Saturday's Silence

          "Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand."
                                                           James 5:8




This Saturday is my husband, Brent's birthday. (For his sake, I will not disclose how many birthdays he has previously experienced!) Since his birthday falls on Easter weekend, it caused me to reflect on the significance of the Saturday that lies between Good Friday and Resurrection Day. Thinking back over my life, I do not recall a sermon ever being preached on the significance of the day that is sandwiched between the two most important days in history. And, since I currently seem to be in a "Saturday" mode in my own life, I was even more intrigued.

All the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion had been tumultuous and rapid. On the day that Jesus was crucified, God showed up in many unmistakeable ways. The curtains in the Temple were tattered, an earthquake shook the ground, the sun was hidden and darkened and the Lamb of God was sacrificed to save a people who had just put Him to death. Graves of the dead were opened and the disciples and loved ones of Jesus felt like their hearts had been ripped open and laid to bare.

The women in Jesus' life anointed his body and placed it in Joseph's tomb. And, on Saturday, everything was still. Jesus' body was still. The angels were still. The actions and voice of God were muted as the earth and its inhabitants gulped in pockets of air, effectually trying to process all the events that had just taken place. After a chaotic and hair-raising Friday, the stark contrast of the silence of Saturday reverberated throughout the universe without a word.

Fear began to dominate as the disciples hid behind locked doors. Afraid of the Jewish leaders who conspired to take Jesus' life, it felt safer to be hidden and out of sight (John 20:19). Their fears were legitimate, too, because at the same time, the chief priests and Pharisees met with Pilate to seal Jesus' tomb so that the disciples would not be able to steal His body (Matthew 27:62-66).

At the same time, we are told that the women who were with Jesus during His crucifixion rested because it was the Sabbath (Luke 23:56). As they were commanded, they spent the day honoring the Lord amidst what was surely confusion and bewilderment. So many questions had to surface in their hearts with very few answers to be found.

This is the dichotomy that is found in God's silence. It is so easy to vacillate between fear bewilderment. It is the time between the prayers that are offered and the answers to those prayers. It is the lapse that is found between the problem and the solution. It is the angst we experience when our questions mount and the answers to them still seem elusive.

                                     "God, are you there?"

                                     "Are you angry at me?"

                                     "I know you are able, yet I see no progress."

                                     "Please confirm that there is a plan in this."

(My favorite yet often useless question) "WHY????"

If you can't tell, I tend to ask a lot of questions. What I have found, however, is that it is the truth of God's Word that lights my path and directs my steps. If I will open the Word and declare what the Word says, peace will inevitably flood my heart. Even when I lack full understanding, there is a solace in knowing that God is God and He's already handled my situation and circumstances.

Even still, Silent Saturdays can be long and the silence of them most certainly deafening. If we are waiting for a healing or some type of redemption or restoration, the seconds can seem like days. The higher the stakes are for what we are believing, the more intense the pressure is around us.  The only true way for the time to seem to go faster is if we are single-mindedly focused on Jesus. Worshipping in the midst of the tomb, before we witness the Resurrection, is the highest form of praise that blesses the heart of God.

As I see it, if we are in a season of waiting, we can either survive it or we can thrive in it. God's purposes are that we rest, learn, seek His face and grow as a result of it. No amount of worry or fear or doubt will expedite our process (it actually may prolong it). We can wait and nervously watch the seconds tick on the clock, or we can wait well by trusting in the Lord and having the expectation that He will bring breakthrough. Just as Jesus "rested" in the tomb, we can learn to spend our time confident that we will see the deliverance we seek.

Quiet confidence and trust are our best resources when we experience the silence of Saturday. Jesus died with such conviction when He said, "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave" (Acts 2:27). Jesus understood that God would never leave Him or forsake Him, especially in the grave.  Even during His darkest hour, Jesus knew that He could count on God. His Father would never fail Him or abandon Him.

