Mustard Seeds

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches” Matthew 13:31-32.

In a world of supersized everything, it is discouraging that so many don’t recognize the impact their daily activity can have in the kingdom of God. A few years back I had a friend who suggested that we start a Bible Study which we did. For over 3 years this Bible Study has taught us and challenged us as a group. We have learned the precious stories of the Bible and how it is applicable in our own lives. We have prayed together calling on God for His power, comfort and healing. Individually, we have been led to separate fields of service impacting our personal circles of influence. In case you are wondering how many attend this Bible Study, our greatest number was 4 and the fewest number is 3…mustards seeds. In 2008, God led me to begin a ministry called Emerging Life Ministries (ELM) which began primarily as a morning blog. Six years later not much has changed but I trust that people are changing through His inspiration of my writing that He gave to me…mustard seeds.

Jesus described the kingdom of heaven as tiny seeds planted to harvest a future yield. Every Christian should be motivated by planting small seeds with the potential of a great harvest. Edward Kimball was a Sunday School teacher who led Dwight Moody as a young boy into his acceptance of Christ. Through Moody’s small seed John Chapman became a full-time evangelist, bringing Mordecai Ham into giving his life to Christ. As a result of Ham's planting his mustard seed, a 16-year old boy gave his life to the Lord…that little boy was Billy Graham…mustard seeds.

Our role is to seek and fellowship with God to determine where He has purposed for us to plant. ‘Every act of obedience carries with it the potential to mightily impact the kingdom of God…God chooses to work through the small and weak to demonstrate His power to a watching world. Small beginnings do not necessarily mean a small finish. Most of God’s greatest work has begun small, like the mustard seed’ Experiencing God, p. 187. Never underestimate the power of God using your service, however small it may be, to impact the kingdom.

"This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger..." Luke 2:10.

A Farmer Named Jesus

“A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering…some fell …and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell…the soil was shallow…the plants were scorched…Other seed fell among thorns… which grew up and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown” Matt 13:3-8.

Being part of a ministry that depends solely on prayers, contributions and donations from individuals and organizations, I understand the importance of getting the message out there.  Many times I have left after sharing our mission with others with confidence that we would get the support of that person or organization.  What I am finding to be true is that while people might be excited at first to hear the message their response or follow through lacks action.  I certainly understand that there are amazing ministry opportunities out there for people to support.  I know for myself I wish that I could support every ministry out there.  However, there is one ministry that we have all been invited and commanded to support…the ministry of reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ.  It is not just a ministry to receive but a ministry with responsibility on our part to serve.  If we are truly the hands and feet of Christ then why should we believe they are only useful on Sundays?  I use my hands and feet every moment of every day so shouldn’t our Body of Christ activity be constantly serving in the kingdom?

Jesus was that farmer who went out to sow His seed…the message to be planted in the heart of man.  But man’s heart possesses different types of soil and the success of the crop is based on the health of the heart.  Jesus spoke of four different responses to join Him in His ministry.  ‘Some rejected His invitation while others expressed interest but were not willing to pay the price.  Others began to respond to the invitation but the cares and concerns of the world ‘choked out’ their initial interest.  However, there were those who willingly accepted the responsibilities of kingdom citizenship and God produced a great spiritual crop through their lives. The invitation to the kingdom of God is given to everyone.  The difference is our response’ Experiencing God, p. 185.

When we seek the kingdom of God above all other things in this world God brings the kingdom to us.  He promises that through our pursuit of Him we have access to everything we will ever need.

‘But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.’ Matthew 6:33.

Treasures and Riches

“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." - Isaiah 45:3

Have you ever noticed how easily scripture and spiritual advice rolls off our tongues when the darkness belongs to someone else?  ‘Take heart, God has a plan for you.’ ‘God will be faithful.’ ‘Turn your burdens over to the Lord.’  These are all great sentiments but the real power of scripture is when we are the ones to digest it in our dark times.  Each of us has within our heart that secret place that we would rather God leave alone.  It is the place we strive most to control, manipulate and calculate without God. It commands our constant feeding like an insatiable beast.  We can bank on the fact that what becomes our worship will become our darkness.  Because that area holds our greatest attention God will use it to reveal Himself, and show us His riches in those secret places.  We will learn about His faithfulness and be comforted by His loving nature when we are forced to trust Him with our greatest need.

‘What we perceive as dark periods in our lives is designed to be treasures from God. They are actually riches stored in secret places. We cannot see those times in this light because of the often-accompanying pain or fear that prevents us from accepting these times as treasures. You see, unless we are cast into times in which we are completely at God's mercy for breakthroughs in our lives, we will never experience God's faithfulness in those areas. We will never know how personal He is, or that He can be trusted to meet the deepest needs in our lives.’ Os Hillman, Today God Is First.

I cannot tell you all the times God has responded to my deepest need with something so ludicrously unique to me…a moment in time that reminded me I have a Father who knows me personally on every level.  When I experience a treasure in darkness I know that these are divine blessings from God.  They are tender reminders that the words I give to others are also mine for the taking. 

‘Brenda, take heart, I have a plan for you…I will be faithful…Give me your burdens.’

