For The Love

"People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering... Now, let us acknowledge the wonder of our physical incarnation-- that we are here, in these particular bodies, at this particular time, in these particular circumstances. May we never take for granted the gift of our individuality."
                                                            St. Augustine




When I look at the current state of our country, I am compelled to pray for yet another reformation. We are in desperate need of an awakening that would cause our nation to once again rise and honor God and love and care for one another. Instead of factions and groups causing more dissension and division, it would sure be nice to see us come together and unite for the principles and standards that God set for us long ago.

It is heartbreaking to witness so many that are filled with hatred and determined to spew their venom on anyone who will listen to their rhetoric. It has, in fact, now escalated to the extent that violence has become commonplace and free speech is restricted. Evil has been elevated in the marketplace and truth and goodness are in jeopardy of being quenched.

For us, as believers, the anecdote is love. Jesus spoke of these times and He said that "everyone will know My disciples [by their] love" (John 13:35). We will never win the battle or the war raging on our culture if we do not genuinely exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and not engage in the lesser things.

If we really understand that we are living in the end times and that God has placed us here with purpose, we could begin to change the world in the ways that God has purposed for us to do. All of this begins and ends with the love of Christ. When God told us that people would know we are His disciples because of the love we have for each other (John 13:35), that was both a challenge and a commandment.

Jesus teaches us that love is both a decision and it is an action. That means that it can be inconvenient and sometimes even impossible to do in our own strength. Yet, God never leaves us ill- equipped for the task at hand. He empowers us to give out what He first gives to us.

One of the obstacles we deal with as believers is that the enemy of our souls is a master of illusion. He taunts us to focus on what we can see with our own eyes, rather than understanding the worth of our own soul, as well as the souls of those around us. He tempts us to get caught up in the frustration of loving those around us who are difficult to love, rather than genuinely serving them and praying for their salvation.

Too often and too easily we give up, rather than pressing in and understanding God's heart in a particular situation. We opt for convenience and what feels good instead of facing the obstacles and challenges that stand in the way of either exhibiting the love of Christ or becoming more like Christ, or both. I mean, let's be real, there are some people that exasperating on a good day. However, our lives have more meaning than to acquiesce to the pressure of not being everything that God has called us to be. If we are submitted to God's will, it will truly be "the love of Christ that compels us" (2 Corinthians 5:14).

If we had to narrow it down to one reason why this country has not experienced revival, I think it all comes down to the issue of love. For quite a while, the Church in this country taught its members to be more main-stream and to fit in with the culture around us. Many people did, and, in the process, we only became more like the world, losing our saltiness and light.

Paul warned us that "in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, and unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, without self-control, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

We can see this both within and outside of the Church. It all boils down to one thing-- what is it that we love? Is it success, or notoriety, or significance from those around us? It is acknowledgement, or praise, or admiration we seek? Or, is it truly to live a life that is pleasing to God and eternally valuable to every person within the sphere of our influence? If the latter is true, then it can only be achieved by knowing how loved and valuable we are to God and then becoming distributors of the love He so lavishly bestows upon us.

Every one of us have people in our lives that desperately need to see and experience the love of God. We forget sometimes that that is what we are here to do. Look around... I'm sure you will see people who are sick, elderly who are homebound, single Mom's, young Mom's, difficult classmates and co-workers, children without parents, teachers who are overwhelmed, people who are hurting, men and women in jail, neighbors who are lonely, and even family members who would never ask for help, but genuinely have a need. There is no thing that is more Christ-like than to see a need, and then respond, in action, to meet that need.

Ask God to show you who needs the most help, and then ask Him to help you love them even more. Don't be surprised if they are the most "prickly" people because these are the ones who have been battered by life but have too many walls to ask for help. These are the ones who are crying out to see God's love and mercy in their lives. Rick Warren says, "Learning to love unselfishly is not an easy task. It runs counter to our self-centered nature."

To spread love horizontally, we have to first receive it vertically. We do this by trusting God with our whole heart (Proverbs 3:5-6), seeking God with our whole heart (Jeremiah 29:13), and loving God with our whole heart (Deuteronomy 6:5). We pursue the things that God approves of, which is a "godly life, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness" (1 Timothy 6:11).

