God Is Greater!

"Behold, the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him."
                                                             Isaiah 40:10




Their Holy City was in ruins. The Israelites were weak and helpless compared to the nations that surrounded them. They had rebelled against God and had suffered great humiliation and chastening from the Lord. Their challenges were great and their resources were few. This is when Isaiah, the prophet stepped in and told them to take their eyes off their circumstances and focus on the greatness of their God, who loves them dearly and promises to do great things for them. Isaiah said, "Be not afraid! Behold your God!" (Isaiah 40:9).

For 9 whole chapters, Isaiah describes the greatness of God in three different areas of our lives. He stated emphatically that God is greater than our circumstances. Passionately, he adds that God is greater than our fears. Determinedly, he states that God is also greater than our enemies.

Okay, so this is where I stop and hit the pause button. Here was a nation that was in desolation, surrounded by armies of other nations, including the strongest power of them all, which was Babylon. They didn't have resources, and, in the natural, they didn't stand a chance. That is, until you add God into the equation.

I don't know if you have ever been in a situation like this, but I would have to imagine your knees might be shaking a little if you were. Oh, you might put on a brave face, but surely there are a thousand thoughts that would flood through your mind. Surely, you would recognize the fact that this is where the rubber meets the road. Is God who He really says He is? Will He really do what He says He will do? This is a crossroad that you must decide which path your faith will follow.

If I believe that God is really greater than my circumstances, I must believe that He is bigger than the circumstances behind me, before me, and within me. When the Israelites looked behind them, they saw failure and sinned I am quite sure they were desperate for an encouraging word. God answered their distress with mercy and forgiveness and explained to them that even though He had chastened them that He also deeply loved them and they were still His children.

God also promised them that He was with them as they repaired the ruins and that they could trust Him. His plans were for restoration and for preparing the way for Jesus to come. Even though they probably did not understand the depth of all that God was doing, if they focused on Him, they would have peace to complete their tasks. They could also be confident in all the promises of God. Ultimately, God promised that His glory would be revealed.

When the Israelites looked at all that needed to be accomplished before them, it had to be a very daunting challenge. There were few of them in number and they faced a long and difficult journey. Already, they had experienced defeats from Assyria, Babylon and Persia, and it must have appeared to them that the pagan gods of the Gentiles were kicking their behinds. And yet, God is greater than it all. When we view things from this correct perspective, we will see that He is drawing us near to reveal His greatness to us. This is a very personal and sweet part of the process.

When the Israelites surveyed the circumstances within themselves, their true hearts were revealed. They complained to God that He was asking the impossible of them and telling him they did not have the strength to accomplish what was set before them. As if God were unaware of what was happening, or at the very least apathetic, their complaining kept them from seeing His provisions and concern for what they were experiencing. If, instead, they would have meditated on His character and promises they would have had more strength and encouragement and would have exchanged their weaknesses for His power.

It was during this time that the Israelites had to accurately assess their fears. Since all their senses were heightened due to their circumstances, there was a much better opportunity to truly survey the things that caused them fear. There was no possibility of sweeping things under the rug right now because the situations were too chaotic to subdue them by merely managing or controlling them. In fact, God had increased the heat so that the dross would have no choice but bubble up to the top. And, bubble up is what they did.

There is always a moment (that feels like an eternity) between the time that we see the urgency of our situation and we witness the provision that God has already set in motion. It is as if we are blind and trying to feel our way through a dark room. However, it is in this moment that God reveals to us what it is that we are REALLY trusting in. Is it Him? Is it ourselves? Is it others? The answer to this question is vital to our spiritual growth. Will we give God access to truly be greater than our fears?

To see that God is greater than our enemies means that we have to walk out our journey until He gives us victory over them. Often, they can be loud and obnoxious in the interim. When this happened to the Israelites, God said to them 5 times, "I Am the Lord, and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:5-6, 14, 18, 21-22, 46:9). None else. None else. None else. None else. None else.

