True Redemption

"The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out."
                                                                                                                                        Luke 8:1-2




She was the last one to leave the Cross, and the first one to visit His grave. She expressed much love, gratitude, and servitude to the Lord because she owed Him her very life. She would never forget that Jesus had healed her and liberated her from seven demons because torment defined her very existence until she met Him. The power of His touch propelled her heart to beat faster and her respirations to accelerate along with it. This was no ordinary Man. No, this was the Son of God. This was her Redeemer.

Mary Magdalene responded by passionately devoting her days to: loving, faithfully ministering to, and anointing her Lord. The fire of her love and compassion was fueled by her remembrance of the depth of her bondage. She determined in her heart to commit her whole life to following Him and allowing His goodness to flow through her to others.

Propelled by a force that was greater than her own, she pressed on to the destiny God had planned for her life. She opted to leave the past and press into her future. She left her home in Magdela to become a disciple of Jesus. In turn, she was redeemed and made whole; she would never be the same again.

Jesus transformed her life in every way. He took the love and devotion she gave to Him and turned it into a heavenly revelation of her Resurrected King! He honored her sacrifices to Himself by still allowing her story to minister to people in need. He helped her mature in every level of His grace to become everything He had created her to be. She wasn't just redeemed spiritually. No, every aspect of her life was transformed and redeemed to the glory of God!

It still amazes me how God runs His redemptive thread through the whole of our lives. He takes the tiny mustard seed of our faith in Jesus and imputes all of our sin to Him so that we stand righteous before Him. The book of Romans tells us that "All are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is provided in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24).

But, He doesn't stop there. While grace displays God's heart for us and pays for our sin, He still has so much more for us as His children. He takes all of our failures and shortcomings and He uses and redeems each one. When He adds His redeeming touch to all that is broken or not working, He makes it count for profound purpose and His great glory!

More often, it is our failures to which people can relate, and not our successes. This is how we become conduits to help those around us. Max Lucado says, "Blessed are the available, blessed are the conduits; the tunnels, the tools. Deliriously joyful are the ones who believe that if God has used sticks and rocks to do His will, then He can use us."

There are so many people around us who have very real challenges and struggles. While it is true that we are more than conquerors in Christ (Philippians 4:13), and that God does give us victory in all things to triumph, it is also true that hurting people need to know the places that we have struggled and failed. They need to see our humility, along with God's power.

Failure will never define us if we are determined not to be the same person coming out of something as we were going into it. God will always be glorified if we allow Him to touch our circumstances and bring redemption to them. Jack Hyles says, "Failing is not a disgrace unless you make it the last chapter of your book."

We are reminded that we are not God when we fail. We are also reminded of just how much we need God in our lives. We need Him to redeem us, which means "to buy back, recover, and to make up for". It is not just about being redeemed eternally; it is also about living a redeemed life, which is the only kind of life that brings God glory.

God intentionally made humanity dependent upon Himself. We are lesser beings through which He might be glorified. We are told that "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to bring forth the light of the knowledge of the clarity of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay vessels that the excellency of the virtue may be of God, and not of us" (2 Corinthians 4:6-7).

He sends His message through jars of clay so that He will get all the glory. It all starts with Him and it all ends with Him. In eternity, the glory of the redeemed will all go to God and not to man.

Throughout the whole Bible, God's desire is to redeem a broken humanity. Over and over, He proves that He will redeem all things that are given to Him in submission. He redeems: people, families, relationships, broken hearts, dreams, purpose, and destiny. We find that some people are involved in the redemptive process and some are not.

For those who are involved, God empowers them by His Spirit to live redeemed lives. He gives us revelation to hear and know Him so that we are not left on our own to try to figure things out. He also speaks through other Spirit-filled believers to convey His heart and message to us. He also illuminates His Word to light the path in front of us.

His Spirit also teaches us how to live sacrificial lives that prefer others before ourselves. He shows us how to walk in humility and to apologize to the people we hurt. God uses sacrifices in a mighty way to bring about redemption in the broken places of our lives.

