my wings are made of faith

No Stopping It

In the fifth chapter of Acts, a lawyer named Gamaliel warned the men of the temple to be careful about what they intended to do with the disciples.  He told them of another teacher named Judas whom the people had followed during the time of the taxations.  He too had been killed, and his followers simply dispersed, Gamaliel reasoned.  So to the men who wished to threaten, jail, and perhaps even have Jesus's servants punished and killed, he said:

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought.  But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it. Lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. Acts 5:38 - 39.

He could have been a lawyer for the disciples... LOL.

I suppose he thought that they would just go away eventually.  Yet he spoke with more wisdom than any lawyer I have ever known.  He spoke a profound truth!

Take a good look at the things that are gaining momentum in your life.  If it is something men are devising, in the great timeline, it will mean nothing at some point.  But if it is of God, we have no effect on it.  We pray as Jesus taught us: "Thy Will Be Done." But sometimes we pray it as if we are giving God permission.  Lest we forget, it is God's will.  We are merely deciding to accept it, or reject it, whether to submit to it or to "fight against God."

Sometimes we want something to happen or to not happen so badly, that we try praying harder, longer, with more faith that our will might be done..."Please please please God we pray."  I can name you times when I have fallen into that trap.  The question is - "what is God's will?"

Prophecy is like that.  If God says it is going to come to pass, it will. Sometimes our politics fall into a routine of trying to make something God predicted would happen to NOT HAPPEN.  We are missing the mark!  God didn't put Christ on this earth to make the politics of the earth suit Christians.  Our freedom is first a freedom from the burden of sin. I believe the forefathers of the USA understood the principles of freedom and justice as presented in God's word.  But they also understood that the real constitution, which makes a difference, is when, in an environment of freedom to do so, we are about the business of winning souls to Christ. No laws or president will be able to change the circumstances of our political or social standings.  Only the change of men's hearts will bring about such changes.  In the days that Peter and Paul and the other disciples taught about the Lord, souls were added to the church daily....DAILY.  At least once, more than 5000 men had that amazing change of heart that began to build the church among Jews and Gentiles, which spread into the whole world. 

Put your energies into God's plan, and it won't be wasted.  In the sixties, when I was young, I had the great joy of being present when I saw this kind of thing happening.  Our pastor was a man who stood firmly on the word of God.  He took his truths from the scriptures, without making an agenda from them.  He made it clear at church and on the radio when he preached, that God's full intent was to save the souls of lost men and women.  God accepts us just as we are.  No consideration for where we've been or plan to go. He doesn't judge us by our depth of sin. He simply provided a solution for all sin, and included all to be eligible for freedom from sin. 

Gamaliel didn't figure on the impact this would have on people who needed that kind of God.  Or maybe he did...just maybe he knew that he would appease those who sought to do the will of Satan, long enough to let as many people as possible hear this great news...because he knew that once men heard, they would know the freedom he knew.  I like to believe that Gamaliel had discovered Jesus as his own Savoir.  And he knew that there was no stopping the momentum that having a savoir affect men's lives could have.

One more note. I have always said that if what you are doing is leading souls to Christ, then you can know that you are a part of God's plan.  If your church isn't growing, if you never have opportunity to share your savoir as the Christ, if you are not planting seeds, if you go years without seeing souls around you being saved in some place where you are involved....Satan has you genuinely fooled into thinking your life is right with God.   But no ministry will gain souls by holding the feet of the children to the firey heat of the law.  Or bashing their saints til they are discouraged.  This is why we at My Wings Are Made Of Faith seek to uplift the readers, to bring joy to those in pain, and share the freedom the children of God should be experiencing.  But we encourage you to know you are in God's will, because as Gamaliel said: " If it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it."

Why not be a part of it?

Dear God,  I long for my children and grandchildren to see what happens when people hungry for the power, that was winning souls by the thousands in the days of the disciples, is governing the hearts and actions of everyday people. If that same momentum was to occur in our generation of technical ability, the whole world could hear of and be changed by the grace and mercy of your love in a few days!  Lives could be changed by the thousands today as much as then. Even now, in our age of sarcasm and disappointed Saints.  Fill us Lord with a new amazement for the change you made in each of our own lives. AMEN

When life circumstances are a burden too heavy to carry—pray!

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.—Luke 22:42-44

i read these verses the other day and i haven't been able to stop thinking about them since. The courage, heart, emotion, and strength of Jesus to be able to say these words—wow— i can't even begin to tell you how much they encourage me. Jesus submits completely to the Father. When Jesus is tired and overcome with emotion, God sends an angel to strengthen Him. And, even though the pain seemed too much to bear, making it easy to want to give up, He didn't stop praying. Scripture tells us that he prayed more earnestly, knowing deep down that God had a beautiful plan for His life. 

We can learn so much from Jesus in just these couple verses. 
• When we submit to God's will the outcome is always good, even though parts of our journey are difficult.
• God knows when the load we are carrying is too heavy to carry alone. He sends Jesus and angels to lighten the burden.
• Even though life gets difficult and it's easy to throw in the towel, God wants us to persevere, He helps us move through the dark valley. It may seem like prayers are not being answered, but now is not the time to stop praying. We must pray our way all the way through the valley. And every day we might need to pray a little harder than the day before. But, rest assured, the Lord answers prayers! We have to trust Him and wait patiently for Him.

Don't give up, don't ever give up. The Lord has so many beautiful plans for your life. Pray harder and rest in His arms—it's safe there.

Jesus, thank you for allowing us to read about one of your most vulnerable life moments. We find ourselves in these situations often, but it's hard to see a way out. You show us a way out, though. We can be encouraged by your courage, strength, and your heart to serve the Father.  This scripture is a reminder that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. 

Three Thousand Souls

Now when they hear this they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Men and  brethren, what shall we do?  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord Our God shall call.... 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts 2: 37 - 39, and 41.

This is such a lovely set of verses, which tell in a couple of brief statements exactly what to do to receive the Lord Jesus as your Savoir. Several things delight me that they are included in this "summary." 

1. I totally love this phrase "pricked in their hearts."  It refers to the "call" of the Lord, that is a little like the love attraction of a young man or woman. It is new, is often constant, and is attention grabbing.  When God calls to your heart, it can be a bit of a stabbing heart ache, for something you may not understand.  Here we find a new phenomenon, where 3 thousand people have been "pricked in their heart" to move to some kind of action, and they could do nothing else but find someone who could give them answers. 
2. Secondly, the question: "what shall we do."  They were certain in a very innocent way, that there was something they were being impressed to do.  Being baptized for the repentance of sins was not something new. Since the time of John the Baptist, and maybe fefore, Jews were seeking something to do to be faithful, to acknowlege before God their sins, and their repentance.  What was new was receiving the Holy Ghost as a gift, and not being a prophet or king or priest.  In years gone by, they knew only of God's special interaction of speaking to his people through his Spirit, as coming through some sort of leader, whom God chose.  God speaking to individuals was an incredible concept.  Notice they didn't shy away. Instead they came by the thousands to receive this gift. These people were craving the one-on-one love of God.

Life Through His Name

When   revealed himself unto his disciples and followers after his ressurrection and before his ascention they often didn't all  see him at the same time. Thomas who was not present on many of these occasions doubted the reports of the others, and was totally skeptical.  I think of my husband who is that kind of personality. But when   came into the room with the doors completely shut, and He spoke directly to Thomas and said, "be not faithless, but believing."  He had told Thomas to touch him and put the truth to a physical test - to do what ever it took that he might believe. Then he said to him,

 "because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."  John 20: 27 - 29. 

Verse 30 of the same chapter makes it clear that this occurred to make a point.  Christ's signs, in the presence of his disciples were done that we "might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing [we] might have life through his name. " It is a blessing that we can believe, never having seen   as his followers did. The lives of 11 men were drastically changed because of the events that had occured from the day called them to be disciples.  The principle of multiplicity was set in motion first as he walked and taught in this world, but became exponential once he rose again. When these men were exposed to the truth of Jesus' resurrection, they knew they had the greatest news that man has ever known.  They became the CNN of thier day! LOL  In fact, the word Gospel means "good news."  They took Christ's admonition, to go into the world and tell everyone, very seriously. 

