This past weekend, Pastor Charles talked briefly about the story of the ruler's dead daughter (see Matthew 9). I was reviewing it this morning, and saw something I hadn't seen before. At the beginning of the story, the ruler came to Jesus and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hands on her and she will live," (Matthew 9:18). Most of us, when we're talking to Jesus, talking with our friends, talking to our doctors, only say the first sentence: so and so has just died. But the ruler didn't stop there. He said, "But I trust you to make the outcome different than it appears. I trust that you have the power and the authority to overcome what everyone else says is hopeless."
Have you ever approached Jesus with such boldness? Often times, when the situation looks bleak, we approach Him weeping and wearily ask, "If you could, if it's in Your will, please make this change." The ruler boldly approached Jesus and said, "But come."
We need to be like the rich ruler. We need to look at situation and know that Jesus has the power to turn the situation completely around and we need to boldly approach Him with our requests. What situation in your life today looks dead? What situation have the statistics called "over." I don't know about you, but I'm not going to take the world's 3% success rate anymore. My God is bigger than any success rate, any statistic, any man-made authority. My God is bigger than the devil himself. Today, Jesus, I am coming to You, and I am saying: But come and make this change. I know you have the power. I know you have the authority. Come, my Jesus, and lay your hands on what the world calls dead and make it live again for Your glory! In Jesus' mighty name I pray, Amen.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
All I hope to do
I want to sit at your feet, drink from the cup in your hands, lean back against you and breath, feel your heart beat. This love is so deep, it's more than I can stand, I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming.
We sing these words at church and if you can visualize yourself, with Jesus, doing those intimate things--being close, feeling comfort, drinking in His strength & gentleness...it's wonderful. Jesus never promised that the life of a follower would be easy, but then again, the lives of those who aren't followers aren't easy, either. We tend to think that just because we're on team "J" (for Jesus), our lives are suddenly going to be a cakewalk. But that doesn't happen--much to our dismay. Instead, we go through the Refiners fire, so He can burn off all the dross, so that our faces will reflect His glory. "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit," (2 Corinthians 3:18). This is one of my friend's favorite scriptures. She said, "All I hope to do is to reflect the Lord's glory."
And how do we get to that point? By being stretched, by being thrown in the fire, and then washed in the water, and then being worked some more. When we feel like we have been stretched and remolded too much, we cry out for Him to stop. "Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand," (Isaiah 64:8). We have to be worked and shaped and molded and put through the fire, but pulled out just at the right moment--and only the Potter knows the moment--to make us into the beautiful vessels He is creating us to be, so that we truly can reflect His glory.
Thank you, Lord, that you are the Potter. With your hands, you mold us. You dip us in Holy water to refresh us, and immediately, you go back to working on us. With your thumbs, you smooth out the lumps. With your hands, you mold us into your masterpiece. With the perfect amount of heat and timing, you allow the impurities to be burned out of us, to make us stronger. But Lord, you don't put us into the fire and walk away. No, you stay and watch. You cry when we cry. You hurt when we hurt. But, you laugh when we laugh. You pull us out of the fire at the perfect time--in the instant the last of the impurities has left us, but just before we crack and break into a million pieces of dust. Thank you, Lord, for your perfect timing. And thank you, also, for the times you comfort us and hold us close. Thank you for allowing us to sit at your feet, lean back against you and breath, just so that we can feel your heart beat. Thank you for holding us close, even when we don't feel or see your arms around us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
We sing these words at church and if you can visualize yourself, with Jesus, doing those intimate things--being close, feeling comfort, drinking in His strength & gentleness...it's wonderful. Jesus never promised that the life of a follower would be easy, but then again, the lives of those who aren't followers aren't easy, either. We tend to think that just because we're on team "J" (for Jesus), our lives are suddenly going to be a cakewalk. But that doesn't happen--much to our dismay. Instead, we go through the Refiners fire, so He can burn off all the dross, so that our faces will reflect His glory. "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit," (2 Corinthians 3:18). This is one of my friend's favorite scriptures. She said, "All I hope to do is to reflect the Lord's glory."