Paving His Path

“And most of the crowd spread their garments in the road; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread them in the road. And the crowds that went before him, and that followed, cried out, saying, ‘Hosanna [save now!] to the son of David’” Matthew 21:8.

The scene is powerful and my emotions are stirred as I picture the triumphal entry of Jesus.  It is the week leading up to Passover and there are feasts and excitement in the air.  The disciples must have been anxious for these anticipated events…their teacher was getting ready to be King…the King they have awaited for so long…the King to bring peace and order to a hurting people.  They could feel it in the air…the shift in power was rising.  My research shows ‘that spreading garments before a dignitary was a symbol of submission (see 2 Kings 9:13). Palm branches were employed also as token of victory’ (Suetonius, Caligula, 32).  There is no doubt that the people who lined the dusty road that day were ready for this new leader.  They were moved beyond emotion, removing their outerwear, laying it upon the ground showing their submission to the future king, and claiming victory over the old regime.  Their hearts are filled with hope and their adoration was far from misplaced…up ahead they see the new king for the new kingdom…atop that meager colt is their Messiah.  They couldn’t have known the horror of what would unfold the following week.

We have the same hope in a future kingdom that they had back then, but the kingdom has been established for us.  We live in the earthly shadow of an established heavenly kingdom.  We are promised a new city, one with God as the architect (Hebrews 11:10).  We have been shown who the King is and the victory that will be ours if we follow along behind Him.  How do you pave the road that you share with the Savior?  Do you remove the attitudes of the flesh laying it down at His feet?  Do you cut the branches of your own will down, covering your life with His will…the One who has already died for us?  Like these weary followers, we must humble ourselves and follow Him instead of leading the pack looking for the entrance to life.  ‘But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him’ 2 Co. 2:14.

‘And most of the crowd spread their garments…and cut branches…’  Let us be included in the most so we can share in the fullness of Christ and our inheritance in the Kingdom. 

When He Sends Angels

“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him…Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared… ‘Quick, get up!’ And the chains fell off Peter’s wrist…When this (miraculous release) had dawned on him, he went to the house…where many people had gathered and were praying…But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished” Acts 12:5, 12, 16.

Last year our church focused on raising both awareness and funds for On Eagles Wings, a ministry dedicated to the rescue and restoration of victims of sex trafficking.  We were called on as the Body to pray and consider the monetary contribution that God would lay on our hearts.  It was through both individual and corporate prayer that each decided how one would give.  Our church earnestly prayed over a period of a month, and collected over $389,000 on the Sunday dedicated to the offering.  When I heard the amount I told our pastor that he had better put it up on the screen because all would think they had misheard him.  As a church we were absolutely astonished at what God did in this miracle.  I know that we never expected that much money to be collected, and were equally amazed as the Body of believers who prayed for Peter’s release.  The believers had the responsibility of continued prayer and Peter had the responsibility of ‘getting up and walking in the deliverance.’  Both had to truly believe in God’s power and faithfulness to realize the miracle.

If we truly believe in miracles and God’s love then why on earth are we ever amazed when we see God answer our prayers? Why aren’t we praying with more authority and expectation?  Is it because we are fearful He will not come through?  Is it because we will be embarrassed for our faith if it doesn’t work out the way we claim?  I know for myself these are tough questions to answer.  What if the intensity and expectation of answered prayers are the very things that activate angels to come and rescue us from our prisons?  I firmly believe that our faith and prayer life moves and shakes heaven.  The concerns of our heart are the concerns of our Father’s heart.  He takes them seriously and calls on His messengers to act on our behalf. 

We must get up and leave our prayers of timidity and underwhelming expectations and pray with the authority given to us through Christ.  ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe…’ John 11:41.  We do not have to be embarrassed if God answers our prayers in a different way.  Our faith should be anchored in His promise, not in His performance.  Peter was going to win either way…He would either be knocking on the believers’ door or heaven’s door.  Either way, God’s promise was pure and deliverance was guaranteed.

Remember, we can pray in the same power from the same God who raised Christ from the dead.

‘…and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe…the working of the strength of His might, which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…’ Ep. 1:19-20.

Hinged With Hope

"Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble…The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire" Ne 1:1-3.

After my sister Beth died I had a lot of time on my hands in comparison to the time I invested in her last year of life. Her diagnosis to departure was only 11 months but it seemed like so much longer. In the blink of an eye our family’s life went from calm to chaos…individual focus to family focus…peaceful times to the raging war. Then, eleven months later the war came to a screeching halt and we, as soldiers returned to our individual homelands to resume life. I remember the morning after her celebration of life service being extremely disoriented and somewhat lost. I looked around at my life recognizing that the last year had been lived in chaos, with daily survival being the game plan. But the battle was now over and the battleground was peppered with grief…broken down terrain and burned out hope. Hearts had to be rebuilt and new gates of living had to be erected. Faithfully our emotional walls were rebuilt in our family, and gates of gratitude were set forth on hinges as God provided healing in our deepest places. Our city has been built up again in faith and our hope hinges on future reunions.