Free Indeed

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.—Colossians: 21-23

Before the cross we were separated from God because of our sin. But God loved us so much that He could not bear to see us living in slavery. He sent Jesus to pave the way for our freedom so that those who believe would have eternal life. i LOVE that this verse says we are without blemish and FREE from accusation. Sometimes i find it hard to believe that i can be completely free from all the junk in my yesterdays. But i continue in my faith, seeking the Lord, and hodling onto the hope of the God's promises. i'm holding on tightly to Jesus. 

God—i'm joyful because i'm free ... because the Son has set me free. Thank you for the blood of Jesus and thank you for your grace!

He Is Risen—Just As He Said!

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”—Matthew 28:1-8

There are two things that really jump out at me in this Resurrection story:

First, in verse 6, the angel tells them that he is not in the tomb. He has risen, just as He said. The scriptures are full of promises, all of which Jesus kept. He has and always will be true to His word. 

Second, i love how the women are filled with such unexplainable joy when they find out the good news. Thinking about this verse and the joy they must have felt reminded me of the day when i first really understood my need for a Savior and had whole-heartedly accepted Him into my life. i was filled with unexplainable joy - joy that could not be contained. Still, to this day, the freedom that comes with having a personal relationship with Jesus brings me pure joy, joy that sometimes leaves me in such a state of awe that i am speechless.

There has never, ever been an event in history so gruesome and horrible, yet as beautiful as the cross.

Thank you, Lord Jesus. My heart is overflowing with gratitude.

Forgiveness Means Freedom

Have you ever, for even a second, thought, "God, you could stop this from happening if you just would?" I know I have wondered why God seems to not have mercy in certain situations and just stop death and suffering and illness and hunger. If we are in the situation, we could develop resentment toward God for not doing something positive that we think needs to be done. Especially, if the results hurt us personally.  Being hurt requires forgiveness as a resolution, so this issue is one of 3 that Christ dealt with on the Cross requarding personal injury.  And the hurt was to himself.

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane praying before he was taken, he prayed and asked God to let this cup pass from him, if there was any way.  The full realization of his emminent death, and the severity of how it was to occur was taking a tole on his human Psyche.  He had a desire that he would rather not suffer in such a way, if there was any way out.  He must have thought about the time God asked Abraham to sacrifice Issaac, but provided "the Lamb of God" instead and saved Isaac from the knife. Might there be a way, would God show Him something new in these final hours? They say that He sweated great drops of blood as he pleaded with God, enduring the stress that his human body most certainly was beginning to endure. Most pastors say that it was not the death that concerned him most, but that he was taking on the sins of the world.  The misjudgement of the world, the shame he did not deserve, the lies that were out there for anyone to believe, and the hurt of all our sins laid on him...were surely  more compelling to stress than merely wishing he did not have to suffer. He was wounded for our transgressions, inside and out.  But his parent, his loving Father, would leave him to this one act of maturity, to find his way through it, with no way out but to endure the unfathonable.  Jesus could have rejected his Father based on allowing him to suffer anyway, just as most of us would. Just this week I read or knew of at least 3 specific real life cases, where teens decided thier parents didn't love them, because they allowed them to suffer in some way.  Dr. Charles Stanley discusses in his book, "THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS," how anyone hurt by someone, because they didn't come through when you expected them to, must deal with the issue of the hurt and find a way to forgive. 

We aren't told that Jesus said, "I will forgive you anyway, Father,"  but he did say, "not my will, but thine be done..." He rose from his ordeal of pleading with his Father, accepting the Father's will, rather than his own.  Accepting the circumstances can be the first step to forgiveness.

Sin, Sins, or Sinful? It Grows on Ya!

I have been accused often of being too soft on sin.  And I have been told often that I am a pessimist.  But to me those are people who don’t recognize sin for the power it has on life, and fail to do the one simple thing that is required to resolve the issue.  An “ignorance is bliss” attitude will never give anyone the same optimism I have, that my sin has been dealt with.  I confidently trust the power of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ to take care of my sin.  And I walk daily in that confidence.

 Sin is frequently dealt with in the extremes: from the extreme of denial to the extreme of constant fear - of not having confessed sin.  Christ wants us to be in neither place. Our place is also not a middle ground somewhere in between these two. Living in the middle ground is a push/pull life of trying to figure out where you stand on what constitutes sin – which things to do and which to not do, to stay in a right relationship with God. One church says this and another that. Sin is a job for God, and He freed us from that kind of life. It is not a life of choices of which sins, but what resolution, that I chose to live by. The point of scripture in its entirety is to reveal this truth. It is necessary to trust that God has done what it takes to meet his own standards for reconciliation, and come to him with complete and utter confidence that our sins are covered by the blood. 

I do not wish to undermine the effects of sin on our lives.  Or say that salvation takes away the consequences of sin.  Not so. Recognizing our sin, and desiring to avoid those consequences by avoiding the sin acts is a matter of mapping our life to seek God’s best. That too was what the cross was about. I did a research project of the words in the Greek and Hebrew that are generally translated “sin.”  I discovered that the whole gist of it fell into two major categories throughout the ages of scripture.  By far the most scripture words refer to “missing the mark.” Aiming for God’s best and hitting somewhere outside the bull’s-eye. The second is a concept that sin is an element of our inner character which leads to us acting out in a sinful way. It was not the individual sin actions that the scripture themes of redemption, salvation, etc. deal with, but rather, the sin nature.   That nature is the seed for the sinful acts, which grow into the sin condition.  There’s a long discussion of how dealing with sin as if it were individual acts of “dos and don’ts” is out of man’s thinking.  Suffice it to say, that I prefer to deal with allowing God to replace my sin nature with his divine nature, and then I don’t have to worry about how to deal with individual acts. Whether or not I am aware of individual acts, I try to focus frequently on the fact that my behavior should reflect that I am not governed by my sin nature when God is in control.

 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8: 3-4

Lord, I accept that my sin nature steers me outside the boundaries of your best for my life.  I confess a need for the divine nature to overrule my actions sometimes.  Please, Lord, don’t let sin take root in my life, but fill me with your power to live in a Christ-like way.  AMEN

The gift of grace

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.—Romans 8:1

Don't miss two very important words in that verse ... no condemnation. Those that don't believe in Jesus (and even some Christians who do) walk around carrying the heavy load of their sin, past regrets, and feelings of guilt. But these things, they are the things that make up the cross. 

Yes, there are consequences to our sin as the first part of Romans 6:23 says:

For the wages of sin is death

Good news follows in the rest of the verse.

but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

All because of Jesus and the cross there is no condemnation and no death. By the cross He has replaced those things with the gift of eternal life. 

All too often we carry around the baggage of sin we weren't meant to carry. Sometimes we drop it, but find ways to pick it back up later. We are forgiven. Forgiven! God reassures us that belief in Jesus is our ticket to no condemnation and complete freedom. 

God could have chosen to punish us for our sin (the wages of sin is death), but the grace He showed towards us by giving us the gift of Jesus is the ultimate sign of His undying love for us. He took on death so that we could have life. 

Lord, some days i forget the cross. Some days i forget what you have done for me. Some days i take advantage of the gift of grace. i thank you Lord that you have nailed my sin to the cross. i pray i live my life in a constant state of gratitude.

sin

Sin.

i really can't think of another word that makes me as uncomfortable as this one. And, writing about it is as equally uncomfortable because people don't like to talk about it, hear about it, or think about it. But, as Easter quickly approaches, it's an appropriate time to talk about sin. Not because it's a fun topic to talk about it, but because it's such important part of the story of Jesus and the cross.

Romans 3:23 says:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

We all have this is common—all of us have sinned. We are not perfect. We make mistakes—often.  It's a part of being human. But, the most beautiful thing about sin is the grace of God that covers those who believe in Jesus. This grace was made available to us by the cross. As the song below says:

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

 

Knowing about God's grace— Jesus dying on the cross—has freed me from the bondage of sin. i do not fear that word and choose to accept freedom in Christ Jesus. i recognize that i fall short of the glory of God daily and daily i bathe in His grace and forgiveness. 

Lord Jesus, the cross has set me free from a life of bondage in sin. You took my the burden of my sin, long before i was even born, and you selflessly carried it to the cross because you love me. Thank you, Jesus.

Standing on God's Promises

Philippians 4:4-7 says,

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  An the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

We can very often become consumed with worry throughout our day to day lives.  As a Christian, I find so many wonderful promises from the Lord in these verses.

First of all the Lord promises that He is near.  No matter what circumstances we are dealing with, God is faithful and He is true to His word.  Hebrews 13: 5 says,

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

The second promise is that when we seek the Lord with prayer and petition, we will have peace that transcends all understanding.  