While the enemy of our souls wants us to believe that God's silence is also God's absence, that is never the truth. That's what Silent Saturday teaches us. God is never apathetic to what we are experiencing. He cares deeply for every small thing that concerns us and will certainly answer our prayers in His timing.

Think about it this way. If God immediately rushed in and instantaneously answered every prayer, would we really respect and reverence His power in the same way we do when He shows up after an elongated battle? How would He "train our hands for war" (Psalm 18:34) and strengthen us for what lies ahead if we never had to use any spiritual muscles?

Silent Saturdays do have their purpose. They are positioned with precision to bring about God's desired results. They prepare us for the answers that are coming.  When God wants our full attention to something that He is accomplishing, He masterfully sets the stage for such to occur. It is like a dramatic pause in a theater production or opera that then heralds an unforgettable crescendo. Suddenlies occur when we place our faith in God and rest in His timing.

As we enter in to the holiest days of our faith, may we approach them with the faith that Resurrection Day is at hand and the eve of Silent Saturday must dissipate to the breaking of the dawn of Easter morning. Our God is faithful and He will complete that which He has started (Philippians 1:6). There is no story that is more redemptive or restorative than that of Jesus, Himself. In Jesus' story, as in our own, Silent Saturday is only a blip on the radar that gives way to the rolling away of a stone and the glorious appearance of our Risen King!


                                               HAVE A BLESSED EASTER!!!


          "O Lord, we wait for you; Your Name and remembrance are the desire of our soul."
                                                              Isaiah 26:8

A Surrendered Life

              "God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him."
                                                          Andrew Murray




As we are entering in to Easter week, I have been reflecting on Jesus' life and how He completely surrendered His will to His Father. Over and over again, Jesus slipped away from the crowds in order to spend time alone with His Father and to seek His heart and His will. Only one time in scripture do we see Jesus asking His Father to possibly reconsider His plans when He said, "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine" (Luke 22:42, NLT). And, this petition only happened after Jesus was distressed enough to sweat drops of blood.

Jesus exemplifies a perfect life of surrender to His Father. He was directed by God and followed His leading. He walked in faith and expected to see miracles and God's faithful provision for His life. He waited on God's timing and trusted that God's purposes would be accomplished. From the fountain of intimacy that Jesus shared with His Father, He knew that He could rely on the fact that God had His back and would never let Him down. Jesus understood the heart of His Father which enabled Him to trust His heart without doubt or insecurity.

Fast forward to today. In our culture, the word surrender seldom holds a positive connotation.  The word is actually a military term that means "to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand; to give up completely or agree to forgo; to give oneself up into the power of another especially as a prisoner; to give oneself over to something". Giving in and giving up are typically not popular messages conveyed throughout our society.

And yet, a surrendered life is exactly what God calls us to:

(Jesus said) "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow 
                     Me" (Matthew 16:24-25)

(Peter said) "Behold, we have left everything and followed You" (Mark 10:28).

(Isaiah said) "But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our Potter; and all of 
                      us are the work of Your hand" (Isaiah 64:8).

(Jeremiah said) "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to
                           direct his steps" (Jeremiah 10:23).

(Paul said) "I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is
                    no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith
                    [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me
                    and gave Himself up for me" (Galatians 2:20).


In our Christian walk, surrendering occurs at different levels. Initially, we surrender to the Holy Spirit when we receive salvation (Acts 2:21). When we let go of our own attempts to curry God's favor and rely upon the finished work of Christ, we become His children (2 Corinthians 5:21). Then there are other times in our lives where God requires a greater level of surrender that will bring greater intimacy with God and greater power for His service. The more we are yielded, the more we can be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).

God does not want a part of us; He wants all of us. If we compartmentalize our lives, we miss out on the abundant life that Jesus died for us to have. Surrendering to His Lordship completely brings the fruit of the Spirit, His manifest presence,  and a myriad of blessings. By surrendering our will completely to His, we settle the battle with our flesh that desires to have things its own way.