The Holy Spirit also brings us to a place of maturity in our walk. He shows us how to receive God's grace at every level to be all He is calling us to be. We walk life out with others in order to hear more and be more like Jesus. We make a decision to not let our past define our present or our future in Christ. Only Jesus has the power to define our destiny.

Redemption is a beautiful gift that is placed upon us. It is not earned, nor is it deserved. Lavishly, God pours out His very best on us so that we can be His ambassadors of grace to those around us. His heart is to always "seek and to save that which is lost" (Luke 19:10), and we are graciously part of His loving plan. That, my sweet friend, is true redemption!


"Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I'm not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things- things which could be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him."
                                                                                                                               Oswald Chambers


 

ISSUES?

"And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all of her living upon physicians, and could not be healed of any, came behind Him [Jesus], and touched the hem of His garment: and immediately the issue of blood was healed.

And Jesus said, 'Who is this that touched Me?'
And when all denied, Peter said, 'Master, the multitudes press Thee and crush Thee.'
But, Jesus said, 'Someone did touch Me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from Me.'

And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before Him declared in the presence of all the people for what cause she touched Him, and how she was healed immediately. And He [Jesus] said unto her, 'Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.'"
                                                                                                                                        Luke 8:43-48




Exhaustion pulsed through her veins into the very marrow of her bones. This exhaustion extended far beyond the  physical realm. She had given all that she could give and she was spent in every way- physically, emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, and even financially. She had toughed it out for such a long time that the true realization that her burden was too heavy to bear become a gradual one. Today, however, there was no doubt in her mind.

Misery and affliction had been her closest companions for twelve long years as she pursued resolution from every available source. And yet, it had been to no avail. That is, until the day she determined in her heart that she would touch the Only One who could genuinely bring restoration to her body, soul, and spirit. Her complete healing came when, in total honesty, she came to the feet of Jesus.

Desperation drove her to where true help could be found. While her circumstances were dramatic, she chose to not stay stuck in the drama. In her core, she was determined to : find God's will, submit to it, and declare it to the world! She would not blame anyone or anything for what she was experiencing. She would not allow excuses to deprive her of God's very best in her life.

Whether or not we suffer with physical limitations or illnesses, we all have issues that we are faced with daily. They may involve: marriage, job, prodigals, mental illness, finances, conflict, demands, addictions, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, jealousy, fear, as well as societal pressures and problems. Sometimes we perceive the issues around us correctly, and sometimes we do not.

Regardless of whether we think we have an accurate understanding,  the first thing we should do is to seek God's perspective on what we are dealing with and then come into alignment with what the Bible has to say about our problems. When God showed the prophet, Daniel, some issues that would occur in the future, Daniel did not understand. He said, "And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, 'O my Lord, what shall be the issue of these things?'" (Daniel 12:8).

At least Daniel understood what he did not understand. He had insight and he also had the humility to ask God for help. He knew where to turn and he had the resolve to walk it out to its completion.

One of the problems we have created in our microwave society is that we want a quick fix. If given the option, we would prefer not to dig down and do the hard character-building work that God would have us to do. We want an instantaneous, drive-thru answer, and if that doesn't work then we want something or someone to numb the pain. Oh yeah, and we want that quickly too.

There are three major areas of misperception that we see today: who God is, who we are, and who others are. If we perceive incorrectly in any of these areas concerning an issue in our lives, we will have major problems. And, if we compound these problems by the insatiable need to be right, we will quickly get stuck on stupid.

The book of Proverbs tells us to "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above everything else you guard, for out of it flow the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23).  We do this by daily putting on a spirit of humility and asking God to show us the barriers in our life and the things that would separate us from Him and from others? Then, in meekness and in repentance, we ask the Holy Spirit to remove the bits of a stony heart and replace them with a softness and tenderness for Him.

A soft heart is what the woman with the issue of blood had. She also accurately perceived who Jesus was. She knew that He had healed others and she was confident that He could heal her too. When she saw Him, she saw the love and compassion in His eyes and she made a decision to trust in His goodness.

