Unconditional Gratitude

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is ‘good,’ because it is good, if ‘bad’ because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.”
                                                                    C.S. Lewis




We have now entered into the week of Thanksgiving. This seems to be a holiday that gets less and less press. When you look at the decorations on display in the stores, it would seem that we move rapidly from halloween displays to Christmas decorations. Little fanfare, if any, is given to a day in which our country, historically, gave thanks to God collectively. Now, we zoom by it as quickly as we can so as to keep up our fast paced lifestyles and slowly move to forget all of the reasons why we should be grateful to our God, who has been so generous and gracious to us.

Anger and offense seem to rule the minds and emotions within our country that is severely divided and in opposition to one another. Much time is spent on focusing on the things we dislike, whether it relates to politics, morality, race, and anything in between. Somehow we have veered away from the things of God, especially when it comes to living in gratitude and keeping our eyes on what God is doing in our midst.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites had the same problem. When things were going well and they received the many blessings that God was giving them, they tended to honor Him more and give Him thanks. However, when things were more difficult and challenging, they mumbled and grumbled and hardened their hearts towards God. Their blind eyes refused to see the good that God was giving to them, even in the midst of challenging circumstances. Their gratitude was conditional, which was definitely a recipe for disaster for them and their descendants.

So, how is it even possible to live with unconditional gratitude in the midst of a world that is hate-filled and full of rage? My first suggestion to this question is to quiet the noise. I think the older generations in our country had it right when they tuned in once a night to watch Walter Cronkite. They got the information they needed without having to listen to all the bickering and vitriol. It is next to impossible to stay focused on the things that God is saying and doing when we are continually barraged with negative commentary. We have to be intentional with what we look at and listen to and that we learn to pray effectively and quiet the noise. (Disclaimer: I live in a family of news junkies, myself included).

The next thing we have to do is to look to the Word of God. I put together a THANKSGIVING acronym to help with this:
     
  T- "This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
  H-"His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations." (Psalm 100:5)
  A-"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you were called. And be thankful." 
                                                                                                                                           (Col 3:15)
  N-"Now thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord, Jesus." (1 Corinthians 15:57)
  K-"Know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not harm you." (Jeremiah 29:11)
  S-"Soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy Name. Bless the Lord..."  (103:1-2)
  G-"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever." (Psalm 107:1)
  I-"In every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude." (Acts 24:3)
  V-Verily, verily I say unto you that he who believes on Me has everlasting life." (John 6:47)
  I-"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)
  N-"Now I give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;I will recount all of your wonderful deeds."
                                                                                                                                          (Psalm 9:1)
  G-"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down His life for friends." (John 15:13)

Next, we must be willing to honestly assess our hearts when challenges come. Do we pull in closer to Christ or do we recoil in pain? Do we genuinely trust in God's sovereignty or do we prefer to try to micro-manage things to some degree? Do we demand answers to our "why" questions or do we declare like Jesus, "Not my will, but thy will be done?" (Luke 22:42)? Do we face our challenges or resort to avoidant behavior, like sleeping, or addictions, or mind numbing activities? Do we worry and fret or speak to our souls to trust in God, like David did? All of these are good indicators of our natural tendencies that need to be overcome with supernatural strength.

When Paul was persecuted, he wrote "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 Corinthians 2:14). When David was in despair, he cried out to God and then wrote, "Praise be to the Lord for He has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song" (Psalm 28:6-7).

The Bible tells us that one of the distinguishing factors between the children of God and the rest of the world is thanksgiving. In one of the letters that Paul wrote to Timothy, Paul explains that in the last days the wicked people would be "ungrateful" (2 Timothy 3:2). Peter explains to us that when we give thanks in the midst of all kinds of trials that our faith will "be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Ultimately, we don't get to choose the circumstances and people that come and go in our lives. But, we do get to choose whether or not we will be grateful. And, we must always remember that, as believers, we have much to be grateful for. God is most definitely worthy of our praise and thanksgiving and eternity with Christ is the ultimate joy set before us. In the interim, every precious memory and joy and gift is hand-picked and given to us by our Heavenly Father who absolutely adores us. When we focus on these things, it is possible to live our lives with unconditional gratitude!

                ALL BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS THIS THANKSGIVING!