The following is a footnote from my Bible about this peace.  "God's peace is different from the world's peace.  True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings.  It comes from knowing that God is in control.  Our citizenship in Christ's kingdom is sure, our destiny is set, and we can have victory over sin.  Let God's peace guard your heart against anxiety."

As we are moving closer to Easter, let's focus on God's promises that are secured to us because of Jesus.

My prayer:  Lord, I lay my anxiety at the foot of the cross.  Thank you that you will never leave or forsake me.  I also thank you for the peace that comes following my prayers and petitions.  Holy Spirit, remind me when my heart goes astray.  Jesus, thank you for being the ultimate sacrifice.  In Jesus name!

 

Overcome

 

My heart melted the very first time i heard this song. i remember immediately thanking Him ... for the battles we face are not our own:

He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.—2 Chronicles 20:15

All authority is the Lord's.  The victory is His (it was His before we were even created).

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.—Matthew 28:18

The song says, We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb. By His blood we can overcome:
• Addiction • Fears • Scars • Pain • Depression • Disease • Loss • Loneliness • Perfectionism • Control • Lust • Anger • Anything that you battling can be overcome - not by our own strength, but by His. 

Whatever you are facing, claim victory in the name of Jesus and wait patiently for the Lord to finish the battle on your behalf. 

Jesus, your name is great and awesome and so worthy of all our praise. Thank you for our victories in Your mighty name!

The Bent Branches of a Family Tree

Today as I was studying the lineage of Jesus, I believe that the Lord wanted me to share a message of encouragement to those wrestling with past failures and regrets.  As we look at the lineage of Christ in Matthew 1:1-18, we can examine several distinct women who may have struggled with God’s plan, judgement from others, self worth, fear, and past mistakes.

Tamar (Genesis 38:1-30, Matthew 1:3), tried to control and manipulate the Lord’s plan for her life by tricking her father in law to sleep with her so that she would have a child with the family’s birthright.  

Rahab (Joshua 6:17-25, Matthew 1:5), was known as a prostitute (Joshua 6:17) and hid Joshua’s spies.  The Lord ordered that her life and her family’s lives be spared because of her bravery in secretly harboring the men.

Ruth (Ruth 4:13-22, Matthew 1:5), a young widow honored her deceased husband by following her mother in law and gleaning food from Boaz until the Lord offered the opportunity for her to be remarried. 

Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11 and 12, Matthew 1:7), a beautiful married woman and wife of Uriah, committed adultery with King David and became pregnant.  David sent Uriah out to the front lines of a battle where he perished.  They, then became married, and had King Solomon after the first child died.

Mary (Matthew 1:16, Luke Chapter 1 and 2:1-39), the precious, selfless mother of Jesus who committed herself to the Lord’s plan.  As a young engaged woman (probably 13 or 14) followed the directions of God even knowing that she could be disowned by her family, stoned to death, and denied marriage by her fiance, Joseph.

Each of these women of Jesus’s family tree probably represents a quality in us: brokenness, poor past choices, judged by others, trying to find self worth, fear, control issues, etc.  Just like these women, we are not condemned by our circumstances or decisions.  We, dear friends, are covered by the grace from being in the lineage of Christ under the new covenant.  

Our challenge today is to walk with the confidence and dignity that comes from being a daughter of the Most High King.

My Prayer:  Lord, thank you for the birth of your precious son, Jesus.  We praise you that through this child, our Savior came to live a sinless life.  God, thank you for showing us that even Jesus’s family tree has bent branches of people who, like us, just need a Savior.  Holy Spirit, remind us to take our positions in the kingdom as redeemed daughters.  Lift our heads high today as our hearts are reunited with your grace and mercy.  Jesus, thank you for the sacrifice of dying on the cross so that our all of our sins are covered.  In Jesus Name!

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; 

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

~Psalm 34:8

 

 

 

Love and God's Family

Relationship.  It is what God wants from us. In many of Christ’s teachings, he spoke of God as his heavenly father.  He was deliberate in this because he was describing the way he wanted us to see God.  He didn’t use the terms of his forefathers which emulated God’s magnificence. He used a family term. Then he said, “ye must be born again.”  Teaching children about salvation is made simpler when we help them understand that concept of being born into God’s family.  The birth of the soul into the spiritual newness of life with God as our father is a simple form of the complex new union with God.  But the other element of family is about the intimacy of a couple, the pairing of two people and the deepness of love that should be unique to two people. Using that picture as a guide, Jesus also referred to the relationship of his Church family as a love similar to the union between husband and wife. He called himself the bridegroom, his followers, the Church, therefore referenced as his bride.

Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. Matthew 9:15(TNIV)

 In this example of relationship, the result would be the new birth generated in the form of new Christians born into the church family.  Our intimacy with God should produce new births into his family.  The family union as compared to the husband/wife relationship is complicated but full of the deeper things about our intimacy with God. The father/child relationship is more about our relationship one on one with God; while the husband/wife relationship type is more about our response and expectations as a member of the family, the church.  For Jesus the whole of the church was precious to him, singularly the most intimate union element of the God/people relationship.  For any who don’t believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it would be helpful to consider the union between men and women as a reference for God’s relational expectations of his actual experience with us as members of the church.  The old adage of two become one, is often forgotten in our modern world, where it is often forgotten that once that union occurs, this is what God considers marriage.  This union was meant to bring increase to the family.  My intent here is not to discuss the implications of that, but to help us notice that Jesus effectively introduced us to the 3 members of the God-head and helped us see how they interacted with us by referencing the family as a familiar place of love. 

God the Father, Jesus his son and by proxy his father becomes our Heavenly Father as well, and the one who indwells us –the Holy Spirit.  As in any family, we are at once, the child of someone, and the parent of someone when the union is able to produce children. And just as in all the families of the world, not every union or every individual marriage is called to have children, not every individual Christian is called to a ministry of leading people to Christ, or has the gift of ministry.  Scripture clearly tells us that different individuals are given different talents and abilities.  However, at the same time, it was never intended that only the pastors, preachers, teachers or missionaries were the only ones able to lead the lost to Christ.  Our personalities come in to play in the gathering of people, thus the variety of Christian congregations. And the many different ways we reach out to the world to tell them about Christ.  But the objective and the result are the same - children being born into the family, because of an intimate relationship between the “church” and their God. 

Jesus furthers this image by expanding his own position in this image. He says he is also the best man at the wedding.

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. John 3:29 (NKJV)

 He is also the minister that oversees the legal issues of the union.  He in effect, leads the couple through the wedding process, and signs the documents when it is done > by his finished work on the cross.  He paves the way, doing all he can to be the grooms advocate, then he is present as all the legal items are dealt with.  He sees to it that the commitment is signed, sealed, and delivered.

What is significant, that once the covenant has been signed, the relationship in a real marriage between husband and wife is not sealed in public. Only the spirit of God is present in that intimate moment. Although many make their commitment to Christ in the presence of the Church family, what should always happen is that a very private, intimate decision and acceptance of the indwelling of the Spirit must also occur.  It is a simple moment, when we permit our God to become one with us, make the decision to become his child.  Often when individuals ask God to save them, they really don’t know that they are opening their hearts to the Spiritual intimacy.  But they know that a change has occurred.  There is some kind of process that leads to that moment, that decision to be united with the God who is as big as the universe.  But it doesn’t have to be a long one. I can in fact happen the moment we believe.

 I had a friend many years ago who told me she was married after knowing her husband only two weeks. I was appalled. All I could think of was, “How could you possibly know if you want to marry someone in two weeks? Her answer was, “You know Mark, wouldn’t you know he was the right person if it were you?” She was right.  Mark had a noticeable uniqueness.  My husband said that if we could have, he would have married me as soon as he met me. To him, knowing immediately that I was who he wanted to marry just happened.  When Jimmy was sent to Vietnam, I wished we had married sooner, when I knew he was the one, why wait so long?  I struggled with the possibility of instant love being true until I met my friend, and until I thought about my experience with salvation.  I spent almost a year of struggling with how to be saved, and then later wished I had understood all I learned earlier, so I could have been saved sooner. In fact, I knew I wanted Christ to be my savior, but it never happened until I fell in love with him. It would have been so much simpler to allow him to be my savoir so much sooner, and gain the understanding later.  I could have lived in the glow of his love, rather than where I was - in “the fear of his damnation,” if I didn’t figure it out. I, like so many, thought he was there to send me to hell, until I knew the truth that he was there to save me from it, and draw me into the security of his family.