She put her faith in the deity and sovereignty of her Savior, even at great risk to herself. Even though she was considered ceremonially unclean, she pushed her way through the crowd to get to her King. No one or nothing would stand in he way. She had a need and she was confident that He was the One who would meet that need.

She also had an accurate perception of herself. She understood that her circumstances were dire, but she looked beyond them to see that she was a beloved daughter of God. She was  secure in Him and she would not allow her insecurities to prevail and to steal her miracle.

By societies' standards she was not an important person. But, in God's economy, there was no one more important. Not coincidentally, she touched the hem of Jesus' garment while He was on His way to heal Jairus' daughter. Jairus was a wealthy, prominent citizen who had far more social standing than she did, but she believed that Jesus loved her just as much. She would not allow a faulty self-image to rob her of her blessing.

She also had an accurate perception of the people around her. Even though the crowd around her was sizable and pressing hard against her body, she had not come for their approval. Therefore, she was not intimidated by either the masses nor the status of those who had come to see Jesus.

She was on a mission and she would not be deterred. Her heart was pure and she was willing to persevere and do the thing that challenged her. Therefore, God honored her faith and commitment, and she was made whole!

Unwilling to keep quiet regarding what Jesus had done, she seized the opportunity to confess Christ and glorify God. This was so easy to do because she had been able to meet Him face to face and receive His warm words of love and comfort. She could do no less than to share the Good News with others.

Her trial ended  and her suffering ceased. Her words inspired Jairus, who would soon learn that his sick daughter had died. (Fortunately, the same Jesus that healed the woman with the issue of blood also helped Jairus and raised his daughter from the dead!). This woman who had touched Jesus, and had been touched by Him, would never be the same. She exchanged her weakness and exhaustion for God's presence and power. Her life morphed into a life of purpose and victory and a testimony for all to see!

God offers each one of us the same promise of victory. We must choose whether we will bring our issues to the feet of Jesus or whether we will allow them to expand and grow heavier. It is far more productive to exchange our issues for His touch of wisdom, knowledge, and insight. When these are utilized along with an accurate assessment of God, self, and others, we will have no choice but to walk right out of our issues into the spacious place of promise. What a beautiful exchange!


"God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself."
                                                          Dietrich Bonhoeffer

From Barrenness To Fruitfulness

"We will this year gather celestial fruits on earthly ground, where faith and hope have made the desert like the garden of the Lord."
                                                                                                                               Charles Spurgeon




For many believers, this past year has been one of many difficulties and trials. As the stress and pressures have increased around us, it as become more obvious which places in our lives are the weakest and have the most vulnerabilities. It is quite likely that discouragement has knocked on the door of your heart, especially when you survey the barren desert places that God is shining His light upon.

If we only focus on what we see in the natural, it may seem reasonable to throw up our hands in frustration, or even despair. And yet, God never created us to only view things from a natural perspective. One of the reasons Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to earth was to help us see the supernatural things in the earth that He is doing.

Believe it or not, there is beauty even in the barrenness. The most beautiful thing about barrenness is that it becomes the backdrop for God's fruit-creating power. Even the most desolate things can become a setting to showcase God's extravagant love. As we take an inventory of our needs, it drives us deeper in our pursuit of Jesus. This is the only place where fruit can be found.

When we identify any area of barrenness, it is important to rise up in faith against it. God's very existence is life and abundant life at that. Therefore, as His children, He expects that our lives reflect that as well. The only way they will do that is through our connection to Him. Only He can cause eternal fruit in our lives to grow.

The type of fruit that God causes to grow is solely up to Him. It will always begin as a work inside of us before it is ever manifested externally. We can try to produce our own fruit by tying on good works to our lives, but they will never be sustained. It is God's workmanship, and it is for His glory alone.

Because of my background professionally as a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, when I think of barrenness the first thing that comes to mind is infertility. Interestingly, the Bible showcases nine women who were unable to conceive a child. They are: Sarah, Abimelech's wife, Rebekah, Rachel, Manoah"s wife, Hannah, Michal, the Shunammite woman, and Elizabeth.

