The Perfect Plan

"Jehosheba, who was King Jehoram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister, secretly rescued Joash (son of Ahaziah) from among the king's sons who were being killed and put him and the one who nursed him in a bedroom. So he was hidden from Athalia and was not killed. Joash was in hiding with her in the Lord's temple six years while Athalia reigned over the land."
                                                                2 Kings 11:2-3




There always has been and always will be two powers at play in this world in which we live. There is the Kingdom of Light  and the kingdom of darkness that continually fights against one another in an epic battle that will ultimately  reach its crescendo at the end of the Tribulation. Each kingdom has warriors that fight on its behalf. And, sometimes people unknowingly fight on the wrong side, all the while convinced that they are doing the right thing.

This is what King Jehu did. He was the King of the Northern kingdom of Israel and had twenty-eight years of experience under his belt. While he prided himself on being zealous for the Lord, he also had allowed idolatry to also be a part of his reign. Jehu did some things that were right in God's eyes but he also was the ultimate politician and did whatever he could to stay in power, even if he had to murder innocents to achieve this ambition. No one ever succeeds once they give way to the slippery slope of compromise. In the end, he succumbed to peer pressure and the worshipping of golden calves.

Because Jehu had killed King Ahaziah in the southern kingdom of Israel, the throne was now empty and ready to be occupied by evil forces. And, that is exactly what happened. Athalia had been the queen mother and was also the daughter of Jezebel and Ahab. She seized the throne and then began her sole mission to eliminate the lineage of King David because she only wanted Baal worship to be allowed in Judah. She was very fierce in what she did because she was also angry at how King Jehu had tried to eliminate both Ahab's family and Baal worship in the land.

Athalia believed that she was successful in eliminating the Davidic line, and from what she could see, she really was. However, this was not God's plan. God had made covenant promises to His people and He was not about to let one evil queen have her way. Despite the fact that their situation looked grim, God had the perfect plan and He intended to use the High Priest named Jehoiada and his wife named Jehosheba to carry it out.

Jehoiada and Jehosheba were genuine believers and followers of God. They were not influenced by ambition and deceit, and they certainly were not moved by peer pressure. Instead, they let faith and courage direct their steps as they humbly sought to only do God's will.

Jehosheba was not only the wife of the High Priest, but she also was a princess in her own right. She was a daughter to King Jehoram and a sister to King Ahaziah, who Jehu had killed. This made her the aunt of Joash who was a young child at this time. It definitely was an anomaly that this godly princess could come from such an evil lineage but God always raises up a remnant to stand against the forces of evil.

Jehosheba became aware of Athalia's evil plans and she and her husband stole baby Joash and his nurse and hid them away in a room where old bedding was stored. Later, they would move him to the temple where he could move about in an inconspicuous way. During these six years that he was hidden, he was never recognized as a legitimate heir to the throne so that his safety could be ensured.

Jehoiada and Jehosheba continued to pray and seek God's timing as the boy grew. At just the right time, God gave them wisdom in how to remove Athalia from the throne and put Joash in her stead. The plan succeeded and at age seven Joash became the new king of the southern kingdom and continued on the legacy and lineage of King David.

Athalia was executed. Baal worship was eliminated. And, the Davidic dynasty continued, just as God had planned.

When you read this story, it sounds almost like a modern day soap opera. Or, maybe even a Disney movie. And yet, these were the people of God who had been thrust right smack in the middle of a major mess. There had to have been moments and times when these believers could not understand what was happening. There had to have been times when it looked as if evil would win and God's children would be defeated. And yet, that did not happen.

God's plan prevailed just as it always does. This is because God has initiated the plan even before the problem occurs. Often, it is hid in obscurity for a while just as baby Joash was. However, at just the right moment, it will always be revealed.

Circumstances may even worsen before there is a reprieve, but God is always masterfully orchestrating His victorious plan. Just as in this story, there can be so many moving parts and people who are operating in their free wills, but God is sovereign over every part of it. We can take comfort in knowing that God is never caught off-guard. Nor, is He ever scrambling trying to keep up with what is happening. We may be, but He is not.

What Jehosheba and Jehoiada did in private mattered. It mattered in the time in which they lived and it still matters to us today. Sometimes we think that then little things we do that no one sees has no importance and yet it always does. It can affect generations.