 I am a great advocate for teaching children early in life the “understanding” part, so that when they choose to make that decision it is easier for them. Jesus said to allow the little children to come unto him. Do you think he believed that little children could or should understand the intimacy of the act. Of course not. (Yet teens would be wise to heed how God feels about intimacy.)  He wanted the focus to be on Love.  The binding agent of every family that functions as it should.  Last week, I spoke of Joy. This week God wanted me to share his view on LOVE. And in this case it is a choice we make. A choice to enter into the family of God focusing on LOVE. 

What is the Christmas story more than a story of love and family and new birth.  Jesus was born into this realm from the very start to tell us about becoming family.  The common man in the form of the shepherds, the wealthy man in the form of the Magi, and the angels from the realms we can only imagine, all rejoiced in the birth of a child who was born to emulate the one desire of God. That we would  be brought into a family style relationship with Him. It is the desire of his heart, and the purpose of being born as a babe.  His first advent was not as an angelic being, but as a babe.  Could he have come from the skies? Sure, and he will.  But Christ came first as a babe, that we might know the intentions of God, that he might call him Father, and then present him as Spirit. Desiring to open for us a way to a relationship and become a member of God's family.

“ All God has ever wanted is to make it clear that we are made in his image.  We are sentient beings, who love, feel, hurt, long for fellowship...etc. And so is God.  What God wants from each individual is relationship.  Jesus, God's Son came to earth, to try to make this understandable in human terms.  He called God his heavenly Father, in order to make it clear that God wants us to become a member of his Family. Not by filling out a card and joining a church. Jesus said: "Marvel not that I said unto you, Ye must be born again." St. John 3:7 (King James Version, New Testament) He is simply saying that it is not some list of works (honoring laws or philanthropies) that will take care of the sin issue. It is a life experience, a giving of life, by God, in a new way. You were born one time as a flesh and blood human; now you must be born, as a spiritual being, into a family relationship, with a real God as your Heavenly Father. Why does this sound child-like? Because it must be easy enough for a child to understand.” CW

 Father, make this real to someone who begins to wonder if the story of Christ is just a fairy tale.  And to some who never considered the real meaning and intent of relationships as God sees them.  Then help us all to choose love.  May the consequences of that choice lead us to an appreciation of how unique and amazing a relationship with someone who will not desert us actually is.  There is only one relationship that we are assured will not fail.  Even we fall out of relationship with you. So thank you Lord, that your relationship with us is never broken. Then help us celebrate Christmas in the spirit of that truth and in the spirit of Love. For all, who are lacking the family relationships, who have difficulty referencing family love, or who lost what they once had, or who long for and have never had, fill the void.  Help us see the birth of a child in the Christmas story, for what it is – a demonstration that you became a babe that we might know the desire of your heart is a relationship with us.Be the family some have never known, and help us pass that kind of Love to our own. AMEN

How He Loves Me

A friend recommended this song to me yesterday and as i listened to it, i started to cry. For a moment, i couldn't figure out what emotion was driving the tears so i sat quietly and just waited on the Lord to speak to my heart.

Despite the ugly divorce, i have felt tremendously blessed in every area of my life lately. The Lord is truly showing me His glory through all of this—His faithfulness moved me to tears.

You see, i've been made to feel like i don't deserve anything good from people who have been very good at judging my life, by those who don't know me or who have never taken the time to know me or my heart. So to receive good, overwhelmingly abundant blessings has left me standing in awe before God with my hands raised high in praise.

God reminded me today, as i study Galatians, that i just need to keep focusing on Jesus and not what people think of me.

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.—Galatians 1:10

 

How wide, O how wide Lord
How deep, O how deep Lord
How great, O how great
Is Your love for me

If you are in a similar place of thinking you don't deserve anything good—it is a LIE from the enemy. God wants you to know that you deserve:
• His undying love
• every good gift He has to offer
• peace
• true love
• pure joy
• to know and experience Truth
• rest

And it's not that we deserve it because of anything we have or haven't done, but because of what HE has done for us—thank you, Jesus, for the cross. His love for us is deeper, wider, greater than we could ever imagine. He rises the sun for us each morning, surrounds us with flowers in the spring, and is nearer than our next breath. He is an amazing God who is worthy of all our praise.

Send him packin'

Ever wonder exactly why the Bible seems to harp heavily on not breaking the law of God, and if you read scriptures randomly, especially in the Old Testament, that it seems to be all about working harder and harder to please God by not breaking the laws?  When your pastor or teacher teaches the Word, ask yourself this question.  Did he or she take me to a place of victory over SIN in this discussion? Most teachers will lead you to a place of recognizing the sin in your life but not to a full understanding of winning the sin battle.  Please remember that SIN is that which is outside the boundaries of what God has planned as the best for you.  If life isn’t functioning the way God designed it to, it is not a failure of the design… Now having said that, return to my question.  Is the person I am allowing to be my shepherd, leading me to a place of victory over my sin, or did they leave me to be a sacrifice to the wolves?

Many preachers in churches I have attended, felt that just getting people to an altar for confession of sin, was the job they had to do, and they went to great lengths to get it done. However, I went to a church in my youth that was very different than that, and by God’s grace, I was gifted with that pastor’s great example of how to fill the altars - God’s way. At this church, every time this man preached, more and more people came to the altars to accept Christ as their savoir.  His was not a message of beating people over the head with their sin. His was a message of Christ’s release from sin. And that simple truth was such a joy to people, that they went out with great excitement and invited their friends to come hear someone who tells you how to have that freedom.  It was infectious.  It was on target. It was so like Jesus - soooo  CHRIST- LIKE.  That is exactly how the early church began to grow so quickly. Because the message from God was freedom from the ritualistic grind of obedience to the law, and people were so glad to hear it. 

But it is confusing.  If it is something you grapple with, read Galations 3 and 4.  God’s design even in the beginning, even in the sacrifices of the Temple, was to set us free from the trap - when operating outside devine design captures our life, and holds it prisoner.   Paul saw the early Christians doing battle with this concept. It was not just a Christian battle. The Jews and their forefathers had done battle with this concept forever.  But even Paul had not seen clearly the truth about God until he became a Christian.  Now as the shepherd to young churches, he understood that they had not truly seen the Grace of God in their hearts. They had not grasped the freedom in such a way as to have it seered into their consciousness. Their minds had not been renewed to the point that they ceased to slip back into living under the law. 

It’s no different for us. It is the same battle that every Christian must wage, until that is, that by the renewing of their mind, their thought processes are more apt to take them directly to the power of the knowledge of GRACE, than the power of the Law.

Paul says: vs. 2.  (paraphrased) – I only ask you this.  Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  3. Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now depending on being made perfect in the flesh? 4. "have you suffered so many things in vain?"

            vs. 10. – as many as work to keep the law are under the curse.  For it is written: “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”  11. But, that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident. For “the just shall live by faith!” 12. The law is not of faith.  Anyone who does them (the laws) "shall LIVE IN THEM".   13.  “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.  For it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree:" (one of the laws). 

Paul then discusses the difference between God’s promises and his law, and that the covenant of the promise actually came 430 years before the law, and the law was never intended to “make the promise of none effect.”  He says that "if the inheritance be of law, it is no more of promise…but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”  Paul then poses the question we all have wrestled with:  vs 21. “ Is the law then against the promises of God?”

 Have YOU suffered so many things in vain?  As God gently leads you through the consequences of sin, or the trials by fire that strengthen your steel, do you enter your battles and try to fight them yourselves, or do you grow in the knowledge that God offers peace. Think about the word Peace. One of the most wonderful principles of scripture is among the “opposites of God” set of principles.  It is that God asks us to set ourselves in array for the battle and come boldly to the place of battle…and then requires that we STAND and watch as He takes care of the enemy. I love the whole armor scripture.  Love it, mostly because of this fact. God understands that, while we are going through the processes of life and learning (growing in Grace), we need something to do.  And we need protection from the enemy and ourselves. So he tells us to prepare our minds, to rethink our life patterns, and renew by casting away the old thought patterns, then revise our determination to serve according to the plan. Get up, Get dressed, Go out to battle. But when we have done all that, He calls us to the battle to watch Him win the battle! That’s sooooo cool!!!  God always leads us to Victory, We are unable to be certain of victory if we fight the battle ourselves.  Only when God fights the battle do we have confidence we can truly win.

