A Time To Celebrate!

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




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

                                             EVERY BABY MATTERS!

Overcomers!

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




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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

Whatever It Takes

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

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

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




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


                                                WHATEVER IT TAKES:

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

The Impossible

"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face...we must do that which we think we cannot."
                                                             Eleanor Roosevelt




When David penned the 27th Psalm, he was not yet a king. He was not yet anointed. In fact, he was on the run for his life. King Saul was jealous of him and wanted him dead. King Saul was trying to hold onto his position of power and David posed a threat to that security. David was now in danger from violent men who lied about him and were doing their absolute best to apprehend and kill him. This was not a situation in which David ever would have anticipated for the mere reason of just following after God. And yet, this Psalm outlines how David was able to be strong and courageous and confident even in the midst of terrifying and dangerous circumstances. In fact, without God, they were utterly impossible.

The Bible says that David "was a man after God's own heart" (Acts 13:22) and this was said not because David was perfect, but because David would do the things that God wanted him to do. So, if God allowed David to be pursued by his enemies, then there must be great purpose in the chase. David would continually pursue God while he, himself, was being pursued. It was in this pursuit of God that David received everything he needed to be victorious.

Maybe I am the only one who does this, but it's always at this point that I think, "If God can stop this from happening in the first place, why doesn't He just do that?" If He did, however, the Bible would be a very short book. And, we would never have the insight and wisdom to live victorious lives on this earth. This Psalm, in fact, gives us the strategies to look fear in the face and determine that we will win. With God on our side, how can we possibly lose?

Since God is all about our relationships with Him, His incentive is to pull us in closer and help us to see attributes about Himself that we would never otherwise see. God pulled David in close enough to hear His own heartbeat so that then David could emulate the cacophony of His rhythmic beat. Regardless of anything this world could throw at Him, David knew that God was on his side and that God would deliver him from the wickedness that pursued.

Even as David pulled in closer to God, he still recognized and acknowledged the evil that abounded in his midst. He did not deny it, nor did he minimize it. He looked in faith to the danger around him and was confident because he had spent his private time with God and was assured that God would rescue and deliver him. He elevated God's words over his circumstances, emotions, and the enemy that taunted him. David could see beauty in the midst of so much that was ugly because he meditated on God's goodness and the ways that God had always been there for him.

While there is no special formula that we can apply to help us overcome our own fears (because then we wouldn't need God), there are things we can do to propel us forward in the right direction. In verse 3, David says "Though an army encamp around me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise against me, yet I will be confident." David could speak these words because he affirmed his faith in the One, True God. This doesn't mean that he never doubted again (verse 7); it just means that he was intentional in telling himself and others that he trusted in God. Often, reminders are necessary.

Throughout this Psalm, there were times that David did fear that he would fail. When he sought God's direction, God answered him in his heart and told him to "seek His face" (Psalm 24:6; 105:4).When we seek the face of God, we must also come face to face with anything in our lives that stands between us and God. If there is sin, repentance is required. If God is displeased with something, He is faithful to show us when we seek His face. Even a toddler knows when his parents are unhappy, and so will we if we seek the face of God in earnest.

There were also times that David was afraid of his future, but God taught him how to wait patiently for the timing of the Lord. This was a necessary lesson for David because this would not be the only time in David's life that he would be pursued by the enemy. Instead of praying for God to remove the untoward circumstances, David said, "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:13-14).

This means that David believed that he would once again witness God's goodness while he was still on this planet. And, that is also exactly what we must do when we are facing an impossible situation in our own lives. This perspective can be extremely challenging when we have been in a wilderness season for what seems like a long period of time. And yet, this is the place where we learn to exalt God's Word above all else. This is the place where we face the greatest fear in our hearts and we emerge victoriously. This is the place where we receive God's discipline and instruction and come through it with a greater level of humility than we had before. This is the place where we see the truth spiritually and learn the roles of all the other spiritual players in our lives. It is an unveiling of truth that cannot be experienced any other way.

When we really see things from God's perspective and begin to speak the things that God is saying, we begin to see more light. When we believe that God has purpose in every detail of our lives, we begin to relax more than we did before. When we start to trust God's processes in addition to believing His promises, we sleep more soundly. Finally, when we see the manifestation of God's power in the midst of our impossibilities, we rejoice and praise the One who called us into this difficult place. This is how we know that healing is already happening within our hearts.

