Peaceful Trust...

I love how far Peter has come…

“And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.”  Acts 12:6

Just as Peter was facing execution, where do we find him? Sleeping between two soldiers. In chains. No escape. Yet…hidden in the perfect peace of the Holy Spirit.

This is a far cry from the gospel’s record of Peter’s and the other disciple’s hysteria when they were once upon a sailing vessel about to go under in the midst of a storm. There, the Lord Jesus was the one sleeping. Perfect peace in the storm. In the storms of life.

This is now Peter’s experience. Not Christian theory. Not merely Christian hope. But the reality of the Holy Spirit’s felt comfort and joy, and unexplainable peace.

Yes, Peter has come a long way in his faith. And he invites us to join him in living and realizing the matchless peace of Christ, no matter what we face.

Planting Good Seeds...

For years – I mean years – I planted the world’s way of thinking into my soul: my heart and my mind…

"I (The LORD) said, 'Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you."  Hosea 10:12 NLT (parentheses, mine)

Yes, most certainly, I loved the Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, the stuff of the world, you know, self-seeking, appearance, possessions, and the enemy’s definition of success, captured me.

I allowed the lies of the world to rule me through media, my brokenness, even the church at times. These lies robbed me of the truth that Jesus is all I need or want; that His presence and His Word are the only fountain of life filled with significance and purpose.

Still, lies are so much easier to believe. Just read a few verses further in Hosea to see this. It takes faith to fully trust God. But oh, when we do, we harvest a crop of His lavish love that makes us whole.

Now is the time to seek the LORD. Let’s open up and let Him pour in.

When God Shows Up...

The Book of Job hasn’t always been a favorite of mine...

"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, 
But now my eye sees You."
Job 42:5

The Book of Job for Dummies is this: Satan accuses the Lord of protecting Job and gains the Lord’s permission to test this man. Job loses children, possessions, and the respect of his wife and friends. Finally, he has catastrophic health issues. Think worst case scenario on steroids.

There are literally thirty-seven chapters of anger, arguing, accusing, defending, whining, denial, and self-righteousness.

Then God shows up.

That’s it. God Himself shows up. He asks a few questions and Job comes to the one and only conclusion a person can come to: God is the only thing that matters. He is the bottom line to everything.

We desperately need to see God too. I don’t know what you are facing, but He is the answer. No, not so much what He can do for you or me; rather, that HE alone is all we need. Enough said.

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The Great I Am...

Sometimes I shake my head in wonder...

“Who should I say is sending me?” is the question Moses asks of God. The reply? “I AM is sending you…” Exodus 3:14

This amazing passage takes place as Moses receives his assignment and he removes his sandals because he is standing on holy ground.

Our God is eternal. No beginning, no end. Not created…HE IS. Outside of time; outside of human understanding; out of the box. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have always been and always will be. The Uncaused Cause my Bible notes tell me. And then I read…

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58

In this simple, short statement Jesus establishes His divinity. Co-equal, co-divine, co-eternal, and co-existent with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

So, reflect. Yes, Jesus is my dearest friend, but yes, HE IS GOD. He is the great I AM. I can’t ever forget this because sometimes I am too casual, too cocky, or too something. And when He invites me to come dine with Him Rev. 3:20, I need to remember to come humbly and remember I, like Moses, stand on holy ground.

Right Here, Right Now...

What a wonderfully well-worn and beloved Bible passage…

"Your word is a lamp to my feet, 
And a light to my path."
Psalm 119:105

Here we find His promise to give all the guidance we need, one footfall at a time. And, the great treasure is knowing each footstep we purpose in Him is one in front of the other for the long-range path of our lives.

Jesus’ light is right here, right now, for what we face in this moment. Still, He gives glimpses of our destiny in Him. The trouble is, we want to jump from point A to point Q, missing out on all of the light-guided steps in between! We may try to hurry the path, jump the path, or even skip the path, but to what avail? We will miss the glory and power of the Holy Spirit and hearing His voice every single day of our lives.

So, it may be time to turn the light on. Let’s spend some time basking in His presence today and drinking up His living, written Word.

And His gracious gift to us? The mundane will become extraordinary, the routine will become wonder-filled, and His light will dazzle our eyes and illuminate our steps.

God Works the Night Shift...

God works the night shift...

"And in that vicinity there were shepherds living out under the open sky in the field, watching in shifts over their flock by night."
Luke 2:8 AMPC

I realize it isn’t Christmas, yet I am reminded of a book written by Pastor Ron Mehl several years ago and his premise that when life is at its darkest, God is most at work – on our behalf.

