way of living.'’

This room represented to me an excerpt from a book that speaks on trusting and obeying God as He transforms us.

“When suffering shatters the carefully kept vase that is our lives, God stoops to pick up the pieces. But he doesn't put them back together as a restoration project patterned after our former selves. Instead, he sifts through the rubble and selects some of the shards as raw material for another project - a mosaic that tells the story of redemption.” Ken Gire, The North Face of God.

Genuine love for Him should naturally generate sincere devotion and obedience to Him.

Mounting Up

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

My family makes fun of me in church because every song that the band plays I claim it as my favorite. So in that spirit, might I say that this verse is one of my most well loved verses. The eagle is such a powerful bird demonstrating beauty, position, power and strength. The picture this so beautifully illustrates is the dependency on God for what we need when we need it. Approaching our difficult seasons places us in seasons of captivity wherein we must wait for the Lord to bring us through these times.

‘Renew their strength…’ The Hebrew word renew commonly refers to change, revive, renewal causing something to flourish again, as, e. g., a tree that has decayed and fallen down. This renewal refers to something that has been depleted but through our wait on the Lord is being replenished. It means that the people of God who trust in Him shall become strong in faith, being able to contend with their challenges gaining victory over the trials of life. God gives them strength if they seek him.

‘Mount up wings…’ The eagle prepares to take flight through mounting up. The eagle is aware of his need to prepare for flight instead of flapping about aimlessly. When we wait for God to move us from one spot to another we are to be still and prepare for His activity in our lives. God is always working and moving around us initiating involvement on our part when He deems it is the proper time. We must live a life of expectancy for His invitation to join Him and preparation for the call. We must ‘mount up’ so that when He calls we are ready to take flight for Him.

‘Run and not be weary…’ This phrase is another mode of expressing the same idea – if we will trust in God we will be vigorous, elevated, and unwearied. He will sustain and uphold us, and in his service we will never be too weak.

‘Walk, and not faint…’ Through walking in the ways of God we can experience a life of balance and peace apart from our seasons of adversity. We will not run in chaos from here to there but rather trust in Him during our faith walk. In Him, we shall neither sink under our burdens, nor give out because of our burdens.

Our Christian walk should show spiritual commitment and contentment whether our circumstances have us waiting on the ground or soaring high above.

Throwing Out Seed

“He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy carrying sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:6

I love the imagery of Psalm 126:6 as it relates to our adversities. Our experiences in life produce many seeds for sowing. We each possess a pouch within our hearts where these seeds are kept. We either sow in the flesh or we sow in the spirit. Each season of adversity produces a seed to plant and allows God to grow the fruit from our experiences. We cannot keep the seeds in our pouch and expect a future harvest.

We must keep moving, throwing out the seed and trusting that God will grow the harvest at the proper time through our adversities. ‘Do not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.’ Gal. 6:9.

A sheaf is ‘a bundle of the harvested stalks of a plant with the heads still containing their seeds.’ I love this definition as it applies to the abundance of our spiritual harvest. Not only will our seeds produce a bundle but many spiritual bundles will be harvested from one experience. Through this abundance is the potential for more growth as the seeds continue to take root.

We must plant our seeds of faith within the soil of Christ. We must allow Him to tend, grow and nourish our faith so we may ‘return with songs of joy’ in our testimonies. ‘When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed…But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.’ 1 Co. 15:37-38

If we will allow God to work in and through our adversities, our challenging experiences will provide sheaves of encouragement and fruit for the gatherer.

Keep Your Head

“But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministries…At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me…But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength…And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly home…” 2 Tim 4:5, 14, 17-18

I love the advice to Timothy in Paul’s letter to him. He basically confirmed that hardship is a definite and endurance is required. He also encouraged him to stay focused on the important things of Christ. He warned him that betrayal, loneliness and isolation would most likely be experienced. He continued with the proclamation that when he was at his lowest the Lord stood right next to him protecting, enabling and sustaining him. He recited past times when God was faithful in bringing him through difficult and challenging times. He stated his absolute belief in the Savior’s continued rescues in every situation as long as he walked this earth.

When our faith is losing its pulse, we must endure. We must not allow the challenges of our circumstances to overtake and disorient our faith. Timothy was a powerful leader in bringing those to Christ yet still needed constant assurance from his spiritual mentor. We are all so blessed that our spiritual Mentor established a library of books on every topic guiding and teaching us as we walk our paths in this challenging world. His words are old to the world but His messages are new to the heart. His teachings are general but the applications are individual. His Lordship is everywhere but His presence is personal.