We have to know that we know that NOTHING is greater than God. Not our circumstances. Not our fears. Not our enemies. Not ANYTHING!

This story ended well for the Israelites. God used King Cyrus to destroy Babylon, and their many idols. God delivered His people and they returned to Israel. He refined them, prepared them for their future work and did great things for them.

Chances are, if you are going through difficult circumstances, that this is what God is also doing for you. How I wish that this was an instantaneous process, but it has never been for me. Often, God is revealing a hidden fear or challenging me on things in which I am holding too tightly. His goal is always to bring me to a place of total trust in him and prove once again that He truly is Greater than all that concerns me. He really never has failed me yet, and I am confident He never will!


"God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile."
                                                      Max Lucado

Worshippers And Warriors

"God trains my hands for battle; He strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; Your help has made me great. You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping."
                                                                    Psalm 18:34-36




Working our way out of a difficult situation in our lives can sometimes take awhile, even when we have God on our side.  Knowing that God has the ability to instantaneously deliver us can sometimes cause more angst as we struggle against the knowledge that He chooses not to, yet. We can ask Him all the "why" questions (which is perfectly fine), only to find out that there are better questions to ask.  Examples of better questions might be, "God, what part of Yourself are You revealing to me in this situation?" or "God, what parts of myself need to be changed as a result of what I am experiencing?"

If we have the right attitude and perspective, there is so much we can learn. That is what David did, when he was in the midst of an intense battle, where King Saul was trying to take his life. No matter how much Saul came against David and persecuted him, David never considered Saul his enemy. Instead, he sought God for strategies and gave praise and thanks to the Lord for His many mercies. David learned how to both war and worship-- God's way.

The entire 18th Psalm is the psalm of praise and victory that David wrote after God delivered him and made him king over all of Israel and all the nations that stood in opposition to Israel. It shows how David did what he could do and then trusted God to do what only He could do. There was never a Plan "B"; only God's Plan "A", which was a plan of deliverance and coming out on top so that God would be glorified.

Throughout the Bible, God refers to Himself as a warrior. In Exodus, we are tole, "The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His Name" (Exodus 15:3). In Revelation 19, we are told that Jesus is coming back to earth as a warrior riding a white horse, followed by a mighty army with a sword. All the great men and women that God used mightily had to first be a warrior in their heart.

According to Merriam-Webster, a warrior is defined as "a person engaged or experienced in warfare".  In other words, a warrior fights for something greater than himself. In the passage above, we are told that God trained David's hands for battle, and He does the same for us today. Each one of us should be engaged in some type of battle that is greater than ourselves-- an unsaved loved one, a cause of injustice, or standing for what is right in an ungodly society. We can do this through both prayers and actions.

When we put on the armor of God daily (Ephesians 6), we hold both the sword and the shield. The sword is the Word of God, which we declare over our circumstances and the shield is what gives us victory over the enemy. When our hearts are pure before God, we can worship Him in advance for what He is going to accomplish on our behalf.

Hope leads to faith and both march us closer to our victory. What we focus on determines if we are hopeful or hopeless. We must take our lives back and hold onto hope, because a victim suffers defeat and not victory. God calls us to be victorious. In fact, Jesus already died and paid the price for our victories.

Now, for those of you who are suffering, the last thing I want to do is to sound trite and even intimate that victory is easy. Actually, it rarely is. Often, we must wait on the timing of God and learn to trust Him even when are circumstances are loudly screaming the opposite. These are the times to worship Him with all our hearts, minds, and souls.

Worship will bring us into the presence of God and more understanding of the heart of God. There is nothing our country needs more of today than this. If people really understood God's heart and love for themselves, they wouldn't feel the need to reject Him and rebel against His precepts. They would be drawn to Him and in love with the goodness of who He is.

Revival in our nation will occur when God's children become both warriors and worshippers. Jesus tells us that "the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for such doth the Father seek to be His worshippers" (John 4:23). We must worship God first and then get in the fight in the world around us. One of the best ways to fight is through prayer and intercession.