                                                                  
                                                              

Genuine Faith

"Faith is the silver thread upon which the pearls of the graces are to be hung. Break that, and you have broken the string-- the pearls lie scattered on the ground."
                                                           Charles H. Spurgeon




The culture in which we live promotes much in the way that is false and disingenuous. It astounds me that when we turn on the news today it has very little to do with the truth. Instead, every story we watch or article that we read is either advancing an agenda or propping up a lie that has been proven to be untrue. It has now become easy to predict what will be said just by virtue of what station you listen to or news source that you read. Truth is irrelevant and the prevailing mantra today is that the ends justify the means.

Unfortunately, our culture has also had its impact within the church. Oftentimes, we promote the talented (in a worldly sense) and support those with a business acumen instead of  handling things within the church in a biblical manner. We follow and support the "superstars" in Christianity instead of valuing our elders who have walked with Jesus throughout the duration of their lives. In good times and in bad times. In both victory and defeat. These are the ones who carry the graces of the faith with both dignity and honor.

God designed Christianity in such a way that the church would impact the the world and the cultures in which it exists. Somehow, we have lost the power and effect of the church in our nation to such an extent that violence and lies and perversions become the discussions of the day. We need both an awakening and a resurgence of the true power of Christ within our midst.

Almost 300 years ago, Jonathan Edwards wrote a sermon entitled, "All the graces of Christianity Connected". In this sermon, he taught about how faith and love and hope and humility and trust and fear of God were inextricably linked together. He went on to say that not only are they linked together, but they also are dependent upon one another. He said that "where one is wanting, all are wanting".

Charles Spurgeon expounded on this idea by stating that faith was the thread that supported all the pearls of the graces. If our faith is broken, all the other pearls are scattered to the ground. He was referring to a genuine faith, a faith that is not proud or boastful. Instead, it is a faith that is humble and patient and reliant on the mercies of our generous Lord.

Genuine faith is never centered on man. Not on his gifts, or talents, or accomplishments. Genuine faith is always centered on God and on His love for us, followed by our reciprocal love based on who He is and what He has done for us. This love is first vertical with our Creator and then horizontal to our fellow man.

Paul wrote to Timothy that "all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a genuine faith" (1 Timothy 1:5). This was written at a time when the people were saturated with false teachings that Paul referred to as "fables and endless genealogies"1 These teachings did not produce love, purity, clear consciences, and genuine faith. Instead, they caused hypocrisies, legalism, and all sorts of other problems.

The same is true today. Not only are teachings corroborating the "me" generation that prevails in our culture, but we are also saturated both with words and songs that promote false teachings within the church. Instead of concisely presenting the Gospel, which is "Good News" that is God-honoring, often what we hear is focused on man and ways that he can be favored and blessed and avoid all the difficulties in life. What this produces is discouragement and disillusionment because it is all based on false doctrine.

It is time for the church to look at what we are promoting and what we are producing. And that begins with each one of us individually. We know that our society is producing demigods, but what is it that the church is producing? The last time I checked, the statistics within the church of divorce and pornography and other maladies are no different than they are within the general population.

How can this be? Do all the people who attend church and confess to be a Christian have a real and genuine faith? Do we see our own struggles with pride, and selfishness, and being judgmental, and a lack of the graces of the faith? Or do we soldier on, promoting and producing the same ole stuff that has lost its saltiness and light?

Now is the moment for repentance and truly seeking the face of God. Now is the time to inquire about the things that we need to shift to fully become aligned with the ways and purposes of God. Now is the time to discard all that is not pure and genuine and producing good fruit.

There is a possibility that even in this next week, the trajectory of our country could take an unimaginable turn for the worst. I truly pray that this does not happen and that God will hear and answer the cries of His people. But we are definitely dangling on an unknown precipice that none of us wants to traverse.

We have to wake up. We have to warn others. We have to keep a short account with God when it comes to our sins. Above all, we have to make sure that we have a faith that is genuine, a heart that is pure, and a clean conscience.