Endurance and patience is certainly required to advance through adversity but we have the guarantee of a Savior to deliver, rescue and restore.

Better to keep your head in all situations than to lose your mind!

Empty Crosses

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

The Father continues to impress upon me the importance of going back to the cross. Granted the cross itself holds no power but the fact it stands empty tells us the work has been done and the power is in the resurrection – the life after the cross.

In thinking about the cross this morning I apply it to my situation. I have been feeling extremely uneasy in the level of sacrifice I am presently being called to make. Honestly, I feel this sacrifice it a bit over the top! It is my present sacrifice on top of past sacrifices. It is a cross that never kills me but slowly depletes me. It is my cross to bear in this season of my life and it feels as if it will never topple.

Going back to the cross of our Savior, I realize that it embodies sacrifice (…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many – Matt.20:28). It involves suffering and surrender (‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.’ Matt 2:29). It involves the temporary loss of life to gain the permanent resurrection of life. The cross ended in death but hangs empty as a symbol of a resurrected life.

Our crosses to bear are just as temporary and will serve as our testimonies once out of our seasons of suffering. It will hang empty embodying the fact that through Christ we are positioned with Him and will be victorious over our trials. It will symbolize that we are saved through the blood of our Savior and will never be asked to sacrifice at that level. It may feel like it but it pales in comparison. ‘If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice is too great for me to give for Him.’ C.T. Stuff

May we all be encouraged as we continue to bear our burdens with the absolute belief in a future season with an empty cross, a resurrected life and a life everlasting.

Withholding Out Of Love

“Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. ‘What is it you want?’ he asked. She said, ‘Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ ‘You don’t know what you are asking.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?’ ‘We can,’ they answered.” Matthew 20:20-22

Positioned in this scene is a mother who wants the best for her sons. She approaches Jesus whom she believes will be king one day and desires to align her sons in the best possible position in His kingdom. She was speaking more of an earthly kingdom while Jesus was speaking of His heavenly kingdom to come. Jesus was going to be crowned but not with jewels. He was going to be set high above man but on a cross not a throne. What she was asking for would ultimately involve the suffering and deaths of both sons. We would never ask God for this but rather beg Him to spare their lives.

The importance of this passage is in the understanding of the person kneeling down. When we pray we should never assume we know what is best for either our own lives or the lives of our loved ones. We cannot know the plans God has for our lives just as this prideful mother didn’t know her request for both sons could end in death.

My grandmother began praying for each of us before we were even born. She prayed first and foremost with the Matthew 6:33 principle. ‘Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you.’ She sought the things of God for each of us believing with absolute conviction that based on this pursuit we would be given everything to be successful. She did not pray for an easy life for us but a spiritually meaningful life with deep fellowship with God. Our prayers should always begin with ‘Thy will be done’ as instructed in the Bible. This poor mother received her heart’s desire for her boys to be in high standing in the kingdom but the cost of the desire was as huge as the reward. James died a martyr while John was banished to the island of Patmos.

‘Sometimes we go to the Lord asking for favors without understanding what we are really saying. We may feel crushed when he says no, but he only withholds out of love. He has the wisdom of all eternity at his disposal and is a wise judge. Ask him to reveal his perspective. It will make all the difference.’ Women of Faith Study Bible, p.1878

Sweetly Broken

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated…Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things…Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect harmony. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:13

I needed to hear this exhortation this morning. I have wrestled through the night with my flesh focusing on justified rights and resurrected disharmony. I returned to the flesh in my mind and heart resurrecting former emotions and wallowed in them through the night. This morning I awoke exhausted, battered and bruised emotionally. In the midst of my swirling emotions Christ beckoned me back to the base of the cross this morning. He gently reminded me of His suffering, His undeserved persecution and His sacrifice. Through His words I have been ‘sweetly broken and wholly surrendered.’

We all face sharp emotions feeling justified in our attitude when focusing on the things of this life. We allow despair in our trials to replace our hope in a resurrection. We allow past hurts to determine whom we will love. We allow bitterness to clothe us instead of the garment of love which we are afforded through the death of Christ. We must return to the base of the cross and remember…

No situation in life will ever parallel the sacrifice and death that Christ endured for us. I must look at the example of the cross to gain my hope in Christ. He sacrificed it all for those who are unworthy. He paid the highest cost for the lowest of man. He died so we might live. He rose from the dead to show the hope for which we can live through Him. He received the fulfillment of the promise from His Father – sitting next to Him and receiving it all.

This is the King for whom we serve no matter what we are called to do in this life. If we are feeling death, we can be assured of life. If we are feeling sacrifice, we can be assured of blessings. To sacrifice is to gain and to die to self is to live...it is the way of the cross.