This is not to say that there will never be another battle. It is to say that we have decided to yield our will to His, and, over time the fury of this battle subsides. As we mature spiritually, we learn to war against our self-centered nature and walk in  the victory that Jesus died for us to have. This requires intentionality, denying of self, and picking up our cross daily to follow after Him.

Instead of trying harder, we learn to trust and rely on Him more. We follow God's lead, even when we don't know where He is leading. We wait on His timing without demanding to know when that will come. We expect His miracles and provision without any idea of from where it will come. We trust in His purpose without understanding the circumstances which we are experiencing.

We let go of control, manipulation, and forcing our own agenda. When Jesus said, "not my will but thy will be done", He was telling God that if it was in His best interest to take the suffering away, then by all means to do so. However, if His suffering (or pain, or sickness, or circumstances) were needed to fulfill God's purposes and glory in His life or in another's life, then please do not take it away.

Oswald Chambers said, "Physical courage is grand, moral courage is grander, but the man who trusts Jesus Christ in the face of the terrific problems of life is worth a whole crowd of heroes."

There is so much in this life that we will never understand. The day we step into eternity, however, our minds will be illumined and suddenly the things that made no sense on earth will make perfect sense. We will see without a veil and we will be like Jesus!

If we grapple with fear because of the uncertainties of this world in which we live, we need a greater revelation of God's love for us personally. When we ask God for this revelation, He will gladly give it to us. If Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners, we can trust that He will gladly give us all we need for life and godliness.

He loves us so much! He loves us in spite of ourselves. His plans for us are good. It is His will to redeem and restore every aspect of our lives and families. It is because of His obedience and yieldedness to His heavenly Father, that, we too, can live a surrendered life!


                "The Lord can do no unloving thing toward one of His children."
                                                   Charles Spurgeon

What Is Your Trajectory?

"God is looking for those with whom He can do the impossible- what a pity that we plan only the things that we can do by ourselves."
                                                           A.W Tozer



Yesterdays shooting in Parkland, Florida breaks my heart for the families and school officials at Marjory Stonemason Douglas High School. Today, sixteen high school students and one heroic football coach are deceased and sixteen more are hospitalized (some in critical condition).  I cannot even imagine the level of devastation that must be reverberating within that community. Yet again, violence sends shock waves through a community and even through our nation. (Please pray for everyone that is affected by this tragedy).

My heart hurts for the teenagers today in our culture and the challenges they face. Being a teenager in todays culture must be not only confusing, but also filled with many temptations. Our society has convinced them to be tolerant of all people, but then they are barraged on social media with every sort of messed up lifestyle. In addition to the normal physiological and psycho-social changes that every teen experiences, we now have an opiod epidemic and far too many teens that are not sure how they identify sexually. Ungodly words and images flow through the internet like a tsunami and how easy would it be for a floundering, young soul to get swept up in the current that rages around them on every side?

While followers of Christ understand that Jesus is the Rock that keeps us grounded,  how must that appear to the youth that is inundated in a Babylonian type society? Many think that religiosity is the answer, but that is as powerless as a paper tiger. A.W. Tower said that, "One hundred religious persons knit into unity by careful organization do not constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team."

In far too many churches, the important issues of our society are ignored and not addressed. In order to be a light to our youth, we have to be willing to address the tough subjects in a way that teenagers can experience God's grace and know the power of His transformation. The love of God really can make a difference, but the Church needs the understanding and vision to be effective with the youth today.

For years, too much of the Church thought it would be a good idea to be "relevant" with the culture today in order to attract more followers, but following fads and trends without the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of the Gospel  seems to have led to an inefficacy in the Church. Oftentimes today, many churches don't even realize that they are operating without a third of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit vacated, but many did not even notice. The power to be saved and healed and delivered left, but few people cared.