And then we are called to share our stories and God's goodness and mercy and all the ways that He fed us with manna while we were traversing the wild terrain. God is glorified and we are renewed. Our personal story begins to make more sense and God then gives revelation and breathes life into it. Gratitude floods every fiber of our being because we know that we would not have survived our impossibility if it were not for the saving hand of our Almighty God.

Our God is so good and so are His plans for us. Too often, we are far too limited in our understanding because His ways are so much higher than our ways. If today you find yourself facing an impossible situation, draw in close and seek the face of God. Hear the rhythm of His heartbeat and know that each beat beats for you. Affirm your faith in Him alone and breathe in deeply. Wait while your muscles relax and then rejoice and sing praises because He is the One who specializes in making possibilities out of the impossible!


"Ah, Sovereign Lord! It is You who have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for You!"
                                                               Jeremiah 32:17

The Highest Place

   "As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once."
                                                       A.W. Tozer



The highest place on this earth today is Mount Everest. It is named as the highest mountain because it has the "highest elevation above sea level". It can also be said that it has the highest altitude. At its' majestic peak, it stands at 29,035 feet above the level of the sea. It stands on the border of Nepal and China and countless people across the globe have made it their lives ambition to climb it. It’s beauty inspires awe, and the globe is captivated by it.

The Bible also talks to us about high places. The simple definition of a high place is a place of worship on an elevated piece of land. In the Old Testament, high places were used both for idol worship and for the worship of God. The first place of worship, that is later called a high place, is found in the book of Genesis. It says, Abram passed through the land to the locality of Shechem, to the oak or terebinth tree of Moreh. And the canaanites were there in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'I will give this land to your posterity.' So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, Who had appeared to him. From there he pulled up his tent pegs and departed to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord" (Genesis 12:6-8).

Even though high places may seem archaic to us in our culture, I would propose to you that they still exist today. This past year (September 26-30), a reproduction of the Arch of Palmyra was on display in Washington D.C. The significance of this arch cannot be overstated. Until 2015, when it was destroyed by ISIS, this ancient arch stood in the entrance of the temple of Baal in Syria. Now a reproduction exists and is being transported to significant locations around the globe, touted as a "symbol of resilience and peace". Hardly. I believe that God allowed this arch into our nation as a sign for those of us who are paying attention. The biblical symbolism for this would be the acceleration of even more overt idol worship in our land.

Before you cast this out as being irrelevant in your own life, think about the unholy trinity that currently exists in America today. They are: perverted worship (worship of idols), perverted morality, and infant sacrifice (abortion). This is the same combination of problems that existed for Israel when Ahab and Jezebel were in power. Because the Israelites persisted in their sins, God allowed the Assyrians to destroy the northern kingdom and the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and the southern kingdom.

While our culture doesn't typically have little statues that we pray to, there are nevertheless a plethora of idols that run rampant through our land. An idol is defined as anything in our life that commands more attention or loyalty or dedication than the One, True God. Whether or not we acknowledge this, much of the church in America is as polytheistic (many gods) as an Hindu in India would be. Some of our untouchable idols are as follows: self, sports, Netflix, social media, pride,wealth, comfort, phone, security, fame, celebrities, appearances, children, accolades, food, alcohol, drugs, pornography, and the list goes on and on...

If we are polytheistic in our lives, we will be double-minded in our thinking. Our faith will gradually wane, little by little. This is why we are witnessing a "falling away" in our churches today. People run to and fro searching for the new "latest and greatest" and we forget the Giver of all good things. Even within our churches, we can find skewed priorities. Pride can run rampant and self-glorification can supersede the glory of God.

So, this begs the question, What is the highest place in your life? What occupies your thoughts, your time, your energy, your resources, your talent, and your heart? This question is applicable to everyone whether we are in full-time ministry or a lay person that claims to be a Christ follower. All of us must determine our answer both in spirit and in truth.

In the Old Testament, God commanded that every high place that was not dedicated to Him must be destroyed. The same is true today. In the New Testament, Paul told the church in Colossae  to "put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). The true worship of God commands that we have no other gods besides Him (Exodus 20:3).