Martin Luther's true message to the Church was one of repentance. That message is also desperately needed today. In America, we have strayed away from daily repentance and somehow believe that loving others is optional. It wasn't 500 years ago, and it is not today.

When the church in America distinguishes itself by love, we will see revival. It begins individually and then spreads like a wildfire. The world desperately needs to see the love of Christ and to experience it firsthand. This is when they will understand how much God loves them and the reason the church is here on planet earth. It is definitely for the Love!


    "The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now."
                                                                Rick Warren

Bigger Than Your Circumstances

"It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts."
                                                       Isaiah 45:12




These past few weeks have been a whirlwind for me. Brent and I dropped our youngest off to college (over 1500 miles away, but who's counting) and then returned home to Naples, Florida for a few days, only to evacuate because of hurricane Irma. My sudden empty nest had to quickly be deserted before I could even fully process the emotions I felt from dropping off my baby in a town as large as Boston. It was hard to even wrap my mind around all that we were experiencing.

Sometimes life can feel like it is careening out of control and, in times like these, it can be hard to find your footing. There are even circumstances that make us feel like we have been sucker-punched and it is hard to catch your breath. The unexpected happens and in a nanosecond our security becomes elusive and we find ourselves reeling from the impact.

These are the times when you find out just how deep the roots in your life dwell. If they are shallow and not grounded, it is easy to become fearful and anxious. If they are moderately deep, there will be intermittent times of peace and clarity that are sometimes interrupted by chaotic thoughts and worry about what is to come. If, however, your roots are deep, you will see the core values and belief systems that cannot be shaken under any circumstances. In other words, you know beyond a doubt that God is bigger than your circumstances and that His Word promises that He will make a way, even when it would seem that there is absolutely no way to be found.

As followers of Christ, our goal is to ultimately have unshakeable faith in God and to know that no matter what we face, He is bigger. Even though the continuum of difficulties can range from everyday stressors to life-changing grief and loss, it is still possible for us to grow in God's grace and move from shakiness to a faith that is unshakeable and able to stand and withstand the storms of this life.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, the apostle, Peter, did just that. God gives us a firsthand glimpse into Peter's growth beginning in the gospels, transitioning to the book of Acts, and then followed by the two letters that Peter wrote. As Peter walked with Jesus, he learned how to cooperate more and more to position himself into a place of alignment with God's will and purposes for his life.

His name began as Simon, but Jesus changed it to Peter, which means "a stone" (John 1:35-42). The name Simon typifies his humanness and his old nature as clay, but, by the time Jesus finished working in him, he became "a rock" that was able to withstand much more than he did in the beginning. Peter and Paul were the two leading apostles of the early church and Peter's assignment was to strengthen his brethren (Luke 22:32) and to tend to the flock (John 21:15-17).

There were many lessons that Peter had to learn along the way in order to grow stronger in his faith. What started as a denial of the Messiah ultimately ended in his knowing the "living hope" (1 Peter 1:3) that only comes from knowing God in an intimate way. His knowledge was transformed from a mental assent to a heart knowledge that not only rocked his world but also the world around him for all future generations.

His story and his message in his letters are to encourage us today. Peter grew in: accepting and receiving the love of God,  knowing that God had chosen him, submission to God, and in confidence and security that God is All-Powerful, All-Knowing, and sovereign. His discernment matured as he understood how to stay alert and avoid temptation and to lean on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and protect him. He pursued holiness and kept his eyes on the Lord, rather than on his circumstances. He was prepared to endure persecution for the sake of Christ and he was connected in love and service to the local church.

When I survey Peter's growth in faith and dedication to the Lord, I realize that I still have a long way to go in my own faith. Too often, I pray and ask God to change my circumstances instead of looking at them more introspectively to learn what it is that God may be trying to teach me. Max Lucado says, "The circumstances we ask God to change are often the circumstances God is using to change us."

