Category: Holy Spirit

Surrender 2022

Surrender 2022

We have such an aversion to this word, don’t we? As soon as we hear it, no matter the context, we stiffen up and prepare ourselves for a fight. We don’t want to surrender. We believe that surrender implies loss of freedom and we become slaves. We are pretty naive if that’s what we believe.

We are all slaves to something. Most of us are slaves to our egos. How is our image? Are we successful in the eyes of the world? Are we admirable? And so on… you know the routine. We keep trying to shove our way into some sort of spotlight, whether it’s on the Big stage or if it’s just in front of one person, we want the attention to be on us. So, we grasp at what we think will satisfy that demand: popularity, “wisdom”, physical appearance, all the good stuff, etc. But if that’s not possible, we go the opposite way and cry out how we are victims because of our traumatic past (yes this is a big ego issue too), or we make others victims in order to make ourselves feel powerful. The ego is a powerful thing in itself, but we don’t have to be slaves to it.

Choose what you will surrender to. Money? Ego? Beauty? Spouse? Your insatiable craving for carbs? All of these things are right in front of us every day and we don’t blink an eye at any of it. The reality is, every person on earth is a slave to one of these things or something else. No one is spared.

So, for us to have such and aversion to the word surrender, it’s quite appropriate that we all have actually surrendered control of our lives to at least one thing or another. No one is actually free from surrender.

But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying,” Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but of the things of men.” When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.” Mark 8:33-35

‘Surely none fo the men who came up from Egypt , from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me.’ Numbers 32:11

In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in Your righteousness. Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily, be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. Psalm 31:1-5

These are just a few of the Scriptures laid out where God calls for our complete surrender to Him over our lives. In Psalm 31, David is committing himself to God completely. It is so powerful that even Jesus quoted it as part of His last words on the cross. Jesus chose surrender to God the Father over all the temptations of the world laid at His feet. Jesus followed through with that surrender all the way to His death. Because of that complete surrender, the power of God resurrected Him in victory over the power of the flesh. If Jesus is our example, then who are we to deny the power of surrendering to God?

You may decide that this is going overboard for Jesus. That’s your prerogative. But then again, you’ve already made your choice to surrender to something else. My question is, do you even know what it is?

He’s Waiting

He’s Waiting

I’ve been stuck on the story of the prodigal son for a while now, I know. I can’t help it. There are just so many layers to this story that overwhelm me with the knowledge of God’s love for us all. I will try to make this my last post about it, but if you have a moment, please read and tell me what you think.

Luke 15:10 “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

We are born into this world with sinful hearts. We want to live our own way and rebel against God, even if we don’t realize that’s what we’re doing! We fight or work hard to have the ‘things’ that please our flesh.

Luke 15:12 “And the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.”

We take our ‘things’ and use them for pleasure. As long as we are comfortable, we don’t have a ‘need’ for God. These things might be material, or they might be emotional, but whatever they are, we use them for our pleasure and not to please God. We put ourselves above God (idolatry); until we use them all up and end up with nothing. We waste what God gave us.

Luke 15:13-14 “And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a famine in that land, and he began to be in want.“

Most often, we automatically determine that we need to provide for ourselves. We’ve put ourselves above God, remember, and so we think we can fix our own problems.

Luke 15:15-16 “Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.”

When we determine to fix our own problems, we discover that even with all our hard work, we still need help. We need someone to give something so that we can continue our work. But all people have the same type of hearts if they live by their own means, and usually will not give for fear that they won’t have enough. When we determine to live on our own, God allows us to be completely on our own.

Luke 15:17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”

Everyone has his breaking point, when he comes to himself, and realizes that for all his effort to do it on his own, he will never be able to save himself from his detriment. That’s when we have the opportunity to realize exactly where our provision really came from to begin with. We recognize that the less we relied on ourselves, like when we were younger, and the more we trusted in our Father, the more we were actually cared for. Hence, the less we needed.

This brings up the notion of how much is really enough? What is abundance? This is where we often get sidetracked and get it wrong. We determine how much is enough rather than trusting God to do that. Our pride gets in the way (again).

Luke 15:18-19 “I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”

When we truly get to the end of our own means, we recognize that our effort is not enough. It will never be enough, and we must rely on the only true Provider. Until we know this fact in our hearts (not just our heads), we will continue to struggle. We have to acknowledge it, humbling ourselves in the process. We don’t need a temporary fix; just enough until we can take control again, because in reality, the moment we take back control is when we start going backwards again.