When James said, “Faith without Works is dead,” (James 1:20) he understood that God calls us to a process. We don’t come to faith without the process.  A process of learning more about God, while learning that His laws work only when He is in control of them. They are His laws, and  it’s all His creation.  We just muck it up. God didn’t create us to become God. He created us to become Friends of God. All He wants us to do is Love Him, and let Him Love us.  And share that with anyone who doesn’t understand it. 

Does that make us not responsible for our sin? Absolutely not.  Awareness of sin is awareness of how totally lost and helpless we are without our creator. We need God. We need to be in Awe of God.  But we need to let God be God and know a lot more everyday about what that means. But our love of God is doing us no good if it puts a wedge between us and God, because we strive more and more everyday, to obey a set of laws that is impossible to keep….thereby making us Hate God for giving them to us in the first place.  One of the OPPOSITES OF GOD is: He gave us laws < & > He NEVER meant for us know HOW to NOT break them?!!?  He knew when He made us that we would eventually break them, even in the Garden of EDEN. He had a plan for our salvation.

Christy and I talked earlier this week about the spiritual battles, and how you must learn as you go while fighting them. It is never a sin to not understand while God is teaching us.  But it is a sin to disobey what we understand.  Sometimes we give into disobedience, just because we are too weary to keep doing the obedience thing. That’s OK. To all who find themselves in this push-pull struggle, including myself, I would love to ask:  “Do you get it? that God only asks us to continue striving until we really get it?  that He really doesn’t want us to go there?  so He lets us go there, so we can see where it leads us?  and see how exhausted we will get? Then HE brings us back from there - and hopes we will have learned not to keep going there?”  (Parents will relate.)   Yet God always provides a remedy for sin. (Note to parents: this is why hugs are necessary after discipline.)

God didn’t let the Israelites show up to Jericho and not have a list of things He wanted them to do. Then, He made them march around the city. He made Noah build a boat that no one else had ever seen the likes of.  He asks big things of us, with a complicated instruction manual as our help. It all seems fruitless sometimes. But when it boils down to it, we will do all He asks us to do, to the best of our ability, and in the end, all He wants from us is to lock ourselves in the ark and ride out the storm.  ~Totally, in His control.  In the end, or rather NEW BEGINNING, we let go of our striving and Let God fight and WIN the battle. Your armor is your defense against the enemies secret attacks on you. But when Christ comes in offense, rejoice that you are fully prepared, and turn the battle over to the Lord. 

…If there had been a law given which could have given life, righteousness should have been by the law.

The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galations 3:21 & 24

 Thank you, Lord for saying, “It is Finished,”  in your dying breaths.  And thank you for the Resurrection - an end to the power of the law and a new beginning full of power to defeat the effects of the law.  Help me, Dear Lord to not fall back to living under the curse.  Help me not to have suffered in vain. Help me not grow weary while training to be a soldier..  As we are called to the battles in our lives, give us peace and help us Stand, as YOU gain MY victory. Especially when others bring sin into our lives Help me Lord to not give up while I am building the “Ark” in my life. It is hard enough dealing with when I bring sin into my life, but I feel helpless when I can’t control when other sources bring sin in.  Lord, be in control, and help me feel secure when YOU are in control. AMEN 

Remember to share this and our Facebook page with your friends who are struggling too.

Just type in “My Wings Are Made Of Faith” into the search line on your Facebook page. 

An Ugly Word

This past weekend I heard a refreshing sermon about the importance of confession of sins not only vertically with God, but also horizontally with others.  Too often these days the word, “confession,” is considered taboo among Christians because it seems old fashioned.  When we dismiss this simple principle, we are attempting to bypass God’s plan for a healthy relationship with his children.

The word, “confession,” means “to admit or acknowledge.”  In this case it fundamentally means admitting our sins to a Holy God.  No formal ceremony needed.  

I John 1:9 says,

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

In my life, I try to take care of my confessions as the Lord brings them to mind by saying something like this, “Lord, I know that ____ was not the right thing to do.  Please forgive me and help me do better.”  This childlike act of confession clears my slate on a vertical plane.

On the horizontal axis, Matthew 5:23-24 says,

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”  

Confession of sins to others involves prayer about the right words and timing, but can be such a beautiful, Christ centered restoration when handled properly.

I love I Timothy 1:15-16 which says,

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”

Let’s face it: we all sin which is why we need our wonderful Savior.  When we take care of our confessions, we can share in the fellowship and freedom that forgiven children can experience.  

My Prayer:  Lord, thank you for reminding me the importance of confession to you and to others.  Holy Spirit, make me aware when there is something I need to confess so that I can enjoy abundant life as a believer.  Jesus, thank you for covering my sins on the cross.  I pray that others will embrace the freedom of confession and live joyfully in your peace.  In Jesus name!

 

On The Edge

 
After years of hearing preachers use the Old Testament example of being on the mountain top as being in a place where we are close to God, the Spirit reminds me that those men were honoring God the only way they knew how, by adhering to the law. They knew nothing of being able to spiritually leave that mountaintop and fly, to have freedom in Christ thru salvation. I am sure they wished they could. What happens when you get to the mountaintop, and like those men, have to go back down again? Returning to the spiritual Valley of Hardship every time was a frightening way to look at being a Christian to me. 

 The picture was one of going up to the mountain, to find God who just gave you a lot of laws about how to live, that you couldn’t live up to. Then with that burden, you return to all the pain and suffering in the valley, to try to do what you couldn’t before. No help from God on that trip.  Some of the greatest pastors I know have spoken of being on the edge with God. Yet never once did they admonish me to fly.  It was only when I discovered that, when I get to the mountain, and commune with God, what He really wants is to take me to the edge and become the “wind beneath my wings.”  It is often in our deepest darkest hours that the Spirit himself teaches us how he lifts us from the depths. Spread your wings, and mount up upon what you cannot see. Use the tool of FAITH . Make the decision to fly and do it. 

Ever felt like God had dragged you kicking and screaming to “the edge” where you knew you couldn’t face another step? You were certain that if you didn’t back away, God would push you over the edge? Next time, say: “OK God, teach me to fly.”  Fledgling birds start from up high and are drawn or pushed from the safety of the nest, sometimes off the edge of a cliff.  I have seen them tumble and hit rocks or other hard surfaces if they haven’t spread their wings properly.  Once I saw a falcon bounce his way down ‘til we were afraid it might have been fatally bruised and feared it would die. But three days later, he leapt from the perch where he had remained while he healed, possibly until hungry enough to try again. This time with wings spread WIDE it soared out over water, dropping all the while until with a tilt of one wing his angle changed and up he went back toward the safety of the ledge, where the father falcon dropped him food. He made fledgling flights for several days before it became difficult to find him, because he learned to fly and land anywhere he pleased.  Learning to fly with the Spirit is a dangerous act. You have to face your darkest fears, and you will often have experienced the greatest spiritual falls of your life just previous to and while going off the edge.  The sooner you spread your wings the better.

While the falcon was at lower heights one day, I was positioning my camera to film his activities, and became so amused that he was exchanging glances with pigeons sitting on the same perch, that I forgot to press the button to start filming.  A pigeon actually looked back over his shoulder at the falcon, sitting beside him, and did a double take before putting some space between himself and the predator. The falcon appeared to be more curious than hungry, and I fully believe he was unaware that he was sitting beside the very bird species that would soon become his regular source for dinner.  This one pigeon on the other hand was very aware what he was.  It was only when I reached to review my footage that I realized I hadn’t caught it on tape.  But it stays in my mind as a reminder, that when you can’t fly you are in a place where you find food and gain strength for the journey.  And possibly learn more about what your spiritual food source actually is. If we are sitting “smack dab” in the middle of our food and don’t know to eat it, we will remain spiritually hungry. LOL 

 Our Loving Father pushes us off the edge to depend on the Spirit, which gives freedom from the earthly bonds, and if we wait upon the Lord, we are renewed in our faith. We better be ready to spread our wings out flat and catch that wind. Then, we are able to mount up with wings as Eagles and by learning to trust in it, to walk and not faint…. 

I know I recently posted about flying like the eagle, but I think it is a two-part message. We so concentrate on the soaring part that we my not realize that it is from the edge that we learn to fly.  But while learning, there may be a tumble and a time for food and healing before we actually get to the heights. Or - that we must go to this place between flights.