As a result, the culture around us has lost their respect for Christians and the Church. If are lives are no different than the people who don't know Jesus, why should it attract those who are floundering? Why should no more that 10% of Christian teens who go away to college hold onto their faith? ( A study done by the Southern Baptist convention shows that we lose between 70 to 88% of our youth after their freshman year of college). Compromise has lead us to this place of impotency.

According to Tom Bisset, in his book entitled,  Why Christian Kids Leave The Faith, there are four primary reasons that teens cite for abandoning their beliefs. They state:
                         1. They left because they had troubling, unanswered questions about their faith
                         2. They left because their faith was not "working" for them
                         3. They left because they allowed other things to take priority
                         4. They left because they never personally owned their faith

It occurs to me that this mass exodus of our kids is happening because there are far too many adults who never fully made their own exodus from Egypt. In other words, when our children see adults who only embody only parts of the Gospel, they will be much less likely to fully espouse the Gospel themselves. God called the Israelites to leave Egypt completely and to serve Him in Canaan. We play with fire if we try to play church while we entertain ourselves with idols.

Kids today yearn for something in which to be passionate. If they can't find the true, good, and authentic One to be passionate about, they will find the counterfeit to get the attention they crave. We should not be surprised that they would resort to doing ridiculous things like eating tide pods and posting it on You Tube. We cannot legislate our way out of a problem that eminates from a cavernous soul.

Anxiety is another factor that is greatly affecting teens today. It has been said that anxiety is the spirit of this generation. Teens are being affected in unprecedented numbers. According to the American College Health Association, the percentage of teens who reported bouts of "overwhelming anxiety" rose to 62% in 2016, as opposed to 50% in 2011. Anxiety now outpaces depression and is the number one reason college students seek counseling. It now affects nearly one-third of both adults and adolescents.

Social media has a large role to play in the anxiety levels of teens. When they respond night and day to texts, post incessantly, and snap chat continually, the constant stimulation from digital habits takes its toll. One teenager, who was in in-patient treatment for anxiety said, "I don't think we realize how much social media affects our moods and personalities. While social media is only a tool, it's become this thing that we can't live without, but that's making us crazy" (NYT article, "Why are more American Teenagers than ever suffering from severe anxiety?").

All of us are created to have an impact on the world around us, and our teens are no exception. They long to make a difference, yet the enemy of our souls will gleefully seduce them to carve out that niche in a way that destroys them and dishonors God. To navigate that quagmire, they need wisdom and insight, as well as the power that only the Holy Spirit can provide to them. As adults, we need to heed the warning signs within our culture and within our teenage population.

When adult followers of Christ see the shaking in our society and then warning signs that are screaming so loudly, it should cause us to pause and understand that God is now calling us to a higher level of holiness. If goodness is the only thing that overcomes evil, then what is my role to accomplish this goal? It is easy to decide that there are just too many things happening in the world for one person to make a difference, and, yet, this is not what the Word of God  tells us.

When Daniel found himself, as a teenager, thrust into the wicked and degenerate society of Babylon, he understood that he was called to a more radical level of obedience in his own life. He positioned himself to make a true difference by evaluating every aspect of his life, including personal indulgences and prayer. He decided to get down to the nitty-gritty details of his life to effect reals changes in the culture around him.

Just as radical obedience was the answer 2700 years ago, so it is for us today. We must lay down those things that distract and steal our time so that we can intercede and stand in the gap for the multitudes that are perishing around us. It is not a coincidence that the book of Daniel is the sister book of prophecy to the book of Revelation, which, in my estimation, makes it extremely applicable to the times in which we live.

Each one of us has a trajectory in our lives. As the world around us gets darker, the level of our obedience should increase. Merriam-Webster defines trajectory as "a path, progression, or line of development resembling a physical trajectory". In physics, a trajectory is also called a flight path and it "is the path that a moving object follows through space as a function of time".  An object's trajectory is either controlled by gravity, and pulled downward; or it can be driven forward by forces inside itself, like a missile.  That is consistent with what we see in the spiritual realm as well.  Unless we have the Holy Spirit within propelling us forward and upward, dark spiritual forces will pull us inevitably downward, like gravity.