And how do we get to that point? By being stretched, by being thrown in the fire, and then washed in the water, and then being worked some more. When we feel like we have been stretched and remolded too much, we cry out for Him to stop. "Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand," (Isaiah 64:8). We have to be worked and shaped and molded and put through the fire, but pulled out just at the right moment--and only the Potter knows the moment--to make us into the beautiful vessels He is creating us to be, so that we truly can reflect His glory.
Thank you, Lord, that you are the Potter. With your hands, you mold us. You dip us in Holy water to refresh us, and immediately, you go back to working on us. With your thumbs, you smooth out the lumps. With your hands, you mold us into your masterpiece. With the perfect amount of heat and timing, you allow the impurities to be burned out of us, to make us stronger. But Lord, you don't put us into the fire and walk away. No, you stay and watch. You cry when we cry. You hurt when we hurt. But, you laugh when we laugh. You pull us out of the fire at the perfect time--in the instant the last of the impurities has left us, but just before we crack and break into a million pieces of dust. Thank you, Lord, for your perfect timing. And thank you, also, for the times you comfort us and hold us close. Thank you for allowing us to sit at your feet, lean back against you and breath, just so that we can feel your heart beat. Thank you for holding us close, even when we don't feel or see your arms around us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Friday, June 18, 2010
More than Conquerors
There's a song they play on the JoyFM that sings, "She just didn't believe it could happen to me. I guess we're all one phone call from our knees," (Mat Kearney, Closer to Love). The song is about how things happen in life, but somehow they draw us closer to Love. It's when we're desperate, that we cry out to Jesus. Hopefully, we're crying out to Him anyway, but sometimes, that's what it takes. That song was in my head when I woke up this morning, after a long night last night, when we got one of those calls. And while we know that, "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose," you never want to get one of those calls, (Romans 8:28).
But the call did come. And what did we do? We prayed, we comforted, and we reached out to those special and dear--those God placed in our lives--for help, support, and encouragement. Romans 8:28-39 was written for times like these, because it was written in reflection of times like these. When Paul was going through the worst of it, he didn't feel strong either, so he turned to his best friend--Jesus--for strength, and then he wrote these words to be an encouragement to people everywhere, thousands of years later.
My favorite verse in all of Romans 8 is verse 37, which reads, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." The Bible says we are more than conquerors--we have surpassed even the greatest victory, it's bigger than that biggest ticker-tape parade for heroes--that's who we are in Christ Jesus. I love this verse because it reminds me that I don't have to depend upon my own strength, my own thoughts, my own knowledge, my own wisdom, my own anything to get me through. God knows we are nothing more than dust, that on its own will be blown about in the wind. No, it is through Christ's power and Christ's strength and Christ's might that we have the ability, the power, and the strength to get through this situation and still conqueror the next one.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for Your words, which still give strength, encouragement, and wisdom, even some two thousand years after they were written. Thank you Lord, for hearing our prayers in our greatest hours of need. And Lord, thank you for sending us sweet friends to stand beside us and walk with us, because you never intended us to live this life alone. Lord, I pray that if anyone reads this and they are feeling all alone, that they would cry out to You and You would send them friends to give comfort and love and support, and to walk this life with them. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.
But the call did come. And what did we do? We prayed, we comforted, and we reached out to those special and dear--those God placed in our lives--for help, support, and encouragement. Romans 8:28-39 was written for times like these, because it was written in reflection of times like these. When Paul was going through the worst of it, he didn't feel strong either, so he turned to his best friend--Jesus--for strength, and then he wrote these words to be an encouragement to people everywhere, thousands of years later.
My favorite verse in all of Romans 8 is verse 37, which reads, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." The Bible says we are more than conquerors--we have surpassed even the greatest victory, it's bigger than that biggest ticker-tape parade for heroes--that's who we are in Christ Jesus. I love this verse because it reminds me that I don't have to depend upon my own strength, my own thoughts, my own knowledge, my own wisdom, my own anything to get me through. God knows we are nothing more than dust, that on its own will be blown about in the wind. No, it is through Christ's power and Christ's strength and Christ's might that we have the ability, the power, and the strength to get through this situation and still conqueror the next one.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for Your words, which still give strength, encouragement, and wisdom, even some two thousand years after they were written. Thank you Lord, for hearing our prayers in our greatest hours of need. And Lord, thank you for sending us sweet friends to stand beside us and walk with us, because you never intended us to live this life alone. Lord, I pray that if anyone reads this and they are feeling all alone, that they would cry out to You and You would send them friends to give comfort and love and support, and to walk this life with them. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Smoke & Mirrors
A few weeks ago, I was having a time of it and journaled that life is about perception and attitude. Perception, because your perception determines your reality and attitude, because how you respond to what you perceive determines your results and what happens next, right? Well, yesterday, I was reading TGIF from June 14 and it said, "Perception is not reality." I looked back at what I'd been journaling and realized I'd forgotten the most important element of life: the Truth. You can see the world anyway you want, it doesn't mean that it's real. "The lions may roar and growl, yet the teeth of the great lions are broken," (Job 4:10). What we think we see in "our reality" and what is Truth, are not always the same thing.