God molded Jehosheba and Jehoiada in the secret place and He raised them up to stand against wickedness in their day. This is what he longs to do in each one of our lives today, as well. As we learn to fully surrender to Him and trust in what He is doing, we will find that He is accomplishing things that are far greater than we can even imagine. He is masterfully executing the smallest of details to finish the work He has started and present to the world His Perfect Plan!


"Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
                                                           Hebrews 13:20-21


                                                               

A Time To Build Up

"They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the former devastations; they will renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations."
                                                            Isaiah 61:4




Sometimes life can be so busy and hectic that we forget about the fact that there is a larger plan in play than what we see. Each day, as we accomplish the tasks set before us and fulfill the requirements and demands in our lives, it can be so easy and tempting to focus only on what we can physically see in the natural. And yet, there is a Master plan that is completing its' perfect work in our lives, as well as in the entire earth.

Just as there are times and seasons in the natural, so are there in the supernatural realm. What is so interesting about this is that often what God is declaring spiritually looks completely opposite from the battle at hand. For example, when God called Peter to spread the Good News of the Gospel, Herod decided to retaliate against the disciples by killing James and arresting Peter.

As Peter was bound in chains and scheduled for trial, it had to have appeared to him that God's plans were being completely thwarted. It must have appeared that evil was advancing and that good was also being tethered, without any hope of moving forward. It would have been interesting to know what thoughts Peter may have had that night, but peace prevailed in his heart, at least enough for him to fall asleep lying between two prison guards.

It was in this exact moment that an angel appeared and lit up the entire jail cell. The angel hit Peter on the side to awaken him and he said, "'Quick, get up!' And the chains fell off his wrists. 'Get dressed,' the angel told him, 'and put on your sandals'. And he did. 'Wrap your cloak around you,' he told him, 'and follow me.' So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what the angel did was really happening, but he thought he was seeing a vision. After they passed through the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and suddenly the angel left him" (Acts 12:7-10).

This experience was so surreal to Peter that at first he wasn't even sure that it was really happening. When he realized what had just occurred, he understood that God had delivered him from Herod's grasp and that He had done so in such a way that the Jewish people would see God's glory and power. So, instead of the spread of the Gospel being hindered, it actually advanced exponentially because it was God's timing for it to do so.

Sometimes God will allow evil to advance for a period of time, but it is always constrained within God's perfect timetable. This is because God has a kingdom calendar that is more reliable than any smartphone in existence today. Solomon referred to God's timetable when he said that there is "a time for every activity under heaven: a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing; a time to search and a time to count as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak ; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

We are currently living in a time today where God is building up and restoring His church. He is healing and birthing and planting and turning our sorrows into joys. We are gathering our stones of remembrance and finding our voices in Christ. We are learning to love our enemies and become peacemakers in the midst of the cultural wars in which we find ourselves.

God has promised us that He will rebuild the ruins and the devastations that have occurred generationally in our families and He may even do it in such a way that other believers will see and be strengthened, as well. God is so good and He is the Only One who can perform such amazing miracles as these. He is the Only One who can take our ashes and turn them into a glorious masterpiece that He has planned long ago and then implemented.

When we learn to trust Him while in the darkest cell, we will see Him illumined like never before. Our cell will light up and our chains will fall off and we will sing His praises evermore. Never again will we struggle under the weight and debt of our sin because He has purposed that we will be free and we will rejoice in His goodness.

Solomon went on to say that, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the heart of man and no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end"  (Ecclesiastes 3:11). God crafted His plans long before any of us were created and He will carry them all out to fruition. His kingdom calendar is set and we have so many good things in Him to look forward to.

One day, each of us will see our stories in their fullness and we will weep over the faithfulness and goodness of our God. In the interim, we can trust His heart and that He will provide for every need that we may have. His goal is to bring as many as is possible into His eternal kingdom and we are blessed and privileged to have a role in this plan.

He loves every person on this planet immeasurably, and He weeps for those who do not know Him and belong to Him. His heart is so holy and pure and He longs to gather each and every person into His fold. He is the best Father that has ever existed and He sees the potential in each and every one of us. He not only loves and sees us as we are, but He also loves and sees us as we were created to be.