I do so wish I had the video of that pigeon looking over his shoulder at that falcon ---looking back in my direction---- and then jerking his head back so fast to look at the falcon. He wanted to see if he really saw what he thought he saw, sitting right behind him!!!! You would soooo laugh.  Why there’s a whole story of how the devourer can show up and just sit on our perch, without us knowing, until he is ready to eat us up, in that story.  Well, maybe another day.  LOL

Why would God push us off the edge?  Why does He allow these excruciating experiences in our life that leave us feeling alone and isolated, bruised and afraid to attempt to ride on faith again? It is because when we learn to fly, we escape the bonds of earthly things, and learn that being free is to be a little closer to His world.  In His world, you have no attachments to this world. One day when we are totally free from this world we will "fly" to where He is. But it is about the ease of living in spiritual freedom. Not a world of being bound to things we have to do to please God. 

Lori recently reminded us that Christ said to take his yoke because it was easy and light.  That verse grounds the concept. There is a yoke, but not a bondage. There’s a difference. We are linked to and dependant upon God. Yes we can fly anywhere, but it is not in our best interest to go sit among the pigeons, nor is it wise to dive into the water if you are a falcon and not an eagle, nor should we think we can stay aloft with the clouds forever without coming closer to earth for food and shelter.  We must not fly in the storm. Freedom has its boundaries. Flying must be learned in tandem to God.

 Eagles gather when possible at night, to find shelter close to one another. They fly from the roosts at about 7:00 am to go hunting breakfast, but they usually fly off the roost one to three at a time and go separate directions. Raptors generally don’t fly to heights until well after dawn when the atmosphere warms and the thermals rise. If we fly where the Lord does not offer the support and guidance, without food, rest, fellowship, and support, we will just be flapping our wings.  We go it alone with His help every day, if we are well equipped for the journey. But, if I am acting like a vulture, smelling like a vulture, eating like a vulture, I can’t gather with the Eagles at night.  

“When I said: My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.”           Psalms 94:18

 Read carefully the full context of this verse in three versions.  Vss 11 – 22. Vs. 13 says God gives rest from adversity; vs. 22 says God is our rock of refuge.  These allude to being at a place of learning…a place where God is drawing the writer to the edge where he has not yet “learned to fly.” Or a place to which he returns for the wisdom and strength the Lord has waiting. Vs. 21 is a foreshadowing of Christ in his darkest hour. Can you see the writer of this Psalm longing for something, for escape from the vulture life?

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%2094:12%20-%2022&version=NKJV;NLT;TNIV 

Thank you, O' Lord for your merciful freedom, that once it is learned, one never wants to go back and live only under the law.  Yet thank you for the instruction and definition the law gives, to help me remember what kind of bird I am.  Thank you for the rock, the perch to which I return, never again afraid of my darkest hours, knowing that when the morning comes, I can fly. Thank you for its place of refuge, food and fellowship, from which to view the big picture. And thank you for always being my tandem partner. Give this blessing to someone who needs it Lord. Teach someone to fly. AMEN

 

Are We Soldiers or Do We Just Dress the Part

At the Vatican, there is a unit of soldiers who have for hundreds of years, protected the Popes. They are called the Suisse Guard.  Their uniform still conforms to what was worn when soldiers only had swords, shields, bows and arrows, and cat of nines on chains as basic weapons.  But the narrator on the History Channel who was telling about them in recent airings, said to not be fooled by the costume like appearance.  These are the best of the best, trained in the Suisse Army as sharp shooters, snipers and experts in the use of all the best weaponry.  You see they know that it isn’t their uniform with which they fight. 

Granted the military today which fights in deserts, chooses a uniform that helps them blend into the desert. Uniforms of recent past wars, needed to camouflage the soldiers in forested circumstances, and would be shades of green. If you are a soldier, you know you will be dressed in a uniform of some kind. So it is with Christians.  We have probably all heard about dressing in our spiritual armor. Most of us sang the song, “I’m In the Lord’s Army” since we were children, followed by the sermon about how to dress in the spiritual armor.

 Military, Police, FBI, CIA, DEA, Border Patrol, and security agencies of all kinds are trained to use the weapons that will be most effective in the situations where their services are needed.  But how effective would they be in an actual situation, which called for their active defense, if they went in with only their uniforms and intensive training? No weapons or ammo, just uniforms, armor and training. They could stand ready for months, years, and look really ready if they were not asked to prove themselves.  It would be difficult to know if they were actually prepared or not at all prepared, if there were no proving grounds.  What if the time came, that we needed them, and they went rushing in with only their uniforms and training, shouting, “We are ready, bring it on?” 

They would be slaughtered.  Cause the other side would care nothing at all about how big a show they could put on marching, or doing dress maneuvers.  They could even be carrying weapons, but without the ammo and the ability to use it, showing up would be to no avail.  

So it is with Christian battles.  We must have our training:  scriptures, a few exercises along the way, Christian teachers, and people wise in the ways of the enemy sharing the enemy’s secrets with us.  We need our whole armor.  We must dress in uniform, the proper attire to protect us as we enter the task, whether it is war or just security.  But when we come up against Satan’s worst attacks, if we don’t actually use the tools that God gave us, Satan’s army will demonstrate the powers they yield, thinking they can scare us into shut down or flee mode.  In the Psychological circles it is called, fight or flight. With Satan we tend to be all flight.

 What are our tools? - Two significant ones.  Aside from protecting our mind and body with the armor, we must go in with weapon and ammo at the ready.

1. The Holy Spirit is the weapon we bear. Like a cowboy with his holster always buckled on, or a thief who tucks his knife into his shoe, the Holy Spirit is closer than any weapon we could choose. Always ready, always handy, always available.  Always. 
2. Our ammunition is the blood of Jesus. The fact that Jesus shed His blood is powerful enough.  Nothing added. It is the bullet that packs the ultimate punch, which shuts Evil down.

 On a couple of occasions in the Old Testament, God chose only 2 men, or whittled the great armies down to smaller and smaller groups to go to battle for the Israelites.  God had pleasure in showing us David who faced his attackers alone, with total reliance on God.  When the Israelites walked around and around Jericho, God fought their battle for them.  They did not go in wielding uniforms or armor or weapons, because God wants to make the point that anytime we do battle with spiritual beings, it is never our battle to fight.  It is never "we" who are able to bring the enemy down.  However, God will use us to be the David through which He makes the Goliaths fall. 

We must always stand before the scariest, monsters in our lives, (and I am talking people here, who threaten or seek to destroy us or our loved ones,) knowing our scriptures, knowing our enemy, dressed in the full armor.  Those are the basics of belonging to the “army,” being a soldier, etc.  But you never defeat the enemy until you use your weapons:

Go into battle, boldly saying, “Greater is He that is in me, than *he that is in the world" -*small letter, he.  See who is on your side. Who goes before you in power? Whose power is greatest? By whose authority do you do battle? Who is your leader? Do you believe He is greater?    Who is trying to make the biggest boom, to scare you…? Satan’s Angels will do the scariest things!!! -Sneaky, malicious things that cause fear.  Ask yourself, who is the liar? Who silently stands by with the most powerful weapons? The Spirit. Cause he is carrying the deadliest weapon on earth.  The Blood of Jesus, which was shed in our stead.

 If God can be for us, who can be against us?  Trust the Blood to hold the most authority of anything in your arsenal.  There is no weapon more powerful. Claim it. Use it in prayer to subdue the enemy. Use the verse Greater is He, to remind us who is most powerful, who stands in the gap, who is keeping us.  It is to keep our mind stationary on the truth, and not be fooled by a power less than the Almighty God, just because it is making he most noise.  Claim the blood, quote the scripture, *bind the evil, tell it where to go. And it must obey. Then ask God to heal the memories and help you not to yield to the fear again.

 USE YOUR WEAPONS.  Don’t expect to dress like a soldier but never use the weapons if you find yourself in the heat of battle.  Nothing but proper use of your weapons will do you any good.  Put a stop to the evil one making power plays in your life. 

The following is a cute song about the trickster on the prowl, by Fernando Ortega. Full of symbolism and truth.  Beware, it opens loudly, and it immediately aludes to how we get so involved in enjoying life that we sometimes aren't aware of the predator.  Cats who haven't come in for safety, want nothing more than to come in to safety when they find the prowler is near by. I hope you enjoy it, and take it with a grain of salt.

WHEN THE COYOTE COMES - by Fernando Ortega.