It’s so important that we acknowledge this fact and completely humble ourselves-giving God full control of our lives. Yes, we still have to work, but that work is in response to God’s guidance rather than our own. The main purpose for our work is not for our own sustenance, but ultimately to fulfill God’s will.

God’s will? What is that, anyway? How do we know what it is? Like everything else, there are mini-goals that God wants us to achieve. Things that encourage us to keep at it because He knows it’s difficult for us to keep going forward blindly without seeing any results. So, He gives us small ones that help us continue in His will. It’s how we know what His will is, after the fact. Ultimately, God’s will is that A. we are drawn into a closer relationship with Him and B. He is glorified in the sight of others so that they may be drawn to Him also.

Luke 15:20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”

Even though God allows us to decide whether we will rely on Him or ourselves, He never stops looking for us. If we go out on our own, God waits for us to return. Wow! He anticipates us coming back to Him. More than that, if/when we do return, He welcomes us with overwhelming love! He doesn’t sit us down for a ‘serious talk’ about all our mistakes. He doesn’t lay down new rules or requirements we must meet in order to secure in joining with Him. If we return to Him in humility, with all earnestness and repentance, we have met the only requirement there is. And He meets us before we get all the way to Him. He meets us the moment we return to Him, the moment we decide and repent. He floods us with His love, welcoming us with pure joy. He wraps us in His arms with the biggest hug and kisses us with His forgiveness. The angels rejoice with Him with joy!

Luke 15:21- “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.“

Not only is there now no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1), but He covers us with all of His provision. We are washed clean from our past. We are made new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Yes, we have the same physical bodies, the ones that have those cravings of the old life, but our spirits become new. Our spirits crave the righteousness and pure love that only comes from Jesus. Our spirits are able to receive the Holy Spirit fully because we allowed Him to convict us of our past rebelliousness and comfort us with His eternal love.

It’s a hard thing to grasp, when all we see are our outward circumstances. It’s easy to get confused when we have taken our eyes off the prize which is Jesus Christ living in us and us living in Him. That’s why we have to come to that point of the end of ourselves, so that all we can see is Jesus. Once we see Him, I mean REALLY see Him, we don’t want to see anything else.

In the meantime, He’s waiting.

John 6:37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will be no means cast out.”

Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

Love and peace to you all!

We Need A Savior

We Need A Savior

Why do I need a Savior? I have lived my life working to be a good person. Always on my mind was “What does this person think of me?”, and I would work to gain their approval. I have lived with integrity, but it was always a means to stay on the good side of others. Even while I prayed and studied the word, thinking that if I showed myself to be knowledgeable in Him, then that would give me credibility in the eyes of others. The way I was thinking was undermining the way I was living. I thought that if I pleased others then I was pleasing God.

But that’s not how it works. No one is good (Mark 10:18), not even on our best days. Our hearts are not fixed on loving God first and completely (Matthew 22:37-38). When we repent of not loving God and then focus our hearts on this one command, to love Him with everything we have, then the things we do in our lives will please Him. Everything we do will be for Him, out of love, not for other people and their approval.

For this reason I know that I am a prodigal. I have been my whole life, because I was a slave to sin and putting other things before God. But God already knew that, even before I was born, He knew who I was and who I would become. With all that knowledge, He still provided the way to free me from the slavery of sin. How appropriate to remember this today of all days, the first day of Passover.

Passover is the remembrance of God freeing His people from slavery in Egypt. Now, I’m not Jewish and I do not partake of the Feast that they do during this week, the killing of the unblemished lamb and removing all leaven from their homes. I do, however, partake of the ultimate Feast through the remembrance of the sacrifice of the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus is the ultimate unblemished Lamb and through His sacrifice, He brings atonement for my sin through my belief.

So, I take part in remembering Him by eating the bread of life and drinking in the new covenant that He implemented. I feast on His word so that my spirit is strengthened each day. I no longer want to please my own flesh or other people. My eyes are fixed on Jesus and my goal is to please Him because of what He has done for me.

I don’t deserve His love, but He gives it anyway. He is the Father who stretches out His arms to welcome me as I come running home to Him, asking for His forgiveness (Luke 15:11-24). Instead of condemning me for my selfish heart, He changed my heart so that all I want is to give Him all the glory. I’m still far from perfect and my flesh still wars within me (and sometimes gets the better of me), but I have confidence in Him that through it all, He will never leave me.