Now is the time to allow The Holy Spirit to complete its' perfect work within our hearts and souls so that we will be strengthened and suited up for the battles that lie before us. We will see God move in unprecedented ways for His glory and the extension of His kingdom. We all have a part to play and no one's part is inconsequential or unimportant. Christ is the head and we are all the parts that move in synchrony with Him.

God is doing something amazing within our generation and we are truly blessed. Oh, we could focus on the negative and become discouraged. Or, we can focus on Jesus and what He is doing in our midst. If we choose to keep our eyes on Him and focus on His goodness, we will be built up and able to participate in the end-time army that God is preparing to release within the earth. His plans are good and truly we will be amazed and see the fulfillment of the restoration of all things!


"Heaven must receive Him until the time of the restoration of all things, which God spoke about through His holy prophets from the beginning."
                                                             Acts 3:21
                                                     

Perfect Protection

                "Protect me as the pupil of Your eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings".   
                                                                Psalm 17:8




Out of all the Psalms that David wrote, there are only three Psalms that are classified as prayers: Psalm 17, Psalm 86, and Psalm 142. In each of these Psalms, David is in a place in his life where he feels vulnerable and is desperate for God to act on his behalf. Often, he speaks of being pursued by enemies and how God is the only One who can truly rescue him from the dangers that surround him. While we do not know for sure what is happening to him, it is quite likely that these are the times when he is being pursued by King Saul. But, whatever the specific details in his life really were, we know that he understands both the potential risks as well as his own vulnerabilities and he cries out to God as a result of what he sees coming against him.

In Psalm 17, David asks God to protect him as the pupil of God's eye. This is an amazing verse because it shows us how deliberate and careful God is in His protection over our lives. The eye itself is protected by many layers. The first layer is the tear film and there are three layers within the tear film. The second layer is the cornea and there are five layers within the cornea. The third layer is the iris and the iris has three layers. The fourth layer is a transparent crystalline lens and there are four layers within the crystalline lens. The fifth layer of the eye is the retina and there are ten layers within the retina. The sixth layer of the eye is the choroid and it is filled with blood vessels to supply blood to the retina.The seventh layer of the eye is the sclera and it covers the whole eye to the cornea to allow movement of the eye.

In addition to the multiple layers within the eye, God also created the eyebrows, eyelashes, and eyelids to help protect the eye. These are the fences, if you will, that help to keep foreign objects or particles from entering the eye. So, God created barricades and fences and multiple layers of defense to keep the pupil safe.

On a larger scale, if you think about our automatic responses when we are about to fall or an object is flying in the air, it is always to shield our eyes. Instinct teaches us how valuable our eyesight is and the whole body responds with agility and dexterity when a threat is recognized. It is as if our whole body was created to shield and protect the most vulnerable of our members.

It is no coincidence that this is how David prays when he, too, feels the most vulnerable. God is showing him that no other can see the way that our omniscient God can see or can protect as our omnipotent God can protect. No matter how sever or imminent the threat may be, there is no one or nothing that will not be anticipated or averted by our mighty God. David could rely on the love, faithfulness, and mercy of God to really be there for him when he needed it the most.

The same is true for each of us. When we are in distress or feel like the enemy is coming at us in different directions, we can do as David did and cry out first to our God in prayer. We can ask for His perfect protection which includes more than just physically protecting us.

According to Merriam-Webster, the word protect means "to cover or shield from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction; to maintain the status or integrity; to defend; and to provide a guard or shield." Some synonyms of protect are: to assure, to care for, to insulate, to safeguard, to save, to secure, to shelter, to harbor, to hedge, to screen, to shade, to cover all bases, to give refuge, and to watch over.

God is faithful and "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3). When we know Jesus personally, we are "complete in Him" (Colossians 2:10) and He is the One who "supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

In Psalm 17, David asks God for vindication, protection, and salvation (or rescuing) from his enemies. Apparently, David could have taken matters into his own hand and killed King Saul himself, but, instead, he waited patiently as an exile in the wilderness for God to protect and sustain him. David understood that his enemies would not ever be able to cross any line that God had drawn and he would depend on God's goodness and surrender to the refining process that God had placed in his life. David also knew that in God's timing he would see vindication, protection, and salvation.