Prayer- Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you that you have blessed us with a nation that was founded with the intent of life, liberty, and justice for all. You have blessed us as a nation like no other nation is blessed. Forgive us for all the ways that we have taken these blessings for granted and all the ways we have used them for selfish purposes. Forgive us for kicking you out of our courtrooms and school rooms and public discourse. Forgive us for taking the good gifts you have given to us and used them for destructive purposes. Forgive us for persecuting those who love you and honoring those who do not. Forgive us for the times that we have not been genuine in our own faith, and we have placed our personal desires above the desires and purposes of Your Heart. Forgive us for any other idols that we have allowed in our lives or placed before You.  Forgive me for...

Your Word promises us that if Your children, called by Your Name, will humble themselves and seek Your Face, that you will hear from heaven,  forgive our sins,  and heal our land. Oh Sovereign Lord, that is the cry of our hearts. We need Your intervention and Your healing and Your presence. Please be a bright Light within our nation once again and cause yet another Great Awakening within our land.

Please allow Your will to be done in these mid-term elections and cause our laws and lawmakers to once again honor and glorify You. We understand that this is not about politics; rather it is a spiritual battle for the future heart and soul of our country. You are the Life-Giver, and we ask You to once again breathe life into this nation that has turned its' back on You.

We love You, Lord, and pray all these things in Jesus' Mighty Name.





             ** PLEASE BE IN PRAYER FOR OUR MID-TERM ELECTIONS**
                                         **DON"T FORGET TO VOTE**


1. Wiersbe Bible Commentary:New Testament, pub. by David C. Cook, 2007.

Walking With Jesus

"Whoever keeps His Word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way He walked."
                                                            1 John 2:5-6




If you were to decide to take a walk today with a friend, what would be the foremost thought in your mind? Would it be the destination? Would it be what you might encounter along the way? Would it be goal-oriented like the number of calories burned or miles that are walked? Would it be that you were like-minded and walked the same distance at the same pace? Or, would it be the time you get to spend with your friend and the fellowship and love you share as you both walk side by side to complete the task set before you?

There are so many different perspectives you could have on merely taking a walk. The same is true for each of us on this life journey in which we are engaged. The truth is, we can wake up each and every day, accomplish all the things set before us, and still miss the most important thing. We can even be continually involved in church activities and Bible studies and not connect with the Life Source of them all.  Even amidst religious pursuits, it is still possible to miss the life and love and fellowship of Jesus that God so desperately desires for us to have.

In the Bible, the first person that is identified as walking with God is Enoch. We are told that "after he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and then he was not, for God took him" (Genesis 5:22-24). This passage explains to us that Enoch was so close to God that he didn't even die; he simply was taken straight up to heaven as a result of how close his walk with God was.

The reason God shares this story in the Bible with us is not to highlight the piety of a man because Isaiah tells us that "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). Rather, it is for God to show His heart to us in how much He delights walking with man. God's desire is that we know Him and love Him and are passionate about the things that He is passionate about. These things can never happen until we learn to walk with Jesus everyday.

Walking with Jesus everyday is completely separate from being engaged in religious activity. For example, I can wake up every morning and do my quiet time (read my Bible and pray). There have been times that I have done this and did not think or feel any differently after doing so. It received a check mark off my to-do list, and nothing much more than this. There are other days when I am desperate to see and hear what God would say to me regarding a particular issue or loved one. These are the days when my heart is softer and more open to really see God's Word with clarity and receive the things that He would impress upon my heart. In this, He leads and guides and gives me the wisdom that I crave.

Jesus is the One who directs the steps that we take if we are truly walking side by side with Him. At times, He will slow down and point out the beauty or wonder of something or someone that we encounter along our path. At other times, He will draw our attention to something or someone that needs our prayers. Often, He will bring us to a circumstance that calls us to participate with it. Even better than all these, He shows us the beauty of His countenance and face and in the reflection of the deep pools in His eyes, we can somehow tangibly see and know His love for us individually.

These are the most precious and sacred moments of my life. That is because too often I forget or get distracted or focus on lesser things.  But, when I remember or can see clearly, these are the moments that I have confidence and clarity of why God has placed me on planet earth.These are the moments that my vision is restored and my faith is renewed. These are the moments when I know with certainty that my hand is firmly placed inside of His and that there is absolutely nothing in this world that could separate me from Him or take me off course.

These are the times that spur me on to keep going when life is hard. Or scary. Or unpredictable. It is Jesus' love for me that keeps me calm when circumstances rage around me. It is Jesus' love for me that helps me know that He is near, even when I cannot see or feel that He is close. It is Jesus' love for me that strengthens me to obey His Word and will, even when I would rather give in to whatever might be easier at the moment.