Every time I fail Him, He is there showing me that He will forgive me if I sincerely am sorry for my sin. He picks me up and helps me dust off so I can continue growing in His love. It’s not an overnight process and I will never be complete until I’m safe in His arms in Eternity. I know this much. And, even though every time I fail, I feel like a failure, I also have His Holy Spirit gently reminding me that my journey isn’t over. I must continue and never quit running this race.

There is a finish line and I am determined to cross it, even if I’m hobbling. Psalm 91 reminds me that His angels are there helping me move forward, at a snail’s pace maybe, but it’s still forward.

“Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 19-20)

I remember these words each day as I live. He is with me because He is alive. He has made me a new creation and welcomed me in His Family, just as He will you and everyone in the world the moment you recognize your own prideful heart and sin and repent. Turn to Him for He is the only one who can save.

God bless you.

The Presence of God

The Presence of God

Times are trying. The state of our world is in disarray and people are lost and confused. It is a sad situation. But it doesn’t have to be.

We don’t have to live by the standards of the world. None of us do. It’s our choice. God loves each and every one of us, and He allows us to make our choice as to whether we choose to love Him or love the world.

It dawned on me recently that every person on this planet has been exposed to God. He has revealed Himself to us, even if we don’t recognize it. Although we should.

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

Just look outside. What do you see? Do you see trees standing tall and reaching towards the heavens? Do you see birds flying in the air? Do you see clear, blue skies or gray clouds hanging low? Everything you see, even the things that man has made, has come from God.

Imagine all the intricacies of the human body. What an incredible machine! God created each tiny cell and gave it a purpose to work together to sustain life. It’s utterly amazing. How can we deny His power?

Yet, so many of us do. We take these things for granted and call it nature. Some of us are more ‘spiritual’ and take quiet time to appreciate all of it, but this practice only gets us a glance at God.

It’s like going to the zoo to see all the animals that we don’t get to see every day. We stand at the glass pane peering in to watch the lion walk around in his small world. We wouldn’t be able to survive if we were right there in front of him, because his instincts would get the better of him and he’d probably pounce on us, ripping us to shreds.

In a way, it’s like that with God. No, God wouldn’t pounce on us. But we wouldn’t be able to survive in His direct presence because His holiness is so overwhelming and our sinfulness, even if it’s just a tiny bit, makes us completely incompatible with being in the same room as Him. We need something to protect us from His glory. We need to be covered in order to survive.

So, while many people believe they have it good, and experience a small part of God through the window pane, they have not and cannot experience the fullness of God. Amazingly enough, God has provided for us a way that we can experience His fullness and not burst immediately into flames through His Son, Jesus Christ. Again, it’s our choice.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

It is the gift of Jesus, who’s birthday we are celebrating this month, that gives us so much more than just a glance at God. It’s through receiving Him, the grace He provides by His sacrifice and resurrection, by taking on our sins so that we may be called blameless, that we can be filled with His Holy Spirit.

It’s through His Holy Spirit that we can have peace in a world of turmoil. It’s through Jesus that we can have eternal commune with God. God loves us that much that He would not only provide the way, but do it such a fashion that completely erases our wretchedness. All He asks is for our belief and complete love.

I have to ask myself every day, why does this seem so hard when nothing in the world makes me happy anyway?

I must continue to fill my mind and my heart with God’s word and meditate on Him day and night. I must allow the Holy Spirit to guide me and I must obey Him when He does! He knows what’s best for me even when I can’t see any way at all. He requires my complete trust, and quite frankly, my survival requires it, too.

I invite you to open the Bible and start exploring all that God has done for you. If you’re heart is open, you will see it and receive it. Then, no virus, no government, no disaster can ever take your peace away.

God bless.

Finish the Race

Finish the Race

The last leg of any challenge is always the toughest mentally. It’s even tougher than the first leg. Think of it, how motivated you have to be to run that first mile out of 26, or to adjust to the change of living with a husband or wife the first year knowing there is lifetime ahead of you. The devil will challenge you during the tenuous first periods of a ‘race’. He wants you to quit, to give up and let him wreak havoc on your life, mind, confidence, etc.

This is why many kids drop out of college during the first year (or 2). Why there are so many divorces in marriages under 10 years old. Why people job hop so much, or change ‘careers’. If the devil can get to you during the first part of your new faith in Jesus, he will pounce hard and divert your mind away from the truth (enter the New Age Spirituality–talk about confusion!).