God created a marvelous creation and He still sits on the throne over all things. He has a purpose and a plan in every detail of our lives and He is not finished yet. Philippians 1:6 says, "Be confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

If we allow our circumstances to become bigger than our God, then they have become our god. We must intentionally toss out anything and everything that tries to rise up in our hearts to replace the One, True, Living God. He, alone, is the One who deserves our attention, time, and worship. Not anything or anyone else... even our loved ones.

We truly can trust Him with whatever we have concern. So, today, what is bigger in your mind and heart than God? Be honest. Are you concerned with:
                                       a family member
                                       your marriage
                                       an illness
                                       a betrayal
                                       an empty nest
                                       your job
                                       an alienated relationship
                                       your future
                                       someone who doesn't know Jesus
                                       fear
                                       anxiety
                                       finances
                                       a wayward child
                                       grief
                                       loss
                                       natural disasters
                                       divorce
                                       or any other worry

If so, then take the time to honestly evaluate how unshakeable your faith really is. If you hadn't noticed, God is really shaking things up in the world today. Through the prophet, Haggai, God tells us, "'Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake and make tremble the [starry] heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations and the desire and the precious things of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendor,' says the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:6-7).

This is not the time to lose heart because God is preparing to return and fill His house with glory. He has a purpose and a plan in everything that He allows in our lives because He is intentionally shaking out everything that is not in alignment with His purposes. Within the church, God is preparing a people to carry the weight of His glory and accomplish His purposes in the earth.  At times, it can seem incomprehensible to us, and yet, He is busy behind the scenes preparing things that are better than we can even imagine. Trust Him to grow and strengthen you in this season.

The more we see shaking, the more we should confidently know that He is preparing an unshakeable kingdom for us. We should listen to God's Word and obey and pull in closer to Him as our refuge. Take every burden and concern to your Heavenly Father and know that He will handle it better than anything we could do. Rest in the confidence that whatever He allows the outcome of your situation to be that it will be used for His greater glory and our good.  He loves you beyond measure and has promised to take care of us. He is always good and definitely bigger than anything we may face!


"Dear children, you belong to God. So you have won the victory over [your giants], because He who is in you is greater than he that is in the world."
                                                               1 John 4:4

Thoughts from an Irma refugee....

For the past four and a half years, I have been blessed to call Naples, Florida my home. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and life there is peaceful and serene. A typical day is met with sunshine and palm trees, with pelicans and seagulls sailing calmly through the air and dipping into the gorgeous ocean to obtain their sustenance. Dolphins play in the expanse and people relax on white, sandy beaches.  Many people call Naples “paradise” because there are so many gorgeous places and aspects to living there.

All of that began to change on Monday. Suddenly, there was a mass rush to every Walmart, grocery store and gas station. Water was sold out on Monday, and there were long lines to get gas and building supplies. The usual laid back pace there became frenetic and worried. People scrambled to get supplies for the imminent hurricane, even though, at that point, it seemed it was poised to hit the East coast.

Still, most people who live in Florida become somewhat immune to impending hurricanes because that becomes a part of living in a place that is dubbed as paradise. You watch and prepare but deep inside there is a confidence that things will be fine and return to normal shortly. And that his what most people in Naples were doing.

On Tuesday, Irma shifted course slightly and now it began to look like it might hit in the middle of the state and maybe on the West coast. The pace quickened and some people began to make plans to leave. I happened to fall into this group because I would be traveling with my parents and my Mom had just had surgery and would be more challenged in her travel plans.  It occurred to me as we were leaving what a gorgeous day it was. We were able to book a hotel room in Valdosta and by 2:30 pm, we were on the road. Thankfully, we averted the heavy traffic that would begin the next day.

We drove the rest of the way to Tennessee on Wednesday, and that’s when things got dicier for residents in South Florida. At this point, the time to drive from Naples to Georgia (which usually takes 5 hours) began to take about 13 hours, and by Thursday the same distance took 19 hours. Gas stations began to run out of gas, and people had to wait for new supply to come.

I would really like to commend Governor Rick Scott for the amazing job he did on preparing the state for such an unimaginable catastrophe. He was very detailed and organized in his approach and exhibited exemplary leadership skills. He told Floridians in south Florida to finish up everything they had to do by 8pm on Friday because that is when tropical storm force winds would arrive on the scene. This is where the problem emanated.