‘…sweetly broken and wholly surrendered.’

Treasures of Darkness

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, til each appears before God in Zion." Psalm 84:5

This has always been one of my favorite passages. It captures the heart of a Christian longing for a better place, realizing that we are moving towards something greater. The pilgrimage is our faith walk as we journey home and the reward is looking into the eyes of Christ. Three things are required to come in for this blessing based on this passage.

The first prerequisite in receiving this blessing is the necessity of finding our strength in the Lord. We as Christians are guaranteed of a journey through circumstances that will require strength we do not possess on our own. This statement is the absolute belief that seeking strength in anything else other than God will cause us to fall short on our journey through life.

The second prerequisite is having a heart of pilgrimage and recognizing that we are in this world but are not of this world. Our hearts are set on something better, something grander and something perfect – our heavenly home. While pilgrims would stake their tents, it was always understood that their tents served as temporary homes. They maintained a heart of moving forward, not driving their stakes deep in any one area. The spirit of pilgrimage is always pleasing to God.

The third prerequisite is the ability to find and trust God in suffering. The Valley of Baca represents the dark and sorrowful circumstances through which we suffer during our journey. As we pass through our adversities, we can convert our trials into pools of testimonies and glory to God. ‘These indomitable souls can sing in the midst of sorrow and trace the rainbow through their tears. They transform tragedies into triumphs and use misfortunes as stepping stones to greater things…Instead of getting weaker as the journey progresses, they get stronger all the time.’ Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 678.

The key to this kingdom of blessing is the rain of the Holy Spirit that covers, cools, refreshes and restores. The water itself stands for the Word of God and the rain as a whole is the work of the Holy Spirit.

I love the words of Leslie Weatherhead: ‘Like all men I love and prefer the sunny uplands of experience, where health, happiness, and success abound, but I have learned far more about God and life and myself in the darkness of fear and failure than I have ever learned in the sunshine. There are such things as the treasures of darkness. The darkness, thank God, passes. But what one learns in the darkness one possesses for ever.’

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.”

'Lord, Save Us!'

“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’…Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Matthew 8:23-26

Many people think that becoming a Christian and following Christ means a life free from difficulty. The Bible supports the opposite as we will face trials while following Christ. Adversity is the manner is which we sharpen our faith fueling its power. Notice in our chosen passage this morning that the disciples followed Jesus into the boat. ‘Without warning’ indicates that they were caught off guard and anticipated neither the storm’s arrival nor its power. ‘The Sea of Galilee is noted for sudden, violent storms that whip it into a churning froth. Winds sweep down the valley of the Jordan from the north, picking up speed in the narrow gorge. When they hit the Sea, it becomes extremely unsafe for navigation.’ Believer’s Bible Commentary, 1233. It is important to note that Jesus didn’t navigate the boat to shore but rather calmed the waters and continued on the path knowing the tenuous possibilities. He stayed the course regardless of the tendency for life threatening situations to arise. He was committed to staying in the boat regardless of what they would face. This is the same God who is with us in our boat as we charter through our waters.

Growing up a Christian I did the things a Christian should do such as attending church, raising our children in church and serving in various roles. As I maintained a life with God I realize now that I had Him asleep in my heart. Then like the disciples my boat was hit with an encapsulating storm. Our daughter, Kristen began displaying behavior issues soon to be followed by substance abuse. Our journey into darkness went from months to years spanning a total of eight long heartbreaking years. At 15 she left home in search of something that even she didn’t understand which ended in heroin addiction. In preparing to speak to a group of parents of troubled teens I reflected on some of the moments of our journey which represents a snapshot of our suffering. I wrote the following.

'Typically, when our children are young we are involved in a wonderful community called family. Enjoying the affection of our children, the exchange of Christmas gifts, celebrations of birthdays and fellowship of other families at church are just a few of the wonderful memories made and experienced. But somewhere along the way ours went wrong and these happy events became cracks in the pavement of my heart. Seeing a new baby brought me grief for it was a reminder that something horribly had gone wrong with my baby. A joyful Christmas morning was replaced with grief and fear as I saw the unopened gifts under the tree wondering if my daughter was still alive. A prepared celebration of her 18th birthday was replaced with my 13 and 10 year old comforting me when she didn’t show as they were trying to be surrogates for my prodigal. The most painful of all was facing my church family and watching the seemingly perfect teens which only highlighted that an evil war had been waged against my daughter. I wanted desperately to be anonymous and invisible everywhere I went. I allowed these heartbreaks to both wound me and define me until year 6 of my 8 year ordeal at which point I was drowning in my own despair.'