Yes, of course, He is always at work on our behalf, but sometimes we just need to be reminded of this when the storms of life come and our way seems dim. Yet the lights are never out for Jesus. Psalm 139 tells us that both the light and the dark are the same to Him.

I have found great peace in this truth. In the past few years, when facing what seemed like insurmountable events, it was in the evenings before bedtime that the enemy of my soul often knocked on the door of my emotions to sell me a fresh bouquet of anxiety. However, God's Word was my anchor, His presence my comfort, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit were my strength.

Yet, He also works the morning and the swing shifts, as well. He never ceases. And as the shepherds long ago discovered, He is always at work on birthing a new miracle for us – no matter what time of day it is in our lives or how dark our way might appear.

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My New Name...

What is the name of endearment Jesus has given you?

"...You shall be called by a new name, 
Which the mouth of the LORD will name."
Isaiah 62:2b

No, I’m not into any off-the-wall-new-name cult, yet there are several Scriptures which tell us that He will speak a new name over us when we see Him face-to-face. Yet, what does He name us now?

Jesus first called John, and his brother James, Sons of Thunder! Remember, they were the crew who wanted to incinerate some folks who weren’t open to the Lord’s message.

Yet, just like John, a person cannot be in Jesus’ presence long without experiencing His transforming touch. John, as an eye-witness to the Majesty of God, once named a Son of Thunder became the Beloved Disciple. And this same John, who once had wanted fire to fall, penned the most famous phrase in history...

For God so loved the world...

I encourage you to ask Jesus to tell you the name He has for you. He will and you will be changed just by hearing His voice whisper it in your ear.

Peace...

Oh my, the daily news from around the world is daunting…

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
John 14:27

From countless Scriptures we learn that fear and anxiety are not our portion. Fear is not who we are in Him. If fear arises in us, we then have to ask the Holy Spirit what it is we really are afraid of. What is the lie we are believing because Jesus is LORD.

As the world grows darker, Jesus in us shines brighter. This is our hour to intercede and battle in prayer for regions around the globe in tremendous turmoil. This is our hour to pray heaven down, just as He taught us Matthew 6:10. When we don’t know how to pray, let’s pray in the Holy Spirit’s language He has given us.

So, let’s pray hard, love everyone tenaciously, expect the miraculous, and lead souls to Christ, the Prince of Peace.

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Overwhelmed...

Anybody feeling just a little overwhelmed right now?

"From the end of the earth I will cry to You, 
When my heart is overwhelmed; 
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
Psalm 61:2

Too much stuff to do, too little time to do it? So many dreams, but not enough money to accomplish them? Join the club. I think most of mankind is feeling a little overwhelmed.

Nevertheless, King David tells us what to do and Who to go to. That simple. Cry out! he tells us. Cry out to your heavenly Father who loves you beyond reason. Go to your room and pour out your heart; lay it all out before Him. Then wait.

Wait for the Holy Spirit to lift your gaze, your heart, and your spirit to THE ROCK – the Rock of Ages. Jesus hasn’t moved, been shaken, or ever wavered. As He bends down to take you by the hand, look up as He draws you to Himself in safety. You will find rest, peace, and direction for your soul and for your life.

Full of Surprises...

Jesus is full of surprises…

“And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.”  John 21:6

The trouble is, we can so often miss what He is up to. We get set in our ways. We get set in thinking we know best. We get set in the error of thinking that because the Lord worked one way in our lives in the past, He will do the same thing again.

Our God isn’t limited by our limitations, however, and we have to keep that at the forefront of our thoughts. We CAN miss what He is doing, by projecting our plans and procedures onto His plans and missing the whole enchilada of the surprising, miraculous thing He desires to accomplish.

So a word to the wise. Present your circumstances, issues, and problems to Him. Keep quiet and stand still in His presence. Bow to His timing. Then wait expectantly for the wonder-filled surprise He has in store.

Prisoner of Hope...

Are you a prisoner…to something?

“Return to the stronghold, 
You prisoners of hope. 
Even today I declare
That I will restore double to you.”
Zechariah 9:12

Let’s make the prophet’s words personal. We can do this because Paul tells us in the New Testament that we who have surrendered our lives to King Jesus can declare God’s promises over our own lives.*

So now, back to the original question. Are you a prisoner to something?

I think I am a prisoner of hope. I mean that without pretension.