Not one of us is called to sit on the bench. Each one of us can do something. We can pray, and worship, and serve, and love. Given the hour on the Kingdom calendar, we should be even more cognizant to what God is calling us to do. We cannot be distracted by life, or circumstances, or anything else. We are here with purpose, and I know each one of us want to fulfill our calling and purpose. We can and must stay in the fight regardless of any limitations we may have.

David called on God and God delivered him. He obeyed God and God rewarded him. He submitted to God and God equipped him. He worshipped God and God was glorified in a mighty way.

Very often, our difficult circumstances are a set-up from the Almighty so that others may see Him in our lives. God will vindicate us in His timing and in His way. When we are patient, trusting His processes, we will see that He worked all things together for our good. In the meantime, we are called to be both worshippers and warriors!


"Lord, raise up warriors, who will fight on their knees, who will worship You with their whole heart."
                                                         The movie War Room

A God-Conquered Life

"They said to him [Joshua], 'Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of the Lord your God; for we have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth. So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, "Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet with them, and say to them,'We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us."

Our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now, behold, it is dry and become crumbled. These wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our clothes and our sandals were worn out because of the very long journey.

So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the Lord."
                                                               Joshua 9:9-14




When God called Joshua to conquer the Promised Land, the Bible records both his successes and his failures. In the verses above, Joshua (and company) failed for the second time (the first being when they lost at Ai because of the sin of Achan). The Gibeonites approached the Israelites pretending that they were from a foreign country and asked the Israelites to agree to a covenant with them. The truth was that the Gibeonites were located only 25 miles away in Gilgal and should have been destroyed by the Israelites since they were within Canaan. The Gibeonites intentionally deceived the Israelites by pretending to honor God, when in fact, their mission was to conquer the children of God.

The Gibeonites succeeded in this deception and battle because the Israelites did not seek God and wait on His direction. They relied on their own senses instead of taking a more spiritual approach. They believed the enemy rather than seeking God's mind, which landed them into a heap of trouble.

Joshua made a covenant with the Gibeonites instead of conquering them, and 3 days later found out that they were frauds. Joshua decided to admit his mistakes and honor his oath with them (which kept the Israelites from God's judgment), but this would cost them dearly in the loss of the plunder that would have been theirs and also through the long-term influence of pagan practices on their people. Compromise will always cost us more than we want to give.

Thankfully, the story does not end here. Joshua not only admitted his mistakes but he also allowed them to begin to work for his benefit. He put the Gibeonites to work hauling water and wood for the service of the tabernacle. They assisted the priests and labored as servants within the temple, which definitely was better for them than being destroyed. Additionally, God overruled Joshua's mistake and used it to give him a decisive victory over five kings at one time (that came to fight against the Gibeonites), which expedited him conquering the land of Canaan and spared him from 5 separate battles.

Joshua had both a strategy and a heart to obey God. But, even with those things working on his behalf, he still didn't accomplish his plans perfectly. He never quit, though. Through both mountains and valleys, Joshua continued on until he ultimately fulfilled the mission God had given to him. He conquered the land and then divided it for each of the tribes of Israel, just as God commanded him to do.

As part of his spiritual journey, Joshua had to learn how to conquer defeat, fear, and discouragement. At the very beginning of his story, God kept telling Joshua to "be strong and courageous". God knew in advance everything that Joshua would encounter and He was preparing him for how he needed to handle things. God's standard was not perfection; instead, it was relationship and obedience and perseverance.

The same is true for us today. Often, we tend to look at the things we are doing correctly and we can easily miss an area in our lives that the enemy is targeting. Sometimes the enemy comes like a roaring lion and sometimes he appears as an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). If we are not humbly inquiring of the Lord, it is possible for us to be duped.