But, if you are able to stay in the race, you may not be ‘winning’ but you’re still running, then, when you get to that last leg, you start getting tired. For runners, cramps may set in, fatigue, and your mind starts thinking negatively. It happens in every situation, even if you’re not a runner. Look at all the seniors in high school. They tend to develop a condition called ‘seniorities’ where they don’t want to go to class, will often skip, because they feel like they’ve put in all the work that they need to. They’re done at least mentally, and ready to graduate and move on to something new. It’s tough when you’ve come so far and you can see the end but somehow just can’t seem to reach it.

That’s how it is in faith. We’ve come this far, confessing with out mouths that Jesus is Lord, believing that He is risen from the dead…He is Alive! We have meditated on the word, grown in love, humbled and denied ourselves in order to let Jesus shine through us. We’ve been content, we’ve been joyful, but we are getting tired because we continue to see all the deception in the world. No one wants to hear us, instead they point fingers at us. We see all the hatred and no one recognizes our love. We see all the division in the world, even horrifically, within our fellow believers, but no one wants to be an example for real unity. Th attack is harsher than ever and it’s because we are approaching the finish line. The devil is diverting the attention of a many people as he can in order to keep them from finishing. The fight is real.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

When our obedience is fulfilled. That’s the finish line. God doesn’t put us in this war/race without the equipment we need to fulfill our part.

Ephesians 6:13-18 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…

We’ve got armor to fight in this war. This race. Being in a race can be fun, but fighting a war is not. However, we have the Holy Spirit living in us! He is our source of all peace!

Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.

We don’t have to understand it, we only need to receive it. Walking in the midst of a war in compete inner peace has got to be the absolute BEST feeling! But we can’t get carried away in the confidence this gives us because that’s dangerous. Our perspective can shift in the blink of an eye (with a slight nudge from Satan) to giving ourselves the credit for our peaceful living and success rather than giving it to Whom it is owed, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Helper the Holy Spirit, God Almighty.

When you realize that you have power, through Jesus, you find it easier to go through daily life. Here’s the catch, the power is through belief in Jesus, given by the Holy Spirit, by God’s approval of you through your faith. You did Nothing to earn God’s approval except to believe in Jesus, His Sonship and His Resurrection from the dead. If you don’t believe even one part of His reality, then you are a nonbeliever and you do not have the power of the Holy Spirit. You may have some power, but it’s limited and does not give you ultimate peace.it will not guide you through the worst turmoil in your life. In fact, it will leave you in the middle of it and you will be left to your own emotions.

The real power of the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to walk in faith even in the middle of a disaster. We are able to say AND completely trust that while our circumstances look bleak and hopeless, we have confident hope in our eternity with Jesus. We aren’t afraid to die!

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

This is how Paul is able to say “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 3:14) “…with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20-21)

Do you see it? This is really the challenge we’re facing in these last rounds of the race. We’ve experiences the peace, joy and love of Christ here on earth. We’ve persevered and kept on rejoicing, but our flesh still wants to have a say in how we behave. Satan uses that to try to get us to falter. He wants us to deny the faith instead of denying ourselves. But, our focus isn’t on our own happiness. It is on showing others, helping them come to the knowledge of the truth so that they will enjoy eternal happiness in Christ with us. Our goal is to do God’s will, to please Him, to engage in the Great Commission, to bring others into the faith, into fellowship with Him. This is how we finish the race, just like we started.

Paul says it best. “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24

That’s how he lived until he knew his end was near.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

That’s how he finished. It’s how we all should finish.

God Works in Our Mess

God Works in Our Mess

A lot has happened since the last time I sat down to write some thoughts. I’ve been doing more reflecting rather than speaking because there is just so much going on in every direction of life. It’s too much and I don’t have the wisdom to address it all. But with every passing day, I get tidbits of revelation and I wanted to share one with you now.

I like to crochet. I’m not very good at it, but it’s very enjoyable. It keeps my mind from wandering away from what’s important, and helps me keep a conversation going with Jesus, which I need all the time.

Lately, I’ve started teaching a few friends how to do basic crochet. One young lady was getting a little frustrated with her first row. She was twisting the yarn chain in a way that made her stitches off kilter. She handed it to me to see if I could help.

When I looked at it, I saw that it was kind of in a mess and the most wonderful thing came out of my mouth. I told her, “The great thing about crochet is, even when it gets messy like this, you can always work with it and get it back to where you need it.” That’s a true statement, but it really didn’t come from me. I think the Holy Spirit was trying to tell me and anyone else who was listening something profound.