There are many battles that wage on earth that send us into exile…that situation that forever defines ‘then and now.’ Our exiles are those circumstances that consume our minds and fill up our hearts with emotions that must continuously be nurtured. While we must live within the battles of this world, we must never lose sight that we live in a temporal land. We are only passing through to enter the land of resting places…resting in eternity…resting in the Presence of God…resting in the eternal reunions of our loved ones. Paul reminds us that while we are inhabitants of this world our citizenship belongs to Heaven. Our eyes must be cast upon the eternal, not anchored in the temporal.

‘For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come’ Hebrews 13:14.

When We Say 'I Do'

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part in it” 1 Cor 12:27.

The Bible states in Mark 10:8 that when two enter into marriage the parties ‘shall be one flesh:  so then they are no more two, but one flesh.’  The same holds true when we accept Christ into our lives.  Christ is the head of the church and the body is His bride.  Can you imagine if after our wedding ceremony we only served our spouse once a week…children followed but we only did things with them when it suited our interest?  What if the only time we offered ourselves to them was when we were receiving from them?

This is a Christian dilemma that stalks the church from the greatest of Christians.  Just as God leads us to our vocation and calling, He also leads us to the church where He has assigned future work.  Just as our family would be dysfunctional as described above, so is the success of our church when we don’t fulfill our God-directed church purpose.  ‘When God places you in a local church, you’re not merely joining a religious organization; you’re a part of the living body of Christ.  God puts you in a particular church because He knows you can help that church fulfill His assignment.  You’re vital to the body and the body is important’ Experiencing God, p. 161.  We do not go to church to receive but to give…give our worship…give our tithes…give our time and talents.  The body is incomplete without each member fulfilling its God-given purpose for that specific church. 

How can we find our purpose in one of the most important groups of people whom we are entrusted…the church, the Body of Christ?  In addition to our weekly attendance, we must pray to God for His revelation and wisdom in realizing our role in the church.  We must look to Scripture to be led into the knowledge of what God is doing in our church.  We must sensitize ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s leading and join Him in His work at the church.  Being active in church means much more than occupying a pew once a week.  It means being active in the activity of Christ in that place.  In every church there seems to be a division, those who are actively serving in the body and those who are not.  Just as every limb on our body operates to serve the rest of the body, so must the members of each church to make the body move as intended by God.

‘So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other’ 1 Cor 12:25.

Red Rover, Red Rover

“But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be” 1 Co 12:18.

When I was a little girl there was a game that brought both joy and anxiety to me.  It was called Red Rover and each team had their own members.  The team would stand in a line and chant ‘Red rover, red rover, send _______ right over.’ I was always insecure and stood there anxiously hoping to hear my name.  Who doesn’t like to be chosen and accepted? 

Fast forward 45 years.  A few months ago, life provided its own game of Red Rover.  I was approached by our pastor and invited to interview for a position in our church in Women’s Ministries.  I was extremely excited as I had frequently thought I would follow in my grandmother’s footsteps.  I went through the process and in the end the team did not call my name to be come right over. There was certainly some disappointment initially but within 24 hours I knew God placed the person He wanted in that role.  Not a day has passed when I haven’t realized that God knew that position would not have fulfilled me.  God knows what makes our hearts soar and fulfills our desires.  I know that where I am in His plan is better than where I would be in my own plan.  I attended a meeting with the lovely woman who God did arrange in His body…the church…and knew immediately that she was the one who should ‘have been sent over.’  It is obvious that not only does she have the passion for the role, but her strengths and talents are perfectly matched for the goals.

When we open ourselves up to the plan and purpose of God, we pave the way for His divine opportunities to play out.  Christ is the church and we are the body of His church, called to serve in the manner He determines.  We have not all been called to serve in the actual church but we have all been called to serve in the spiritual Body.  God has determined our vocation, our length of service and our impact, and it is up to us to walk it out.  We have a team in Heaven…God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit who stand shoulder to shoulder and call each of our names to come right over.  It is our responsibility to make sure we are on the playground.

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it’” Isaiah 30:21.

Deliverance From Ourselves

“I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” Psalm 34:4)

It is a spiritual fact that we storm heaven’s gates with much more passion and desperation in times of trouble.  When life is going smoothly we lift our prayers of thanksgiving to God with an ebb and flow spirit.  But when we discover ourselves in the doctor’s office waiting on our prognosis…when there seems to be little hope for pregnancy…when our boss calls us in to his office with bad news...these are the times that heaven really gets our attention.

I noticed in our verse this morning that David did not write ‘I sought the LORD and he delivered me from my circumstances.’  He wrote that he was delivered from his fear.  This is a scriptural gem that we cannot skim over.  James 1:2-4 explains that our faith must endure tests in order that we may learn to persevere in all trails.  Through the work of perseverance our faith is made more complete for future assignments.  We will all be blessed when we have stood firm in our tests.  So with the long-haul in sight we are encouraged to ask for deliverance from our emotions…fear…anxiety…hopelessness and sadness.  It will be through the daily seeking of the Lord’s settling of our emotions that will mark off the dark days which we are enduring.  Our confidence and endurance is in the Lord, being guaranteed of our deliverance from our emotions that contradict peace.

We must respond first in trust and obedience, making the appropriate adjustments in our life to God’s plan.  Through the crisis we will have a better understanding of who God is and how He operates in our lives.  While we cannot shorten the days of deliverance from our circumstances we can certainly shorten the days of deliverance from our emotions.  Deliverance is only a prayer away in every situation and every moment of each day.