This did not mean that David was protected from difficult situations, but it did mean that God was with him and gave to him everything he needed not only to survive, but also to thrive and grow in strength. God was preparing David for kingship and all the privileges and responsibilities that went along with that title. The vehicle that God used in David's refining process was ungodly men, which I am sure was very hard for David to fathom, but ultimately, vindication would shine forth when David had cultivated the humility and wisdom to know how to use it only for God's glory.

Most evenings as we say our evening prayers, Christians around the globe pray for God's protection over their families and loved ones. Often, we imagine that God will insulate us from all the difficulties and dangers that this world tries to hurl in our direction. However, our knowledge is limited and incomplete because God knows that we are "sealed with the Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the day of redemption" (Ephesians 1:13-14). His desire is that we feel secure in His love and in His power and not place our security in a temporary world that is not really our home.

The only security that is eternal and unshakable is God, Himself. His love is the very thing that we can be assured of everyday. And, when we are in the center of His will, we know that He will be glorified and that only His will will prevail. No "weapon formed against us will prosper"  and we will "refute every accusation" (Isaiah 54:17). This is our heritage as God's children and "our vindication will come from God" (Isaiah 54:17).

Though there are definitely days when it seems as if the enemy is advancing and evil is prevailing, in the end, we know that this is definitely not so. Jesus has already obtained our victory and we are covered by the blood of the Lamb. We will always be secure in Him and know that He will eternally protect us as the pupil of His eye. It is in this that we can rest securely, knowing that in Christ we forever are perfectly protected!


"If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer- His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable. "
                                                              John Newtonthe

The Throne Of Grace

"It is altogether right when our humiliation draws us to the Lord and our conscious need drives us to the throne of Grace."
                                                    Charles Spurgeon




As this is Easter week, churches around the globe will remember the Gospel stories of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. People will fill the pews of of every denomination to honor and reverence the life and story of Jesus. Sincere hearts will flock in droves to be a part of something that they know is bigger than themselves and has the utmost significance and purpose. Easter outfits will be purchased and the families will gather together to honor the Lord.

What is most often reflected upon during this time is the physical anguish that Jesus experienced during His crucifixion, followed quickly by the victory and celebration that occurred shortly thereafter.  However, often we miss the significance of the emotional suffering that He experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane. And, it was this emotional pain that vexed His soul just as much as the physical pain wracked His failing body. This was His one-two punch as He physically exited our world.

The reason I think this is especially poignant this year is that I know many people in the body of Christ who are hurting emotionally. And, I believe that it is outlined in Matthew 26 for us of how Jesus handled and stewarded these intense emotions that can be helpful for its today. He beautifully gives us an example of what we are to do when our emotions are running deep and we are not quite sure what we should do with them.

First and foremost, Jesus ran to the throne room of grace. Three times, He boldly went to His Father while He was in the Garden of Gethsemane. Even though He had taken Peter, James, and John with Him to be a support, they had fallen asleep and were no support for Him at all. The only One who was truly there for Him during His duress was His Heavenly Father. And, it was during Jesus' weakest moments that He relied the most heavily on the One who would never turn Him away or let Him down.

He stewarded His emotions in this extreme trial by using emotional wisdom in dealing with all the feelings that were in His "heart". The book of Proverbs tells us that the "heart" is the control center of our souls. Our hearts are filled with emotions because we are made in the image of God. We are not to deny them or diminish them if we are to live lives that wholly glorify our God. And yet, we are to acknowledge them and steward them well.

Our emotions are affected by our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Our hearts can become threatened (Proverbs 13:12) when the answers to our prayers are delayed or even denied. This is when we lose our hope and become convinced that we will never experience our deliverance or our desired blessings. This verse goes on to say that "when the desire comes [again], it is a tree of life". This desire can only be restored when we boldly go to the throne room of grace and it is there that God will give us fresh assurances and new promises for us to believe in once again.

The name of the Garden of Gethsemane literally means an "oil press". It is during these times of pressing that God brings out of us all that lies deep within our hearts. Some of it will be good, and some of it will not be so good. It is human nature to try to focus only on the good, but it is when we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us removing what is rancid that we will be fully restored. This is not an easy process. While Jesus was God and had known no sin, He even cried out in a loud voice His "soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (Matthew 26:38) during His pressing.