Irma shifted again slightly to the West by Friday am and now Governor Scott had to evacuate Sarasota and Tampa. Highway I75 was so crowded that by noon on Friday no one else could leave South Florida because they would have been sitting on the expressway when Irma barreled in. Many people (including several friends of mine) thought they were prepared and thought they had time to evacuate but they did not. They had to remain in Naples despite their desire to leave.

Over 100,000 people ended up in shelters because time caught them in its grasp. Despite prudent preparedness, the clock ran out. Even though they thought they were ready, they really were not.

This makes me think about the storm on a more macular level, even on a spiritual one. The first verse I think of are words that Jesus Himself told us. He said, “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.” (Luke 21:25). I truly believe that Harvey and Irma are among the natural disasters of which Jesus warned us.
I think that, like the Southern Floridians, there will be many who will believe they are prepared for the return of Christ, only to find that the door has shut. In God’s mercy, He wants each one of us to be ready for His return. I pray that we can read the handwriting on the wall and be among those who are raptured up to the place that is the only true paradise!

My thoughts and prayers are with every Floridian and every victim of Harvey. Please know that God is with you and that His mercies abound even in the midst of the storm. Please know that He loves you more than you can imagine and that He prepares an eternal home for you, even now.

Love,
A Fellow Evacuee

Letting Go

                         "Let us go into His tabernacle; Let us worship at His footstool."
                                                            Psalm 132:7




We all experience so many seasons in our lives, and, for me, this is truly a reflective one. Thirty-four years ago, I became a Mom for the very first time and have always had children under roof for the duration. This will be the first time in thirty-four years that I will not, as our youngest daughter, Abigail, is heading off to Boston for college. All my other children went to college close by, which was just perfect for me. This time, however, will be totally different and I am still trying to figure out the logistics of it all.

In my mind, I know this is an exciting time for Abbie and the perfect transition for her into adulthood. However, my heart does not yet know that. As we finish up this last week of having her at home, it is really hard not to feel a "pit" in my stomach and to continually fight the urge to burst into tears. Yet, I know that as hard as this transition may be, that God does have a good plan for our family and that I will learn to trust Him yet again.

"Letting go" is not something that comes easily for me. I really do not like change and I definitely do not like having my children thousands of miles away. All of my happiest memories are the ones where every family member is together at home and we all have the time to just hang out and enjoy each other's company. To me, this is what feels right and good and the way it should be.

However, it cannot always be this way. God has a plan for each one of our children, and, deep in my heart, I don't want to stand in the way of that. It's being caught in the tension of what is supposed to be and what I would really prefer to happen that creates a conundrum for me. It is in recognizing that God has a higher  purpose and calling that brings me to my knees and cries out for His comfort in the deepest recesses of my heart and soul.

When people use the phrase to "let go and let God", I don't think this means to passively just sit back and do nothing. For me, it is to let go of what my expectations are and to trust that God has a better plan. This holds true especially if I don't understand His plan or if it doesn't feel good to me. His thoughts are definitely higher and all His ways are perfect.

I must learn to take every thought captive and not allow myself to worry about the myriad of things that are beyond my control- like her tripping up a flight of stairs or falling down off of her lofted bed. I cannot focus on the blizzards in Boston or potential natural disasters that could occur. I steer clear of all the medical possibilities including meningitis from living in the dorm (even though we did get the vaccination!). I remind myself that I don't believe in aliens so she won't be abducted and that all of us have survived steady diets of ramen noodles. Mostly, I allow God to calm my nerves and assure me that she will make good choices, and in the event she does not, that He will still be there to guide her steps and light her path. Oh yeah, and He always has been...Oh yeah, and He even loves her more than I do...

Asking God for more patience sometimes seems like something I want to avoid, however, in situations that are going to last for a long time, we might as well have the patience to go along with it. Prayer is one way to develop this skill because we seek God and learn to wait for His answers. He will give us supernatural strength to change our perspective.