I knew I could no longer fight this storm of my daughter’s drug addiction and had to lay my Isaac down – my arms were too tired. It was at that point that I ran to Christ and woke Him begging Him to keep me from drowning. When I finally surrendered Kristen to God the storm didn’t calm but my heart did. I had peace apart from resolution for the next two years. Following that time Kristen returned to her life in Christ and gave up her life of darkness. Then one day I looked up at the horizon and noticed that not only was my heart calm but the waters had been rebuked and the waves had ceased to churn. '...and it was completely calm.’

If you are in the boat with Jesus, anticipate storms but expect deliverance!

And It Was So...

“In the beginning, God created…And God said…and there was…And God said…And it was so…And God said…And it was so…And God said…And it was so…And God said…And it was so…And God said…And it was so.” Genesis 1:1-30

Throughout the first chapter of the first book of the Bible the reoccurring theme is that God speaks and it happens. There is no mention of challenges or difficulties, no use of smoke and mirrors or anything grandiose. He simply thought it, spoke it and made it a reality with the breath of His mouth. God certainly doesn’t need us to make anything happen so why all the fuss about accomplishing great things for God through us when He really doesn’t require our assistance?

It is the same reason that I want to include my children while putting up the Christmas tree. It is the same reason I want them to help me in the kitchen while preparing our Thanksgiving feast. It is the same reason my husband wants me to be by his side during a project although my impact is very limited. It is all about fellowship and relationship.

‘God is far more concerned with your walking with Him than He is interested in getting a job done for Him. You can complete an assignment but never experience God. He can accomplish His work anytime He wants.’ Experiencing God, p. 145. We were created first and foremost for relationship. Through the interaction of our shared intimacy great things can be accomplished.

The work of our hands is a by-product of the love in our heart for a Savior who doesn’t need us but passionately desires us.

And God said…And it was so…And it was good.

'I Tell You The Truth...'

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’” Matthew 17:20-21

I love how God searches our heart and answers even if we have only formed the question in our sub-conscious mind. This morning while doing my Bible Study I got to the passage above and felt discomfort deep in my spirit. I knew intuitively what the problem was when reading these verses. When both of my family members were ill our family had this unshakable faith. Our faith was more than a mere mustard seed believing not only could we make our mountain fall but through our faith heaven and earth could move. After the death of my sister and dad this passage always brought a hypocritical feeling to my soul when reading it. In God-form He led me into revelation and understanding which removed this barrier from between us.

According to Scripture, God always initiates the call of His children to accomplish great things requiring this faith to move mountains. He called Moses to deliver His children from bondage, and He called Joshua to conquer the cities advancing to the Promised Land. Throughout the Bible God initiated and implemented His plan through His children. Their response was determined upon their faith. If God always moves first and initiates, then Matthew 17:20-21 is trustworthy for me. This passage is more relative to our response to a ‘God-calling’ than our desire for something to occur. If God calls, impresses upon or reveals it doesn’t take but a little faith to accomplish His calling. Mustard seed faith is the amount of faith required since God has put His plan in motion.

My desire for Beth and Daddy’s healing was my agenda instead of a call from God to accomplish something. God had a divine plan for them from which He did not detour. If something is at our own initiation and we implement our faith, there is no Scriptural support that our mountain will move. As Jesus prayed, ‘Thy will be done’.

The failure to pray for God’s will first may be a recipe for a fracture in our faith. We cannot proclaim things that God hasn’t first initiated and shown us as truth. We must wait on Him first to reveal which will anchor our faith. ‘If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously.’ Deut. 18:20,22

Thank you Father for showing me the truth of your Word this morning proving it's trustworthiness. Amen.

Smoke's Entanglement

“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3

Ask any firefighter and you will be told that when entering a burning building many times the greater hindrance is the smoke. The smoke chokes, blinds and disorients preventing them from the immediate fire. They must work through the smoke to tackle the fire. The same is with our spiritual life as we battle our own burning buildings. We cannot see God’s fire for all of the smoke for which we have created between us and His will. Our bitterness, resentment and self-will dizzies and disorients causing a barrier between our agenda and the will of God. We become entangled with our own sin of self, depleting our energy and losing sight of our faith. We claim that we believe that God is in control but we choke on our own smoke.

Whether our entanglement with sin is our own doing or the doing of another we are affected by its circumstances. Every one of us approaches our trials with our own agenda, past experiences and preconceived ideas for how we should respond. We build in our minds and hearts what should happen, what had better happen and how we will respond. We will face a crisis of belief when we stand at the crossroads of surrendering ‘what I think’ and picking up ‘what I believe God says.’ Our hearts must be open to all possibilities when approaching God instead of the resolution that we feel we must have. We must pray for God to reveal any stubbornness or tightly fisted power we are holding onto. We must be willing to hear and obey his decision even if it goes against everything we believe should happen. We must recite what we really believe about God.