It is God's desire that we effect change in the world around us.  This will not be accomplished without the power of the Holy Spirit. He has a calling and purpose for each one of us, and that purpose is especially important in these times in which we live. We cannot allow the Church to continue its trajectory to fade into the darkness. We must fight on our knees first and then shine brightly wherever God has positioned us.

2018 will be a year for stepping into our destinies and apprehending the Canaan that God has apportioned for us. Now is the time to assess our own individual trajectories and make whatever adjustments we need to to come into alignment with God's will for our lives. (Remember, that even one millimeter can throw us way off our course). We must step up so that we can push back the darkness that is attempting to suffocate our youth and prevail within our culture. True assessment and revival can only begin on an individual level, and, with the power of God, it can reverberate and have a domino effect!


"He who earnestly seeks after and craves righteousness, mercy, and loving-kindness will find life, and righteousness, and honor."
                                                           Proverbs 21:21

Wonders Without Number

"As for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before Him; Who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number."
                                                                       Job 5:8-9




There are millions of wonders that occur in our world everyday. From the sun that rises to the sun that sets, and, still, there are wonders that continue to occur in the dark.  Just two nights ago, we had a combination of a blue moon, a super moon, and a lunar eclipse that happened in the same night! (The picture posted is of this moon over our house.) The last time this happened was in the year 1866.

God's wonders occur all the time, no matter what season of life we may find ourselves. They can be seen in nature and in providence and in His grace. The whole purpose, plan and accomplishment of salvation is filled with the wonders of our God.

They are continuous and they are great. In Psalms, we are told that "God alone does great wonders, for His lovingkindness is everlasting" (Psalm 136:4). No one else can do them and they are always unique and powerful, filled with God's wisdom and grace.

Merriam Webster defines wonder as "a cause of astonishment or admiration; a marvel; a miracle; astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience".  Wonders are awe inspiring and should lead us to drawing even closer to the One who accomplishes them. God reveals aspects of Himself through the wonders He performs.

Unfortunately, sometimes we get busy and sometimes we forget. Instead of focusing our thoughts and hearts on all that God is doing in the earth, we sometimes get sidetracked, sideswiped, or sidelined. These pesky distractions can cause us to lose focus on the most important things in our world.

In these cases, we can even pull back from our relationship with Jesus, instead of pressing in to discover the revelation and treasures He has apportioned for us. This is how disillusionment and discouragement take root and why some people even walk away from their faith. This day and time is definitely the time to press in "to receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

As I reflect on this New Year, it occurs to me that this may be a year that is filled with the wonders of God. Surely our world would be a much better place if more people saw and experienced Him in a tangible way. It is my prayer that this will certainly be the case.

More important than seeing and experiencing His wonders is to see and experience His presence. This, in and of itself, is the greatest miracle of all. When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, it was the presence of God that really knocked his socks off (or sandals), so to speak.

This makes me wonder exactly what was running through Moses' mind as he heard the voice of the Lord call him personally by name. Were memories from his former life in Egypt flooding his consciousness, or was he thinking more in terms of the people there that were still being oppressed? Whatever his thoughts were, he soon reached to cover his face, realizing now that he was in the presence of an Almighty God.

The Lord quickly assured Moses and explained to him that He had seen the oppression of His people and had heard their cries. He acknowledged His awareness of all that they had suffered. This was the day that God chose to come down from heaven to intervene on behalf of His people- the people with whom He had covenanted. This miracle (or wonder) occurred so that God could show that he cares for His people, and that He will guide, deliver, and bless them through His presence.

God commissioned Moses and told him what he was to do. Moses had many objections and doubts, but, once again, God reassured Moses that He would be with him and that He would give him the words to speak and the wonders in which he would be allowed to participate. Moses was still reluctant to proceed in God's mission, but the will of God could never be thwarted by the insufficiency of man. God was sufficient to overcome that too!