Advertisers put a lot of time, money, and energy into getting you to believe or "realize" their reality. If you're not founded on the Truth, then any new reality that comes along might sway you into their perception. James 1:6 says that when we're not founded in the Truth, we are "like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
The Bible tells us that the devil is called the "Father of lies," (John 8:44). For him, reality is all about the way we perceive it. The Truth doesn't matter, only the way he spins it. It's like being at a carnival, in the house of mirrors, where each mirror makes you look a different way. If you spend too much time in there, you're likely to come out with a distorted view of yourself, regardless of the Truth you knew before you entered. My friend said that the devil's lies are nothing more than smoke and mirrors, they aren't real and we don't have to buy into that reality.
If you've been bouncing around a not-so-fun-house of smoke and mirrors, ask the Lord to reveal to you His Truth. He's always available to us, even if we aren't always looking for Him. Lord, thank you for this revelation and reminder that Your Truth is constant.
Advertisers put a lot of time, money, and energy into getting you to believe or "realize" their reality. If you're not founded on the Truth, then any new reality that comes along might sway you into their perception. James 1:6 says that when we're not founded in the Truth, we are "like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
The Bible tells us that the devil is called the "Father of lies," (John 8:44). For him, reality is all about the way we perceive it. The Truth doesn't matter, only the way he spins it. It's like being at a carnival, in the house of mirrors, where each mirror makes you look a different way. If you spend too much time in there, you're likely to come out with a distorted view of yourself, regardless of the Truth you knew before you entered. My friend said that the devil's lies are nothing more than smoke and mirrors, they aren't real and we don't have to buy into that reality.
If you've been bouncing around a not-so-fun-house of smoke and mirrors, ask the Lord to reveal to you His Truth. He's always available to us, even if we aren't always looking for Him. Lord, thank you for this revelation and reminder that Your Truth is constant.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Enlightened Eyes
Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance. ~ Ecclesiastes 8:1
I think it was my mom who used to say, "Don't judge someone till you've walked a mile in their shoes." At least it sounds like something my mom would say. Having come from a background that exposed me to things that some people have never known, I'm able to have compassion on people in a way that others may never understand. One of my mentors often says, "I don't have to commit every sin in order to give counsel on a matter." She said it's because the Holy Spirit is her counsel on the matter and we are able to trust in His counsel to lead and guide us. I believe this is where godly counsel, the Holy Spirit, and wisdom all meet.
The scripture above isn't talking about book or head knowledge. It's referring to God-inspired wisdom, Holy Spirit wisdom. Looking through human eyes, I see a lot of cranky people who are moody and sometimes down right rude. But, when my eyes have been enlightened by the Holy Spirit, I see a beautiful soul who's been hurt by the world around her. She's crying out desperately for your help, but doesn't know how to ask in any other body language than what's been shown to her, and that is why she seems harsh. We need to look with Holy Spirit enlightened eyes at a hurting world, in order to love others. If we continue to look only with human eyes, we will miss the potential in so many people.
When you see people, do you see only their hard appearance, or has the Holy Spirit enlightened your eyes to see the beauty that is locked within? Ask the Lord, today, to enlighten your eyes, to see past the hardened expression, and into the beauty that's trapped inside. When you see the beauty that's trapped just below the surface, you will begin to feel compelled to pray for them, encourage them, and love on them with the same love that Christ has shown to you.