Like Joshua, our success comes when we:
                 1. Believe God's divine promises
                 2. Use sound strategies
                 3. Rely on prayer

We, too, must learn how to conquer defeat, fear, and discouragement. We have to understand that not one of our spiritual journeys will include perfection on our part. We have to learn to forgive our own mistakes of the past and know that everyday is a new start and that God's mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). Each day we can make a renewed decision for Christ and live by the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in the ways God calls us to.

Seeking God daily through His Word will enable us to believe His promises and be confidant that even when we are surrounded by the enemy that God is still surrounding him. We have to peer out beyond the enemy to see God's army surrounding him. We can ask God to see with the eyes of Elisha to comprehend His power and strength in our lives.

We can ask God for His strategies to overcome what comes against us and we can rest knowing that He is with us and for us. Not because any of us deserve it, but because He is faithful and honors His Word. The plans He made for our lives, even before we were born, will continue to exist even when we drop the ball.

We rely on prayer and God's Word to overcome fear and discouragement. It is a daily choice to believe that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do. When we are submitted in every area of our lives, we will see God move on our behalf. Sometimes there is just a learning curve to really see the truth about the areas that have not yet been submitted. We all want to believe that we are fully submitted to God, yet there can be blind spots and generational openings that we don't yet see. Yet God is always faithful to show us if we are willing to walk it out.

Entering into our Promised Land requires that we leave some old things at the door because if we were allowed to bring them in it really wouldn't be a promised land. Self-flagellation, fear and discouragement are some of the things we must leave behind. There is just no room for them for where God is taking us. Also, don't continually remind yourself of old failures because God may very well be using them to accelerate your progress in this next season of your life!

When we admit our mistakes and walk humbly with God, He will continue to refine us and show us any areas that are not submitted to Him. We seek Him daily and inquire in all matters, and He will cause us to succeed. This is how we can all live a God-Conquered life!


           "A God-Conquered man [or woman] cannot be conquered by anything else."
                                                         A.W. Tozer

Shaking Off Serpents

"After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and it was cold. When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, 'No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.' He, however, shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured."
                                                           Acts 28:1-9




The waves of the ocean rocked back and forth violently as a hurricane ripped through it mercilessly. The apostle Paul was bound in chains, as he was being taken to Rome to stand trial before Caesar, despite the fact that Porcius Festus could find no real charges with which to accuse him. In actuality, it was never really Festus' decision to make, for God had already determined that Paul would go to Rome because He had work for him to do there.

So, as he was en route, accompanied with other prisoners, Luke, Aristarchus, and his guard named Julius, their ship encountered a massive storm. Paul had warned the crew of the peril that lie ahead, but they chose to ignore his warnings. Ultimately, the ship wrecked and they lost everything except their lives. Cold and shaken, the 276 men set foot on the isle of Malta where their adventures would  continue to occur.

The people of the island warmly welcomed them and built a fire to help them warm up. Paul assisted them and grabbed a bunch of sticks to throw on the fire. As he did, a poisonous snake that was mixed in with the sticks recoiled from the heat and bit his hand. Not only did the serpent bite his hand, but it actually held on and was affixed to him.

Immediately the people jumped to the conclusion that this was judgment against Paul, and that surely he had done something ghastly, like murder, to deserve such a fate. They did not offer him assistance, or a physician, or even a bandaid (or whatever they used for bandaids back then). They stood there gawking, just waiting for the conclusion of what they knew to be his terrible, horrible demise.

They waited and waited and waited. After all, what kind of despicable criminal deserves an horrific storm, shipwreck, and poisonous snake bite? Their minds were in a frenzy just trying to imagine the atrocities of this criminal while they waited. Except, the unimaginable happened. That is, nothing. They witnessed him shaking off the snake, while no harm came to him. They could hardly believe their eyes.

These same people that had rushed to judgment now decided that Paul was some kind of god. After all, who could successfully survive all these calamities? People can be so fickle!

At this point, I just wonder what in the world was going through the mind of Paul? Was he asking God for the reasons of these circumstances? Was his mind reeling from questions as to why these things were a part of God's plan? Did he question God's goodness? Did fear and trepidation come pounding at the door of his heart?