When I watch how Jesus walks and how He loves, I know that I want to walk and love like that, too. At times, I try to imitate what I see and at other times I ask for guidance on how to do what He does. Other times, He shows me areas in my life that do not line up with His Word. Daily I fall short, but it is His love that coaxes me to get back up and to keep moving forward. It is His love that helps me to keep the right perspective.

On my difficult days when I do not see or feel His love, I only have to remember that He died for me on Calvary in order that I could spend eternity with Him in heaven. And, even if I were the only person on earth that ever accepted Him, He still would have made that ultimate sacrifice for me. And, if it is too difficult to remember, I only have to open His Word, the love letter that He wrote to me, to revive the barren places of my soul.

Just like when we make plans to take a walk with a friend, our walk with Jesus must be intentional. Each and every day, we must decide to get up and walk with Him. We must decide to pick up our cross (whatever is difficult and burdensome) and still follow after Him. Like a small child, we must decide to keep our hearts pure before Him. We gaze upon His goodness and know that we can totally and unequivocally trust Him.

No one is disqualified from walking with Jesus because of past sins or mistakes. Paul wrote that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We have all missed the mark, made mistakes, and sinned. And yet, Jesus still loves us in spite of ourselves. His grace is continually poured out into our lives.

Today, will you decide that you will trust Jesus and walk with Him in your life? Will you receive HIs mercy and grace and love? Will you fellowship and commune with Him and seek Him with your whole heart? Even now, I hear the words that He is speaking to you and to me... He passionately and lovingly speaks to His children and says, "Come, follow Me" (Matthew 4:19). I can promise that when you do, it will be the walk of your life!


                                 "Our walk counts far more than our talk. Always."
                                                      George Mueller

Contending For The Faith

       "I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith..."
                                                           Jude, vs. 3




Now, more than ever, we need true contenders for the faith. Our culture has redefined what faith is and there are many who are deceived about what the Bible says, as well as how to apply it’s precepts to their lives. The Gospel has both been watered down and perverted because of the growing number of people who only want to hear what they want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). And, unfortunately, there will always be those who teach what is popular to the masses so as to personally benefit from these emerging trends.

When Jesus warned us that there would come a day where there were many false teachers and prophets that would rise up and mislead many (Matthew 24:11), I doubt that many could fully comprehend just how prevalent and intertwined the teachings would become even within what is considered the mainstream church. Today we could look at almost every mainstream denomination and find teachings that are antithetical to the Word of God. And, we can also find people who passionately defend these false teachings.

As our society continues to move quickly away from the Bible and the teachings of Jesus, we can begin to see that the blessings and protection of God over our nation evaporating before our eyes. On several recent public events, we watched as emotionalism and anger took precedence over truth and decency. Ironically, those who stand on the side of truth and decency are being ostracized for their supposed lack of compassion and actually using their intellect over emotions to ascertain what is true and good. In these instances, good is being viewed as evil, and evil is being viewed as good.

More and more, I see that the true number of believers is smaller and smaller. In 2015, a poll was conducted where 75% of Americans identified themselves as Christians. The issue I have with this number is that we could not be as divided as we are on moral issues, such as abortion, if this were a true and accurate percentage. Additionally, there are many more moral issues that separate us and the people who are being persecuted are the ones who are standing with the Biblical precepts and not the ones who are against them. This means that many people are deceived about their own spiritual status.

The Bible clearly warns us that the church in the last days would be characterized by apostasy. Jesus told us that in these times that "many would fall away" (Matthew 24:10) and that "most peoples love would grow cold" (Matthew 24:12). Both of these things usually happen to believers gradually, which increases the chances of self-deception. In fact, there are many people who attend church on Sunday, meaning that they "Hold to a form of godliness, and yet deny the power [of the Gospel]" (2 Timothy 3:5).

William Booth, who founded the Salvation Army was very zealous for God and had a great passion for lost souls. He was also a visionary. On the eve of the 20th Century, he prophesied that by the end of the 20th century that much of the church would be preaching:
                                   *Christianity without Christ
                                   *Forgiveness without repentance
                                   *Salvation without regeneration
                                   *Heaven without hell
And this is exactly where we are today.