‘A crisis of belief is not a calamity in your life but a turning point where you must make a decision. You must decide what you truly believe about God. The way you respond at this turning point will determine whether you become involved with God in something God-sized that only He can do or whether you will continue to go your own way and miss what He has purposed in your life…They way you live your life is a testimony of what you believe about God.’ Experiencing God, p. 134.

In the words of my grandmother, God is LORD of everything or LORD of nothing!

Our Maestro

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Co. 12:4-7

In my Bible Study this morning the body of Christ with all of its members was compared to an orchestra. To expound on that analogy we must first understand the importance of the leadership of the orchestra. There is but one leader in charge who possesses the direction and leadership to accomplish the overall goal of a beautiful arrangement of music. He has within his hands the design of involvement for each instrument and the timing for which it should be played. He alone determines the importance of that instrument applying the benefit of that gift at the proper time. The maestro knows when to silence one instrument so the beauty of others may be experienced.

With Christ as our Maestro, He assigns our gifts and determines our play. He leads and directs as to how it relates to the entire body of Christ. He will not allow the gift of one to overpower the other members of the Body. Each gift is essential and equally important to the common good of His work in the Kingdom.

‘Then again, though there are diversities of activities, as far as spiritual gifts are concerned, it is the same God who empowers each believer. If one gift seems more successful or spectacular or powerful than another, it is not because of any superiority in the person possessing it. It is God who supplies the power…The gifts are given for the profit of the entire body. They are not given for self-display or even for self-gratification but in order to help others.’ Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1790.

In my own family this principle holds true. God empowered me to form a ministry of writing but I have no income in this ministry to pay my expenses. God led my husband into forming his own business which affords him the financial ability to support my ministry. I cannot accomplish what my husband does as God empowers him and my husband cannot accomplish the writing ministry for which God empowers me. But both taken together are accomplishing what God determined as the common good. Our gifts are dependent upon each other providing more collectively than what we could provide individually. This is the concept for each of us as members of a unit working together for the common good of one mission - the mission of further God's Kingdom.

Every one of us has been empowered by God with an exact gift manifested through the Holy Spirit. Through prayer, meditation on His Word and practice in that gift we will together form a beautiful symphony of faith and give a divine performance.

Stacking Stones

“Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight...These stones are to be a memorial…” Joshua 4:2-3, 7

Once the Israelites crossed the Jordan River advancing into the Promised Land they were instructed to lift a stone from the place where God appeared as a memorial. The stone served as a spiritual marker for each person to show future generations how the mighty hand of God was with them in their deliverance.

Throughout our lives we will advance through many adversities wherein we will encounter God. He will show us things of importance regarding our experience, our character and our flaws. We will see the mighty hand of God working, calculating and maneuvering in our circumstances. We will form new testimonies built on past faithfulness from God. As Christians, it is important that we ‘carry our stones over with us’ securing them in the next season of our lives. We will erect stone by stone, testimony by testimony building our own pyramid of stones. These spiritual markers provide a legacy for future generations as we tell our story of our journey, faith and God encounters. Our stones of testimony provide opportunities for us to teach our children of God’s past activity in our lives.

Some will erect their pyramids with stones of bitterness, resentment and sorrow. Others will build their pyramid with stones of praise, faithfulness and worship. When we get to the end of our lives what will our pyramids show? Will our children see a pyramid of faith or will they see a chaotic pile of rocks?

If stones could talk, what would they say in your journey?

Keeping A Distance

“When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it…But keep a distance…between you and the ark; do not go near it.” Joshua 3:3-4

I absolutely love how God inspired the Holy Writ for application through generations. This event is from the Book of Joshua as he was preparing to lead the children of Israel across the Jordan River. The story of God holding back the waters in this crossing is very common to many people but there are so many details that are omitted as we tell our version of the story. One of the most amazing elements of this story is not so much the receding waters itself because God will always provide a path out of our circumstances. The portion of Scripture that I love is the direction to recognize when to move in your circumstances.

The Ark of the Covenant, (a wonderful Bible Study in itself!) was the manner in which God revealed Himself to His children through the priests. The children became expectant for guidance from following the Ark of the Covenant. The direction from God was to wait until they saw His leadership on the move. Once they knew His movement, they were to ‘move out and follow’. Further instruction was to keep a distance between themselves and God’s leadership.