My friends who are learning how to crochet are currently homeless and staying at a homeless facility nearby. They can relate to that messy crochet chain, if anybody can. When our lives get in a tangle, we try to fix it ourselves and usually we mess it up even worse. We just can’t do it all on our own.

While God should be in our lives no matter the situation, it’s when we are at our worst that God steps in and works if we allow Him. While He might unravel us a little in order to correct the chain, He never turns us away. It’s our responsibility to be humble and pliable enough to let Him take over. He can work with us no matter how messy it gets, but we have to let Him.

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

I think the most important thing we all can learn is that we are all lost without Jesus. No matter what our status is in life, we are nothing without Him. We are just as homeless as these friends of mine are if we don’t know who Jesus is and accept Him as He is in our hearts. The moment we believe, I mean truly believe who He is, what He has done, and that He is alive today waiting for us, we will have a home for eternity. Even in our mess.

The Power of Prayer

Do you live your life with prayer in the forefront? Or is it hidden away for cases of emergency?

John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.”

If you’re not praying each day, you’re living in pride. Why? Because, even when you’re not talking to God, you are. You’re telling Him that you can do it without Him, that you can live and do what you need to do on your own. Jesus told us, though, that we can do NOTHING outside of Him. It’s imperative that we realize how powerful prayer, continuous prayer, really is.

We have to live in Him, and praying is the only way to do it, unless all you do is live at home with your nose stuck in the Word. Even then, without prayer, the Word may fly away instead of camping out in your heart. Praying is the activity of our intimacy with God through Jesus Christ. Continual prayer always brings results.

This is why the Book of Acts is such a powerful example for us to live by. Even though the disciples turned apostles had one another to encourage and support one another, they lived by prayer. That’s what enabled them to venture out and preach boldly by themselves and gather new believers. It’s what we are called to do.

(prayer)

Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.

(result)

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

(prayer)

Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers

(result)

Acts 2:46-47 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those were being saved.

(prayer)

Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. (they were going to pray!)

(result)

Acts 3:5-7 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

Prayer AND Result!

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Prayer: (rejoicing is prayer too!)

Acts 5:41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.

(result from rejoicing)

Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (they were empowered to defy the council’s orders and preach boldly anyway)

Prayer:

Acts 6:4 “...but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word”

Result:

Acts 6:7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Prayer:

Acts 7:59-60 they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.”

(Saul was standing there approving of the stoning)

Result:

Acts 9:17-18 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

Prayer & Result:

Acts 8:14-17 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Prayer & Results:

Acts 9:40-42 But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

Prayer:

Acts 10:1-4 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God!” (result!!)

Result:

Acts 10:44-45 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter because the gift of the Holy spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

Prayer (and result):

Acts 11:5-9 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, on object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners’ and it came to me. When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘Not so Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’”

Result:

Acts 11:18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

Prayer:

Acts 12:5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

Results:

Acts 12:7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise, quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.

Acts 12:11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectations of the Jewish people.”

As disciples, we must live each day in continuous prayer—not shutting ourselves up, away from the world—but praying, fasting and rejoicing to God with our daily thoughts, words to others, and actions. Whether we are at home or at work, our prayers and lives must always magnify God. This is how we get results. How we support God’s will and NOT our own fleshly will.

The early church did this every single day, not just one day a week or whenever it was convenient for them. Having that relationship with Jesus Christ was life in itself and it must be the same for us no matter where we are or what we do.

Are we doing it?

Confession

Confession

Confession. I can’t expect to be spiritually free if I’m not preparing my spirit for battle and building up my confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit. Let me just make that clear to myself before I go any further. I’m either all in or I’m left out.

You don’t have to accept what I say is true. I encourage you to find out for yourself. Trust me, you absolutely can’t miss it if you are truly searching.

The world leaves a stain on your soul. It’s one of those hard ones to get out, too. Not even the strongest bleach, after soaking for days, can remove it. It’s not like a stain from one spill of coffee or wine or even blood. No, its gook that builds up from constant exposure to negative thoughts, violence and hatred over time. And our exposure has multiplied exponentially over the last 20 years since we now have a million channels on the TV that show any and everything, plus dozens of social media outlets to tickle whatever fancy you might have. Not only can you say whatever is on your mind, but you instantly become a receptacle for EVERYTHING you ever even remotely thought was interesting. (Thank you Google, Facebook and everyone else who spies on what we accidentally click on.)