‘When times of bewilderment overwhelm you, how you respond will affect your life deeply.  Some people withdraw or drop out; others worry or fret, even to the point of becoming sick; still others become angry or bitter.  But others turn quietly and persistently to God and wait before Him until He hears their cry and delivers them; they’re forever strengthened in their walk with God and they become more faithful servants of His’ Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby, p. 150.

Being Confident

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life…the present nor the future…nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35, 37-39).

Have you ever noticed how sometimes words of comfort come across empty?  I only have to consider my own responses to those who had experienced losing a loved one.  Before I lost my sister and dad my responses were more rehearsed than felt.  It wasn’t that I was cold hearted but rather heart protected.  I had never experienced that sadness before so I couldn’t really understand the depth of pain in which they were living.  Once I had experienced that suffering I truly understood the journey of hope… desperate prayer…decline…and ultimately death.  On the flipside however I experienced the healing of that journey.  Through the love of Christ I was able to accept…seek comfort…pray for our emotional healing…and receive the sustaining grace and love of God. 

Paul penned this passage with authority and credibility, for the things he named were the things he had endured through God’s grace in Christ.  Paul’s words do not fall on deft ears for they were written from a man who walked this journey and overcame all of these sufferings. 

The love of Christ involves His protection when we are vulnerable and weak from our circumstances.  The love of Christ offers His comfort and peace when we are fearful and anxious in our situation.  The love of Christ bestows those special blessings on the days we need something extra.  His love reveals His heart when we cannot trace His hand in our suffering.  When we glance in our rearview mirror we can see how victoriously we were led out of other painful times.  In retrospect, we see how the love of Christ was there at every turn never leaving us, but always loving us.  When we can look at our past as overcomers our lives will pen our story through our testimonies.  In the spirit of Paul’s writings, I write my own as a testimony to God:

‘What shall separate me from Christ’s love?  Shall divorce, my child’s heroin addiction, secret spending, cancer, death and grief…No, in all these things I am more than a conqueror through him who loves me.  For I am convinced that nothing yesterday, today or tomorrow will be able to pry me from God’s hand since I am a co-heir with Christ.’

For a Little While...

“…though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith…may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” 1 Peter 1:6-7.

One of the most natural places our minds go during tough times is the quest for answers to our questions in our challenging circumstances. ‘Why is this happening to me? Is my situation a consequence to something I have done wrong? Is God mad at me?’ I know I have pondered these questions at times when my walk was painful and times were unsettling. While I totally understand and believe that God does discipline those He loves I am also confident that God’s nature is love first and foremost. God did not send sin and death for that was a result of man’s fall. God does however bring ‘beauty from ashes.’ If our suffering is always based on sin, then as soon as we repent things should get better. The Bible speaks consistently of suffering for greater reasons…purifying and perfecting our faith…bringing glory and honor to God… showing those unbelievers reasons to believe.

Since the time of Job, which many scholars believe was the first written book of the Bible, man has been trying to lay blame at the feet of the sufferer. ‘As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same’ Job 4:8. We know his suffering was not due to sin in Job’s life. The disciples assumed the same thing. ‘His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Neither this man nor his parents sinned', he said.’ John 9:2. Elizabeth had lived a barren life which other people had assumed was due to sin, but they were considered righteous people according to God. ‘Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren’ Luke 1:6-7.

We move into dangerous territories when we assign sin to the trouble of others. There are wonderful blessings that flow out of our suffering. A crisis accomplishes great things in our lives as considered in Experiencing God, Richard Blackaby.

- It points to God’s unwavering love;

- It promotes dying to self and surrender;

- It proves our faith and anchors our beliefs;

- It prepares us for greater assignments;

- It forces us to make adjustments to God in our lives.

It is not up to us to determine why a person suffers but we are called to comfort with the same comfort we have been given. It is up to us to share in the sufferings of others as we have shared in the sufferings of Christ.

The greatest suffering ever experienced was from a man who knew no sin. So let us not waste our time trying to figure out why if we have truly repented of all sins, and are striving to walk an upright and blameless life with Christ.

And So She Walks...

“And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness…But only the redeemed will walk…They will enter Zion singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads” Isaiah 35:8-10.

This is the 5 year and 4 year anniversary weekend of our redeemed, my sister Beth and my dad. They both now walk that highway of Holiness singing in unison with the angels. A while back I wrote a story of their last moments as I imagined them. As a memorial to my loved ones I hope this story will bless you and encourage you as they walked on the highway to Holiness.