I think it was my mom who used to say, "Don't judge someone till you've walked a mile in their shoes." At least it sounds like something my mom would say. Having come from a background that exposed me to things that some people have never known, I'm able to have compassion on people in a way that others may never understand. One of my mentors often says, "I don't have to commit every sin in order to give counsel on a matter." She said it's because the Holy Spirit is her counsel on the matter and we are able to trust in His counsel to lead and guide us. I believe this is where godly counsel, the Holy Spirit, and wisdom all meet.
The scripture above isn't talking about book or head knowledge. It's referring to God-inspired wisdom, Holy Spirit wisdom. Looking through human eyes, I see a lot of cranky people who are moody and sometimes down right rude. But, when my eyes have been enlightened by the Holy Spirit, I see a beautiful soul who's been hurt by the world around her. She's crying out desperately for your help, but doesn't know how to ask in any other body language than what's been shown to her, and that is why she seems harsh. We need to look with Holy Spirit enlightened eyes at a hurting world, in order to love others. If we continue to look only with human eyes, we will miss the potential in so many people.
When you see people, do you see only their hard appearance, or has the Holy Spirit enlightened your eyes to see the beauty that is locked within? Ask the Lord, today, to enlighten your eyes, to see past the hardened expression, and into the beauty that's trapped inside. When you see the beauty that's trapped just below the surface, you will begin to feel compelled to pray for them, encourage them, and love on them with the same love that Christ has shown to you.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Prepare for Battle
Where ever we look around, there is Spiritual Warfare going on. So, this is a prayer--straight from the Bible--to get dressed everyday for it. It comes from Ephesians 6:10-20.
Lord, dress us with the belt of truth buckled around our waists--that we would be able to discern immediately the truth from the lies. Dress us with the breastplate of righteousness in place--that our core and our hearts would be protected. Dress us with our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace--that we would know we are walking in grace and holiness and we would trample on the lies of serpents.
I pray that we would take up the shield of faith with which we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. I pray that we would take up the helmet of salvation--that we would have clear, mind of Christ thinking and that no lies would be able to penetrate our armor. I pray that we would take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God--that we would be able to break all chains, bust down any walls, and demolish any strongholds.
And finally, Lord, we pray in the Spirit for a hedge of protection for all our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially for those in church leadership, as they are the most visible and desired targets of the enemy. Lord I pray that we would be steadfast and true to your word and that, by your strength alone, we would be able to stand our ground against the enemy.
In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.
Lord, dress us with the belt of truth buckled around our waists--that we would be able to discern immediately the truth from the lies. Dress us with the breastplate of righteousness in place--that our core and our hearts would be protected. Dress us with our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace--that we would know we are walking in grace and holiness and we would trample on the lies of serpents.
I pray that we would take up the shield of faith with which we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. I pray that we would take up the helmet of salvation--that we would have clear, mind of Christ thinking and that no lies would be able to penetrate our armor. I pray that we would take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God--that we would be able to break all chains, bust down any walls, and demolish any strongholds.
And finally, Lord, we pray in the Spirit for a hedge of protection for all our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially for those in church leadership, as they are the most visible and desired targets of the enemy. Lord I pray that we would be steadfast and true to your word and that, by your strength alone, we would be able to stand our ground against the enemy.
In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
But God, I don't want to...
Have you ever been asked to be obedient? Have you ever been asked when you didn't want to, or in ways that didn't make sense? This past weekend, we went down to Coastal Community Church and heard Pastor TJ speak on serving and having a servant's heart. He touched on points like "being ready, knowing that there's never a good time to serve." He also talked about "materialism," thinking that "we" got "our stuff" for us, forgetting it was God who gave it to us.
I learned something new about Pastor TJ that I didn't know: he likes watches. In fact, he said he likes watches so much, that right before God asked him to do something that he deemed totally ridiculous, he had just spent a lot of money on a new watch. Long story short, God wanted Pastor TJ to give away his brand new watch to someone and he didn't want to. In fact, he argued with God about it, verbally stomped his foot and said no. Finally, God stopped asking and just said, "Give it!" Finally, Pastor TJ did and then had to go home to his wife to explain what happened to his new watch...
God does that with all of us. We've been given something, or we have something and it's our own. Why would we or should we give it away? Mine wasn't a brand new watch, mine was and old railroad tie, it was supposed to be representative of the nail that held Jesus to the cross. The value on my nail wasn't tied to the purchase price--for it had been given to me--it was tied in the meaning, for I received it after a sermon that began to set me free from the guilt and same of the abuse I endured as a child. Who else would want this nail? Who would need it? But, lo and behold, God called me to give it away. And I said what Pastor TJ said: No.