Jesus knew everything that was about to happen to Him, and yet He chose to make Himself vulnerable. That was His price of love for us that He was willing to pay. And, when we do this for the sake of others, it is likewise displaying the very love of Christ. Especially in a culture that scoffs at and mocks weakness and vulnerability. However, found embedded within this vulnerability is the ability to find our voice and passion that God has placed within us.

Even in His darkest hour, Jesus did not run from His feelings and emotions. He did not push them down. He did not deny that they existed. Instead, He learned to sit with them and become comfortable with them. Previously, Jesus had prophesied both the denial of Peter and the betrayal of Judas. It was now that He chose solitude and prayer to process all the events that had unfolded as they celebrated the Passover (Matthew 26:36).

After He approached the throne room of grace, Jesus then shared His emotions and specific prayer requests with Peter, James, and John, whom He trusted (Matthew 26:37). Note that He did not share them with anyone that He could not trust. And, even though He knew that Peter was flawed and would still deny Him, He also knew that Peter would repent and become one of His most loyal followers, even to the point of death.

Jesus continually went back to His Father and entrusted all His emotions to Him over and over. He even asked for the cup to pass to pass from Him if it was God's will (Matthew 26:39; 42). He repeated this as often as it was necessary to obtain peace and receive God's comfort.

Then, Jesus rested in the finality of God's decision and chose to move forward to accomplish God's purposes in His life. This was not an easy decision and He did not take lightly the process that was involved for Him to get to this place of unconditional trust. However, Jesus focused on the new truths that God had set before Him, and that could only be done by spending time in His Father's presence.

So today if you are feeling the weight and intensity of any emotional duress and agony, think about the way that Jesus modeled for us to steward our emotions well. While it is common in the church today for people to say that our wrestling is a lack of faith or a moral weakness, I would declare quite the opposite. In fact, I would say that it is within these seasons of wrestling and searching for our answers, that it becomes the very catalyst that God will use to catapult us into our destinies in Christ! Therefore, sweet friends, run boldly to the throne room of grace! This is where you will find mercy in your time of need!

                                           HAVE A VERY BLESSED EASTER!

A Time To Celebrate!

"For the Lord your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."
                                                                Deuteronomy 20:4




Today is also the day where Jewish believers around the globe celebrate Purim. The whole book of Esther is read (also known as the Megillah) and not one word of that book is omitted. Everytime the name of Haman is mentioned, according to Chabad custom, gagglers (noisemakers) are twirled and feet are stamped to silence his evil name. A loud noise erupts and his memory is forever eradicated!

Haman was the one who was both evil and powerful and it was his goal to annihilate all the Jewish people who then lived in Persia. He waged war on God's people and his plot was none other than death and murder. Because the enemy has no legitimate right to win the battle honestly, he, instead, stoops down and tries to pursue his objective by ending precious and valuable lives. He hated the Jewish people back then and anti-semitism is again on the rise throughout the world.

Just as it was then, so it also is today. In our nation, we have a powerful and very wicked enemy that also seeks to destroy and kill the youngest of our babies through abortion. From the very earliest of gestation and now even to after a full-term infant is born alive. As a society, we have advanced an initiative of death from the unborn to now even infanticide. We have arrogantly assumed a god-like position to determine whose lives are valuable and whose lives are not, but it is the furthest thing ever from being like our God.

Next week, on March 29th, the new movie called Unplanned movie will be released in theaters. Brent and I were able to see a screening of this movie a few weeks ago and we both were extremely moved at the truths that were shared, as well as a beautiful story of grace and redemption. I would encourage each of you to see this movie and support their efforts.

Our enemy today still wants to steal, kill, destroy, and deceive people in this country. And, he works through people who knowingly and unknowingly bow their knees to his unseen forces. One of the biggest machines in this case is, of course, Planned Parenthood.

Full Disclosure: both Brent and I had to do rotations in our medical training at the Planned Parenthood in Louisville, Kentucky in 1995. The facility that we were at did not perform abortions, but there was one lady who worked there that did all the abortion referrals. Brent's job as an OB/Gyn resident and my job as a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner was to do the annual exams and STI (sexually transmitted infections) screening and to prescribe contraceptives. I can definitively say that what we did was only a tiny fraction of the overall services Planned Parenthood provides. Back then and now, their major revenue stream is ONLY abortions. Nothing else, no matter what lies they may tell.