Have you ever wondered why so many references are made of us being ‘washed clean’ and ‘white as snow’ in the New Testament? It’s a hint to those of us who are have a hard time learning (and retaining) the truth that we’re dirty and the world makes us dirtier. We need to be washed, desperately! Ok, so now that we know we need a good washing, so what?

If you’re like me, you kind of get tired of hearing the same thing over and over. Be careful, though. When you get tired of hearing something, it might just be time for you to lean in and pay special attention to it rather than look at something else.

I’ve been praying for that closeness with God, seeing that at times, my heart just didn’t seem to be in the right place. I wasn’t doing anything overtly wrong, but I wasn’t changing into a more loving and compassionate person, either. I mean, I found myself half-heartedly studying the Word with my mind wandering off to chores I needed to do or other things that had no positive impact. My mind was becoming dead space.

Even while I was praying for intimacy with God, I was floating through my days looking at nothing. I don’t know how else to describe it. I wasn’t caught up in social media, and actually, I was still reading my Bible plans and posting positive verses. But none of it was sinking in because my focus was completely blurred. I had lost my treasure. That’s the bottom line for me.

Matthew 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Paul was a great example of this man. Philippians 3:8 Yet indeed, I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

When I read that, my heart did a little flutter, like it was trying to wake up. Yes, I’ve read this verse hundreds of times before, but this time it had a little more flavor to it. I have suffered the loss of all things and they are rubbish…I mean wow! If I lost everything I had, would I just think to myself, “Well, it was trash anyway, so…I’m good.” ? Let’s be honest, that’s a hard pill to swallow. Family photos of my kids growing up, some of the very special things they have given me over the years, things they made for me, even just the memories I have of them in my home. No, it would be VERY hard to count all that as trash.

But Paul brings it home for me in verse 20: ‘For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.’

So it appears I have a choice. Either I consider myself a citizen of the world, with my house, my car, my clothes, my dogs, my family and everything else. Or, I am a citizen of heaven waiting for my bus or airplane or train or whatever mode of transportation to take me there. Meanwhile, I’m waiting here in the flesh but my mind is constantly thinking of being ‘home’ (in heaven). That’s a big choice, since I experience one side of it every day and the other side of it is something I can only imagine (for right now).

But it’s not just a figment of my imagination. Paul goes on to clarify for me a little more in his personal physical sufferings. Colossians 1:24-28 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

It’s a mystery to those who don’t know about Jesus. Most of them don’t even care to look into it, But the mystery is that when we repent of our sins (remember, we need washing!) and lay ourselves down in submission to the power of Jesus Christ, receiving Him as our only hope and Savior, He moves in. He moves into our hearts and our lives bringing with Him the amount of peace that we need (or the amount that we will let Him bring, it’s up to us). The more we focus on Him, the more peace He brings. The more we focus on our circumstances and the world, the more turmoil we have.

So how did I lose this VITAL piece of information? How did my heart forget? The gook got too thick and I forgot to wash it off with the Word of God. It’s that simple. I may have read a verse or even a whole chapter, but my heart was closed and nothing came in. I was stony ground, you could say, for a while.

Hear’s some good news though. So, while this post has been a confession for my lack of enthusiasm for the last 2 weeks, it’s also hopefully a sign for anyone who may need it. You don’t have to be stony ground all the time, you can fertilize yourself and become good ground. You can wash that gook off every day and see what the world can’t see. You can become a part of the mystery instead of ignoring it. Where is your treasure really? Let your heart open up and welcome the real treasure of Truth, which is Jesus Christ.

If God didn’t give up on me, but kept prodding me to open my Bible so He could open my heart, He certainly won’t give up on you. He never quits on us. Philippians 1:6 ..He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Gratitude

Luke 8:37-38 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

I aspire to be like this woman. Her gratitude for the forgiveness she received from Jesus is astounding. She was a blatant sinner at first, but then she became a beloved saint for Jesus. I’ve already accomplished the ‘sinner’ part. That was easy. But now, what I want most in life is to be so humble that I would take my tears of love and appreciation for all Jesus has given me and wash His feet.

But, I can’t literally wash His feet since He’s ascended and I’m still here on earth. If He were to stand right in front of me, I don’t know what I would do. Not at first anyway. Probably, I would fall flat on my face because I couldn’t face Him. I would feel the weight of all my past sinfulness. My blatant disobedience to Him and my reluctance to be bold for Him on a consistent basis.