The destination of God's people was the Promised Land. No matter how many doubts or insecurities they may have had, God's objective would be accomplished. The same is true for us today. God is commissioning us into our destinies and we are going somewhere.

No matter what has come against us, God is reassuring us that He is with us and that He is sufficient to accomplish every promise and purpose that He has given to His people. Press in to His presence through reading His Word and loving and worshipping the One who really is sovereign over every mess. Take heart, sweet one, because I believe that this is a year in which we will see wonders without number!


                       "I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth..."
                                                      Joel 2:30

Light Bursting Forth

"And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it]."
                                                                John 1:5




Christmastime is my favorite time of the year! I love the music and church services, as well as the decorations and choosing little gifts and blessings for others that will bring a smile to their faces. I love the baking and get togethers and spending time with all the people we love the most. Greater than all of these, however, is the remembrance of our Savior and how He chose to bring us the greatest gift of salvation by entering into our very dark world as The Light of the World.

When I look at our world today, it makes me wonder how similar things are today (in terms of darkness) as they were 2000 years ago. Does our degree of violence parallel that of the Roman soldiers?  Or, does the degree of intolerance for Christians today match that of the early church? Most importantly, does the disdain that the average man has for God compare to that of the time in which Jesus was born?

While we cannot know for certainty, what we do know is that the darker the world gets, the brighter the Light can shine. Even simple kindnesses and courtesies stand out today that would have been taken for granted not that long ago. Our world is rapidly changing around us, which fully gives believers the opportunity to shine brighter than was previously possible.

While it is sometimes difficult to fathom, we are truly blessed to be living in the times that we are. The apostle, Luke, tells us that "many prophets and kings longed to see what you see and they did not see it, and to hear what you hear and they did not hear it" (Luke 10:24). We are literally watching Biblical prophecy occur and are now the closest generation to the second coming of Christ!

This means that today we now have more opportunities spiritually than we have previously had. To appropriate all the promises that God has given to us, we have to "stand firm and hold fast" (2 Thessalonians 2:15) to our faith and not allow discouragement to seep in.  As we keep our eyes on Jesus and on His Word, He is our Spiritual Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4) that keeps us firmly planted, even in these turbulent times.

Jesus is the Only Light of this world.  He told us that we, also, are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). His Light shines in and through us no matter what may come against us. While darkness tries to invade through sickness, death, pressure, and lack, we know that, with God, there is always Light and there is always hope. Light pierces the darkness and no matter how daunting our circumstances may appear, Light always wins when we trust in God.

Often, God may allow difficulties and trials so that others (who do not yet know Him), will see His mighty hand work and move on our behalf. The prophet, Isaiah, tells us that "The people who walk in darkness will see great Light; those who live in a dark land, the Light will shine upon them" (Isaiah 9:2). This, to me, is both the beauty and the miracle of Christmas.

If, today, you are wondering where the Light in your life has gone, or you are feeling like darkness has come in like a flood, look up! This is definitely the time and the season where God is igniting life and light. Just as the world desperately needed the birth and Light of Jesus 2000 years ago, this is also a time when the world cries out for it daily. He came in the form of a babe to bring salvation then, and  today He heralds the cry of a King and warrior to any who would hear. He still longs to bring to all the precious gift of salvation.

It doesn't matter what people may have said or done in your life. The only thing that truly matters is that we see and hear Jesus and that we continue to allow His Light to flow through our lives.

If life throws you a curve ball.... Shine on!

                 If a loved one veers off the path.... Shine on!

                              If darkness comes in like a flood..... Shine on!

                                        If Jesus should tarry...... Shine on!

                                                     If you have more questions than answers..... Shine on!

                                                                If others stand against you.... Shine, Shine, Shine on!


              IF WE JUST KEEP SHINING, HIS LIGHT WILL BURST FORTH!!!
                                               (Be patient; It is a promise!)

For The Love

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




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Bigger Than Your Circumstances

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




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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