More Full Disclosure: Brent and I also had an abortion before we were married in 1995. Both from a medical standpoint and an emotional standpoint, we both are fully aware of the long-term effects that this has on lives. I personally have struggled with depression and post-traumatic effects from having an abortion. No one at Planned Parenthood ever tells you that there is a sorrow and an emptiness that stays with you everyday of your life. If it were not for God's grace and forgiveness, I do not know how we could have survived the devastation that that wrong decision brought into our lives.

And, now we fight. We will fight for the unborn. We will fight for the Mom's. We will fight for justice and righteousness in our land. We will fight to exalt God's Word above all else. Because, we know firsthand that it is only God that can make things right once again.

This week, at our crisis pregnancy center in town (Portico), a large billboard was placed right next to them and, in bold print, says "Abortion is Health Care and a Human Right". Since abortion clinics have less oversight than a nail salon and care nothing for the rights of our youngest children or even the women medically or emotionally after they have had an abortion, I disagree with them on both counts. This is all about the almighty dollar and it is all about destroying a generation of future leaders that will shape our culture and world.

When hatred, greed, and murder are married, they produce a powerful, unholy three-cord strand that is not easily broken. Except God. He is the only One that defeats every one of our powerful foes. He is with us and fighting for us and on this day of Purim, it is time to make some noise and thank God for the victory He is about to give to the ones who have no voice.

There is a prayer that Jewish people pray today called V'al Hanissim. This prayers describes the Purim story and gives thanks to God for the "miracles, redemptions, mighty deeds, saving acts and wonders" that He gave to his people centuries ago. Will He do any less for those of us who believe today?

God uses people who have bowed their knees to Him, alone. If this describes you, pray about the ways that you, too, can enter into this fight. We need all hands on deck. Some suggestions include: pray, fast, support your local crisis pregnancy center, get involved with March for Life, vote for legislators who are strong on this point, peacefully pray in front of abortion clinics, see and support movies like Unplanned and Gosnell: The Trial of America's biggest Serial Killer, get involved in ministries that help pregnant Moms or provide post-abortive counseling and healing. There are so many ways to be part of the solution.

The Church in America can no longer be silent. We must defend the defenseless. We must pray to end abortion. We must be supportive and kind to those who are pregnant and in need.  We must spread the word about all that still needs to be done. We must fight against the Haman of our day. We must do it together. And I just know that God will also fight on our behalf. When we see our enemy defeated, it will definitely be a time of joy and a time to celebrate!

                                             EVERY BABY MATTERS!

Overcomers!

                            "Tears come from the heart and not from the brain."
                                                   Leonardo Da Vinci




Leonardo da Vinci is touted today as one of the most influential artists in all of history. He lived during the 1400's and  lived among the contemporaries of Raphael and Michaelangelo. He was a genius and a visionary and left a powerful legacy not only in art, but also in the field of science. He was a sculptor, painter, engineer, architect, scientist, musician, inventor, mathematician, geologist, botanist, and writer. Today, when we think about the Renaissance era, there is no other name that better symbolizes this period than the name of Da Vinci.

His masterpieces include the works of The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Centuries later, artists around the world still try to replicate the genius of this artist. He is admired and honored throughout the earth.

As we appreciate the beauty that Da Vinci left behind, it is also important to note that his life was shaped through the lens of overcoming adversities. He was born as an illegitimate son of a peasant woman and a Florence notary. This meant that he was never allowed to have a proper surname. The name Da Vinci literally means  "of Vinci", which is the town in which he was born.

His low socio-economic status prevented him from attending any good schools and most professions were simply out of reach for him. However, his determination and strength propelled him to seek other options. He became a voracious reader to compensate for his lack of education and he served as multiple apprentices to successful artists. He wrote, "Obstacles cannot crush me; every obstacle yields to stern resolve."

He ultimately did achieve success within his lifetime, but that was never really what fueled him. He measured internal success as more valuable than external success. He spent a lifetime in pursuit of truth and valued his own approval rather than that of other men. He looked deep within himself, saw his own potential, and then spent his lifetime in pursuit of it. He wrote in his journal, "You can have no dominion greater or less than that over yourself."