“During the last two weeks of Beth’s life, her constant smile was replaced with a distant stare. Previously, she would fight her worn out body by willing herself out of bed, as if showing both cancer and death who was boss. But now, both her mind and body were emptied of any fight and both were surrendered. Our bedside joking and laughing were replaced with silence and subtle acknowledgements.  During those silent visits, I remembered previous conversations with Beth which brought tears to my eyes, but a smile to my face. Due to the high dose of pain blocking narcotics, she seemed on any given day to drift between reality and fantasy. One day as we were sitting together in the Hospice House, she patted her bed with her fragile little hand signaling for me to join her. She reached over and grabbed a pad and pen and the fantasy of planning her wedding unfolded. I was painfully aware that even in her deep confusion, the reality of death and her funeral was never far away from her. I so appreciated the grace of God painting this picture with the beautiful colors of a wedding instead of the dark charcoals of a funeral. Her questions warmed my heart as she would record my answers by drawing little bubbles on the page, much like a stenographer would record every important word. I still smile when I consider the questions coming from her place in fantasy met with God’s grace. She asked, ‘Now should we serve hors d’oeuvres in the front of the church? Will there be a celebration afterwards? What kind of music shall we play?’ Many days were spent planning her wedding with questions and answers that never changed, and the same plans ‘bubbled on the pages of her wedding planner.’ Never in a million years could I have predicted that this wedding day would occur on the same day 14 years previously when she gave her heart and life to her husband, Paul. I couldn’t help but wonder what she was experiencing in those quiet, unreachable days when she was finally bed bound and could not walk. Was this in between living holy ground for which no one could enter? I cannot help to feel that as she could no longer walk on earth, she was preparing to walk to heaven. So, in the spirit of all of our planning, our talks and the bubbles on the page, I share my version of her experience in those last days when she couldn’t be reached between death on earth and marriage into eternity.

‘She must be nervous for off in the distance she hears the echo of music playing and soft murmurs of familiar voices. She has considered this walk a million times in her mind, but this time was different…no fear… no anxiety…no turning back. She could finally see what was up ahead of her and it was grander than anything behind her. No turning around this time for she was embracing this wedding day, and would kneel on the altar of eternal commitment – the surrender of total body and spirit to the One who formed and created her 42 years before. She treasures in her heart that for the second time March 14th presents the day she offers her love completely to another whom she adores. She lovingly remembers how her earthly father offered his arm the first time. But, this time it will be her heavenly Father that offers His arm to walk her down the aisle. The Director comes to her and whispers that it is time and she hears the music swell. She nervously steps out into the aisle with a pounding in her heart and a radiance surrounding her. Her radiance is met with the radiance of her Father as He offers His arm to her. How beautiful she looks to Him! She carries a bouquet with the fragrance of her courageous walk during her suffering. She is dressed in a white linen robe instead of sequins and lace. Her hair is held back with ribbons of righteousness as she is being made perfect and pure with every step. Her earthly knowledge is being replaced with pearls of wisdom as everything is becoming more clearly seen in the spiritual realm. Her vision is still slightly blurred by the thin veil of her earthly inhabitation of flesh. How excited she must be at the thought of her veil soon to be lifted by the One whom she loves, as their eyes meet each other’s gaze. She trustingly reaches out her tiny arm and joyfully slides it into her heavenly Father’s arm. The music builds in intensity, the processional begins, and so they walk. The delicate petals of her faith are scattered along the aisle from earth to heaven. The petals are seen from both sides, the view from the earth as petals of inspiration while the view from heaven as petals of fulfilled purposes. As she walks she hears sobs of those she loves who must give away the bride. The further she walks down that divine aisle, the sobs are replaced by the anticipation and joy of her new family as they welcome her into their eternal family…familiar faces...smiles that warmed her down on earth. While her heart is burdened for the temporary separation of her earthly family, her new wisdom reminds her that one by one they will join her someday…And so she walks…

A little while later as Beth was tending to her heavenly Kingdom work, in the distance was singing that beckoned her attention. Music was a constant in heaven, either in praising God or celebrations of people coming home. But this celebration seemed different to her…more personal…more familiar. The words drifted into her heart and spirit drawing her to that particular celebration, familiar voices, and those wonderful lyrics. Someone special is coming home she thinks to herself. She moves closer to the crowd and positions herself among her heavenly family who has gathered together for the entrance of another family member. She steps on her tip-toes to see who is coming home as the words of the song resonate in the deepest part of her soul. She turns and sees who steps out onto the heavenly aisle…she recognizes him and smiles that million dollar smile as her earthly daddy walks towards her. She knows the others will follow in God’s perfect plan and timing. She joins him with joy and is reminded that there is no need to worry or fret for all is perfect in eternity.’

“All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” Psalm 139:16.

And So We Know...

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

My husband Bruce has been teaching himself a computer program that is extremely complicated.  It makes my brain hurt just to look at how thick the instruction manual is.  He works tirelessly learning the information he will need down the road when putting this knowledge to the test.  The funny thing about knowledge is that the value comes through application, not just knowing the information. 

The same is true about our knowledge and reliance on God when we hit a crisis point.  Times of crisis will expose what we really rely on, not what we think we rely on.  Knowledge without reliance is like owning a car with no tires...we stay parked in fear...we move nowhere.  ‘What we do in times of distress reveals what we really believe about God.  A crisis is a challenge but also an opportunity for the Christian.  During such difficult times we endure the loss of health, jobs, possessions, and often are discouraged.  From a human prospective, crisis means loss.  But God plans that we benefit from every trial we face’ Experiencing God, p. 125.  Christ climbed up on that cross…the greatest crisis man ever faced…and yet we benefit from His crisis daily.  We are loved through the sacrifice of Christ…we are adopted into His family in Christ…we are forgiven continually because of Christ.  No matter what circumstance we are in we must settle the love of God first and foremost.  We must not only have the knowledge that He loves us but sincerely rely on God’s loving nature and promises to work all things out. 

