My Ephesians 3:20 Testimony

I know it has been a long time since I posted anything here. I endeavor to only write what the Holy Spirit lays on my heart, so there is no other formula, time table or mandate for what is written here. Many times in the last 9 months or so I have felt a stirring that I thought would lead to a blog post, but they never materialized. Now I have two burning in my spirit. They may both be written tonight.

Today, while in the midst a conversation, the Lord called to my remembrance some powerful testimonies of Ephesians 3:20. From the Amplified Bible: "Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams]- To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it)."

I added verse 21 because I do give God all the glory for what I am about to write. Some of you know that my son, Zach, has been in a boarding school for the past year. I've been through the valley of the shadow of death with that child, and God gave him a second chance at life through these two boarding schools. In December, at the Banqueting House, I asked for prayer about an "exit plan" the school wanted me to write. God answered that prayer above and beyond what I could even dare to ask by impressing on my heart to bring him home before his 18th birthday. In January, I asked for prayer about the "90 day notice" that the school required. I was very concerned about being charged for 3 months of tuition because it is very costly and I did not have the money. Not only did I not have to pay three months tuition, but I got a refund of the tuition I had paid for the month and was only charged $300.00. God has repeatedly answered above and beyond what I dared to ask for in prayer.

Now, I am not saying that God is Santa and we can ask for whatever we want. But, in this situation I believe God wanted to show me how Powerful and Almighty He is. He knew this entire situation has been an exercise of faith for me. He knew that almost all of the last 4 years with my son have been lived out in blind faith. He knew I did many things I did not understand all because I put my faith in God.

My friends, you can put your trust in God. His promises are true. I have not always been happy, or comfortable, but I have been following God to the best of my ability. He sees my heart and He knows my weaknesses. He provides the strength and courage that I need to put my faith in Him. I encourage you to know your God. Know His promises. Read about His faithfulness in the Bible. Let these stories of faith cause your own faith to rise up. And know that God CAN do above all we can dare to ask for or think!

I'm No Kool-Aid Drinker (and you shouldn't be either)

People, I am profoundly disturbed today. I was washing dishes and thinking about this seminar that I recently attended. Their entire premise is that their way is the only way that works, and if you just do it exactly the way they tell you to do it, your life will be pretty close to perfect. I feel God led me to this seminar, and walked me through it to show me something. First, let me say that the seminar was not a Christian one, so the philosophies were pretty easy for me to reject. The startling thing to me was that God was showing me that this kool-aid philosophy is rampant in the church, and is much harder to discern if you aren't careful. How many classes, or ministries claim to have the answer? Whether it be addiction, marriage, deliverance or even spiritual growth, many times these classes or ministries lead you to believe that if you just do it their way, things will be better. People of God, BEWARE!!!
How do you protect yourself from the kool-aid? By being a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY dividing the Word of Truth. II Timothy 2:15 Paul says in the beginning of this verse that you must study to show thyself approved. Deuteronomy 8:3 says (Amplified) And He humbled you and allowed you to hunger and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you recognize and PERSONALLY know that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.
That tells us the importance of His Word which at this time is predominantly the Bible.
I'd like to throw in the verses just a little bit further down. Verses 11-14, 17 Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His precepts, and His statutes, which I command you this day, Lest when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses and live in them, And your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all you have is multiplied, Then your [ minds and] hearts be lifted up and you forget the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, ... And beware lest you say in your [mind and ] heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this. This is a strong warning to us that when we become successful, the temptation is to forget God and think we have done it on our own. We can even feel this way about salvation!!!! I know that may be shocking to some people, but it's true. A lot of these classes or ministries lead you to believe you can do things in your own power and that is a falsehood. We are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves, it is a gift of God. Not by works lest any man should boast. Eph. 2:8,9.
So, my premise is that you can save yourself from "drinking the kool-aid" either spiritually, or even worldly philosophies SOLELY by being a good Berean. What does that mean? Acts 17: 10-11 says (KJV) And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming hither and thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. We must take what we are hearing and search the scriptures daily to discern whether it is correct. I tell you what Paul told the Galatians in Gal. 1:8 (Amplified) But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to and different from that which we preached to you, let him be cursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)! It doesn't matter what the source is, it matters what the message is. Even if your pastor says it, even if your most favorite TV preacher says it.... it doesn't matter. You need to search the scriptures daily to see if it is so.
Many people these days are casting a shadow on the Word of God and downplaying it's importance. But I tell you it is the ONLY thing we can trust these days. Here is why I say this: Let's start at the beginning. John 1:1-2 says, (Amplified) In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ) and the Word was with God and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God. So, this verse establishes that God and Jesus (who is also the Word) are one and were there in the beginning. Hebrews 13:8 says (Amplified) Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today [yes] and forever (to the ages). So, now we know that Jesus and God are one and that Jesus is the Word, and that He is always the same. That is something in which we can place our trust.
Now let's go to I Peter 1:21 (Amplified) For no prophecy ever originated because some man willed it [to do so- it never came by human impulse], but men spoke from God who were borne along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit. So, the Bible is not a bunch of man's ideas, but men were moved by the Holy Spirit to speak God's Words. The Bible is made up of God's Words.
Now, let's go to Hebrews 6:18, 19 (KJV) That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil:
This verse is saying that it is impossible for God to lie.
Let me put this all together. Jesus is the Word. God and Jesus are one. The Bible is God's words written by men moved by the Holy Spirit. God cannot lie. Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever. This is the basis of our faith! This is the anchor for our souls! Anything taught or spoken that conflicts with the Word of God, must be rejected. And, it doesn't matter where the teaching comes from, Paul even said if it's an angel from heaven preaching a different gospel, may he be cursed.
People, I beg you, be careful! I see the Kool-aid being passed out. It has many pretty colors, it may look appetizing; but remember -the people who drank the kool-aid in Jim Jones' camp did not live! I believe this will be true of people who drink the spiritual and philosophical kool-aid being passed out now. They will not live. Although I have used a metaphor which may be amusing, there is nothing amusing about this.
I leave you today with Paul's advice to Timothy in I Tim 6:20,21 (Amplified) O Timothy, guard and keep the deposit entrusted [to you]! Turn away from the irreverent babble, and godless chatter, with the vain and empty and worldly phrases, and the subtleties and the contradictions in what is falsely called knowledge and spiritual illumination. [For] by making such profession some have erred (missed the mark) as regards the faith.
Please use the Word of God to discern what you hear. I don't want you to miss the mark regarding your faith.

Is it Even Possible?

In the text of my pastor's sermon today, there was this verse: (Amplified) Romans 16:19 "For while your loyalty and obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, I would have you well versed and wise as to what is good and innocent and guileless as to what is evil." For some reason this verse struck me today. God has been working in my heart about this topic even before we read this verse today, and when I ponder this verse, I see both a physical and spiritual application.