I think after that initial bout of self shame, I would start to cry and do something like wash His feet out of gratitude. Why? Because I know that He has forgiven me and all the junk of my past. I’ve felt His love before. It’s something I’ve never experienced in my life until I found Him. Pure love that I certainly don’t deserve.

Since He’s not right here with me in Person, what can I do to show my gratitude? I can wash your feet, or someone else’s. Maybe not literally, unless you need me to, but by serving you in some way that will show you how much I truly love Him.

We can talk for hours about Jesus, what He did for all people through His death and resurrection, and still not ‘get it’. I’ve known this, but this past week I believe I’ve fallen prey to it a little. I can have all the knowledge of Jesus and His redemption and still not let it settle deep inside my heart if I allow it.

Satan is working extra hard these days to confuse as many people as he can and I’m not exempt. Yes, I firmly believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, but there are days when I’m just not ‘feeling it’. As if there’s a fog on my heart that prevents me from basking in His pure love and letting my heartfelt thankfulness be free.

I know it sounds looney. What’s really going on here is that I am questioning my confidence in my faith. I’m not questioning Jesus. I’m not questioning God. I’m not even questioning the Holy Spirit. I’m questioning myself.

I’m a wretch and I need to own that. Not so I can go around and be mean or selfish, no, quite the opposite. I need to own my wretchedness so that I can give God all the glory for my salvation. There’s no other way that I can live unless I give it all to Him. By owning my wretchedness first, I can hand it over to Him like the chain that has been dragging me down all my life. It was my chain, but He unlocked it so I could step out of it free.

This is the image I need to keep fresh in my mind and my heart. If I don’t then anything I do for anyone else is just a waste. But if I keep my heart soft, rather, if I let Him keep my heart soft, then all that I do is always going to be directed back to Him.

That’s my wish. I’m not there yet, but I’m getting there. I’m hoping that these next six months of my life are dedicated to washing His feet with my tears. I’ll need lots of prayers. The more I see what I’ve been freed from, the more faith and thankfulness to Jesus will spill out of my heart. Then, maybe I’ll be a little more like her.

Come

Today is Palm Sunday. It’s the day that we celebrate the triumphant entry into Jerusalem of Jesus Christ. It’s the day that we declare along with His faithful followers “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Today is also a day of opportunity. We have the opportunity to live either in joy or in fear.

There is terror lurking in the air. It’s always been there in some form or another, but today we are calling it COVID-19. As a result, we are urged to hunker in our homes and avoid any close fellowship with others. This urging has caused many people anxiety and worry because of the unseen and unknown. For this reason, many people are choosing to live today in fear, rather than joy.

But while the cause of fear continues to change each day, week and year, there is and has been one constant offering of inner peace and joy. This offer only comes through One; Jesus Christ. He is recorded repeatedly saying that all are welcome to “Come” to Him. That He will give us rest, He will satisfy our hunger and thirst and He will give us the light of life.”

If He gives us all these things, why are we still living in such fear?

Even Jesus seems to contradict Himself, after offering such wonderful things to us, also proclaims, ” Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you not at all, but rather division.” (Luke 12:51)

For clarification, what He is saying that all the things that create such anxiety and fear are not from Him but are roaming in the world, enticing the people of the world to live in fear rather than in Him. What He offers is not of this world, but of His Kingdom. The choice is ours.

Do we choose to live in the world or do we choose to “come to Him” and die to this world?

I love how Paul writes to the Colossians and makes it plain.

Colossians 2:9-10. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Colossians 2-20 Therefore if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations…

Colossians 3:1-5 If then, you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

When we ‘come to Him’, we are giving up our fleshly desires, dying, so to speak. If we are ‘dead‘, then we have no worries about what can happen to our flesh. We live ‘in Him’, and therefore, we live by His Holy Spirit, not of the flesh.

It’s in the Spirit that we get to receive the peace, the satisfaction of hunger and thirst, and the light of life. We get so much more because the Spirit has no limits, and therefore, neither do we, if we receive it.

We obey the laws of the land, but we are free to be at ease in our spirits because we are above whatever happens in the flesh.

So, what’s your choice? For me, I choose to come to Him, always and forever. I will not succumb to the fear that surrounds me but will rest in His easy yoke of life and peace.

Love to you all!