Secondly, we must rely on the truth that God will keep His promises and give His best to us.  ‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ’ 2 Co.1:20.  God is bound by His promises and would be going against His character to give us less than His best.  It is important that we know His promises, but more important that we rely on them. 

So whatever season you are facing this morning, know and believe that God is love and His love can drive out any fear that is in your heart.  ‘God is love…There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear’ 1 John 4:16, 18.

Confident of This Very Thing

“Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ ‘…I…prepare a place for you…I will come back and take you’” John 14:3, 5.

There are times in our lives when we just have to be honest with God and say, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going with our circumstances. We don’t see the path laid out before us.’  How can we know in which direction to walk when the way is not lit?  Many times Jesus will call us to leave a certain season of our lives behind, not showing us future plans.  It is most frequently the way of God to call us out of our comfort zones, and have us walk in the unknown.  He did the same with His disciples when He asked them to leave their present vocations and follow Him.  He didn’t tell them much, just enough to keep them taking baby steps towards His goal for their lives.  For whatever reason, they didn’t think twice about walking away from their jobs.  But I am sure they gave second thoughts during the days that followed.  Did they arise in the morning longing for their former jobs and security?  Did they wonder how they would eat that day living out this new strange way of life?  One thing for sure…they depended on Jesus for their daily provisions instead of their former way of life.

When God does something new with our circumstances He already has the plan.  He hasn’t haphazardly begun something that He doesn’t know how to complete.  The Bible says that we can be ‘confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.’ Phil. 1:6.  God can do more with our lives that we can ever imagine.  Our circumstances, placed in the hands of the Lord can become a power instrument for the furthering of our faith.  But we must be patient in the wait, faithful in our belief and expectant in our prayers.  While things may seem stagnant God is moving…while we have questions God already has the answers…while we reside in the unknown God is orchestrating the known.

Whatever your present circumstances are, be encouraged that your situation is an expression of God’s activity in your life.  I read something yesterday that encouraged my heart in this unsettling season in my life.  ‘Where you are today is no accident.  God is using the situation you are in right now to shape you and prepare you for the place He wants to bring you into tomorrow.  Trust Him with His plan even if you don’t understand it’ Unknown origin.  He is preparing a place for me right now…He will come back when He has completed all of the plans for my future…He will take me to the place, His perfect plan, that He has worked out for my good, and the good of my family.

Walking Through the Gate

“The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” John 10:20-3.

This morning as I was thinking about the different things to which God has called me I find it interesting that I am where I never dreamed I would be. I had always thought that I would end up in some type of formal women’s ministries like my grandmother. In many ways I am as I counsel in areas of grief, parenting and various challenges. But as I prayed for God to lead me into His plans for my life He opened the gate for On Eagles Wings, a ministry dedicated to the rescue and restoration of young victims of sex trafficking. I never saw it coming as I roamed the spiritual mountainside looking for the gate to the ministry in which I believed I would serve. The Watchman had other plans.  As I was trying to climb over the fence of one ministry He motioned for me to come over to the gate entering On Eagles Wings Ministry. It was very clear that I was to walk through that gate and get involved with that organization. It has been a wonderful experience and I have learned much about faith from their founder. I am still bumbling around in that field for I am new to the cause and feel very undereducated. It seems that God always calls me to things of which I know the least.

Every one of us was created with a purpose…a ministry…a gate to enter and receive our own congregation. Whether your congregation is your family, your vocation or your blog followers God has called you to have a spiritual voice. The people with whom God has surrounded us have been chosen to be in our lives for us to encourage, impact and share our testimonies. Our spiritual pastures provide opportunities of teaching and seasons of learning. We must enter through the gate that God chooses for that is where our success will lie. The pasture may be empty while God is preparing us but we can be confident that He will lead the sheep in once He has developed us. We were created for service and have been called for purpose in the kingdom work of God.

As the Watchman motions you to come over to the gate of His choosing, keep your eyes focused on Him, move faithfully towards the gate and enter His calling. He will show you the way and the pasture will one day be filled with the sheep that look to you for spiritual impact.

God has a perfect plan for every one of us. Pray for guidance and expect direction.

Shouldering Stones

“…take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan…Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder…to serve as a sign among you…These stones are to be a memorial to the people…forever.  For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over.” Joshua 4:2-23

The drying up of the Jordan River is one of the most well-known miracles that God performed.  It was such a visible miracle there was no denying it.  Can you imagine standing on the bank of a vast body of water knowing you had to cross?  Many of us are as we hang up that life changing phone call.  Many of us are as we realize we may never have children.  Many of us are as we say our goodbyes to our loved ones.  Suddenly, the water begins to churn and violently moves as a separation begins to form exposing the bottom of those waters.  You look to heaven and there is no doubting that God’s hand is in this activity.  You know that Someone larger than life is orchestrating your walk.  Although the water has been divided the walk is still muddy.  But you realize that you are going to have to walk…you must cross…there is no other path but through the muddy but dried up circumstances.