As true and genuine believers, what are we to do in the midst of such a hostile and vitriolic culture? I would submit to you that James had the answer when he said, "let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger: for the anger of man worth not the righteousness of God. Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the Word, which is able to save your souls. Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves" (James 1:19-22).

If we are doers of the Word, we are passionate about helping others to be doers of the Word as well. I am not talking about a works-based Gospel that enables us to have salvation. We are solely saved by grace by what Jesus accomplished on the cross for us. However, after we are saved, we have to become more and more diligent to obey God's precepts, especially when we see the escalation of corruption within our society.

According to the Cambridge dictionary, the word contend means "to compete in order to win something or achieve a position of leadership; to state as the truth; to claim".  According to Merriam-Webster, the word contend  means "to strive or vie in contest or rivalry against difficulties; to strive in debate".  All of these definitions involve actively and intentionally fighting for something. In this instance, it means fighting for the Truth of the Gospel and the importance of prioritizing the Lordship of Christ.

All true children of God will be kept by His power and we will not ultimately fall away (Jude vs. 1-2;24-25). And yet, even in this, there is no room for passivity. Contending for the faith is still necessary and important when we realize the sobering times in which we live and how many other people truly need to hear the truth. Each persons' battle to defend the faith will be unique and personal to them.

Contending for the faith should always be done in love, with respect and gentleness. In order to enhance our credibility, we must be mindful of the potential issues others may be facing and be compassionate of those, while never forfeiting the truth. Anger and insensitivity will never bear good fruit. And, as James says, this will never produce righteousness in our lives.

More than anything, I want to be a contender for the faith and I do not want to become lukewarm. The major challenges that we face today is that the opposition is increasing and we must continue to grow in zeal and passion for God in order to combat it. We cannot give in to what is temporarily easier or we will find that we are moving further away from the Lord, instead of closer. While it is impossible to stay the same in our relationship with Him, we must either be moving in one direction or the other.

My prayer today is that the true remnant of Christ will become stronger, more strategic contenders for the faith and that we will help others to do the same. This is what God is calling us to do, and I pray that we will heed His call. May we extend His grace to all that are in our lives, and may He be glorified above all else!


"If Christ is not all to you, He is nothing to you. He will never go into partnership as part Savior of men. If He be something, He must be everything, and if He be not everything, He is nothing to you."
                                                              Charles H. Spurgeon

Pressure And Pressing

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are pressed all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
                                                          2 Corinthians 4:7-11




A few years ago, Brent and I had the privilege of visiting Israel. I have to say that it was the most amazing experience that either of us have ever had. There were so many historical and Biblical sights to see and the thought of walking places where Jesus once had stood was inspiring, to say the least. There were so many things that we learned and places that we got to see like the Garden Tomb where Jesus was laid to rest and the Garden of Gethsemane which still has some olive trees that were in existence when Jesus stood in their midst.

One of the interesting things we got to see was an ancient Winepress. Often in the Old Testament, the Bible talks about the winepresses. It looks like a huge basin where men would stand inside and hold onto the ropes above them while they crushed the grapes that lie within. As they stamped their feet throughout the basin, the juice from the grapes would pour into the containers that surrounded the basin and then this juice is what would be used to ultimately make the wine.

There is much symbolism used in the Bible about both wine and winepresses. Believers in Christ are likened to grapes being grown in the Lord's vineyard. We are cultivated, grown, and transformed in the soil in which He plants us. Weather, circumstances, pressing, and a long fermentation process is what we experience as we grow in Him. All of us are somewhere within this spectrum, as believers, being prepared to bring joy to His Kingdom.

New believers experience much joy as they experience, for the first time, being connected to The Vine (who is Jesus). There is an exhilaration for these young buds who cling on tightly to their new found birth, learning all the can about The Vine and the Vinedresser. Everything is new and sunny and exciting. There is lots of growth and future dreams that lie ahead.

Later, we find that we have ripened but suddenly and unexpected climate or storm arises, or the crushing and pressing begins in an unexpected winepress. Oftentimes, we are taken aback by the pressure and the crushing we feel. This can cause us to question the very things we once took for granted and even wonder how we got to this place?