 

I also found the Fire Power Ministries' SCHOOL OF DELIVERANCE to be interesting.  In a way the list of things she says to repeat to yourself seems over the top, but her point is to renew your mind to turn automatically to your assurance the blood is the most valuable tool of warfare we have. I especially like #25 on her list. She gives 57 ways to say to ourselves...God took care of everything on the cross, and the worst evils come under submission to Christ's best gift - His Blood. Overkill, or the best weapon when you are alone and afraid? If you ever need it, you will know for sure.

The most joyful way I know to remind myself of this truth, is the old song: Power In The Blood. (by Lewis Jones, 1899.) The chorus says - "There is power, power, wonder working power,  in the blood, of the Lamb. There is power, power, wonder working power, in the precious blood of the Lamb."   Sometimes our pastor would have us sing  every verse and then repeat the chorus 2 or 3 times. He also had us sing it doubling the number of times we said Power quickly: "There is pow'r, pow'r, pow'r pow'r, wonder working power...etc." Why?  To get it into our heads. To make us think of it first when we come up against the darkest battles in life. To help give us confidence, and help us remember we are walking containers for the all powerful. And if Satan makes you feel like you are not... just bring up the blood.   Use it like a weapon!

It is not a magic wand, a cute game, or mere symbolism. Jesus isn't a cartoon super hero. His power is real Power!!!!!

I personally believe that it is very important that we get to the place that we trust in this power to the point that we can do like Jesus did - and quietly, one time speak the Word, and insist that the evil ones obey. No scary stuff, just quiet submission to the blood's real power. When we bind them with that power, and say you can't come back to bring more worse than yourselves, because I include them in the power of the blood, then we are finally using our faith, believing that Christ died for a purpose. We are making a better, simpler, healthier, happier life full of the good gifts of God. The repititions are only for us.  To bolster our faith, to combat our fears. They have no more power over evil than speaking it once in faith.

Father I claim that Blood, over this post and all who would read it. And to their family members and friends. Grant us faith to allow you to be all powerful in every aspect of our lives. Help us use the weapons you gave us wisely.  AMEN

*"...Peter, upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it, and I will give thee the keys to the kingdom of heaven ...whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shalt be bound in heaven...." Matthew 16:17-19. 

(ck out the old testament ministry of binding things with a scarlet cord which is the fore shadowing of binding that which would harm us with the blood. Use a concordance, and follow the scriptures. )

 

Watching the Clouds Roll By

Have you ever rested on a blanket on a beautiful day and watched the clouds roll by?  Today I was discussing some issues with a very wise person in my life.  I told her that I was frustrated with myself for getting anxious when life is too demanding.  She introduced me to a new way of viewing stress in our lives by knowing that, like clouds pass on by, seasons of anxiety will blow by and it’s our job to remain in the peace of the Spirit until they pass.

What an amazing idea!  Too often we allow ourselves to become blown around by the dark clouds instead of peacefully lying on the blankets of grace laid out by our Heavenly Father. If we rest in the God’s faithfulness when our lives become too much, the stressful season will pass according to the Lord’s will. 

Jesus explains this point in Matthew 11:28-30 when He says,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

 Romans 5:3-5 says,

“We also rejoice in our sufferings; because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hears by the Holy Spirit, who he has given us.”

Billy Graham said, “Only the Holy Spirit can give us peace in the midst of the storms of restlessness and despair.  We should not grieve our Guide by indulging in worry or paying undue attention to self.”

Certainly some storms are stronger and last longer than others, but if we focus on the grace that a relationship with God affords, we will endure these times with a peace that surpasses understanding.  It’s much easier said than done.  It takes perseverance in attitude and a constant renewing of the heart and mind, but this endurance in hardship secures our emotional victory.

My Prayer:  God, thank you for words that inspire me to look at things a new way.  I choose to rest in the comfort of your Holy Spirit today and ask you to pour your peace around me as I watch stressful seasons blow by like the clouds.  Remind me to pay attention during hard times so that I may minister to others later.  I praise you for providing the hope that comes from running the race with perseverance.  Thank you Jesus, for being the perfect example of finishing well.  In Jesus’ Name!

 

 

OMGG GGG

 
 
Our Current expression which borders on profanity in some peoples minds, “OMG” - meaning “Oh MY God,” has always been a saying that in my mind turned me to God when the situations that make you exclaim such a thing occur. Always, if I said, “OH MY GOD”, I was really including Him in the situation.  Sometimes a call for help, sometimes an exclamation of “I am over my head in this one now... Lord Help me.”  Or “only God could bless us this much!” Sometimes a joyous explosion of relief…  Whatever the use, I just didn’t think of it as being vain with using my Lord’s name.  I figured who else should be the first name I think of?  But I got my son in real trouble, and almost got him thrown off the school bus, when he used the phrase to a bus driver, one day, years ago.

  To the bus driver, and apparently the school rulebook, it was profane. Actually, it was a phrase “By God” that they considered illegal, and the driver told me he thought that is what my son said. Now that one gets me more confused. I had never heard that phrase before the driver said my son said it.  No, I take that back. I had heard my sister in law say it.  But she is a hilarious person, and it never struck me as being profane.  Maybe it was and I just didn’t know it.  Maybe it is to many people. But I didn’t know it as a bad thing, and I had never told my son it was a bad thing. My son promised he didn’t say that, and I believed him, ‘cause around our house that just wasn’t a phrase we used. Naïve Mom, maybe. So even if he said it, I am not sure he knew it was a bad thing.  --Anyway, it was one time in my son’s discipline, that I couldn’t get serious about being as upset as the bus driver. However, in respect to him, and because of knowing my son’s occasional attitude when he was angry about something, I gave the bus driver his due. I insisted that I didn’t care if the bus driver didn’t want him to say “stink” (whatever word I said back then,) on the bus, my son should not ever say it again. But in my mind, it was incredulous that it went on his permanent record.

Now everybody knows…the secret’s out of the closet, the skeleton has been released!

Sin is like that.  There are all different degrees of what mankind thinks sin is. That’s what makes “religion” such a drag.  I did say religion.  You see, I don’t fit into that mold either, and I am proud of it! I am not religious. I am so glad that God the Father, saw how perverted that men could make the greatness of God, and He decided to send his Son to put a stop to it, (at least from His point of view.) You see, there isn’t a sin on the books, anyone’s books, that wasn’t covered on that cross, and in that tomb, or because of the resurrection.  Not one.

Religion is what the Scribes and Pharisees had. It is what man in general has tried to limit the relationship of God with man to, for all of History. What makes believing in Jesus different than all the religions in this world and all of history is this: His whole purpose on earth was to convey to us that God didn’t want a bunch of people trying to remedy the sin question.  That’s a God issue. He is the only one big enough to handle it. I can’t. Never will be able to, never had one itty-bitty chance of it.

Instead, God wanted a family relationship. He wants a “let’s sit down and talk about it” kind of relationship. God is a god of judgment. But I am so glad that he fixed it so my judgment is strictly seen through Jesus’ blood. 

~ Freedom with a capital F. ~

 That’s how I face each day, and how I face the hour I will stand before him in Judgment.  If the cross was of none effect, then I have nothing to stand on.

My precious pastor, when I was a teen, used the phrase “justified” frequently.  He even had little pins made for us to wear with the word on it. “Justified,” he would say, “just as if I’d never sinned! And don’t you forget it!” (Dr W. Jack Hudson) As a Bible technical term, justification is hard to explain.  But if you get down to the nitty-gritty, all it means is that my judgment as a born again believer is 100% “just as if I’d NEVER sinned,” because He paid the atonement price.  The fines.

Whew! Is that a relief to me!  I can’t believe how many people toss that truth to the wind and say, well for me, I think I will try to do the no sin thing.  Yeah, right!!!!  Good luck with that, as they say. And who’s your judge? “Cause the one who will be judging me will use the Blood Criteria. All he will want to know is AM I UNDER IT?  If so, check, she’s justified.  And yes, it is as simple as that. The whole Bible from cover to cover is about showing us how impossible it is to try to live as if the judgment was going to catch us with our pants down.  There won’t be enough scurrying we can do to dress ourselves before God on that day. Or any day from now ‘til then.  I can’t be good enough!  Hooray!!!!!!

 All I can say is - THANK YOU JESUS! AMEN

 Acts 13:39  KJV And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses.  

 IS THAT CLEAR?