All of us have areas in our lives where we need to release our grip and trust God more. Some of us hold too tightly to loved ones, or job security, or fighting illnesses or potential divorce. Instead of fully trusting in God, we can trust in ourselves or others.  We can also hold back in our giftings or callings because we allow fear or doubt to take control. Sometimes it is easier to stick with what is familiar than to successfully transition into the new place that God has for us.

The  new place can look scary or daunting or unfamiliar. We may have far more questions than we do answers. Don't pull back, though. Keep marching forward, knowing that God is with you and He will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. He is good and He is faithful!

While every season in our lives may have its' own unique challenges, each one also has its' own unique beauty and blessings. That is where we focus our thoughts, remembering to thank God for every gift He gives. Sometimes He gives us the gifts in the midst of bounty and sometimes in the midst of the desert.

Focusing on Him and worshipping and trusting Him will yield the greatest harvest in our lives. He honors and blesses our sacrifices of praise the most of all. He is the best Father of all and He will never allow anything into our lives that He will not ultimately work together for our good.

If today you have a lump in your throat or a pit in your stomach, take some time alone with God so He can calm your nerves and obliterate your fears. He is bigger than our greatest challenge and worthy of our highest praise. Turn it all over to Him and watch what He will do!


"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
                                                        Isaiah 41:10

The Goodness of God

      "The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend."
                                                        Aiden Wilson Tozer




If we could visit heaven temporarily to interview its occupants today, I wonder how each one of them would define the word good. Would they limit the definition to only experiencing the pleasant things in life, or would there be a deeper consideration for the things that would ultimately yield an outcome and a fruit that is good? Exactly how would some of the heroes of our faith, like Isaiah, or Esther,  or Jeremiah, or Paul, or Mary ( the mother of Jesus) answer this question? Especially now that they have the advantage of only seeing things from an eternal perspective. Oh, how I wish we could conduct that interview today!

It has been said that hindsight has 20/20 vision. I believe that true clarity comes when we focus our gaze through the eyes of the One who created this world and its inhabitants. I honestly do not believe that even the heroes of our faith had complete understanding of the sheer goodness of God and the mysteries of His ways until they were nestled in eternity and could see firsthand both how good God is and how good the things He does really are.

This was the dilemma that plagued the life of Asaph, one of the authors of the Psalms. Asaph was a Levite and one of the chief musicians under King David. He composed Psalm 73, as well as eleven others. Psalm 73 tackles the age-old problem of why the righteous have to suffer while it seems as if the ungodly prosper. This nagging question created quite the conundrum for this worshipper who confesses that at one point he almost walked away from his faith.

Asaph's assumption was not unlike many believers in the U.S. today. He thought that if God was good then He would constantly pour out His blessings on the righteous and deliver all the trials and difficulties to the unbelievers. While there is an element of truth in this assumption, it is far from being complete.

Consider what the author of Deuteronomy tells us when he says, "And you shall [earnestly]  remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in you [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. And He humbled you and allowed you to hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you recognize and personally know that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord" (Deuteronomy 8:2-3).

The real problem that Asaph had was not the fact that he was grappling with hard truths. Rather, it was the fact that his perspective was distorted. Instead of hating the sin of the ungodly, he envied their success. He self-righteously believed that he deserved God's blessings and when they eluded him, he concluded that all his righteous living had been in vain. He erroneously assigned his suffering as emanating from God and he decided to throw one big pity party!

He over-generalized and he defined the goodness of God as meaning "health and wealth" for himself.  By the end of Psalm 73, however, he realizes that his definition of good was inherently wrong. For the first time, he begins to view it from the vantage of eternity rather than from the here and now.

His thinking was transformed and so was his definition of the word good. Originally he had believed that the word good meant the absence of pain, sorrow, difficulty, poverty, and poor health. After his heart and mind were transformed, he said, "But, as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works" (psalm 73:28).

If we could really have a revelation of the goodness of God, our lives would forever be transformed. Even if we understand that God is good, we must also understand that even the bad things that occur in our lives will be used for good. Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was delivered to him by a "messenger of Satan" (2 Corinthians 12:7) but God allowed this so that His strength could be witnessed through Paul's weakness. What Joseph's brothers intended for his "evil", God intended "for good" so that He could save the lives of many people in the time of a severe famine (Genesis 50:20).