Is it possible to be well versed and wise to what is good and guileless as to what is evil in today's world? The answer, based on what I read in God's Word, is yes. Would it be easy to be this type of person in today's world? No. In the physical realm, I think it would take a committment, and work to be a person like this. For example, I watch a show on TV which features a family who by all accounts are extremely conservative. They are Christians, and when they live out their Christian lives, they run VERY counter-culture. The women wear dresses, they do not watch television, and the children are very limited in their internet use. They do not watch movies, and in one episode they were introduced to Brandy Chastain and they had no clue who she was. I've read some websites about this family, and the majority of people think that this family is nuts. But, when I watched that episode, it occurred to me that without all of the influence of the world, these kids have a much different path of following God. They don't have to be let down by public figures who, in their sinful nature, do not live up to people's expectations. I think this concept of being innocent to evil is what is attractive to me about the Amish. Their lives are different because they have chosen to block out the world's influence on their lives.


Please know that I don't think anyone is more or less "spiritual" based on whether or not they watch tv, wear pants, go to movies, listen to secular music etc. I am just musing about what are the consequences of letting these things into our lives. I am not, and am not asking you to judge people, but to look into this concept and see how it might change your life. The world is becoming more and more perverse, and it is more difficult to allow even parts of the world into a Christian's life without terrible consequences. I've noticed for several years that it's not just television, but commercials that are offensive. So, in order to watch television, I must be vigilant about the commercials because I don't want my sense of what's right and pure to be eroded by these images on the screen. For me the result has been that fewer and fewer things are even worth the vigilance needed.

So, what happens when we are wise to good and guileless to evil? I think we focus on the right thing. The Bible says to "Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith". We cannot forget that directive. The Bible tells us over and over to come out from among them and be separate, and to "love not the world". So, this verse calling us to be wise unto that which is good, and guileless to evil fits in with what is taught. Also, I think that whatever we focus on in life becomes magnified. So, if you focus on evil; either with enjoyment or even in a "warfare" context you are magnifiying the evil. I believe our answers for healing, deliverance and for purity are all summed up in the idea of being wise to good and guileless to evil. No good can come from focusing on the devil, demons, curses etc. I return again to the words of the hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace." I know this has happened in my own life.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

I first wrote this post on June 2, 2009. At that time I had no idea what turns my own life would take. I am now more than ever convinced that our ONLY hope is to keep our eyes FIXED on Jesus.
These are interesting days we live in right now. In my life, and I know of many others, there is trouble on every side. We feel concern about the direction of our country, our families and even our churches. The stories of people murdering their entire families because of financial or other problems seem to be increasing. How can we make it through this time? Can we actually have peace and joy? I believe absolutely that the person who believes on the Lord can have both peace and joy during this time. Acts 16:31 in the Amplified Bible says this:"And they answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ [give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping] and you will be saved, [and this applies both to] you and you household as well." Believing isn't just thinking about something; in this verse it means to entrust yourself to Jesus. What better place to be in this life right now? Does that mean your problems immediately go away? No, but it does mean that you are no longer the one fighting all the battles. If you entrust yourself to Jesus and decide to do only what He says, it takes the pressure of having to "figure everything out" off of you.

I know that this concept is easier for me to write about than it is to apply to my life, but we have to remind ourselves of what God requires of us. He doesn't require that we navigate this life on our own and make perfect choices at every turn. He requires that we love Him with everything we have and everything we are and love others as Christ loved us. I have always loved King David from scripture. He messed up majorly several times in his life. He was put on the run for his life several times in his life. But yet, in all of this, he is called a man after God's heart. Those facts alone give me hope. I still have an opportunity to be called a woman after God's heart. Based on my feelings, it is not a surprise that I often turn to the Psalms when I need a special Word from the Lord.

So, when writing about feeling overwhelmed, my thoughts turn to Psalm 42 and 43. David asks (KJV) "Why art thou cast down O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of His countenance." I encourage you to read the entirety of chapters 42 and 43 because David lays out how to handle being cast down which I interpret to be overwhelmed. One thing he goes on to mention in verse 6 "O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.' So when life overwhelmed David, He remembered all that God had done. This causes God to become bigger in your mind, and the problems can't help but become smaller. When you have a big God, there is no problem that can overwhelm you.

I am reminded of the father in the New Testament who came to Jesus for healing for his son. Mark 9 records the story where Jesus says to him in verse 23 (Amplified) "And Jesus said, [You say to Me], If You can do anything? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes!" The reply is something that I know would be my response. "At once the father of the boy gave [an eager, piercing, inarticulate] cry with tears, and he said, I believe! [Constantly] help my weakness of faith!" In the King James it says "I believe, help thou my unbelief." It's okay to say that to God. He knows it already, so we might as well be honest with Him.

My encouragement is to find faith building Scriptures, music, sermons and keep them near to you. I was talking with someone last night, and I said, when all else fails use distraction. If you can't seem to break out of the overwhelmed feeling, distract yourself. I have found though that I have to be careful about my distractions; making sure that they are contributing to my spiritual life. There is so much else today competing for that place in my heart and soul, I am more careful than ever with what I fill my time.

An Open Letter

I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to the person/persons called "Servants of the Lord." For everyone else, let me explain.
On Wednesday, December 23, Fedex delivered an envelope addressed to my husband and me. When we opened it, there was a Christmas card inside. Inside the Christmas card were two money orders. The card read, "Chris and Sharon After praying, this is how the Lord led. God bless."
I was stunned, and burst into tears. I felt so humbled that someone would do this, and grateful to the Lord. Not to mention that this is the second financial blessing God has provided to us. Immediately, the Lord brought to my mind the many times both my husband and I have blessed others. I felt like God was showing me that He knows, and He leads and directs. There have been many years, especially at Christmas, that we have blessed others financially. While that wasn't the case this year; God knew what a blessing like this would mean to us.
This person/persons made it clear that they did not want their identity to be discovered, so I respect your wishes. I will admit, I wanted to figure it out for a time, but then laid that thought to rest. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
This incident has not only affected my life, but also my children's lives. When I showed them the card, they were blown away. When I began to talk to them about other times when God had led us to bless others in a similar way, they began to see that this can be a way of life. We hadn't always told our kids the stories when we blessed other people, but the older ones are teenagers and this has made an impression on their lives. They can see God at work in specific ways and meeting needs before they arise.
This has been a difficult holiday season for us. We lost a dear friend, and my daughter lost her great-grandmother. Through all of that, God has remained faithful. And He always will be faithful!
As this New Year opens, I encourage you to be sensitive to the leading of the Lord. You never know how your obedience will bless others.