The Israelites had no choice but to walk…to cross…to trust and believe in the One who was instructed them.  Once they were on the other side…and there will be another side…God instructed the Israelites to pick up twelve stones.  The command was to carry it on their shoulders to memorialize their walk.  He didn’t bring them out of the dried up journey empty handed, but provided tangible stones to carry into their new land. 

Do you find yourself crossing over in territory that has been dried up financially, emotionally, or even spiritually?  Is the walk muddy with fear, insecurity or sadness?  We have a stone, a Cornerstone, who we can carry on our shoulders when things are dried up.  ‘…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself, as the chief cornerstone’ Ephesians 2:20.  Not only will we emerge on the other side with Christ, but we will have visible rewards from our experience.  When we carry Christ with us when crossing over our difficult circumstances, He will provide us with the essential ‘stones’ from the riverbed.  We will recognize these stones throughout the remaining days on earth as spiritual markers, those moments intimately and sacredly shared between the Creator and the created…the Father and the child…the Deliverer and the delivered.

Walking in Prosperity

“The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered…” Genesis 39:2.

I decided to read up on the whole concept of prosperity since that seems to be the world’s motivation.  There is nothing greater in our society than the illusion of self-made success.  The Bible is clear that in the spiritual realm things either come to us from the evil kingdom or the spiritual kingdom…either from Satan or from God.  You can bet your bottom dollar that when we strive and toil to prosper ourselves and fund our own lives it does not come from God.  True biblical prosperity is always God-given, God-purposed and God-driven.  The definition of biblical prosperity is the blessed state of having the resource and ability to accomplish God’s will.  Nowhere in the biblical definition of prosperity is it about us other than how it is powered through intimacy with Him.  God always calls us into relationship first, and out of the overflow of that relationship come favor and prosperity. 

‘Just as Jesus called John to “come, follow Me,” so your calling as a Christian is to follow Jesus wherever He leads you.  Your job is simply an expression of God’s current activity in your life.  Your jobs have no eternal significance in and of themselves; they are vehicles of God’s eternal purposes when you are rightly relating to Him’ Experiencing God, p. 70.  When one job is complete it is because God's focus and activity in your life has shifted.  Joseph went from shepherd, to warden assistant, to supervisor, and then to administrator over everything.  God built these opportunities like bricks in a foundation out of the overflow of fellowship, purpose and future work for the kingdom.  For us to become prosperous we must become surrendered.  For us to gain the favor of God we must be motivated by our intimacy with God.  For us to grab hold of our future opportunities from God we must let go of the former ones.

Every bit of favor or blessings on our lives come from the Lord, who calls us…pursues us… adores us and invites us to join Him.  When we turn away from empty pursuits of prosperity, seek His heart and take His hand, we turn our backs on the world.  We follow Him in truth and righteousness for His name's sake and His glory.  We take on new compassion for things that break His heart, and give mercy in places we never have before.  Through our relationship and intimacy with God we live in a blessed state with the resources and abilities to accomplish God's will...true biblical prosperity.

 

'Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.' Proverbs 13:21

 

Considering God

“Consider what God has done:  Who can straighten what he has made crooked?  When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider:  God has made the one as well as the other…Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence…Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.  For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man’s misery weighs heavily upon him.” Eccl 6:9-8:6.

There are few people I know who will beam and speak of God’s blessings during tough times.  Most of these experiences are reserved when things are going well…financial success…obedient children… wonderful marriages…good health.  But these are not the things that spiritual growth is made of.  Spiritual growth comes in the tension of the crooked path…times when the bank account is empty…time when parents lay awake at night wondering where their child is…times when the prognosis is grim.  The one thing adversity has in common is the desire to get out from under it as quickly as possible.

‘Do not hurry to leave the king’s presence…’ It is true that God has more of our attention in the rough and rocky times.  When times are good our walk is easy and straight ahead, but when life is filled with challenges…those crooked paths…we look for detours.  The crooked paths are gifts from God for they are times when He raises His scepter, inviting us into the throne room.  The crooked paths are made to slow us down and linger in His presence.  They are only seasons while they feel like eternity.  They are filled with raw emotions that force us to ‘reach out and touch His hem.’ They are times when we are prone to focus on His past goodness and faithfulness to steady us in the present.  So when your straight path becomes crooked, acknowledge that He is in it…do not rush through it, but linger…tell your heart that the path is temporary and there is an end to every season.

Only God can straighten what has been made crooked.  Trust in Him, rest in His presence and consider what all God has done.

Our Master Tailor

“See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain” Hebrews 8:5. 

When I was a little girl we frequently visited my grandparents.  I can remember there was a room off of their garage that was filled with Grandmother’s sewing materials.  There were boxes of patterns, and open patterns which laid out in disjoined pieces on the countertop.  The patterns were made of very thin paper with markings along the edges where pins would be placed to secure that piece to the material.  She would hold a pattern up to my arm and pin it to the material if it was the right size.  This would continue with my chest, my back and my other arm until she was satisfied with the fit of each individual piece.  I would look at the different fabrics she had and would choose which material I wanted my clothing to be.  We would leave and the next time we returned I was always amazed at how those individual pieces of pattern turned into my beautiful garment.