After all, God had already told him he was going to Rome. Could he have been confident of his destination, yet trying to understand the boundless obstacles along the way? It is the times like these that I have come to understand it is not the reasons that truly matter. These are the times we need a greater revelation from God to hold onto our peace. We need the revelation that the storm can arise against us, but also that God is holding the clouds. We need the revelation that the snake can bite us, but that God has already defeated that age old serpent.

We must learn, as believers, to remain undeterred in our mission when the enemy tries to sift or shake us. We focus on the mission at hand and trust God with the rest of the details. The Bible tells us not to worry about tomorrow, because we have enough to deal with for today (Matthew 6:34). We definitely cannot be swayed by the unsolicited opinions of those who change their minds at the drop of a hat. Especially those who do not have our best interest at heart.

We must learn to shake off every single serpent that would seek to attach itself to us in an effort to abort our mission. We shake off: discouragement, unforgiveness, worry, fear, apathy, tolerating sin (ours or someone elses), or anything else that would separate us from God's Holy Spirit. Not only shake the serpent off, but throw it in the fire where it belongs. Do not allow it to hang around, otherwise it will rear its ugly head again.

What happens next in Paul's story really captures my attention. He went and stayed with a man named Publius, who had a father who was extremely ill. Paul laid hands on him and prayed for him and God healed him. In fact, the very same hand that the serpent had bitten was now used by God to heal others. This healing led to other healing until there was a full-fledged revival on the isle of Malta.

The same will always be true for us. However the enemy bites us or stings us can be turned around on his own head if we allow the Holy Spirit to first heal us so then we can minister to others in that same area. There is an anointing that comes when we have been bitten. And that anointing is always for the greater good. It is always for the multitudes that are suffering. It is only God's compassion that allows us to be bitten so that the many can be healed.

What ultimately happens when we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, is that we receive power. God gives us the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). Jesus goes on to say that when this happens that "nothing shall hurt you". We recognize the enemy, show up for battle, stand with authority, and surrender to the power of Jesus. This is how we overcome the enemy and shake off every serpent that seeks to harm us or our families.


                                         "Never wound a snake; kill it."
                                                Harriet Tubman

Treasures In The Dark

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
                                                           Romans 8:38-39




One of the fundamental cravings we have as people is to feel secure. We want it in our relationship with God, in our marriages, in our families, in our health, in our careers, in our finances, and in all the things for which we pour out our lives. When we wake up in the mornings, we begin our day planning out the things that need to be accomplished in order to make us and our families feel more secure. When life clicks along in a way that we perceive it should, it would seem that things are secure... that is, until life throws a curveball. Especially, a curveball for which we are ill-prepared.

It comes to us in the form of a phone call, or an unexpected illness, a divorce, or an accident. It can come through news from a loved one, or a job loss, infertility, or the death of someone dear. It can occur within a second, or drag out for months and years.  These are the times when it feels like our security is being shaken to the core.

After we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God passionately desires that we have assurance of our salvation. In Hebrews 6:17, we are told that "God desire(s) to show [us] more convincingly" that we are heirs of the promise and that His saving purposes for us are unshakeable. He wants for us to rest in His promises and enjoy the security He provides for those who are His children.

According to the book, Heaven on Earth, written in 1654 by Thomas Brooks, we can be assured of all the promises God's Word provides for His children. He states,
     "Beloved in our dearest Lord, you are those worthy 'of whom this world is not worthy'
                                                      Hebrews 11:38
                                   You are the princes that 'prevail with God'
                                                      Genesis 32:28
                         You are those 'excellent ones' in whom is all Christ's delight
                                                      Psalm 16:3
You are His glory. You are His chosen, culled, prime instruments that He will use to carry out His best and greatest works against His worst and greatest enemies in these latter days.