After that, we can be stored in a cold and lonely place as we endure the instability of the gases required within the fermentation process. We must learn how to trust and expect good from God, despite our inhospitable environments. All of His methods are transient and they all are also used to bring the best out of us to be used for our good and His glory.

It is interesting to me that Jesus' first miracle was to turn water into wine, which is a symbolism for the joy we will experience at the Wedding feast of the Lamb. The headwaiter marveled that Jesus saved the best wine for last, because typically the best wine was used first. Prophetically, there will be a last generation before the return of Christ that Jesus presses to bring out the very best.

I know that many believers today feel like they are being both pressed and crushed. The confusing part of this knowledge is that God is either allowing or doing the pressing. Our carnal, finite minds can rarely ever understand the higher ways of God and what He is trying to release in the earth and accomplish during these times.

In the scripture referenced above, Paul spoke about the humility of the clay, earthen vessel. He said that we are each a clay vessel that is created to accomplish the work that God set before us to do. The important part of this analogy is that we must be clean, empty, and available for His service. God, Himself, will press us and mold us to become useful for His service.  The treasure we contain is God within us and not the vessel that each of us are.

The Bible explains to us that new wine cannot be poured into old wineskins. If it is, the old wineskins will burst because the new wine will expand after it is poured into a vessel. Prophetically, new wine symbolizes a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit that God will pour out upon the earth. This new wine will bring us into a closer relationship with God, experiencing more fully His love. It will bring a season of joy and harvest and celebration.

I truly believe that we are coming into a season of new wine and that God has been preparing each one of us individually for what He is about to do in the earth. We will see miracles and promises fulfilled and an entering into the Promised Land that He has apportioned for us. The vessels that we are must be wieldable to the new anointing being released in the earth.

This is not the time to be dismayed or discouraged because God truly is doing a new thing in the earth (Isaiah 43:19). It is also not the time to doubt God's goodness or His provision in your life. The book of James teaches us that when we doubt, we are telling God that we are tossed by the wind and double-minded. These are not the believers that should expect to receive from God (James 1:6-8).

If the pressure and the pressing in your life seems overwhelming, lift up your head and focus on God, believing and expecting good and perfect gifts from above. We have to learn how to be consistent in our faith when we are under stress, so as to not give way to the enemy of our souls.  All of these things are being allowed in our lives to prepare us for what is coming in the future and I know we all want to be prepared for what God is doing.

Pressure and pressing is always a transient thing. In the interim, we receive God's grace and mercy and help in times of trouble. He has always been faithful and could never cease to be in the future. We are even promised rewards for persevering through these times (James 1:12). God is so good and His plans for us are too, even if, for the moment, we do not understand our seemingly inhospitable environment!


"Our motto must continue to be perseverance. And ultimately I trust the Almighty will crown our efforts with success."
                                                              William Wilberforce

Into The Enemy's Camp

"Now it happened when David and his men came home to Ziklag on the third day, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev (the south country) and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they had taken captive the women and all who were there, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off to be used as slaves and went on their way. 

When David and his men came to town and it was burned, and their wives and their sons and daughters had ben taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they were too exhausted to weep any longer.

Now David's two wives had been captured, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Further, David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all of them were embittered, each man for his sons and daughters. But David felt strengthened and encouraged in the Lord his God."
                                                          I Samuel 30:1-6




David had another battle to fight. This time, the battle was against the Amalekites who were known adversaries to the Lord. In fact, the only reason the Amalekites continued to exist was because Saul had won an incomplete battle over them and had not obeyed the Lord in the way that he should have (1 Samuel 15:1-11). Now it was David's turn to take on those who opposed God and all that He valued.

The Bible is unclear as to why God allowed this to happen to David, especially while David and his men were taking care of business with the Philistines. The enemy viewed this as an opportunity and quickly he pounced to take advantage of the women and children and steal the valuables that belonged to David and his men. As a final act of defiance, they burned the city, which God may have allowed so that the Israelites would return to Judah instead of living in the territory of their enemies.

Shock and sadness must have filled the hearts of David and his 600 men, as they had never previously lost a battle. This was a cruel, unexpected turn of events that left them so traumatized that they cried until they had no more tears. Exhaustion, and then anger set in as they faced the reality of their circumstances. Some men even conspired to stone David for getting them into this horrific mess.