One of the titles of Jesus is the Word of God. John tells us that "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). If our God dwells within His Word, which is the Bible, then it is The Word of God that should be elevated to the highest place. As our culture around us slips more and more down the slippery slope of moral relativism, our role as the standard bearers of His image and His Word becomes all the more important.

As we pray for our nation and its future, we must ask God to search our hearts and lives to see where polytheism may exist for us and for our loved ones. When the church is repentant, we will see revival. But, as long as other gods exist in the lives of God's children, our nation will continue its slide into utter moral depravity.

It is time for the real church of Jesus Christ to arise and shine in the glory for which God has apportioned for us. It is time for God to be honored and elevated to His rightful position in our hearts and in our homes. It is time to shatter every idol and lie from the enemy that these idols will bring fulfillment to our lives. It is time to realize the seriousness of the hour in which we live. We must stand and we must speak out in love.

Pandora's box has been opened in our nation and the only way to overcome the evil and perversion that exists is for God's children to be passionate and serious about their relationship with Him. We can only overcome evil with good, and good can only come from God, Himself.

God must be exalted in our land again. His Word must be exalted above our feelings and circumstances and everything else. We must let go of the opinions of others and do what God has placed us on this earth to do. We must be the people that God has created us to be. We are here, at this time, with so much purpose. And, all those purposes will unify and be strong when God truly becomes the highest places in our hearts collectively.


"And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him on the mountain and said, 'Say to this house of Jacob and tell the Israelites:...therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own peculiar possession and treasure from among and above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine" (Exodus 19:3,5).

Are You Convinced?

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor 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




Living in the south provides an interesting perspective of faith and eternity. Most people would state that they are believers and many people follow this up by regular church attendance and prayers before meals. The interesting aspect of this, though, is that most have been inoculated. That is, we have been given a small enough dose of Jesus that we think we are fine spiritually and that precludes us from having a full on relationship with Christ and becoming a true follower of Him alone.

Most are pretty sure that they have been saved and that, at the end of this life, they will be going to heaven. We mentally assent to accepting Christ as our Savior and try to live a good or decent life, believing all the while that we are okay spiritually. Some even think that by their good works or deeds that we will somehow gain access to heaven. The problem with this theory is that it does not line up scripturally with what God has told us about salvation. The truth is that salvation all begins and ends with God and His ability to keep us, and not about what we can do to somehow obtain or manage our own.

It is when we come to really know that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and we are brought into relationship with Him that begins the guarantee of our eternal security. Jude 24 states, "To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy." This means that true believers are "kept" by God and can be assured that they are going to heaven when we are yielded to Him and "keep ourselves in the love of God" (Jude 21).

Jesus says, I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My Hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all and no one can snatch them out of My Father's hands" (John 10:28-29). God has us in His hands. Jesus has us in His hands. Who in this world could ever remove us from them both?

Then, the Holy Spirit seals us. Ephesians tells us that believers are "sealed for the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30). John tells us that whoever believes in Jesus will have "eternal life" (John 3:15-16). If we are sealed and have eternal life then we do actually have eternal security, otherwise it could never be called eternal.

There are indicators of our salvation that the book of 1 John clearly delineates for us.  John tells us, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Paul reiterates this point when he says, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test?" (2 Corinthians 13:5).

In our sermon this week, Pastor Brady Cooper outlined the test of salvation. He asked 4 simple questions. They are as follows:
                                               1. Have you made a clear confession of faith?
                                               2. Are you growing in obedience?
                                               3. Are you growing in love for others?
                                               4. Are you aware of the Holy Spirit alive within you?

He went on to explain that a clear confession of faith encompasses accepting and acknowledging Jesus as Lord (1 John 2:23), confessing Jesus before men (Mathew 10:32), declaring with your mouth that "Jesus is Lord" and "believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead" (Romans 10:9), loving God the Father and Jesus who was born of Him (1 John 5:1), recognize that we are saved by grace through faith and that it is a gift of God and then doing the good works that God prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10). A saving faith is one that trusts Christ alone for our salvation. Brady said, "Grace is God's hand reaching down from heaven and faith is our hand reaching up to heaven."