We have a master Tailor who sees the finished garment of our lives.  He allows us to choose certain things according to our desires.  He is constantly working on different areas of our lives, pinning this circumstance to this area and cutting that circumstance in that area.  He has the master pattern of our lives and orchestrates the design that will produce the most beautiful spiritual garment if we will allow Him.  I remember as I would get fidgety Grandmother would lovingly look me in the eyes and gently encourage me to be still.  She would say that this fitting would not take long but the stillness was extremely important to get it right.  I think of those words as I consider being in a season where I must be still.  I must allow God to carefully work out the details of the pattern so that He can bring about the end result He has in mind.  Then one day when I least expect it, I’ll look up and the beautiful work will be finished.  He will slip my robe of righteousness around my shoulders as He walks with me on the streets of gold.

Please be encouraged this morning that we have a Father who has the pattern for each of us.  He fits each piece perfectly together, running His perfect threads throughout our life.  We must stand still in certain seasons and other seasons He tells us to go play while He does the work.  We can be confident that as we are living out our lives, He is putting together our eternity.

Star Gazing

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." -Daniel 12:3

Daniel was only a teenager when his world was turned upside down.  One day he was enjoying praising and freely worshipping God, interrupted by a day of captivity enmeshed in a pagan world.  He had many of the same temptations that each of us face daily, but did not succumb to any of them.  These are critical spiritual principles which can help us maneuver through this pagan world that we face.  He refused to defile himself with the royal food…the food of the world.  He refused to take on the mentality of the pagan way…stayed focused on God.  He stayed surrounded by friends who also loved and lived for God…did not make friendships of the world. Most importantly, Daniel did not bow down to the world’s systems.  What an incredible legacy that still shines brightly like the stars in the sky.

When I get to the end of my life I would love to believe that my legacy will leave a lasting and shining impact on the world. I have been blessed with family members whose lives shone in such a wise and righteous way.  They provided the example of leading a righteous life centered in Christ, the Brightness of Heaven Himself.  The Bible teaches that those who lead flesh lives are considered fools in the eyes of God, but those who walk in the ways of the Lord are wise.  The lives of my family members who have gone before me twinkle and shine whenever I think of them.  The impact of their hands in Kingdom work still bears fruit today.  The sky, in its vastness, has room for all of our legacies to twinkle and shine, lighting the way for others.  In order for our legacy to shine bright after we depart this temporal world, we must follow the principles of Daniel and those champion Christians whom have gone before us.  In the spirit of gratitude for all of those ‘stars’ who have left a legacy for me I share one of the sweetest poems ever penned.  Thank you to all of those people whose spiritual walk on earth still shines the way for this little girl.

     Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
     How I wonder what you are.
     Up above the world so high,
     Like a diamond in the sky.

     As your bright and tiny spark,
     Lights the traveler in the dark.
     Though I know not what you are,
     Twinkle, twinkle, little star

     Then the traveler in the dark,
     Thanks you for your tiny spark,
     He could not see which way to go,
     If you did not twinkle so.

Never to Be the Same

“During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them…When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified.  ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear… ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied…Then Peter…came towards Jesus…But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” Matthew 14:25-30

The disciples had just experienced the feeding of 5,000 and the miraculous way in which Jesus had dealt with the crowds.  Desiring private prayer time, Jesus commanded the disciples to get in their boat and go on ahead to the other side.  As the storm grew in intensity the disciples worked harder and harder at the oars to gain control over their circumstances.  Scripture doesn’t say that they were fearful of the storm for they had battled many as fishermen.  They became terrified when they saw an apparition on the water.  Peter, the only one who recognized Jesus, walked out his baby faith and joined Jesus on the water.  With only momentary success, he took His eyes off Jesus and began to sink.  As Peter continued to follow the teachings and miracles of Jesus he continued to grow in his faith.  He would be tested many times and would experience things that would change his heart forever.   After the death and resurrection of Jesus his faith was forever changed.  Imprisoned and bound for execution, Peter experienced another apparition. ‘Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared…Peter followed him…but thought he was seeing a vision.  Then Peter…said ‘Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me’ Acts 12:7-11.  When we see Peter’s faith at the beginning of his walk with Jesus compared to his faith after the departure of Jesus there is no comparison.  Peter would never be the same after getting to know the Savior …and neither should we.

Once we are in love with Christ and have experienced His power we should expect miraculous sightings and His messengers to attend to us.  We should never be the same after being rescued from the storm and carried by Jesus back into the boat.  We cannot respond to grown up sufferings with baby faith.  God places our circumstances in relation to our level of faith to grow us into spiritually mature Christians.  When God originally pursues us He doesn’t see us as people with little faith in a boat…He sees us as His people with the potential to be full of courage and boldness walking out His message.  He treats us as the people He knows we can become instead of the people we think we are. ‘When Jesus met Peter, He saw beyond what Peter was like at that moment to what he could become by the transforming work of the Spirit of God… Christ loves you and is determined to make you reach your full potential as a Spirit-filled child of God’ Experiencing God, p. 48.  Without the fierce storms and the paralyzing circumstances of life we could never become the people God intended.  It is through our battles and God’s victories that we become all that God intended us to be in Christ.

‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ Phil 4:13