A Testimony of How God Works

I'm posting an entry here of a more personal nature than usual because I want to document all of the awesome ways God is moving in the midst of a great personal emergency. This is a little different than what I normally write about, but I want to testify that God is with us and he still answers prayer. The blog this is taken from is http://www.chrisbrownupdate.blogspot.com/

How did we get here?
Hi there. My family has been blessed with so many friends, colleagues and family that I wanted a central place to disperse information. I don't want to leave anyone out, and this seemed like the best solution. This does not mean I no longer want emails or phone calls, I'm just having a hard time retelling things all the time. I hope you understand.Let me start at the beginning. Last Wednesday, while on a sales call, Chris fell. This is how he recounted the story to me. They were walking up a lot of stairs and he was sweating, and slightly winded. When they got to where they were going, he sat in a chair with a fan blowing on him. He remembers feeling a little clammy, then realized he was falling off the chair. Medics from the company were called and they checked him out and released him. When he came home, he had a headache. This continued for two more days before I was able to convince him to go get it checked out. While at Sutter Delta hospital, Chris had a CT scan which showed something abnormal. They then did a dye contrasting CT which did not clarify the problem all that much. Chris cannot have MRI because of his pacemaker, so the doctors decided to transfer him to John Muir where there is a Neurologist on staff. The doctor at John Muir agreed that whatever was going on in his head needed to be looked at, and expressed that the situation is made more difficult because he cannot have MRI. His feeling was that a biopsy was the best starting point. The biopsy was done yesterday and the doctor said that it went very well. The results from the lab will take 2-3 days. Chris is doing well physically, and neurologically after the procedure and is resting the best he can. Right now he is in ICU and is on the brain injury protocol which means no TV or radio, no telephone. He's not thrilled with that at all. On Sunday he complained that no one would tell him the score to the Giant's game. They just want to limit his brain stimulation right now. I want to thank everyone who has sent their well-wishes and let me know that you are praying. Our hope is not in a hospital, doctor or medical procedure. Our hope is in God. God has already answered so many prayers. Please continue to pray for not just Chris, but also the kids and me. They are holding up well. Nicholas barely seems to notice that his dad is gone. I see the concern on Courtney and Tyler's faces, and I try to reassure them. I have always known that my husband was admired and well thought of in each area of his life. Thank you to those of you who have confirmed that through your emails. My hope is to post updates daily.
Miraculous ways that God works:
1. My husband didn't have any seizures in the three days after the fall he took, and before treatment.
2. He didn't have any car accidents as he drove that Wednesday from San Francisco to Concord to Oakland and then home.
3. When I prayed to God for something very particular, there was a message when I got home answering that exact prayer.
4. While in the ICU at John Muir in Walnut Creek, I saw a friend of Chris' who was there to visit his own relative. I later heard that this friend was in the hall praying for my husband.
5. Chris had to have a breathing tube for 2 days after the procedure, after a long night of prayer last night, it was removed today.
6. On Monday morning, I was able to call AT&T and get Chris' log in information for his business voice mail so that I could change the message.
7. A family friend changed their plans in order to take my 3 kids to a Giants game this weekend. (we had tickets already and the kids were worried they wouldn't get to go)
8. Even before I could call anyone, the church knew about Chris and was praying. (my daughter had posted it on her facebook, so the youth leaders found out that way)
9. A friend offered to help me by picking up my carpool from school one day.
10. The biopsy results show no tumor!!!!!
11. Many friends continue to call and offer help of specific natures- I am truly blessed!
I plan to update this as time goes by. This is a reminder that we serve a big God, and that He cares about us from the big things to the little things.

We've Got To Hold On

My dear friends, I've had a hard time posting anything lately because I feel like I am personally in a battle for my life. Not my physical life, but my spiritual life. I personally believe that the time is drawing nigh that Jesus will return, and I feel Revelation 12:12 the latter part of the verse coming to pass "...for the devil is come down unto you, having a great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time." My heart is being challenged these days on many fronts with this same theme. Are you going to get along, or follow Jesus? I've never had such a direct choice before. I've always been able to get along and follow Jesus, but the time is such that it is nearly impossible. Family, friends, church acquaintances are all falling on two sides of the issue. I feel that not only am I finding it difficult, but others are actually deciding not to get along with Christians any longer. I also have to say that I am hearing this from many many others. It seems we are all in the same boat, and I think that the situation gives us an opportunity. This is a time when we can band together and pray for each other and encourage each other. We have to if we are going to survive the final hours.
As you know from reading this blog, music is something special to me. So, it came as no surprise to me that two songs have become anchors for me in this most recent storm. The first is an old hymn by Fanny J Crosby entitled "Blessed Assurance".
Blessed assurance Jesus is mine!
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born with His Spirit, washed with His blood.
Perfect submission, perfect delight
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight
Angels descending bring from above
Echos of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest
Watching and waiting looking above
Filled with His goodness lost in His love.
This is my story this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long.
The next song is one I remember from the 70's or early 80's but I just heard again on a new CD. It's titled "The Blood Will Never Lose It's Power"
The blood that Jesus shed for me
Way back on Calvary
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day It will never lose its power.
It reaches to the highest mountain
And it flows to the lowest valley
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day
It will never lose its power.
It soothes my doubts and calms my fears
And it dries all my tears
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day
It will never lose its power.
We have got to remember this. The blood will NEVER lose it's power. It doesn't matter what you are facing, Jesus has overcome!

A Piece of Sound Advice

This little chorus has been going through my head for the past week. I consider it to be sound advice for these challenging days. No matter what is going on, remember this.
Jesus never fails, Jesus never fails. Heaven and earth may pass away, but Jesus never fails!!!
Hallelujah! It's nice to know that if people fail, pastors fail, government fails, churches fail there is one thing for sure- Jesus never fails!!! I'm so glad I've put my hopes, my trust, my future in Him!

I'm Counting On God

What an appropriate song, and awesome lyrics for my life! I am truly counting on God!