All of these women lived in a time where barrenness was not only painful, but there was also a stigma attached to it. They most likely felt deficient or unworthy. To make matters even worse, most of them probably also understood that God was quite able to open their wombs (Deuteronomy 7:14) and that if He did not, there were no other options. They did not have the benefit of modern technology. There was no: Clomid, Injectable FSH and LH, Inseminations, or In Vitro. Future hope grinded to a halt!

They felt stuck in their sorrow, and yet, God had a much bigger plan for their lives. While He understood the depth of their pain, He wanted to bring forth the harvest that would result in His best for their lives. He allowed their barrenness to drive them closer to His heart.

Out of all these women, Michal was the only one who remained barren until the day she died (2 Samuel 6:23). Unfortunately, she had allowed bitterness and resentment to rob her of all the blessings that should have been hers. Instead of drawing closer to God in her time of need, she withdrew and mocked the Only One who could help her.

She had been given everything any woman of that time would have desired. As King Saul's daughter, she was born a princess that would grow up to become the wife of a king. She was a queen of royal descent but that wasn't enough.

One day as she peered out the window of her castle, she saw her husband, David, dancing in the streets and praising God. He was bringing the ark of the Lord into the city of David, and he was ecstatic. So ecstatic, in fact, that he had not bothered to wear his clothing.

The Bible tells us that when Michal "looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord [that] she despised him in her heart" (2 Samuel 6:16). Instead of joining the celebration with her husband, she chose to reject him and the blessing he bestowed. As a result, she missed out on the blessing God had apportioned for her life.

She didn't stop there, however. She went on to verbally assault King David because he was so joyful. She said to him, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, who stripped himself of his kingly robes and uncovered himself in the eyes of his servants' maids as one of the worthless fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" (2 Samuel 6:20). The bitterness of her own feelings of worthlessness were promptly projected onto her husband, which positioned her against the man of God. Not the right move!

There is a vast difference in barrenness as a part of our journey versus barrenness at the end of our lives. All of us will have seasons when one aspect or another of our lives feels very barren. It can be: in our professions, our marriages, with unsaved loved ones, in our finances, in our health, in our ministry, and in countless other areas.

The important thing is to not give up hope or grow stagnant in our faith. Oftentimes, the very area that is the most barren will reap the greatest harvest. Remember the other eight barren women? Some of their miracles included: Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Samuel, and John the Baptist! God would ultimately use each of these men for mighty purposes in His kingdom.

In order for us to move from barrenness to  fruitfulness, we have to remember that He is the Vine and He is the Vinedresser. It is incumbent upon Him to choose the fruit in our lives and to cause them to grow. Our responsibility is to stay connected to Him, pure in our hearts, and submitted to His pruning, cultivation, and timing. He is faithful and He will turn our barrenness into a fruitful plain!


"I have told you these things that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing."
                                                                                                                                        John 15:11

Man With A Mission

    "Among them that are born of women there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist."
                                                         Matthew 11:11




The prophecies about his life started some seven hundred years before he was ever born. This is how the prophet, Isaiah, described him, "A voice of one who cries: 'Prepare the way of the Lord [clear away the obstacles]; make straight and smooth a highway for our God!' Every valley shall be lifted and filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked and uneven shall be made straight and level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory (majesty and splendor) of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it"
(Isaiah 40:3-5).

For the four hundred years preceding his birth, God sent a spiritual famine to the earth. This meant that no word from God would be sent or heard. This famine would cease when God sent the forerunner to the Messiah, who is known as John the Baptist.

He was born to aged parents named Zechariah and Elizabeth. They were a priestly family from the Levitical tribe, which also made John a Levite. The apostle, Luke, said of Zechariah and Elizabeth that "they both were righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" (Luke 1:6).

This meant that his parents would have reared him under the strict code of the Nazarites (Numbers 6:1-21) and they did so somewhere in the barren region that extended between the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. This wilderness, as well as the strict Jewish ordinances, paved a path of solemnity that would shape his soul and thinking. God would use these to fashion John the Baptist into his role of preparing the way for the Redeemer of the world.