God works all things for our good and for His glory. Many times we would write a different script when it comes to the story of our lives, but it is His script that ultimately is the best for us. Often, we just don't understand what the larger plan is. This is why we walk by faith, knowing in our minds and hearts that God's very essence is good and that that will be parlayed into the construct of our lives. 

A true life of gratitude will take the difficulties in our lives and use them to honor God. Our flesh may want us to run and scream, but the Holy Spirit gives us grace to bring God glory. Ann Voscamp says, "Giving thanks is that: making the canyon of pain into a megaphone to proclaim the ultimate goodness of God when Satan and all the world would sneer at us to recant."

Honesty and truth are required to truly praise and worship in the midst of a storm. So is maturity in Christ. We have to be willing to allow Jesus to show us where our perceptions are distorted and where are hearts have become hardened. Not one of us has a perfect heart, and the ones who think they do are the most deceived of all. They are the best at concealing what's really inside, even to themselves.

The wilderness is the place where God exposes our hearts. He also exposes the intentions buried deep within our hearts. It takes humility to understand that it is God's Word that we need even more than we need our daily bread.  It takes courage and faith to continue the course fully confident that even the wilderness will be used for our good. It takes wisdom from above to know that "all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) are like filthy rags"  before the Lord (Isaiah 64:6).  It takes commitment and love to know that God is right by our side even as we traverse a dry land.

God always has been and always will be good. He is good in the good times and He is good in the difficult ones. His mercies and grace are poured over us as we grapple with the difficult questions we face. His greatest promise to us is that He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). He will forever be with us and for us. We can lift our voice of praise while we wield a two-edged sword in our hands (Psalm 149:6).

Asaph's perspective was changed when he quit looking at the circumstances around him and started looking at the destiny before him. We also need to do the same. Steven Furtick says, "What would happen if you stopped asking, 'God, why am I going through this?' and started asking, 'God, what are you preparing me for?'" The answer to this question changes everything.

Praise God for who He is. Praise God for His goodness. Praise God for working all things together for our good. Praise God for what He has done. Praise God for what He is doing. Praise God for what He will do. Praise God for your destiny.  Praise God that He gives and He forgives. Praise God because He is good!!!!


                "Sing praises to God, sing praises; Sing praises to our King, sing praises."
                                                            Psalm 47:6

Our God Is Faithful!

"Know, therefore, that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God (El Emunah), keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments."
                                                      Deuteronomy 7:9


In this rapidly changing world in which we live, there is one constant and unchanging truth that we can literally take to the bank, and that is that our God is faithful and forever will be. We experience His faithfulness in greater measures the more we get to know  Him. Since He never changes, we can look back over the centuries and see that His faithfulness has continued throughout the generations. As we remember His love and mercy for us personally, we see a pattern emerge that speaks to the consistency and loyalty of His covenant in our lives. He is faithful, no matter what happens in this world or even how unfaithful His people may be.

The Hebrew word that is translated to "faithfulness" means "steadfastness, firmness, and fidelity". Oftentimes this faithfulness is attributed to God's Word. That is because no matter how long ago His words may have been written, they are still true for us today. His promises will forever be applicable to us because the very essence of His words are truth.

When God gave the commandments to the Jewish people, they took them so literally that they put little portions of Scripture into containers called phylacteries and placed them on their foreheads and left arms (Matthew 23:5). They also attached a small container of Scripture, called a mezuzah, to the front door and on every door in the house. Every time they passed through a doorway, they touched the mezuzah reverently as a sign that their house was a sanctuary for the Lord and a place where the Word of God is loved, obeyed, and taught.

In this time and in this culture, often we lose the importance and significance of these truths that have been revered historically. We become so immersed in the falsehoods of  our day that we forget that God will never change and can never lie. We may overlook the fact that God has never failed in the past (Isaiah 51:6) and that He was always true to His Word. If He said He would do something, He always followed through on what He said He would do.