While God works overtime to convince us of our eternal security and the love He has for us, there can be seasons of our lives when we struggle to be convinced. Fear, doubt, and anxiety can worm their ways into our thinking until we forget that God is bigger than our circumstances and succumb to the pressures of the day. This is what happened to Peter:

"And Peter answered Him, 'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to you on the water'. Jesus said, 
'Come'. So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him, saying to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased" (Matthew 14:28-33).

The thing Peter did wrong was to take his eyes off Jesus; the thing Peter did right was to cry out to Jesus. The Bible teaches us that to 'cry out' is to speak audibly with great emotion concerning an urgent need. He invites us to pray this way when we desperately need His mercy. It takes both faith and humility to cry out to God. It renounces self-sufficiency and appeals to the goodness of our Heavenly Father.

The Bible promises us that God both hears and responds to our cries. In Psalm 3:4, David wrote, "I was crying out to the Lord with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain." The name of Jesus invites both His power and authority into our situation.

While God hears us and responds to us, we may not always see the solution immediately. If He allows the problem to remain for a period of time, it is for His good purposes. While we wait for His perfect timing, we can always count on His comfort and presence in our lives, which is what supplies us with joy and hope.

There are times, however, when things feel extremely dark. This is a darkness that is not caused by sin, nor is it caused by ignorance. Actually, it is a darkness that comes because you are walking with God.  It came to every major man or woman in Scripture.  It came to Abraham when he stood waiting for God to accept his sacrifice (Genesis 15:12). It came to Moses waiting on the mountain to receive the commandments in the "thick darkness" where God was (Deuteronomy 5:22).  It came to Job when he "looked for good" but "evil came" (Job 30:26). It came to David more than once throughout the Psalms.

There are times when God intentionally brings darkness to our lives. This is the darkness that will not lift until it has accomplished the perfect work within our souls. Jacob was left alone in the darkness and "a man wrestled with him until daybreak" (Genesis 32:24). This kind of darkness is inescapable, but eventually God does provide the daylight.

The way you know if this is a God-ordained darkness is that you will usually feel emptiness and helplessness. God sanctions these feelings with purpose. What is empty, God fills. What is helpless, God saves and delivers. Like a newborn infant, we learn to depend on God in all new ways. We come to expect that He will meet our needs, even if it is impossible to imagine how in the natural.

If your world seems dark today, remember that this world is not our home and we will never be afforded complete security on this earth. We can learn to have faith that is unshakeable, though, in the midst of our circumstances. And, our circumstances can be used to draw us closer to the Lord and increase in our dependance upon Him. We can learn to trust God, even when we cannot see. We can stand and even keep walking, knowing that God is with us even if we cannot see or feel His presence.

We must say and do the things daily that convince us of the truth of all of God's Word. Not one single one of us is the exception to the truth of the Bible. Write down the promises He gives pertaining to your circumstances and declare them daily over your life. Believe God is who He says He is and He will do what He says He will do. Recall daily all of the things God has already accomplished in your life.

As the world around us continues to get darker,  we can remain convinced of our eternal security and the everlasting love of God. When circumstances are difficult and consuming, we can keep our eyes on Jesus and cry out to Him. He will never leave us or forsake us and He is orchestrating all things for our good and the benefit of others. That is who He is and that is what He does. He is good all the time and there are always treasures that He has prepared for you, even if you are sitting in the dark.


"I will give you hidden treasures hidden in the darkness- secret riches.  I will do this so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God os Israel, the One who calls you by name."
                                                           Isaiah 45:3

Relentlessly Pursued

"And they will call them 'The Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord'; and you will be called 'Sought Out, A City not deserted.'"
                                                        Isaiah 62:12




Working as a nurse, I saw many types of patients. There were patients who were anxious and had a million questions about their illness, treatment regimens, and medications. There were also patients who needed a lot of attention and their call button in their room was their best friend. There were the complainers, the histrionic, the demanding, the deniers, the stoic, the "Pollyannas", and those that were more concerned with others than themselves. There were also the patients that called everyone they knew within their area code to rush in and be by their side. There were those who sought prayer support. There were those who trusted the medical staff and those who second-guessed every available option. And, lastly, there were those who genuinely did not feel well and wanted to be left alone.