I cannot help but to believe that the latter command was for the discipline of His children. How many times have we prayed for guidance only to run up ahead of God once we see the direction for which He is taking us? We get a small glimpse and ‘move out’ only to get ahead of God instead of following Him.

We must follow this spiritual recipe for guidance. We must pray for His guidance, watch to see when He moves and follow Him. We should neither tarry nor sprint ahead of Him but obediently and patiently follow Him at His pace. Then one day we will look behind us and see the path through which our strong Leader had brought us.

See, recognize, obey and follow but keep a distance!

Lady in Waiting

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.” Psalm 40:1

I have had the privilege of leading Griefshare at our church over the past two months. We have all come together as strangers but were quickly united as one through our suffering. Griefshare continues to be ‘a firm place to stand as God placed our feet on this rock.’ I cannot describe grief in a more appropriate manner than a slimy pit, mud and mire. Walking through grief is like walking through quicksand with maximum effort and minimal results. The important part is that we keep on walking.

Several of the members’ spiritual lives have been ‘fanned to flame’ right before my eyes. It has been a transformation of peace in their actions and words. God used the wait of the grief journey to grow them into the spiritual beauties He intended. He allowed painful circumstances to enter their lives forming a dark cocoon. He heard their cry in the wait and is dawning a day for the emergence of these spiritual butterflies apart from their circumstances.

Last night in Griefshare I heard a statement that sums up the spiritual transformation that will emerge if we wait patiently on the LORD in all circumstances trusting Him. May this statement bless you and encourage you in your wait…I know it has in mine.

“The Biblical view is that waiting is not so much about when I will get what I’m waiting for, but what I will become as I wait.” Dr. Paul David Tripp

Settling For Love

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.” 1 John 4:16

Until we settle this truth deep in our hearts we will always struggle with our faith when adversity strikes. We will spend more time calculating and manipulating from the middle of our circumstances instead of settling upfront our belief and reliance on God’s love. Keeping a spiritual perspective on suffering is essential in the life of a Christian. We can spend unnecessary time and emotional energy trying to ‘figure out God’ instead of seeing how God is working in our circumstances.

The life of Jesus exemplified this spiritual principle as He never questioned God’s love through any of His suffering. The matter was settled deep in His heart before the pain was experienced. In all of His circumstances Jesus had a ‘loving Father perspective’ instead of a ‘poor me perspective.’ He knew His Father was at work around Him, and searched to find God’s activity in His life. He did not ask God to join Him in His work but the Son watched where His Father was working and joined Him. ‘Jesus gave them this answer: I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; He can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.’ John 5:19. Jesus spent His time on responses to God's activity instead of the motivation of God's actions.

We must pray and look above our circumstances to gain the perspective of God. Before we ask for His perspective we must settle in our hearts that God is love. We must know this as heart knowledge and rely on this as truth. Once settled in our hearts and minds, we can then watch God’s activity around us and join Him in His work. We will no longer have a division of mind and heart but a solid truth of God’s love.

Moving in Silence

“When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’” John 11:32

This story holds a special place in my heart for the reasons you would assume. In addition to my own grief after losing Beth and Daddy, this is the battle cry of everyone’s grief. On the heels of our statement, ‘Lord, if you had been here…’ we follow up in our hearts, ‘Lord, you could have and chose not to.’ Mary and Martha loved Jesus but were angry with the fact that He was silent during the duration of their beloved brother’s illness. I do not believe they ever expected Lazarus’ illness to go as far as death. They had seen Jesus perform many miracles on strangers, so they naturally expected He would perform the life sustaining miracle on His precious friend. But Jesus remained silent…He stayed away for four days until the situation was hopeless.

How do we reconcile that our Father of love sometimes chooses to remain silent and not move in ways for which we plead and beg? My Bible Study exhorts that there are two reasons for God’s silence. The first reason is that the person offering the prayer is living with an unconfessed sin. The importance of searching our hearts daily and confessing any sin that may stand between our heart and the heart of God is paramount. Once we have sincerely confessed that sin and received God’s forgiveness our relationship with God once again has the free flow of fellowship.

If we feel that sin is not at the base of His silence we must trust in faith that His silence is to teach us more of His character. Knowledge in Him is an inexhaustible resource for which we will never fully possess. Many times in my life He has remained silent on certain requests to show me a greater revelation. Personally, in the deaths of my family members He knew that I was absolutely reconciled that He could heal and save them. However, He had for me a greater service than lip service. His plan and purpose for my life involved a grief ministry which could possibly reconcile the hearts of many to the heart of God. I needed experience in my ministry to authenticate and power His plan. I do not believe that God took my family members for that purpose alone but His silence in my asking fueled many purposes in His activity in the kingdom.