We can trust His character even when we do not understand His timing or His actions.  He is sovereign, holy, and always good. These truths will never change no matter how chaotic our world may become. We get to know Him better by studying His Word, meditating on what He has done in our lives, and learning to follow His voice.

We can trust God's future faithfulness by remembering His past faithfulness in our lives.  It requires intentionality to remember all of the ways God has provided for us in the past, and answered our prayers, and delivered us from the things that have come against us. We can reminisce about how He worked things together for our good when circumstances seemed to scream the opposite. Confidence will arise as we rehearse all the good that God has woven into our lives and families, even at times when it didn't even seem possible.

God will give us confirmations of His faithfulness inn our lives. He can confirm through: His Word, other people, circumstances, and through the Holy Spirit who resides within us. We can learn to drown out other competing voices that would seek to derail us from the purposes of God in our lives. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice; I know them and they follow Me" (John 10:27).

It requires faith on our part to continue to trust God more deeply when the circumstances in our lives seem out of kilter. Faith is trusting God even before we see how He is going to work things out for us. Faith is standing on His Word and on His promises. As we witness Him bringing His promises to fulfillment in our lives, our trust in His faithfulness will grow.

We can trust Him:
                                In the midst of an illness
                               
                               With a Prodigal Child

                               When Others Betray Us

                               In a Troubled Marriage
   
                              When Our future is Uncertain

                              In Distressing Times
      
                              In Times of Need
                  
                              With Career Changes

                              In Times of Transition

                              In Hardships, Trials, and Affliction

                              In Major Life Changes

                              And, in anything else that this world may throw at us!


God's faithfulness will change us. George Macdonald said, "God's finger can touch nothing but to mold it into loveliness." We are transformed as we experience His protection, provision, love, and power in and around us. We are made new as we see God show up and deliver us, especially when we realize that it is completely undeserved.

God is faithful because He is love. He doesn't just love us, His very nature and essence are love. Demonstrating His love for us actually brings Him glory. He lavishes us with His sacrificial love, not because we deserve it, but because this is who He is. Faithfulness is the natural extension of the character of God who loves us extravagantly and unconditionally.

When we walk in faith and are faithful in return, this shows God that we are trustworthy. Especially in the times in which we live, God seeks out those in the earth who will be trustworthy to Him. For, there is no limit to what God can do if He finds one who is faithful and can be trusted.

Whether or not any of us are trustworthy, though, God still will be because He is good! His plans for us are good and they will prevail. When we continue to look to Him as the Author and Finisher of our faith, we know that He understands us better than we understand ourselves and that what He allows in our lives are the constructs for a beautiful story. Though the plot twists may be harrowing at times, He is always working on our behalf and, in the end, we will be eternally grateful for every part of our narrative. That is because our God is faithful!!!!


                               "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us."
                                                              St. Augustine

Strength In Christ

"Give strength to the hands that are tired and to knees that tremble with weakness. Tell everyone who is discouraged, 'Be strong and don't be afraid! God is coming to your rescue, and He will save you!'"
                                                                     Isaiah 35:3-4




When a parent helps a young child learn how to walk, it is a collaborative effort that frequently involves encouragement and lots of do-overs. Time and again, the young child finds himself seated on his derriere without having gotten very far in distance (thankfully, they have pampers to buffer the blow). The parent lovingly tells the child that they can, indeed, have victory but that they must get up again and attempt it one more time. Trust is required for the wobbly toddler to want to venture out, yet another time, beyond the comfort of crawling that they have so adeptly learned. The child learns to find strength in the strength of their parents' arms and attentiveness.

Since all of us successfully learn how to walk in our formative years (unless, of course, there are physical limitations), it is a wonderful visual for us to see how God intends for us to draw upon His strength throughout our lives. The apostle, Paul, describes this process as he says, "I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works in me" (Colossians 1:29). In other words, we exercise our will as we rely on the will of God in order to make things happen. Both parties work in unison in order for the weaker vessel to be made strong in his or hers Father's hands.

Strength in Christ, however, in no way mimics the strength that the world tells us we should possess. It is not stoic or found by "picking yourselves up by the bootstraps". Instead, it is only found in our relationship with Jesus. It is found in the most unusual places like choosing the treasures found in God's Word, or in prayer, or in just an honest dialogue with God about your circumstances and your life.