Recognize that there is a difference between doubt and unbelief. There can be times when we doubt our salvation, but we have to remind ourselves of what God's Word says. Unbelief is when we do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God or we do not believe all that He has accomplished on our behalf. Doubt is transient whereas unbelief may not be.

Growing in obedience is essential to our spiritual growth. If we sin, we must keep a very short list with God and repent. This not only includes actions, but thoughts and attitudes as well. Intentional or willful sin is not the behavior of one who is in Christ. John says, "All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him" (1 John 3:3-6).

A change of heart will lead to a changed life. None of us are perfect and we will journey through a sanctification process, but it is God that empowers us to do so. Our good works are not a condition of our salvation; they are a consequence of it.

Growing in love for others is also part of our journey. We cannot be a follower of Christ and hate others (1 John 2:9-11), we love others because God first loves us (1 John 4:19), we pass from death to life because we love each other (1 John 3:14-15), and we are all one in Christ so there should be no prejudice or divisions (Galatians 3:28). The cross not only unites us to god, but it also unites us to others, especially for the mission of God.

Being aware of the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us is also very important.The Holy Spirit works in our hearts, convicts us of sin, counsels us, helps us, teaches us, guides us, gives us spiritual gifts, enables us to walk in the fruit of the Spirit, empowers us, gives glory to Jesus, and dwells with us.His role is vital in helping us keep God's commands (1 John 3:24) and in helping us know with certainty that we are in Christ (1 John 4:13).

So, the question is, did you pass the test? Are you convinced of your eternal security? If you die today, are you positive of your destination? If you have any doubts whatsoever, would you please pray the following prayer and then tell someone of your decision? There could be no better way to start 2019 then in knowing you definitely have eternal security. Jesus died so that we could know for sure!


Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your goodness, kindness, and mercy. I confess to you that I am a sinner in need of a Savior and Lord. Thank you for pursuing me and allowing me to have the security and assurance of my salvation. I believe that Jesus is Your Son, the Living Christ that died and was resurrected on the third day for my sins. I receive your generous gift of salvation and am ready to trust You both as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for taking my sins away and giving me the gift of eternal salvation. I recognize that I am not worthy, but acknowledge that you paid the price in full for all my sins. Please help me to start doing things Your way and fill me to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit. Help me to trust You, and love You, and to live my life for You. Help me to understand Your grace, and mercy, and love to its fullest. Seal me until your day of redemption and help me to continually grow in You. It is by the blood of Jesus and in His precious Name that I pray. Amen!

Who Do You See?

"And at the end of the eight days, when [the Baby] was to be circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. And when the time for their purification [the mother's purification and the Baby's dedication] came according to the Law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord."
                                                           Luke 2:21-22




One Law and two witnesses were who Jesus met when He arrived as a babe in the temple in Jerusalem. Each of these meetings were very significant and also important to us today as followers of Christ. They lay a foundation for us in how we respond to the Living Christ and the beliefs in our hearts that correspond, as well. As we delve a little deeper, we must ask ourselves the question that when we gaze upon the Living Christ, who is it that we really see?

Mary and Joseph obeyed the Law of Moses when they had their baby circumcised. He was eight days old and His parents honored the sign and seal of the covenant that God had made with Abraham. They were proud to be among God's chosen people and they were glad to obey the laws that God had set before them. There is always a caveat when it comes to obeying the law, however, and that is that we can get so caught up in obeying the external, visible aspects of it that we sometimes forget that inwardly our hearts must be circumcised as well.

When Jesus was forty days old, again Mary and Joseph obeyed the Law by bringing Jesus to the temple for purification rites. Since He was their firstborn, they had to "redeem" Jesus (Exodus 13:1-12) by paying five shekels. This would suggest that they were too poor to bring a lamb as a sacrifice, but, then again, they carried the Lamb in their very arms. To redeem The Redeemer is very ironic since later He would redeem us with His very precious blood.

Jesus' relationship to the Law is of utmost importance to us because we are told that He was made under the Law (Galatians 4:4), He obeyed the Law perfectly (John 8:46), He bore the curse of the Law for us (Galatians 3:13), and He set us free from bondage (Galatians 5:1). However, Jesus also rejected the religious traditions of man and died for us because not one of us would ever be able to keep the Law perfectly. He removed this burden from man permanently and declares that "Whom the Son sets free is free indeed" (John 8:36).