When you are experiencing a time of silence, the importance of ‘being still’ and waiting on Him is essential in the life of a Christian. ‘Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.’ Zec. 2:13. Silence IS sometimes golden as the King decides when to stand and move. It is up to Him to determine the degree of revelation for which He desires us to experience to spiritually mature. Sometimes God’s silence is a delay and sometimes it is an answer. Either way He is King with or without our blessings.

Even without our blessings, we will still be blessed for He is King and Father.

Holy Interpreters

“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Co. 2:14-15

When I was 15 years old, I had the privilege of going on a school trip with a group of students who took French. We had a great time for the most part but I will never be able to forget one experience in particular. I was walking through a department store up a flight of stairs when three men in regular street clothes approached me. They began speaking fluent French and unfortunately I couldn’t understand them. I realized they were angry, anxious and accusing me of something. They pushed me up against the wall and grabbed my sweater out of my hands. It wasn’t until another shopper who spoke both English and French was able to explain the concern of these gentlemen. They were undercover policemen accusing me of shoplifting using my sweater to hide the items. Once they grabbed my sweater and realized nothing was under it they apologized and departed. I was a nervous wreck the rest of the day and was eternally grateful for the interpreter.

The Holy Spirit acts as our spiritual interpreter in our relationship with God. We travel through our lives making decisions and creating circumstances that may not be in our best interest. Without the aid of the Holy Spirit to lift certain truths regarding our lives, we could be approaching life blindly and unable to ascertain God’s message. The more we allow the Holy Spirit to guide and instruct us we more we will be able to understand the beautiful language of God. He definitely speaks another language, one that is ‘too lofty and wonderful for us to understand.’ We must carry within us that beautiful spiritual interpreter who will softly impress His love language on our hearts and minds.

When we are allowing the Holy Spirit the full flow of God we are all speaking the same language.

Standing Firm

“The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” Psalm 33:10-11. “Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

I love the definition of the words foil and thwart. To foil is to prevent somebody from succeeding in something; to obscure the trail in order to hinder pursuers. Thwart is to frustrate something thereby preventing somebody or somebody’s plan from being successful.

I have a wonderful example of this verse and I have praised God frequently for Him intervening and ‘thwarting’ my plan. Years ago when I had secretly mounted up thousands of dollars of debt, the opportunity arose for my husband to be transferred to Australia with his company. Along with that move would be a substantial amount of money for relocation. At the time I handled all finances (hence the chaos!) and knew that I would be able to pay off a big chunk of the debt with that check. I prayed and prayed that God would allow this move to happen. I never prayed for His will but begged Him to allow my plan to succeed. My motivation was so displaced from the will of God and I am so thankful that He ‘frustrated my plan.’ I was going down a trail that He ‘obscured and hindered.’

Not only did He command me to confront my fears and unconfessed sin with my husband but He also protected our family. Bruce’s company did not win the bid to go to Australia and within 6-9 months the chosen company was displaced from the job. Bruce most likely would have been displaced and out of a job. Praise God that He thwarts the purposes of His people and that ‘the LORD’s purpose prevails!’

Looking back and realizing our plans that the LORD did not allow are as important as remembering the ones He did!

Our Treasure Map

“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. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God…No one knows the thoughts of the Spirit of God…He will guide you into all truth…He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” 1 Cor. 2:9-11, John 16:13-14

When our children were young we always made Christmas morning a little more fun by leaving clues around the house pointing to their gifts. Their gifts would eventually be revealed to them on our terms. We would lead them note by note with instructions of where to go next. Sometimes a note would instruct them to go into the basement, up the stairs, into the refrigerator, etc… One of us would have to accompany Caroline for she feared certain areas in the house (garage, loft). At the end of the search the gift was revealed making the search as important as the discovery.

God has given us everything required to discovery His best for us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If we have accepted God through the death and resurrection of Christ, confessed our sins and turned away from our old lives we have this treasure map within us. The Spirit searches what God has in mind for each of our lives, and step by step the search for these precious revelations for our lives will be revealed.

When one set of instructions lead us into dark and uncomfortable places God will be by our side to walk with us and comfort us. We do not have to fear for our Parent goes behind us, before us and around us. He hovers above us and moves with us as we go forward towards our spiritual revelations.

We cannot take short-cuts in finding the will of God for our lives. We must use the step by step instructions revealed to find our spiritual treasures. He will reveal these treasures through our inner treasure map, the Holy Spirit.