VERSE 1
I'm in a fight not physical
And I'm in a war
But not with this world
You are the light that's beautiful
And I want more I want all that's Yours
PRE-CHORUS
Joy unspeakable that won't go away
And just enough strength
To live for today
So I never have to worry
What tomorrow will bring
'Cause my faith is on solid rock
I am counting on God
CHORUS
I am counting on
I am counting on God
BRIDGE
The miracle of Christ in me
Is the mystery that sets me free
I'm nothing like I used to be
Open up your eyes you'll see

Jared Anderson© 2007 Vertical Worship Songsc/o Integrity Media, Inc., 1000 Cody Road, Mobile, AL 36695

How To Make A Disciple

I've never really been fond of this saying "make disciples" because I feel like it leaves a lot to the imagination. I don't think God is about leaving a lot to the imagination. Another reason I've not liked this phrase is because I don't see it in the Bible that I read which happens to be the King James version. I've talked about Bible versions before, I've read the KJV since I was a child and that's the one I'm most comfortable with. I'm not saying that EVERYONE must read this version. When I first started hearing this "making disciples" phrase, I kept saying, "But that's not in the Bible!" People would tell me yes, it is in other translations. I'm trying to convey how adamantly I did not like this phrase. But now, I'll concede that this phrase could be appropriate and how it does NOT leave a lot to the imagination.

First of all, let me quote the verse I'm discussing. Matt. 28:19 from the KJV : "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" Like I said before, I've read the King James version all my life. Recently I've been reading the amplified Bible, as it draws out the meanings of the words. It cuts down a lot on me running to the Concordance for word clarification. So, in reading the amplified Matthew 28:19 reads, "Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." When I saw this, I had to consider what it truly meant, and when I looked up the word "teach" in the Greek, I got more of a clarification.

The word "teach" in this instance in the KJ means "to disciple" and that word definition didn't really satisfy me, so I looked to the word it came from. That word means "one who follows one's teachings" and further "A disciple was not only a pupil, but an adherent; hence they are spoken of as imitators of their teacher."
Uh-oh, this is what I was worried about. I've been asking people this question- "Who are they making disciples of?" And this is my problem with the whole disciple thing. I find that many people make disciples of themselves. Meaning, I've got all these people following me. That is downright scary to me. None of us are perfect and there is a risk in having lots of people following you. I feel that many churches make disciples of their particular church, or a certain program or class. I think churches really like to make disciples of their own doctrine.In regards to having personal disciples, I had an incident when someone offered to loan me some teaching tapes, but it came with a warning that I would be accountable to them for the content of the tapes if I listened to them. I ask you, where is this in scripture? To me, this seems like I would become this certain persons or certain teachings disciple. I was dumbfounded. This all follows the technical line from Matt. 28, but is that God's heart? I give a resounding NO!
The other day I was listening to someone teach God's Word from John 8, and what happened during that teaching changed my life. It was like a spotlight shone down, and then alarms went off and the verse I've been waiting for regarding "making disciples" was made clear to me. I quote John 8:31-32 from the amplified Bible: " So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My Word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. God's intent was to make disciples of Jesus, but for some reason this verse jumped out at me. The only way to rightly make disciples is to steer them ONLY and ALWAYS to the Word of God.

What freedom that brings! If all you ever do is steer people to God's Word, then you are safe. How can you go wrong by guiding people to find their answers in God's Word? Of course, it must be approached in love and compassion, but God's Word is ALWAYS the answer. I've found that if you know God and His great love for you, and you move in love toward other people, it makes it easier to share God's Word with them. If people think you are beating them up with God's Word, they will not want to listen to you. There is a phrase in the Gospels that has profoundly impacted my life and it is this; When Jesus saw them, He was moved with compassion toward them. (my summary, not a quote) When I think about how Jesus walked, this phrase leaps to mind. He saw people and had compassion toward them. And after that, He preached the Word to them. So, in my opinion, reaching people with the Word needs to come with a true love and compassion for people.
So, to sum it up: We are indeed to be making disciples- of JESUS!! Not to any one church, doctrine, class, philosophy but to the Son of God. That means we must know this Son ourselves and be His disciple ourselves. And Jesus must be the only thing we point people towards.

Be Still

Be Still and know that I am God Ps. 46:10
"Be Still" What a concept for us in this day and age. I've been contemplating this for a long time in reference to many areas of life. I'm going to discuss what keeps us from being still, and why we need to be still.I've noticed in America, that being still is not something we want to do. Very few people are still voluntarily. Our society looks down on being still. We feel guilty like we're wasting time if we're still. Stores are now open 24 hours a day, restaurants are open later and later, even open 24 hours a day. With the boom of the Internet, and cable television, we now have both of those 24 hours a day. I'm old enough to remember that television stations used to sign off at night and be off the air until morning. Now, you can find a million ways to waste your money and lots worse on the television all night long. Since the World Trade Center bombings, we now can hear and see the news, and read it across the bottom of the screen all at the same time. The Internet is a huge lure to avoid being still. While it used to be enough just to "surf the net" and get information, and shop; we are now living out our social lives through Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites.Now, I'm not saying that these things are evil in themselves; but I am saying that we have to take a hard look at these things, just like any other thing like television, movies, music and ask ourselves "Is this drawing me closer to God?" I am constantly checking to make sure things in my life have not become idols. I feel that the anonymous/fantasy element of the Internet has a great lure that could take over if we are not careful. I know because I've been there, and it was only God's grace that I did not ruin myself.What are the benefits to being still? First, it gives the body and mind rest. I've heard it said that in this day and age of convenience, we accomplish 2-3 times what we used to in years past. While some people may see that as productive, I also see it as wearing on our bodies and minds 2-3 times faster. Our bodies need times of rest, and I am convinced our minds need it as well. The mental aspect may not be a visible, but it is true all the same. Being still also gives us a chance to stop and assess where we are. There have been times when I've taken a "time out" and realized that I need more sleep, or need to drink more water or eat more healthfully. If we stay in the rat race, we may not notice those things until it's too late. I also believe that being still gives God an opportunity to commune with us. Think about it, what kind of relationship would you have with your spouse if you only passed each other and never really stopped to talk? It would be difficult to have a deep relationship because you would never really know each other. When we stop and be still especially to spend time with God, we are showing Him that we want to invest in our relationship with Him. Again, think in the natural. When we want to invest in a relationship, we spend time finding out what the other persons likes and dislikes are. We spend time doing things that they like to do. We spend time trying to make them happy. Why should this be any different for our relationship with God?It's interesting to me how often we are willing to sit still for many things other than God. We'll sit for two hours and watch a movie or even longer to watch sports. How much more important is our relationship with our Creator? I have found that it is not always easy to discipline myself to be still, but because I know the benefits of being still are great I push past all the noise and get myself to a place of stillness. Busyness is something we need to be aware of, and do what we can to mitigate the busyness in our lives. God knew what He was doing when He included the verse "Be still and know that I am God" in the Bible.What happens when we don't know God? I am immediately drawn to Hosea 4. In this chapter, the Lord has a controversy with the children of Israel. He says in verse 1 that there is no faithfulness, love, pity and mercy or knowledge of God [ from personal experience with Him] in the land. When you follow down to verse 6, you find an often misquoted verse. It reads from the amplified Bible "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you [the priestly nation]have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you that you shall be no more preist to Me; seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children." We often use this verse to promote "learning", but what this is saying is that they have a lack of knowledge of God. He is judging the priests because they reject knowledge of God. II Timothy 3 says in verses 5, 7 "For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [ their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid all such people. [These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth."I feel that if we don't know God, it is a double punishment. Not only can we fall into error, and risk condemnation; but also, we do not the the good things we need to know to keep our faith. We will not understand God, we will not know or believe His promises to us. If we don't know God, how can we survive life in the world? Romans 10: 17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Have you ever been to Jamba Juice? They ask if you want a free boost in your smoothie. The Word of God is like a Jamba boost. It's a faith boost. From all the things I've read in the Bible about the end times, I know I need that boost for my faith.So, I guess the question is, Do you know how to "Be still and know that I am God" ?