Different people respond in different ways when they are greatly distressed. The verb meaning greatly distressed in Hebrew actually means "being pressed into a tight corner, the way a Potter presses clay into a mold"1. The reactions we have to being pressed this tightly will depend on what lies inside of us.

When we are lead with our emotions, we will surely get into trouble because, suddenly, reason and rationality have flown right out of the window. Why these men thought that killing their leader right now would benefit them is surely a mystery. Right now, they needed David even more than they had needed him before this had happened to them.

David knew that the strength and encouragement he needed could only come from the Lord. He ordered Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod so that they could seek the Lord together. When David asked God what to do, God assured him that if he would pursue the enemy that God would go with him and that he would have success. The victory was his for the taking when he had confidence that God would fight the battle for him and with him.

This story paints a good picture for us as believers today as to what to do when we face challenging circumstances where we are tempted to be afraid or to worry. The first point I see is that these specific enemies existed because of previous poor decisions. This makes me think about generational patterns of worry and fear. In order to defeat them, we have to first identify them. As there are varying types and degrees of fear and worry , we must first honestly assess the patterns in our own families and begin to work on them as God gives us the strategies to do so.

We have already been assured in God's Word that the victory is ours. As believers in Christ, we know that Jesus has made us "alive together with Christ, having freely forgiven us all our sins, having cancelled out the certificate of debt consisting of legal demands [which were in force] against us and which were hostile to us. And this certificate He has set aside and completely removed by nailing it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross" (Colossians 2:13-15).

We have to make a decision to not let worry and fear dominate our thought patterns. I have found that affirmations help in this process. Some examples of affirmations might include:
                                    *God is my strength and my fortress
                                    *I will focus on positive thoughts
                                    *I will meditate on God's Word
                                    *I will believe what God says and not doubt
                                    *I will trust in God to make a way

When God tells us not to be anxious about anything (Philippians 4:6-7), we have to know that He will provide a way for this to be possible for us. While each person's journey will surely differ, there are commonalities to accomplish what God commands us to do. If Jesus made a spectacle of our enemies for us then we definitely have the power and authority to come into agreement with His completed work in our lives.

We must also be honest with ourselves about the reality of the devastations that fear and worry have wreaked in our lives and families. It is not ok to passively tolerate them because they are a cancer that will demand more and more of our lives if we do not intervene. Instead of accepting them as our cross to bear, we must boldly march them up to the cross and nail them to it, never to pick them back up again.

Additionally, when we are "pressed" or "stressed", we must honestly look at the things that are inside of us and also take them to the cross. We cannot excuse our sin as an acceptable response to stress. We must deal with it head on to defeat it once and for all. Thankfully, Jesus forgives all of it and continually reassures us of His love in spite of it.

Like David, our true strength and encouragement can only come from God. He is always willing to graciously give them to us, so if we are not receiving it we must look at the deterrents that prevent us from receiving. Is it distraction? Or discouragement? Or fatigue? Or doubt? These, too, call for honest reflection and attention.

We know that the enemy of our souls continually seeks to " steal, kill, and destroy" our lives, but we also know that Jesus came so that we might live "life to its' fullness" (John10:10). Part of living this abundant life is to accurately assess what has been stolen and to seek God for the strategies to get it back.  When we trust Him and walk in faith, He can and will fight our battles and restore what has been lost!


      "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
                                                           Isaiah 26:3





                                 

Finger By Finger

                   "God gives us things to share; God doesn't give us things to hold."
                                                      Mother Theresa




Too many people today live with fists that are tightly clenched. Most people don't even realize that this is the case. Even in Christianity, there are still many, many people who do the same thing. We can all mentally ascent to the fact that we are to "Let go and Let God", but in reality, I wonder how many of these people truly exist? How many people live with palms wide open giving all to Jesus and, in return, receiving all that He has for them?

Unfortunately, it has been my testimony that I have surrendered one finger at a time. Finger by finger I have surrendered to the Lord. When I finally glance down and see a palm that is wide open to Him, I rejoice and sing only to remember that I still have another whole hand that needs to be surrendered to His mercies and grace.