At one time in our lives, my husband and I lost almost everything through some foolish, self-willed decisions, but God in His boundless love brought us to repentance. We turned back to Him with our hearts in our hands and He turned our lives around completely. No, no overnight, but in such a way that only He could have done it. When a person goes through something like that and their faith is built for a lifetime. So yes, I am a prisoner of hope. Fear has little to no place in my life. He has restored double to us. No make that about ten-fold over, at the least.

So, I ask again what are you a prisoner of? Completely surrender your expectations for His. Like us, you may need to learn a few not-so-good-things about yourself, but it will be worth it. Then exchange that bondage for His hope.

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*Galatians 3:14-16

It's My Pleasure...

“It’s my pleasure!” a young waitress said to me recently at a restaurant.

“We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.”

Psalm 123:2 NLT

Boy. Good customer service sure goes a long way. Wouldn’t you agree? Excellent or poor customer service can make or break an experience. And this leads me to reconsider what it means when we say…

“I will wait upon the Lord.”

Inherent in this phrase is the thought that we are waiting either patiently – or not – for God to hurry up and answer a prayer, bring a promise to pass, or for His timing to be fulfilled. Waiting sucks. Ok. There I said it. However, it may help if we consider waiting on King Jesus in the way described by the Psalmist.

“Lord, what is your order today?”

“How may I best serve you my Father?”

“What is your bidding, Jesus? I am here to fulfill it.

This is what real waiting is about. Serving Him with full delight. Seeking what would please Him. Asking what would He like to “order” today. Knowing Him so intimately that it isn’t hard to wait because His presence, power, and words are life abundant itself.

One of the Hebrew words for waiting on God means to be so bound up with Him that we are lost in His embrace. I wanna do that kind of waiting, so that whatever He speaks for me to do, I promptly and from my heart say…

“Its’ my pleasure, Lord!”

More than a Quick Fix...

Can I just get real here for a moment?

“For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds.”
2nd Corinthians 10:4 AMPC

My husband and I have ministered to many folks who truly long for freedom from debilitating and serious strongholds in their lives. Bondages consisting of sexual perversion, substance abuse, uncontrollable thoughts and urges, gluttony, disordered eating, and rage...just to name a few. Whew!

The trouble is, we – myself included in the past – all want the quick fix.

“Jesus, just fix me then I can go on my merry way”…into something else more devastating. We live in an evil, fallen world, run by the king of hell himself. Our warfare can’t be timid, tepid, or lukewarm. Paul IS telling us that as Christians we hold victory in our hands, but still, it is a battle. Deliverance comes swiftly in Jesus’ Name, but maintaining and establishing freedom isn’t for the faint of heart. We want deliverance, but not the Deliverer.

Our weapons are a living, breathing daily relationship with Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit, the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the authority of God’s Word. We need to be ever increasingly proficient in each of these.

The war wages, but victory is already ours. I am living proof that freedom is worth the fight in the Spirit. I can remember the tenacity and often fatigue of engaging in the battle, but the outcome has been exhilarating and worth it all.

Power Praying...

We need to  be better at praying His Word…

“So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

"who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things?”  Acts 4:24-25

Just after Peter and John had been arrested and released for preaching the gospel, they came back to a group of believers who then, in one accord, lifted passionate, heartfelt prayer for their situation. Their situation was worsening. The rise of Christianity was catching the attention of the Jewish hierarchy.   And, the hierarchy were not happy campers.

The group of Spirit-filled believer began to pray. They began to pray the Old Testament Scriptures – declaring what God Himself had spoken. The Holy Spirit came in like a flood and shook the building they were in. God was present.

We need to learn to pray God’s Word, as well. Not just any verse that suits our fancy for the moment, that can be of our own doing and born of the flesh.  However, when He gives us a “rhema” a word for the situation we are in, then we add to our prayers the power that spoke the galaxies into existence.  I experienced this firsthand when the Lord gave me Isaiah 41:10-13 just before being diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal cancer. Our family and church prayed His Word nine years ago…I am still here.

So, whatever you are facing, ask Jesus for a specific Scripture to hang onto. Hold tightly to it. And pray with all your heart. This is power praying.

Running After God...

Today we received a thank you note from our nephew...

“I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:14

We had sent Ryan some financial support for his up-coming, two-year mission trip to the South Pacific. In his note to us, Ryan wrote:

“Thank you for...helping a young man run after God.”

These words knocked the wind out of me. These are powerful words. These are life-changing words. To run after God is to pursue Life itself. To put Jesus’ Kingdom first and then let Him so effortlessly take care of the rest of what so often trips us up, consumes our thoughts, resources, energy, and affections.