The bridge to Nowhere

I wasn't going to name this post what I named it, I had a couple of other ideas which kept switching in my head. When this phrase dropped into my mind, I knew it described how I'm feeling about things being said in the American church at large. For several years, I've heard people describe the necessity of programs in the church in the following way. We need these programs to be a bridge to bring people to Jesus. Or maybe this: We need to get them in the door so that they can learn about Jesus. I have great problems with these statements because I think they oppose Scripture. There is also another trend in churches these days where we are afraid to use words like "sin" because we're worried that people will be offended and not "get saved". Jesus addresses this in the Bible as well.
First, let's address the bridge theory. Now, I'm not well versed in this theory; I've never actually had a long conversation with anyone who claims this theory. But, I do know what the Word of God says. John 9: 39- 10:5 is a fascinating story. After all of John 9 discusses the blind man who was given sight, Jesus makes the statement in vs. 39 (Amplified Bible) "Then Jesus said, I came into the world for judgment [ as a Separator, in order that there me be separation between those who believe in Me and those who reject Me], to make the sightless see and to make this who see become blind." The Pharisees then asked, "Are we also blind?" And Jesus told them that because they insist that they have no sin, their guilt remains. Immediately following that verse is John 10:1, an extremely powerful verse which struck me about a year ago. It reads, "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way (elsewhere, from some other quarter) is a thief and a robber." And Jesus makes it even clearer in verse 9 "I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture."
When I look at this passage, I think I see what Jesus is trying to say, and it applies to the above topic. The Pharisees did NOT want to be compared to that blind man. They thought that they were so much further ABOVE him, that they totally missed the point. Until they admitted their need like the blind man, they could not accept the gift of salvation. They were trying to get in some other way. The way of good works, of perfect keeping of the law. Jesus said that only those who enter through Him would be saved. That means they have to admit their need. Need is not something that's acceptable these days. No on wants to look "needy". We've cultivated a society that wants to be "self-reliant" and "self- sufficient". And this philosophy is in direct opposition to God. So, the deeper into this self philosophy you are, the harder it will be for you to see your need of God, and actually cry out to Him from that need for salvation. And, as Christians, we cannot make a more comfortable door for people who are too embarrassed or proud to admit their need for Jesus. That is not what the Great Commission is about.
Jesus also said in Matt. 11:6 " And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." This is a powerful statement. If you are offended by being called a sinner, then you don't really need a Savior. The Bible calls us sinners, and if we are offended by this, then salvation is not for us. I am frustrated that people are calling certain terms "Christian speak" and in actuality they are Biblical terms. Saying that someone sinned is in the Bible. Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." If you talk about being "born again" or say that you are a "born again Christian" people look at you funny and think you are speaking some sort of secret language. Well, maybe that's true if you think that the Bible is some secret language. Jesus said the words himself. John 3:3 (amplified) "Jesus answered him, I assure you, I most solemnly I tell you, that unless a man is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with and experience) the kingdom of God." I'll be honest with you, I want to see the kingdom of God! I am not going to get my pride up and refuse to be honest and miss the kingdom of God.
When all of this is brought into the Church, I really feel that we are missing the point. I have said it before, and I'll say it again. The church was not meant to be for unbelievers!!! This is a modern day phenomenon brought on the the "seeker" movement. The definition of church in the Strong's Concordance is from the word Ekklesia meaning: It designated a new society of which Jesus was the founder, being as it was a society knit together by the closest spiritual bonds and altogether independent of space." There is nothing in here that says it is a net being cast out to gather up people. There is nothing in here about it is a service to attract people. It is a society knit together in the bonds of Christ. I have to wonder what we've really got going on today. I personally see a lot of 'towers of Babel' where people are saying "Come let us build a church and let us make a name for ourselves." Of course they don't really say that, but if we are denying what Scripture tells us, and we are making our own doors for people to come through as comfortably as possible, what are we doing???? I understand that people just want to see others "get saved" but the truth is, if they don't go through the True Door which is Jesus, they aren't really saved. Jesus was the one who said we must be "born again" so what's wrong with saying those words? I don't care if it's hip or current, they are the words that get you into the kingdom of God.
The truth is, we are only required to bring the message. The True message. We are not required to bring people to church, or get them to say a prayer or sign a commitment card. It may be that in these times, not very many will "get saved". There may be many that reject your message of sinners needing a Savior. The Bible says in Matt. 7:14 "But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straightened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it." I'm concerned that we are not showing the narrow way (Jesus only) and that we are taking people down a broad path with our bridges and programs.
If I had to pick one verse in the Bible as most important, I would choose John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me." That makes it pretty clear. To come through Jesus, you have to admit that He did something that you couldn't do. He died on the cross so that you could have fellowship with the Father. To come through Jesus you must drop all ideas of doing it your way, of earning your way to God. When you truly believe that Jesus is the only Way to Heaven, He is the only Truth and that in Him is Life; your own life will become so much more simple.
I challenge you to think about what is going on in American churches. Really stop and challenge what's being said by searching the Bible. I don't think that the Christian life is as complicated as people are making it, but I don't think it's as commercial as they are making it either. Yes, if you choose the narrow path and there are few on it, you may feel uncomfortable and lonely at times. You may wonder if you're on the right path. But if you abide in the Word, which means hold fast to Christ's teachings and live in accordance with them, you cannot be ashamed.

Faith is the Victory

It's been a rough couple of days for me. It's been hard to keep the tears from my eyes. I'm not just upset because I didn't vote for Barak Obama, but I'm deeply saddened because I feel that we as Americans have crossed a line. Integrity is no longer something we want in our leaders, and that can only mean destruction for our society.
But today, as the tears were running down my face, I heard a small voice of song in my heart. It's the hymn by John Yates, and the words are as follows:
Encamped along the hills of light
Ye Christian soldiers rise
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled
Faith is the victory we know
That overcomes the world
His banner over us is love
Our sword the Word of God
We tread the road the saints above
with shouts of triumph trod
By faith they like a whirlwinds breath
Swept on o're every field
The faith by which they conquer'd death
Is still our shining shield
To him that oversomes the foe
White rainment shall be giv'n
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in Heav'n
Then onward from the hill of light
Our hearts with love aflame
We'll vanquish all the host of night
In Jesus' conqur'ing name
Faith is the victory
Faith is the victory
O glorious victory
That overcomes the world
These words remind me not to fix my eyes on what I see here on earth. Faith is my victory!!