There must have also been a balance in this strict upbringing. His parents would have also seen the love and mercy of God because He had miraculously healed their barrenness and had given them the child that their hearts so desperately had longed for. Interestingly, John's name means "Jehovah is gracious".

Life was simple and focused for John the Baptist. His clothing was made from camel's hair and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. Living in obscurity for all the years preceding his ministry enabled him to grow in his relationship with God and to really know what God was calling him to be and to do.

When he started his ministry, it rapidly grew in popularity. Many people began to believe that he was the Messiah- a fallacy which he quickly refuted. He said, "You yourselves are my witnesses [you personally bear me out] that I stated, 'I am not the Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), but I have [only] been sent before Him [in advance of Him, to be His appointed forerunner, His messenger, His announcer]'" (John 3:28).

He was a forerunner, a messenger, and an announcer. As a forerunner, he continually pointed people to Jesus as the perfect Son of God that takes away all our sin. As a messenger, he preached about the coming kingdom of God and the requirements of citizenship, including: confession, repentance, and reformation. He taught that as an act of obedience all believers should be baptized. As an announcer, he warned of God's ultimate judgment and the importance of being sincere in our faith.

He was fearless because of his deep-rooted faith. While it was not customary to address or confront the leaders during that time because of harsh repercussions, John the Baptist had no qualms about speaking truth to both the political and the religious leaders of that day. In fact, that is what ultimately cost him his life.

Nothing could deter him, though, because he was called, set apart, and willing to lay down his life for the sake of the Gospel. He was on a mission and that mission was to be a "preparer" and to challenge others to do the same. He was equipped to do this because he had spent his days "preparing the way" (Matthew 11:10) for the coming of the Lord.

His path was not an easy one. Daily, he faced opposition, doubters, and mockers. The Pharisees scrutinized his every word. John answered their questioning by saying, "I [only] baptize in (with) water. Among you there stands One Whom you do not recognize and with Whom you are not acquainted and of Whom you know nothing. It is He Who, coming after me, is preferred before me, the string of Whose sandal I am not worthy to unloose" (John 1:26-27). His faith was steadfast.

Not only was his faith unwavering, he also walked in great humility. When Jesus first asked John the Baptist to baptize Him, John's first response was to decline. He said, "It is I who have need to be baptized by You, and yet You come to me?" (Matthew 3:14).

"But Jesus replied to him, 'Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for [both of] us to fulfill all righteousness [that is, to perform completely whatever is right]'"  (Matthew 3:15). When Jesus spoke these words to him, offered in true humility and obedience to the Father, John complied.

John the Baptist's primary goal was to introduce others to Jesus and to teach the importance of living a repentant life and living in holiness. He modeled for us today the importance of taking our lives and ministries seriously, knowing that one day we will be held accountable. The emphasis is always on pleasing God and not being swayed by the opinion of others. Perhaps this is why he received the ultimate compliment from Jesus, saying that he was the greatest man ever to live.

When we see the impact of John the Baptist's ministry and the fact that Christianity still flourishes thousands of years later, we know that he accomplished the mission that God gave to him. It is my belief that he was so successful because of an inherent belief that he possessed. He said, "He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so] (John 3:30).

John the Baptist truly understood the times he was living in, who Jesus is, and who he was in Christ.
He was wholly devoted and committed to his calling and was able to point others to the First Coming of Christ. He allowed God to complete the sanctification process in his life so that he could become a light bearer in the very dark times in which he lived.

Our calling as believers is no different today. We may not hear them as loudly or as clearly because of all the distractions we let in, but that does not detract from their significance. We stand on the precipice of the Second Coming of Christ in a world that is no less dark than it was in the first century. Like John the Baptist, we get to choose what we will devote our lives to. If we choose to be committed, set apart, and obedient to the Lord, we will be prepared for His return. And, if we are prepared, we can help others to be, as well. This is how we can emulate the man with a mission!


"This man came to witness, that he might testify of the Light, that all men might believe in it [adhere to it, trust in it, rely upon it] through him. He was not the Light himself, but came that he might bear witness regarding the Light."
                                                                                                                                       John 1:7-8