I am late to running after God. I was a Christian for years before truly pursuing Him first and only. And may I tell you these past years have been a joy-ride, a thrill-ride, an adventure, and yep, He has even used my life to bring salvation, healing, and hope to others. Jesus has provided for EVERY need and then some. These past years have been extravagant, rich, abundant, and superfluous. No joke.

So, I ask you. Are you running after God? If not, it is time to make the decision to do so. Don’t waste another minute of your precious life, make it an ardent, precious pursuit instead.

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Beauty for Ashes...

In my mid-thirties I suffered from moderate depression...

"...to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness..."
Isaiah 61:3

The spirit of heaviness perfectly describes the dark and debilitating cloud over my life at that time. Yet, Jesus came to my rescue.

One Saturday morning while alone, the Holy Spirit spoke. I saw that I had allowed a demonic spirit of pride to take up residence in my heart and mind. I had thought my issues were rooted in worthlessness, not pride! Didn’t I despise myself? Didn’t I suffer from low self-esteem?

I now realize pride and shame usually walk hand-in-hand. Shame is at the core of most of our lives, yet to compensate for it, we try to prove we are better than who we really think we are. In this combustible combination, pride happens. That morning, the Holy Spirit dove deep into my soul, unlocking the pride and shame at the root of my obsession with appearance, insignificance, and dissatisfaction.

I confessed and renounced my sin of pride. Something left me and the floodgates of heaven opened. I even experienced a physical healing. This is my story and He has a story for you too. Don’t ever give up on Him.

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At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

Should you feel alone, abandoned, or confused, remember the Lord Jesus desires to hold you close. Turn to Him now. He is a gentleman and won’t force His way into your life unless you extend an open hand and surrender your plans for His.

Should you find yourself feeling irritated, impatient, or agitated with someone, take a minute to laugh at yourself! Honestly, talk to the Lord and shake it off! The irritation you are facing is nothing in the light of God’s unfailing love and joy for you. Get over yourself and let the Lord’s joy overflow your soul toward the person who may seem difficult. He holds you close.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because He Who is in you is greater than anything! 
1 John 4:4

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When We Worship...

I am reminded, worship is often warfare…

"Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, 
And a two-edged sword in their hand,"
Psalm 149:6

When we worship, things break through in the heavenly realm that can miraculously change circumstances in our physical realm. Yes, worship can do this. There are just too many Bible stories which record this and too many life experiences to discount it.

No, we don’t worship to get. Nevertheless, when we do genuinely worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, fears cease, the enemy falters, Jesus is glorified, and we are transformed by His presence.

So whatever you are facing right now, instead of contacting someone else, first go to the throne room. Stay until you have touched heaven. Ask for a scripture to strengthen you, then see what He does next.

At the Start of This Week...

At the start of this week...

If you already feel ambushed by life, circumstances, or possibly you may even feel ambushed by the people around you, look to the Lord Jesus! Take as much time as you need in His presence to restore your weary soul. Nothing else will do. Ask Him for a specific Scripture for your situation that you can hang onto. He will give it to you. Ephesians 6:17

If your gas tank is empty, your bank account down the tubes, and your joy level scraping the bottom, turn to the One who loves and knows you best. Ask for His direction – then do it. Enough said. James 1:5

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because He Who is in you is greater than anything! 
1 John 4:4

Enter His Courts...

Do you desire to live in more of His presence?

“Serve the LORD with gladness; 
Come before His presence with singing.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, 
And into His courts with praise. 
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”
Psalm 100:2,4

These words reveal the gateway to experiencing the continual presence of God in our lives. No, not just in theory, but the actual, felt, presence of the Creator Who loves us and gave His life for us.

“The avenue of sustained inflow of divine power to man was to be kept open by the sustained outflow of joyous and humble praise to his Maker,” Pastor Jack Hayford writes. The simple act of continual gratefulness positions our hearts to receive from Jesus and serves to annihilate the workings of our adversary, the devil.

Thankfulness binds self-pity and self-absorption that would cause us to keep our eyes and hearts fixed on our circumstances instead of the Almighty who can alter the dilemmas in which we find ourselves. Genuine, authentic praise from our lips opens heavens realms to pour down the reign of the Holy Spirit. Truly, God inhabits the praises of His people.

Yet, we don’t praise to get. We worship because He is worthy. He alone must be the focus of all our adoration. Let’s begin His acclaim right now and come into His courts with joyful hearts.

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