Our journeys will be much smoother when we open both of our hands without hesitating and give all that we hold onto into the loving hands of our Heavenly Father. However, if we do not choose this way, God can still accomplish His purposes one finger at a time. The Lord can, and will, gently begin to work on the first finger of our tightly clenched fist and require us to offer that which we preferred to hold onto. Here are some examples of fingers I have held way too tightly:

                                    Finger # 1: Marriage
                                    Finger #2: Children
                                    Finger# 3: Family
                                    Finger # 4: Pain and Disappointments
                                    Thumb # 5: Friendships
                                    Finger #6: Dreams
                                    Finger #7: Fear
                                    Finger #8: Anxiety
                                    Finger #9: Future Plans
                                    Thumb #10: Pride
             
         (I'm sure there are more, but thankfully, for illustration purposes, we only have 2 hands!)

At times I was aware of the things I was holding onto, but, at other times, I was blissfully blind to it. What I've learned over all these years of walking with God, is the way to know if you are holding something too tightly is if your thoughts become anxious around them. For example, if I am praying for one of my children and I feel nervous or anxious still, then there is a deeper work that God needs to do in my heart. Since Jesus is my Prince of Peace, I should walk in perfect peace when my mind is focused on Him (Isaiah 26:3).

There can also be a wrestling that takes place between us and God, as in the case of Jacob. In this story in Genesis 32, Jacob was alone by a riverside on his way back to Canaan. An angel appeared, which many believe was the Pre-Incarnate Christ, and Jacob wrestled all night with him  at Penuel (which means "the face of God" or "facing God"). At the end of this interchange, Jacob's name was changed to Israel and God blessed him, which was God's intention all along.

So, why did this face-off have to occur? The simple answer is for both revival and reconciliation. He had been estranged from his brother Esau for 20 years and God wanted for them to be reconciled. But, prior to this wrestling match, Jacob prayed one of the most poignant prayers in the Bible. In it, he expressed both his need for help, as he reminded God of the promises that had been given to him. This began the spiritual awakening in Jacob that God had previously ordained. True humility will always open the door for this in our lives.

The beauty of wrestling with God is that we emerge even stronger than we were before. His shoulders are definitely broad enough for us to tell Him about the things that hurt us. And disappoint us. And worry us. He will never turn away one of His beloved children. Not ever!

But after we wrestle, we must learn to leave our concerns in His capable hands and not pick them back up. When we pick them back up, it shows a lack of trust and faith in His ability to handle things. If He can take care of the whole earth, He definitely can handle one of our lives!

It will  also never be so much about what we have to give to God (because we only hold in our hands what He first gives to us); it is always about the things that God wants to give to us. And, He can never pour into fists that are tightly clenched. He can only pour into hands that are opened wide. This is a reminder that our hearts and hands and homes are continually open to do the works of the Lord.

Rather than asking God about the things you are holding onto, ask Him about the things He has for you that you need to receive. God longs to give good gifts to His children, but we have to be willing to receive them. I have learned that I am a terrible receiver. I love to give, but it always feels awkward to receive. And yet, how can we receive "far beyond all we could ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20) if we haven't learned the art of receiving? So, I am learning, as I will forever be a work in progress. (on this earth, anyway!).

Receiving from Him starts by spending time alone with Him in the Word. It is here that He will begin to open your eyes to see all that He has for you. Do you need comfort? Or wisdom? Or encouragement? Or direction? Or love? It is all found in His Word. Do you need promises from Him? Or vision? Or reassurance? It, too, is found in His Word. As a matter of fact, I would challenge anyone to find a need that is not addressed in the Bible. I would dare to say that that is not possible!

In this past season, many of God's children have been taught by Him in difficult places. It is in these places that we will see our greatest victories! As we humble ourselves, asking for His help and recognizing our total dependence on Him, we will see His strength come forth in the places where we have been weak. Standing on His promises will allow us to see miracles take place.  We will see Him make a way for us like we have never seen before. Our circumstances have been a set-up for His glory to shine!

This is definitely not the time to hold onto anything that will prevent us from seeing His goodness in the land of the living. It is not the time for Him to pry open our fingers one by one. No, this is the time to throw open our hands in worship, praise, and dependence to see the new things that He will do! On the difficult days, remember, Jesus freely opened both of His hands for you!


                "The only things we can keep are the things we freely give to God."
                                                        C.S. Lewis