Belonging

“He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear God is that you do not belong to God.” John 8:47

Throughout the Bible we testify to the divine encounters between God and mankind. We learn of the encounter between God and Moses at the burning bush. We read about how Noah encountered God and carried out His desire to build an ark. We are blessed by the encounter of Mary, mother of Jesus and the angel of the LORD. God has revealed Himself to mankind since the beginning of time. Relationship has always been at the base of the heart of God. God has spoken through unique ways to individual people through their pursuit of an intimate relationship with God.

Based on Experiencing God – Knowing and Doing the Will of God, the four essential truths in these divine encounters are accessible for every Christian.

-When God speaks, it will be unique to our relationship with Him. We will not have a burning bush experience. Moses’ revelation was unique to him just as our experience will be unique to us. For me, it was a writing experience through which He spoke.

-When God speaks, we will know it is God. Moses didn’t say, ‘Who is there?’ ‘How is this bush burning?’ It was only when I began pursuing fellowship with God daily that He revealed His will for me to work on Grandmother’s book. I knew it was God speaking to me.

-When God speaks, we understand what He is saying. Moses didn’t say, ‘What is this burning bush trying to show me?’ In 2007, when I read through Grandmother’s journal searching for what God was trying to show me I read an entry she had recorded on July 31, 1997. She wrote, “At hand, however is the completion of this book - that is doing my part on it. The financing, getting an agent, getting it published and distributed is God’s work. He has promised to take care of it. I rest on Him.” It was at this point I realized what God was saying to me.

-When God speaks, we will have a divine encounter with God. Upon reading that entry, I dropped to my knees in humility that I was encountering God within the divine encounter for which my precious grandmother had encountered God.

God cares first about relationship with His children. The recognition and message will come as a result of fellowship with God. He will reveal who He is through the uniqueness of who we are.

What Shall I Do?

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (33)But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:31-33

God has laid this passage of Scripture on my heart over and over again for the past few weeks. My grandmother used to pray for a year verse for the upcoming year that would anchor all prayers and guidance from God. Through her journals I witnessed them coming alive on paper. Back in 2007, I started praying in the same manner and each year have also been given specific verses. I know that verse 33 is my 2011 Year Verse. I was able to see the first fruit of that realization yesterday.

I have a friend who is going through a separation. She certainly has a basis for their parting but the husband doesn’t want it. It has been tenuous at best with much anger, bitterness and hurt. She talked him into going through mediation instead of separate attorneys to avoid additional polarization between the two of them for the sake of the children. We had a circle of people praying leading up to the mediation for both parties. The mediation went great and remained peaceful and calm throughout, providing a fair and mutual agreement for all parties. I asked her how she prayed specifically and she named the following prayer items:

For God’s presence to be in that room;
For God to soften both her heart and the heart of her husband;
For God to comfort both parties during this meeting;
For God’s wisdom in this arrangement.

This woman sought the things of God first and foremost instead of praying for her wishes. She didn’t approach God with a wish list of what she needed to live on. She sought the things that she knew were more important than the logistics of the meeting. She prayed for the higher things placing her husband’s comfort at the top. We should not worry about the things of this world for when we are seeking ‘first His kingdom and His righteousness all things will be given to us as well.’

As The Deer Pants...

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’ These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan.’” Psalm 42:1-6

I rarely use a passage this long because of the depth of truth we can glean from one precious Word of God. This passage has so much truth and honesty from the heart of a grieving Christian. This Psalm was written by King David, a man described in the Bible as ‘a man after God’s heart’. He was one of the most spiritual champions who ever lived and yet this passage is proof that he felt as if he lacked God’s presence in this situation. He likened his soul to a deer who was completely depleted of nourishment. He admitted his need to experience not just God but the living God. The one who can comfort, rescue and spiritually nourish. He speaks in his heart journal the need to ‘remember’ what God has done in the past since he cannot feel Him in his present. He acknowledges that he used to be a leader in his faith but has lost his place in line. He no longer leads the spiritual pack but falls in despair. He acknowledges his distress, despair and spiritual depression. He then raises the essential principle of despair – continue praising God apart from the circumstances. He claims that God is still his Savior and His God. He ends with remembering the God with whom he has met at other disparaging times of his life until He can see the Savior delivering him in this situation.

Who can relate to this heart cry to God this morning? I know I can on some levels. In my present situation it feels as if resolution will never come. I must recall the times when he has ‘calmed greater waters than these and made higher mountains come down.’

While our faith can be so strong in some arenas it can be so fragile in others. Just because the sun is behind the clouds doesn’t mean it isn’t warming the earth. Our faith in God keeps us warm even when we feel we are in the cold darkness.