While Da Vinci painted religious pictures with passion and life, little is really known about his own personal faith and beliefs. He was baptized in the Roman Catholic church but he was not devout. It seems to many that he valued reason and philosophy more than he did faith. Many historians speculate on this topic but there is little data to support what faith, if any, Da Vinci may have had.

If he really did not have a genuine faith and was still able to leave beauty on this earth that exists for centuries, how much more beauty, as believers, could we possibly leave as our legacy? As Christ followers, who are filled with the very spirit and power of God, there is an eternal legacy and not just a temporal one, that can fuel our very existence.

That is because what we are building now is one that will never disappear because it is the very spirit and nature of our God. And, what we build will never dissipate or be forgotten because it will enter into eternity with us. It will be honored and esteemed forever because it is actually God, Himself, who accomplishes His purposes through us.

The Bible tells us that as believers, we, too, are given dominion. David says, "You made mankind rulers over the works of Your hands; You put everything under their feet" (Psalm 8:6). The word dominion  literally means "rule or power over". God commands us to rule and have mastery over the things of this world and to walk in the authority and power that He so freely gives to us.

Jesus assures us that we will have opposition and adversities, but He also tells us that He has already overcome the world (John 16:33).  And, He tells us that we, too, will overcome by His blood and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). This means that we will overcome every spiritual adversary that comes our way when we walk in The Truth of God's Word and the truth of our testimony of what God has done in each of our lives. No one can legitimately dispute His Truth or the truth of what we say about His work in our lives.

We are made in His image and we are called to be His ambassadors (or representatives of Him) on this earth. That means that we can show others what God is like by allowing His Spirit to dominate our lives and by walking in the fruit of His Spirit. As we walk in dominion, we are to do so in a way that reflects both the nature and the character of God.

We multiply biologically and we multiply spiritually. Believers are the only people on this earth who can multiply life spiritually. No one else can do it. We defeat death and bring resurrection life by the power of Jesus. He is glorified when we stand against evil and death and call forth His Light.

We are surrounded now in a culture of death. It comes through sin and brokenness and much pain. We are the only ones who have hope and a solution for this culture of death. We are the only ones through which God would make His appeal. We are loved, and blessed, and esteemed by our God, and we can share these truths with those who honestly just don't know.

Whatever challenges that we ourselves have overcome by the grace and help of Jesus, we then become the most qualified to help others to also overcome. We have earned our PhD and are being commissioned to reach out to others that are struggling under the weight of that thing. We can teach others how to also become overcomers and multiply an overcoming spirit in the earth. This is truly how we occupy until Jesus returns again!


"For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith."
                                                            1 John 5:4


****As Believers, we know The Truth, which is found in the person of Jesus Christ. When we also find our personal truth, through God's eyes, we will then know our purpose and message in the earth.

Whatever It Takes

"And they [Jesus and His disciples] came to Bethsaida. And people brought to Him a blind man and begged Him to touch him. And He caught the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when He had spit on His eyes and put His hands upon Him, He asked him, 'Do you possibly see anything?'

And he looked up and said, 'I see people, but they look like trees walking.'

Then He put His hands on his eyes again; and the man looked intently [that is, fixed his eyes on definite objects], and he was restored and saw everything distinctly [even what was at a distance]."
                                                              Mark 8:22-25




Throughout the Bible, many people were brought to Jesus in order to be healed. Some came on their own accord and others were brought by caring and concerned families or friends. Often, Jesus' miracles are recorded in more than one Gospel, but this particular account of a blind man is only mentioned by Mark. There are many conflicting opinions from Bible scholars as to why this miracle is only recorded by Mark, but the one that makes the most sense to me is that for the first 8 chapters of the book of Mark, he is simply trying to answer only one question. That question is, "Who is this Jesus and how should we see Him?"

Jesus' first response was to lead this man out of the village. First of all, this same village had already been judged by God because of its unbelief (Matthew 11-21-24). Secondly, Jesus took the opportunity to deal individually with a person who needed more clarity in his vision and understanding. His gradual restoration was with purpose. In other words, it was not a deficit in Jesus' ability to heal. Rather, it was the exact process that this blind man needed in order to see and know Jesus in the way that God wanted to be seen and known by him.