Whatcha thinking?

As I talk to people, I'm finding that a lot of us are dealing with a lot of stuff. Whether it is economic, personal relationships, health many people seem to be dealing with many things. I don't have some magical answer for why or what this all means. All I know is that even as I am being squeezed hard, I must refocus my attention. It is totally human and so like me to get distracted and focus on my problems, but I truly feel that in order to make it through these final days, we have to train our focus on our hope. So, that begs the question ... What/where is your hope? The words to the hymn "Solid Rock" have been running through my head for months now. Here are the lyrics:
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly lean on Jesus' name
When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and Stormy gale
My anchor hold within the veil
When He shall come with trumpet sound
O may I then in Him be found
dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.

I truly believe these words, and I know they are true. Isaiah 26:3,4 says," You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [ both it's inclination and it's character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You,
leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord [commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him] forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages]."
If we put our hope in God, the scriptures say over and over that we will not be ashamed. What does hope in God mean? It's not necessarily a hope that God will just fix everything. The Bible says that it rains on the just and the unjust. Jesus, in John 16:33 "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for You.] These verses are from the Amplified Bible, and I like how it brings the definitions of the words out.
Jesus tells us that we will have trials, but to be of good cheer. If you're focused on the problem, it's hard to be of good cheer. But, the knowledge that Jesus has taken away the power of these things to harm us is something to cheer about. I have been in a situation that has forced my thoughts to the eternal realm. I have a son who is a prodigal, walking in darkness right now, and the thoughts can really consume me, depress me and give me cause to give up. BUT, when I lift my perspective a little higher, I find that God's promises DO bring peace and comfort. With this situation in particular, I've had to break things down to some very small truths that help me get through the day. I started with this ... have I done everything I can in the natural realm for my son? Yes, I believe I have. Have I asked his forgiveness? Yes, I have. Will I continue praying for him? Yes, I will. And when the torment still plagues me, the wondering if my actions as a mother have forever scarred his life, I have to stop myself and say. He has free will too. Just as I have free will, so does my son. When I feel I am a horrible, unworthy person, I ask myself this... Will his actions affect MY salvation? NO, they absolutely will not cause me to lose my salvation. I literally have to re balance myself with these thoughts. The negative thoughts come in like a flood, fast, furious and overwhelming; and I've had to teach myself to intentionally think on these things. Knowing God from His Word, and knowing the promises God has made to His children has kept me sane and in peace through a horrible time.
Our hope should be in the Lord. And not just in the Lord, but for His return. Titus 2:13 says, "Awaiting and looking for the [fulfillment, the realization of our] blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Annointed One). We must hope in our salvation. The salvation that comes when Jesus returns. We cannot hope that God will fix everything here on earth, it just won't happen. Jesus said in John that we WILL have trouble, but to be of good cheer because He overcame the world. Although He overcame the world, we still have to live in it until He returns. So, when our perspective gets raised from earth to hoping in His return, we are able to handle life's issues differently.
I'm not just spouting some goody-two-shoes nonsense, and I'm not someone who can't understand the problems going on today. I have troubles on every side, but not one of those troubles will take away my eternal hope, and because of that I can praise God! I will offer this to those being pressed hard right now. Often, but not always, praise and worship music will help lift me out of the mire of my troubles. Thinking on God instead of everything that is wrong will start to diminish my trouble and magnify God in my opinion. Then, that lets my trust God more, and opens my heart to believing the promises God has made. There are also times when I just need a friend to pray for me. I'm human, there are times when you just need a literal shoulder to cry on. I have great friends who love me and are willing to pray and remind me of God's promises. There are also times when I reach out and help others. It's easy to get selfish when trials come, so I try to force myself outward. I'm not perfect, I don't think these are the only ways to get through hard times, these are just what works for me.
I encourage you to know where your hope lies.

What's Your Perspective? (a personal testimony)

It is always upon reflection that I realize what an awesome work God has done in my life. And during these times of reflection I sometimes wonder what happened to change me so drastically, and what has happened that so many others in my life haven't changed as readily. One thing I've stumbled upon is perspective. I believe it is my perspective of God that has changed most radically, and thereby my life has changed as well. I'd like to share my previous perspective and what came about to change that perspective.
I grew up in a home where we went to church...often. We were not only very involved in church, but I went to Christian schools as well. So, there was a broad influence into my perspective of God. School teachers, principals, adults, Sunday School teachers, my pastor all had an influence on my perspective. My parents attended a conservative church, and the schools I attended reflected those conservative values. I think the grade school I attended is one of the MOST conservative in this area. Rules were an important part of life in the schools I attended and also at home. Behavior outside those rules was NOT tolerated. Because of the emphasis on obedience to rules, I came to believe that God was as concerned about these "rules" as everyone else was. When I thought of God I was always scared about what He thought about me and my various infractions of the "rules". During my childhood, I remember almost always praying during an altar call to "make sure" I was saved. Even into adulthood, after I came back to the Lord, I was constantly scared that He was going to punish me for my sins.
How did this affect my life? I became overly concerned about obeying the rules. I also became judgmental of others. It was very hard for me to love anyone, because I was so consumed with my own behavior that I could not expend any energy on others. Also, I never realized love from any source. I saw life as a competition. If I was not competing with everyone else in the world, I was competing at least with myself to perform the best I could. This view point of seeing God as a judge fit in to my personality in a way that made me harsh on others and even harsher on myself. It was very difficult to forgive myself, and because of that, hard to forgive others.
What was the solution? First let me tell you what I tried and how it did not work. I tried Bible study books. They just seemed dry and boring to me, and I could never bring myself to finish them, or get anything useful out of them. I tried several classes in a deliverance ministry. Several years in fact, and while there were aspects that were helpful, it didn't solve my perspective of God. If anything, it put barriers between me and God. It taught me to take some element of control over my own life. This thinking also lead to me not trusting Christ's work on the cross. I thought there were things I needed to do in addition to Christ crucified. I also listened to teachings by Christian teachers. This only served to muddy the waters for me because each person says something slightly different. So which do you believe?
The change started for me when I began to simply read the Bible and seek the Lord fervently. He always spoke words of love and encouragement to me. Even through others, there were never harsh words of warning, but love and encouragement. And He led me to some great Christian fiction authors. The final breakthrough for me came while reading Francine Rivers "Redeeming Love". This story is based on the book of Hosea in the Bible and shows how God loves and bears with us. These lines at that point in my life broke through everything I'd been taught and lived through to show me Who God really is and what love really is. "Love cleanses, beloved. It doesn't beat you down. It doesn't cast blame." "My love isn't a weapon. It's a lifeline. Reach out and take hold, and don't let go."
Wow! I'm blown away again just typing it. Since this revelation of God and His love for me, my life has taken a 180 degree turn. Now, I love people as I believe God wants us to love. I can't help loving people. I'm quick to try to see the best in people. (Sometimes I'm quicker than others, I'm still not perfect ;-) I can't watch the same things on television and movies because of my new perspective. I no longer feel constant guilt. Once I realized that God is not keeping score, and that He is looking at my heart, I was able to relax and love.
It's not a self-esteem issue, it's a God-esteem issue. I believe that if you see God in a wrong light, you will see yourself in a wrong light. I'm able to ask forgiveness, and forgive myself much more quickly now, because I see that God is not trying to beat me down or punish me, He is holding out His nail-scarred hand as a life line. I know that when Jesus said, "It is finished." He meant just that. It is finished, I cannot earn salvation or favor any other way. I feel sad when people talk about God's rod of correction, because since my perspective of Him changed, I've realized I can't see Him that way.
I now live the way God asks me to live because I know He wants only the best for me, not because I think He'll punish me. I see the ten commandments and the Old Testament in a much different way. And, this new perspective causes me to WANT to learn more about this God of Love. Knowing how much God loves me, and how much He sacrificed to rescue me, I want to be like Him, and that means loving people.
I challenge you.....what is your perspective? Are you guilty all the time? Are you judging yourself and others? Do you struggle with loving? I don't know what God will use to show You His true character, maybe it's a person, a book, a sermon, just your private alone time with Him and His Word. God promises in Jer. 29:13 "And ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Heb. 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." He is faithful!