 PS. Did I get enough slang in? LOL 

Say “OMGG-GGG” once a day this week and be sure to follow it up by thinking: Oh My Great Glorious - Gracious Giving God!  Make a constant habit of practicing it, and see where your mind goes next time you almost think, “Oh My God!”      

-(By the renewing of your mind – it’s biblical.)-

For your children’s sake, say it out loud every now and then, just so they know. LOL

If you would like a copy of the Graphics at the top of the page, just Click here:

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Freedom

i am really grateful for God's blessings on the USA and for the freedoms we have every day that are so easy to take advantage of and forget. What i don't want to lose focus on and forget, are the things that this country was founded on—things that were written in songs and poems long ago:

• In God we trust •
• I pledge allegiance ... one nation under God ...•
• God bless America •
• Our fathers' God to Thee, Author of Liberty, To thee we sing, Long may our land be bright, With Freedom's holy light, Protect us by thy might, Great God, our King •
• His truth is marching on •
• God Bless the U.S.A •
• America! America! God shed His grace on thee •
• In God is our trust •

When we acknowledge God in the gift of freedom, He continues to protect this country. What has happened though, over the years, is that God continues to be taken out of the decision-making process of this country, out of schools and public places ... Those who choose not to believe are trying to take God out of everything—and when we, as Christians follow suit, i believe our homeland security is at risk. There is no peace and no love outside of God. So i encourage you to pray for this country and our leaders, and most importantly, those who don't believe in Jesus.

_________________

While we are on the subject of freedom, i just wouldn't feel right not mentioning the freedom we have in Christ. My friends, God sent His only son to the cross to die for our freedom—freedom from a life and eternity spent without Him in darkness and in pain. He loved us SO much that He would rather die for us, a painful death, than to let us die without Him.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.—Galatians 5:1

Knowing Jesus is our free ticket to freedom and an abundant life—and to an eternal life spent with Him in the gloriousness of heaven. It's important to know that America may not always be free, but once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are free forever from the bondage of sin.

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. —John 8:36

There is so much truth in the Word of God that can set us free, if freedom is what we desire.

Jesus said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." —John 8:31-32

Father, i praise you and thank you for the freedom of the USA. Thank you Lord, for protecting us and our country and for those who fight every day for our freedom and safety—Lord, may you grant them extra blessings on this day. God i pray for our leaders, especially those who are far from you, that they will turn to you for wisdom on how to keep this country free and as a land flowing with your blessings. Father, most of all, though, i pray for those who don't know the freedom you have to offer. i pray for those who are a slave to sin. Lord I pray you will stir their hearts and give them a glimpse of the cross and what true freedom looks like so that they will not spend eternity away from you. Lord, i pray for those of us who know your freedom, that we will be grateful every day for the sacrafices of Your Son, Jesus. And, God, i pray that we, as Christians, will step out on the front lines to preserve your freedom and to fight for the freedom of others and their salvation. Amen.

An Alien Sighting

Recently I was chatting with two Godly women and one said, “Sometimes I feel so alone in my walk with the Lord.”  Those words really struck a note with me because I can relate to feeling like an alien on earth trying to maneuver through this life and figuring out how to walk like a Christian woman should.  

 You see, when I accepted Christ ten years ago at the age of 28, I began the process of retraining my thoughts and actions.  There was so much to alter after 28 years of destructive thought patterns.  Along with that, some of my friends from the earlier part of my life quietly walked away from our friendship because of the changes they saw in my life.  While I now remember that season as a growing time because I learned how to be comforted by the presence of the Lord, it was very hard to experience.

 As I study the life of Jesus, I recognize that His life was that of an alien on earth.  He was born the most perfect-imperfect birth to a virgin in a stable.    Jesus lived a simple life but always went against the popular ideas in words and actions.  He was criticized by religious leaders and hung out with sinners yet He was without sin.  Even Jesus’s death was brutal, but He didn’t call out or fight back.

 The author of Psalm 119 verse 19 says, 

“I am a stranger here on earth....”  

 I Peter 2:11-12 says, 

“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”

 I read a prophetic word this morning In Small Straws in a Soft Wind by Marsha Burns that said:

Many of you, My people, are approaching a turning point in which there will be a decided departure from what has been your accepted normal. When you are faced with change, I will give you the grace and guidance to move forward in strength and the power of My Spirit if you will trust Me. At this time you must be willing to let go of what was in order to grasp what is to be, says the Lord. Press on to obtain the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus.

Christians are not supposed to necessarily fit in here on earth.  When we are chasing after God, we should expect that people will see us as weird, strange, or “Jesus freaks.”   We will do things differently than the world in all aspects of our lives and could very possibly be persecuted for it.  The good news is that when we, aliens, are taken to our leader, we will hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

My Prayer:  Oh Lord, today I lift up those who feel alone here on earth because of their faith.  I pray for the encouragement of the Holy Spirit as we continue with our work.  Thank you, Heavenly Father, for assuring us of the victory.  Jesus, we thank you for your sacrifice and for bearing the burdens of our sins on the cross.  Strengthen us as we press into you, Lord.  We look forward to the prize of heaven one day.  In Jesus name!

 Scripture to tuck into your heart today:

" Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

                                                    ~Matthew 5:10

 

You Love Me Anyway

I am the thorn in Your crown: But You love me anyway
I am the sweat from Your brow: But You love me anyway
I am the nail in Your wrist: But You love me anyway
I am Judas’ kiss: But You love me anyway
See now, I am the man who yelled out from the crowd For Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking ground Yes then, I turned away with a smile on my face With this sin in my heart tried to bury Your grac And then alone in the night, I still called out for You So ashamed of my life But You love me anyway
—You Love Me Anyway, by Sidewalk Prophets

The words from the song (above) really sank deep into my soul during my 2-hour drive back from my extremely short visit with my parents for Father's Day. It's not that i had the tune stuck in my head, but the words really spoke to me ...

Sometimes i don't really think about the pain that the cross brought Jesus. And i don't often think about the fact that it was my sin that brought Him that pain. i was the thorn in His crown. The sweat from His brow. The nail in His wrist. Judas' kiss. All this pain, and yet all He could think about was how He'd rather die for our sin, then let us die and live eternity without Him. Pretty remarkable, if you ask me. Despite the pain i caused Him, He loves me anyway. Despite my sin of yesterday, He loves me anyway.. Despite the little time i spend with Him (in the grand scheme of things), He loves me anyway.. Despite anything i do that is not of Him, He loves me anyway..

This does not mean that our sin doesn't hurt His heart or that we weren't wrong or that we won't have to stand before God one day and be held accountable for our bad decisions. It simply means that He loves me anyway.

i don't know about you, but i see these same lyrics played out in every day life.
Do you know someone who's a thorn in your crown?
Do you know someone who's driving a nail through your tender wrist?
Do you know someone who's kissing one cheek, but slapping your other cheek?

Do you love them anyway or do you get that gut-wrenching feeling when you think about their name and the word love in the same sentence? Doesn't it really seem impossible to love someone who causes you much pain? Honestly, it is hard for me to see the possibility of love in hurt. But, God says it's not.

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.—Proverbs 25:21-22

“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. —Luke 6:27-35

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”—John 13:34-35

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.—1 John 4:7-21

i think that one very important thing that God is teaching me right now is to love those who hate me or want to hurt me. It's not human nature to love those who hurt you. Human nature seeks revenge, holds hatred, shows anger, and harbors bitterness. But when we know God, and we allow Him to dwell in our hearts, we know love. And even when it's hard to give love in return for hatred, God empowers us to give love—we have to earnestly pray for that.

Loving people who hurt us is not saying that they are right. It is not condoning their actions. It's not giving people permission to keep hurting us. i think there is a way to be firm, but still forgive and love. i also don't think that loving someone always means that things will work out perfect and you'll be BFF's forever. Sometimes it's necessary to walk away, but not walking away in hatred and bitterness.

Lord, loving people who continue to hurt me is difficult and seems impossible. But you, God, are the true definition of love and goodness and by far the best example of what it means to beaten and crucified and yet you still love those who did that to you. Father, help me to love people unconditionally because you command it. But with that, Lord, please give me the wisdom to know the difference between loving someone and enabling someone to continue hurting me by loving them—help me to know when to forgive and walk away and have love in my heart for that person. Help me to pray for my enemies, for their salvation. Help me Lord, for i truly desire to love like you love me and to be a shining example of the grace and love you give me each day.

 

Scripture to memorize: Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.—1 Peter 4:8