My point is not to make light of people who are ill and suffering. There is nothing like a diagnosis, an illness, a disease, or injury or an accident  that can turn a families' world upside down more quickly.  My point is to show that each one of us are wired to handle situations differently and when the stress level in our lives gets amped up, it is certain that the way we are hard-wired will be evident. It is also certain that if there are any frayed wires, these will show, as well.

What is true physically is also true spiritually. When life throws curve balls at us, we will usually default to the pre-existing wiring that is deep within. Some will "tuck and roll" and others will resort to all manner of coping that may or may not be helpful in the healing process.

If I could go back and re-do my spiritual journey up to this point, this would be the one major thing I would change. What I realize about myself is that I am the type of patient that just wants to be left alone. During the seasons of my life when circumstances were overwhelmingly painful, I tended to withdraw from my relationship with Jesus instead of running to Him for the assistance that only He could give. When I couldn't understand His plan and purpose in my life I hunkered down and just tried to survive the onslaught.

Retrospectively, I realize that it was during those times that God actually was pursuing me the most. I could not see it then (probably because I didn't want to see it), but today I definitely can. I think that the only thing I focused on during those times was for my circumstances to change, never realizing that my Sovereign and loving Heavenly Father desired more for those circumstances to change me. It was in the futility of ineffective coping strategies that I had to dig deeper to find a better way.

God had not stepped away from me. In fact, I now know that  He actually drew closer. Scripture tells us that "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). It was His mercy that enabled Him to prioritize what was the most important thing, even though I could not understand it that way at the time.

The same is true in medicine. Often, the procedures and treatments cause more pain before the true healing can begin. The physician has the foresight and knowledge to proceed, often in spite of much objection and definite consternation. If we recoil, or refuse treatment, we will prolong the duration of our suffering.

We are blessed to have The Great Physician, who not only treats our frailties, but He also chases after us in relentless pursuit of a loving relationship. He continually seeks, not only that which is lost (Luke 19:10), but also to have a relationship with us, and to become our One and Only. He is approachable and He is love. In fact, He is the ultimate lover of our souls and literally sacrificed everything to show us this very important truth.

The difficult aspect of this truth is that right now we are stuck in a world where inequities seem to abound. There is no shortage of news stories where evil abounds and we are caught in the midst trying to make sense of it all. The answer is that this side of heaven we will never fully understand the complexities of this life and, we have yet to see the conclusion of the story.

Some of my most difficult experiences in life, I have now lived long enough to see redemption and even restoration. While I definitely was gunning for a quick resolution, more often than not, it has required much time, prayer, and belief that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do. While I still have some outstanding unanswered prayers, He has never failed me yet and I do not believe He will in the future.

When we look at our lives right now, we must remember that God's initiative on the table is to prepare His bride for His return. He told us in advance that He was returning for a bride that is radiant  and without spots or wrinkles (Ephesians 5:27). He cherishes us and nourishes us (Ephesians 5:29) in the midst of many people falling away from Him. When we witness people who seem to be getting away with their sin, remember to pray for them because in this time and season that is truly a frightening thing.

We should rejoice if we are among those that God is intently preparing for His return. While preparation for anything is usually challenging, we have both the hope and the joy of what lies before us. God has prepared more for us than we could ever hope or imagine, and I am confident that He is expectantly anticipating the glory of that day.

If today you are struggling under the trials and hardships of this world, ask God to give you a revelation of His love and constant pursuit of you. When we understand this, we are free to wholly love and pursue Him too. We are supernaturally translated out of the natural into His open, loving arms. He died to spend eternity with you, and He yearns for that intimacy to begin now.

Let go and allow yourself to be held. And comforted. And loved. And pursued. Quiet your heart to hear the declarations from your beloved.

        Whether you currently recognize it or not, you are Relentlessly Pursued!!!!


"How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me!"
                                                           Psalm 139:17-18

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