Here's the scene: We were sitting at a Bible study at a friend's house and there was a girl there and she and I didn't get a long swimmingly. In the middle of our study, God said, "I want you to give her the nail." My answer, "But God, I don't want to give her my nail." God said, "It's not your nail, it's my nail,; now give it away." Well, then the reasoning started, "I don't need to give her this nail. I can go to the store tomorrow and buy her a whole box of nails. She'll never know the difference." But God said, "I don't want you to buy her a nail. I want you to give her that nail. Now give her that nail." I bet you know what came next. Yep, I gave her my nail. She cried and I cried--I get very emotional. I sometimes wonder if she still has the nail or if she threw it away. But then God says to me: It was never about the nail, or TJ's watch, it's simply about your obedience to Me.
And that's what it's always been about, right? We tithe, not because God needs our money, but because He wants us to live in obedience to Him. And the greatest act of obedience was the one that set us all free: Jesus, hanging from a tree. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus' conversation wasn't quite the same as mine or Pastor TJ's, but He did ask God if what He's been called to could be passed on to someone else. Let me tell you, I'm glad that Jesus obeyed, as He's been commanded, aren't you?
Lord, I know we are only human and as such, we make lots of mistakes. But Father, I pray today that one of those mistakes won't be missing the opportunity to be obedient, the first time You ask us. Now Lord, I know that I've failed at this many times, and I know that You will allow me to keep practicing in this area until I get it right. Father, thank you for Your love and your grace and your mercy. It is in Jesus' Name that I pray. Amen.
I learned something new about Pastor TJ that I didn't know: he likes watches. In fact, he said he likes watches so much, that right before God asked him to do something that he deemed totally ridiculous, he had just spent a lot of money on a new watch. Long story short, God wanted Pastor TJ to give away his brand new watch to someone and he didn't want to. In fact, he argued with God about it, verbally stomped his foot and said no. Finally, God stopped asking and just said, "Give it!" Finally, Pastor TJ did and then had to go home to his wife to explain what happened to his new watch...
God does that with all of us. We've been given something, or we have something and it's our own. Why would we or should we give it away? Mine wasn't a brand new watch, mine was and old railroad tie, it was supposed to be representative of the nail that held Jesus to the cross. The value on my nail wasn't tied to the purchase price--for it had been given to me--it was tied in the meaning, for I received it after a sermon that began to set me free from the guilt and same of the abuse I endured as a child. Who else would want this nail? Who would need it? But, lo and behold, God called me to give it away. And I said what Pastor TJ said: No.
Here's the scene: We were sitting at a Bible study at a friend's house and there was a girl there and she and I didn't get a long swimmingly. In the middle of our study, God said, "I want you to give her the nail." My answer, "But God, I don't want to give her my nail." God said, "It's not your nail, it's my nail,; now give it away." Well, then the reasoning started, "I don't need to give her this nail. I can go to the store tomorrow and buy her a whole box of nails. She'll never know the difference." But God said, "I don't want you to buy her a nail. I want you to give her that nail. Now give her that nail." I bet you know what came next. Yep, I gave her my nail. She cried and I cried--I get very emotional. I sometimes wonder if she still has the nail or if she threw it away. But then God says to me: It was never about the nail, or TJ's watch, it's simply about your obedience to Me.
And that's what it's always been about, right? We tithe, not because God needs our money, but because He wants us to live in obedience to Him. And the greatest act of obedience was the one that set us all free: Jesus, hanging from a tree. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus' conversation wasn't quite the same as mine or Pastor TJ's, but He did ask God if what He's been called to could be passed on to someone else. Let me tell you, I'm glad that Jesus obeyed, as He's been commanded, aren't you?
Lord, I know we are only human and as such, we make lots of mistakes. But Father, I pray today that one of those mistakes won't be missing the opportunity to be obedient, the first time You ask us. Now Lord, I know that I've failed at this many times, and I know that You will allow me to keep practicing in this area until I get it right. Father, thank you for Your love and your grace and your mercy. It is in Jesus' Name that I pray. Amen.
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