Are You Dressed?

I read a verse today that got my mind spinning. As I waited for my son to get out of school, I felt the Holy Spirit pouring this out in a flood. I could not look up the verses fast enough. These are my musings, so here we go.
I John 2:28 in the Amplified Bible "And now little children, abide (live, remain permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence(boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming."
There was a slight remembrance of something when I heard this verse, and it harkens all the way back to Genesis. After Adam and Eve had sinned and eaten of the tree, God made His usual trip to the garden to walk with them in the cool of the day. Let's look at this passage in chapter 3 verses 7-8 "Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves apronlike girdles. And they heard the sound of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." Sounds like they were ashamed and shrinking from Him at His coming.
After this my mind quickly tripped over to the parable of the wedding guests. This is found in Matthew 22: 1-14. Verse 11 says in the King James "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there was a man which had not a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless."
By now, I have looked in the margin of my chain reference, and I saw the next verse under "robe of righteousness" I went to Luke 15:22. This is the story of the prodigal son. When the son returns home to his father, the father calls for the best robe to be put on his returning son.
The word "clothed" began ringing in my head, so I looked it up in my concordance. I was referred to Isaiah 61:10 in the King James "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Aha! I'm getting somewhere, but at the same time, I feel there is something vast out there waiting for me. The chain reference leads me to Zechariah 3:4
in the King James "And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of rainment."
I'm realizing that God provides these proper garments with which we need not be ashamed in His presence. Back to Genesis. After God deals with Adam, Eve and the serpent for their sin, verse 21 is the foreshadowing of what I have just seen later in scripture. " Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them."
During all of these revelations, I called to remembrance a verse in Revelation regarding garments and shame. Rev. 16:15 in the King James "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."
By this time I am starting to assimilate a train of thought regarding being clothed with garments, and not being ashamed. Here's what I see. (And please, if I seem off, please show me through scripture how I am off. Don't leave me in error.)
God is the one who provides the garments of salvation, the robes of righteousness. They are provided through the shedding of Jesus' blood on the cross of Calvary. Those are the only acceptable garments. Without those garments, you will be ashamed at his coming. He will come as a thief, so we must always be ready. We cannot put off accepting these garments. But, from the parable of the wedding feast, I see that some will come to the feast with improper garments. Adam tried to make his own garments, but still was ashamed when God came to walk with him. God made sure before He left the garden that he provided an animal skin garment for them. We also see this concept of improper garments in a practical way in Matt. 7:21-23 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
What garments are you wearing? I John says that if we abide in Him we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. Jesus says in Matthew that only those who do the will of His Father which is in heaven will enter the kingdom of heaven. God gives out the garments of salvation and the robes of righteousness as in Isaiah and Zechariah says that God takes our filthy garments of iniquity and gives us a change of rainment.
Are you wearing robes of your own righteousness? Are you wearing the robes of prophesying in His name? Casting out devils? Many wonderful works? If we are trying to create our own robes of righteousness, Isaiah 64:6 says, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags;"
I see only one way to be fully clothed and unashamed in the day of Christs return. We must acknowledge our sin and our separation from God. We must acknowledge that Jesus, God's Son is the only way to obtain the rightful robes. We must accept his sacrifice as payment for our sin and allow Him to be Lord of our life. We must do the will of the Father which is in heaven and abide in Christ. I believe that this is the narrow road. We cannot find our own way of coming to Jesus or we will be looked on as the man at the wedding feast. We will be thrown out.
In this day when the American church is a machine, looking for volunteers to serve in their "ministries", I urge you to search your heart and search God's heart. Don't be flattered that you are wanted. Don't be flattered that you are promoted. If you see ministry as making you look better in God's eyes, beware! Don't be caught unclothed and ashamed.
Are you dressed?