My favorite part of this story is that Jesus uses mud to heal his eyes. This says to me that Jesus gets into the mud with us and in our circumstances in order to effect the desired changes that He wants. He is not standoffish or aloof as some believe that He is. No, He walks with us right in the middle of our messes and gently causes the exact changes that we need in order to be healed and in right-standing with Him. It is in the midst of this process that we come to know Jesus in ways that we had not previously known.

If today we were to conduct a survey and ask 100 Christ followers what the most important thing to see in Jesus is, we would probably get 100 different answers. That is because we each have different vision and insight into who this Jesus is to us. We each have different backgrounds in faith and beliefs  and understanding. But, for all of us, Jesus is constantly wanting us to know Him in new and fresh ways and to have a greater intimacy with Him than we have ever previously experienced.

This blind man at Bethsaida had probably once been a sighted man because in the first stage of his miracle he compared men to walking trees. He had been sighted and then he had been blind. He then received partial restoration and then a complete and total restoration of his sight and vision. He would now be a follower of Christ that had a testimony to share with others about what Jesus had personally been and done for him. It is this kind of testimony that is both powerful and brings true transformation in the lives of others.

Because He loves us unequivocally, Jesus operates in the "Whatever It Takes" mantra. This means that His ways are so much higher than our ways and His objectives are for us to know Him better and to become more like Him in the process. He will allow circumstances in our lives in order for us to have this intimate and personal story of all that He means to us individually so that we can also help other people to see accurately. Oftentimes, there are moments in our stories where we, too, are spiritually blind as to what God is doing or as to how He might heal or deliver us. These are the times where we learn to trust God at deeper levels than we ever have before.

Walking in this depth of intimacy with Christ changes both who we are and what we do. Today, I had lunch with a very dear friend who told me that she prays the "whatever it takes" prayers for her friends and loved ones. Granted, she confided in me, this is a very scary prayer sometimes. And she would definitely know that firsthand because she has walked through some very frightening "whatever it takes" moments in her own life. And yet, she has also seen Jesus come through for her in mighty ways that have brought eternal transformation both for herself and for others.

She has inspired me to want to be courageous enough to pray the "whatever it takes" prayers.  I want to have a heart like hers that confidently places my hand inside the hands of Jesus and declares that I would rather have His will in my life than my own. I want to have the kind of faith that trusts in God's processes in my life, as well as His promises. For, it is in those processes that we become more like Him.

How grateful we all should be in knowing that Jesus stands strong with us in the middle of our messes and in the middle of our most intense battles. Gently, He orchestrates the surgeries that we all need deep within the four chambers of our hearts. At the same time, He quietly reassures us that this will end in our good and for His glory. He will show up for us at the exact right time and in a way that will always yield an eternal harvest.

Much of the remnant of believers around this world are searching for deeper answers in their faith journey than they ever have before because many of them are in intense spiritual battles and are suffering in their lives. That is because Satan "is filled with fury because he knows his time is short" (Revelation 12:12). The reason God has allowed so much in the lives of His children are so that we become more like Him and so that we see accurately who the real Jesus is so that we won't be deceived.

We are living in times of strong delusions and false teachings. To know the counterfeit, we must first intimately know the genuine Christ. That is why the truly blessed children of God are those who are having to cling to Him tighter than we ever have. The blessed are those who are having to trust Him more now than ever. The blessed are the ones having to adjust their vision and sight of the Lord. The blessed are those who can privately pray to Jesus and honestly tell Him "whatever it takes".


"For the Lord your God is He Who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you."
                                                            Deuteronomy 20:4


                                                WHATEVER IT TAKES:

For You To Be glorified; For Revival To Come; To Save Our Loved Ones;  To Make Us More Like You;  For Your Will To Be Accomplished;  For Babies To Be Saved In Our Land;  For Righteousness To Be Exalted; For Us To Be Prepared; For Love, and Mercy and Grace To Be Extended; For Your Children To Walk In Victory; For Deception To Be Cast Down; For Wickedness To Be Trampled On; and For Jesus To Shine Throughout The Earth..... And for whatever your whatever is!