John Piper uses the acronym of A.P.T.A.T. to explain how to find our strength in God, alone.  It is as follows:
          A. ADMIT (that you can do nothing)
          P. PRAY (for God's help in your situation)
          T. TRUST (a particular promise of God's help)
          A. ACT (believe His promises)
          T. THANK (Thank God for help received)

Of all of these steps, Piper says that trusting is by far the most important one. We do not pray for help hour by hour. Instead, we trust specific promises hour by hour. We meditate on them and speak them out loud. We remember that it is the blood of Christ that has given us access to these very precious promises and that we are a blessed people who can live our lives standing upon them.

His strength can become ours. Paul tells us that "in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]. And, [since] you are in Him, [you] are made full and have come to the fullness of life [filled with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and have reached full spiritual stature]" (Colossians 2:9-10). In other words, He has already apportioned every ounce of strength for us that we will need each day.

It is His grace and mercies that are new each morning that ae poured out into our lives to supply our every need. We choose daily whether we will receive them or whether we will tough it out on our own. We choose daily whether we lean on Him for all that we need or whether we are self-sufficient and will be the lord of our own destiny.

If we have truly been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), we live by faith in Jesus who loves and gave Himself for us. We give. We love. And, we are free-- not only from sin, but also to do what God has called us to do. We are strengthened in our faith as we practice God's presence in our lives and believe that God is acting on our behalf. Even, when we cannot tangibly see it yet.

Especially when we are at our weakest points, Christ can be all the more stronger to us. Strangely, it is during these times that we get to know God in ways that we never could when life is going well. God's faithfulness shines ever brighter in these seasons where we find ourselves utterly without any strength. It is then that He is our strong tower and refuge in the storm.

We can learn what Paul did when God said to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). This message of grace was God's promise of provision for every need we have and whenever we need it. There is an acrostic for grace that goes as follows:
                                         G- God's
                                         R- Riches
                                         A- At
                                         C- Christ's
                                         E- Expense

This grace is sufficient. There is never a shortage.  He will meet our spiritual needs, our material needs, our emotional needs, and our physical needs. If His grace is sufficient to save us, then it absolutely is sufficient to strengthen us in our times of suffering.

So many of our blessings come in the form of transformation rather than in the form of substitution. Often, we prefer to trade our difficulties with easier circumstances, but, instead, God changes us. He teaches us how to conquer our worries and our fears and trust Him to greater degrees than we ever have before. Our needs are met when we are transformed. After transformation, our trials work for us rather than against us.

What God may choose to give us during transformation is deeper insight and revelation as to what He is doing. We accept whatever gifts He gives and allow Him to accomplish His purposes. God always prepares us for what lies ahead before we even have any idea of what that might be. He is thorough and always the perfect parent- knowing when to let us walk, run, or even fall on our derriere!

Power increases in our walk when God's grace enables us to soar above our problems rather that to be weighted down by them. Our character is built and we become more like Jesus. We move beyond acceptance of our sufferings to having the ability to glory in them. Suffering then becomes our servant instead of our tyrannical taskmaster.

P.T. Forsyth said, " It is a greater thing to pray for pain's conversion than its removal." This allows the spiritual to take precedence over the physical. It trusts God's ability to balance burdens with blessings. It acknowledges that pride is a more evil dictator than any physical ailment. It understands that pain is not a barrier to effective service. And, it gives us the opportunity to truly rest in God's Word.

We find our strength in God when we trust in His will and depend on His grace. We find our anointing and callings as we mature in Christ and move beyond acceptance to power in Christ. When the full measure of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) resides in us, we will move and advance in the very strength of Christ! Be strong!!!


"Faith upholds a Christian under all trials, by assuring him that every painful dispensation is under the direction of his Lord; that chastisements are a token of His love; that the season, measure, and continuance of his sufferings, are appointed by Infinite Wisdom, and designed to work for his everlasting good; and that grace and strength shall be afforded him, according to his need."
                                                    John Newton, Hymnist