Encouragement for Weary Travelers

Recently, the lyrics to this song have been going through my head. They are as follows:
This world is not my home, I'm just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore .
O Lord you know I have no friend like you. If Heaven's not my home , then Lord what will I do?The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore.
We sang this in church when I was growing up, but I never quite "got" the meaning until I was much older. We say things like, "this world is not my home", but I think we don't "get" it completely. If this world is not our home, why do we put down such large roots? If this world is not our home, why do we worry and fear when people don't agree with us?
I believe that all of us struggle with this in various degrees, because of our humanity. I also believe that we can overcome these things by fixing our eyes on Jesus. This is not the first time I've recommended the cure of fixing our eyes on Jesus, and it won't be the last time. I personally believe that Christianity is and should be simple. Not easy or without problems, but simple. Much of our worries and cares could be diminished or even demolished if we fixed our eyes on Jesus.
I am not someone who speaks in "thus sayeth the Lord" terms, but as someone who watches the signs of the times, I think we can believe that we are in some stage of the last days. We cannot be shocked that evil abounds. We cannot be shocked that our churches are being infiltrated by the ways of the world. We cannot lose our faith and hope. Jesus asked in Luke 18:8 "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Matthew 10:22 says, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Jude verse 3 says, " Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."
I think all these verses show us that we can't just come to Jesus for salvation, then sit back and relax until the day Jesus returns. We must be active in keeping our faith alive and in enduring until the end. Now more than ever before we need to know as Paul did in II Tim. 1:12 "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." If we know Who and what we believe we can stand firm.
Now, I know that we all live in a human body with earthly thoughts and emotions running through our veins. I am not saying we'll never wonder if we're the ones off base or be sad and even lonely in our walk with God. However, if you know what God says in His Word, if you spend time in prayer and in seeking God through His Word; I do not think you can stay for long in a negative or defeated mind set.
We must give the Holy Spirit something to work with in our lives. Jesus said that the Comforter would come and teach you, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. If we have God's word in our hearts, the Holy Spirit will bring those things to our remembrance and we won't have to be kept down by what our eyes see around us. I also think that the body of Believers needs to bear one another's burdens. We should be able to talk to our brothers and sisters in Christ about our struggles of faith. I think that in these days you need to watch someones life and see if it bears the fruit of the Spirit before baring your soul, but we should not be afraid to ask for support in prayer.
I would like to recommend some sermon Cd's that have been enormously faith building to me in the last couple of weeks. They are from World Challenge by Dave Wilkerson and they are titled "Standing Steadfast in Christ" and "God Has Not Passed You By" Those two in particular have really encouraged me, but he has many more that I would also recommend. I find Dave Wilkerson to be a steadfast man of faith who seeks the Lord and is not swept about by changing winds of doctrine. I've listened to dozens of his teachings and have always been excited and encouraged in the Lord.
This world is not our home!

God- Mother Teresa or Creator of the Universe?

I've been doing a lot of reading in the Psalms lately and I came across a verse that stopped me in my tracks. Psalm 51:4 caused me to do some serious thinking about what I believe about God. It says, "Against thee, and thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight:..." How often do we think about the fact that we are sinning against God? And, does our view of God cause us to repent when we know we've sinned against Him?
When I think about the American justice system, I think of how many reasons people come up with to justify the sin we commit. When I think of how many ways we minimize our sins, I wonder: Do we realize that we are sinning against the Creator of the Universe? We think of sins in degrees of wrongness, but God doesn't. To Him, sin is sin. When you read the Old Testament and see how God dealt with sin during those times, you can really begin to see how he thought of sin.
In Joshua 7 we see one instance of God's swift punishment for sin. Achan had taken something that God had cursed, and because of this the men of Ai defeated the Israelites. When Joshua sought God, Joshua was told to sanctify the people. God said that he would burn the person who took the cursed thing because he transgressed the covenant of the Lord. Achan, his family, all of his animals and belongings were taken to the valley of Achor and they were stoned first then burnt with fire.
When you hear this story, it is easy to understand why Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not comsumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
God is not some Mother Teresa in the sky. He doesn't do good deeds. He is the Creator. When he spoke everything we see with our eyes came to be in total perfection. Every fragile ecosytem, every habitat, every aminal with complete bodies were created by God. He created man with all the many systems that we have in our body. When you think about the fact that our bodies work and our organs work in tandem with each other, it is amazing. We can't make excuses to a God this great. We have to stop putting God in a shell of humanity. We were made in HIS image not the other way around.
Sin is sin whether it "hurts" anyone else or not. We can't classify sin by saying, "well, at least I didn't hurt anyone." We hurt God. If nothing else, we hurt God. I can't imagine the pain in God's heart as he walked through the garden of Eden calling out for Adam. I can't imagine what had gone on within God in the time before he went down looking for Adam. I know that when I've known my kids have done something wrong, my heart breaks for them, and for the action that I am going to have to take. I can't imagine how God feels.
I think that if we stopped making God into an image that we can understand and just read our Bibles to know God, our attitudes about sin would change.

In Times Like These

In times like these you need a Savior
In times like these you need an anchor;
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Chorus:
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these you need the Bible,
In times like these O be not idle;
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Chorus:
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these I have a Savior,
In times like these I have an anchor;
I'm very sure, I'm very sure
My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Chorus:
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
By Ruth Caye Jones

A Word of Encouragement

So, my life has been full of stormy seas. In my childhood, the choppy waters were caused by the adults in my life. I did not have anything to do with the craziness, except that I lived through it. In my early adult life, I lived in a choppy sea of my own making. I was convinced I could live life my way. Some of those waves nearly took me down. But in my mid-30's I gave my life completely over to the Lord, and since then things have calmed significantly. Now I live in a world of choppy seas once again not caused by me. Someone else's waves are crashing over my life.
This past week, I've been through the storm. I've been in the darkness that comes when the clouds block out the sun. I see nothing but stormy weather ahead. What does this mean for a Christian? How do we survive without folding up into a ball and never facing the world again? It is for moments like this that I have stored away God's Word and great hymns of faith. Did I know that singing out of the red hymnal every Sunday as a child would rescue me as an adult? NO! Did I know that all the scripture I memorized for 14 years of school would be my life vest in a time of stormy life? No.
I'd like to write the words to one hymn that has sustained me this week.
The Solid Rock - Edward Mote
My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. His oath, His covenant, His blood support me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope my Stay. When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.
I find myself singing this at the most unusual times, and it brings me comfort. I also hold on to passages of scripture that declare..."I will never leave you, nor forsake you so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." Heb. 13:5-6
Or, because this has to do with an unsaved family member, II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
For myself in this time of great trial I remember Ps. 34 esp 15, 17, 18 "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their trouble. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Ps.16:5 "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot."
Does all of this mean I have not felt suffering? No, I'm not saying that. Last week I was literally heartbroken. I came to tears often, could not reach out to anyone really, except the Lord. I cancelled my commitments for the week, and spent time crying out to God. And He met me there. The storm is still brewing, but God is my hope. I cannot control the storm. I cannot figure out what kind of damage I will sustain because of the storm. I cannot see how this storm will affect the rest of my family. But I know Someone bigger than ANY storm. I know that my eternal Hope and Salvation will not be affected by this storm. I have been given some perspective. It allows me to get past the hurt and pain and allow God to minister to my life -hope. God also gave me some time with friends on Sunday where I was able to laugh, and actually talk to someone who's been through the same storm. It was nice to talk to someone who came out the other side.
If you are facing storms of your own, I encourage you to grip the solid Rock of Jesus.