Simeon is the next person who encounters Jesus. He was blessed to see the salvation of the Lord because he was led by the Spirit of God, taught by the Word of God, and obedient to the will of God. He had been waiting for the Messiah because God had told him that he would not die until he had seen Jesus (Luke 2:26). Simeon was faithful and eagerly awaiting the Messiah to come to earth.

When Simeon saw Jesus, immediately he joyfully began to praise God. He said, "Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for all people. He is a Light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of your people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32).

He then began to prophesy to Mary and Joseph and he said, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose Him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul" (Luke 2:34-35).

Simeon appears to be speaking about how Israel will respond to Jesus. He sees that Jesus has come for the Gentiles, but he is prophesying about the Jews. He talks about how Jesus is a miracle sent to earth and will reveal Divine Truth to those who encounter Him. Jesus brings salvation and judgment, as he touches hearts and impacts mankind. To Mary, Simeon tells her that she will suffer and have sorrow as they walk in obedience to what God has called them to do.

Anna is the next person that met Jesus in the temple that day. Her name means "grace" and she has been waiting in the temple nonstop by fasting and prayers until she could see the Messiah. She walked up just as Simeon was praising God and she quickly joined in the song and celebration. How heaven must have celebrated as it received the praises of these two godly ones who had earnestly and passionately been waiting for Jesus.

Anna has the distinction of being a "prophetess", which meant that she had a special gift of interpreting and declaring the message of God. She knew that this was the long-awaited Messiah and she could not wait to tell others about the Good News! Immediately, she evangelized to others in the remnant, which began a wildfire of sharing the joy of Jesus' birth!

If we look at the three encounters that Jesus had in the temple that day, we see that the Law represents the past. Simeon represents the present because once he has received the good news he is ready to die. Anna represents the future. Her whole goal is to share the Good News and to make sure that others receive salvation.

Likewise, our journey of faith can primarily focus on either the past, the present, or the future. We can really know where we stand by listening to our own words. Do we talk about only the things God has done in the past, or when we accepted Christ as a child? Or, do we only talk about what God is doing today and how that affects us individually? Or, do we see the vision of God to evangelize and share the Good News with others, knowing that the Lord has promised that He will soon return? Depending on where you stand on this issue will determine who you see when you look at Jesus.

Our worldview can be one that focuses on the past, filled with religious traditions and focusing on the sin in the world. Or, our worldview can see that Jesus is alive and we rejoice and that is good enough for our lives. Or, we can see a hurting world that desperately needs Jesus and share the Gospel with those we encounter because we know that Jesus is returning soon. There is a world that existed before Jesus, a world that existed while Jesus was a baby and a Suffering Servant, and a world that eagerly awaits a Conquering King to return.

In the book of John, Jesus gave us seven "I Am" statements, which tells us how He describes Himself. He said,

"I Am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger." (John 6:35)

"I Am the light of the world." (John 8:12)

"I Am the door." (John 10:9)

"I Am the true vine." (John 15:1)

"I Am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep." (John 10:11)

"I Am the resurrection and the life." (John 11:25)

"I Am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

Whatever need we may have in our lives today, Jesus is willing and ready to meet that need. If we need salvation, He is here. If we have a deep longing, He can fill it.  If we need a door to open, Jesus is the answer. If we need joy, or peace, or patience, or gentleness, or goodness, or faithfulness, or self-control, He's got that covered. If we feel lost or insecure, Jesus is right here to provide protection and security. If we feel dead inside or have something in our lives that looks dead, Jesus can resurrect it and bring it back to life. If we need direction, or truth or new life, Jesus brings all those things to us, as well. There is nothing on this earth that we lack that Jesus cannot bring to us and that is what He longs to do!

So, today, when you remember the birth and life of Christ and all that He has done for each of us, think about where you really are in this journey of life. Are you close to Jesus? Is He your Lord, and friend, and confidant? Do you rely on Him and trust Him and yearn for intimacy with the Lord? Is your life surrendered to His Lordship? When you look into His eyes, who is it that you really see?


                                           Have a Very, Merry Christmas!!!!!     


1. Wiersbe, Warren, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, NT, pub. by David C. Cook, 2007.