by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
I am reminded of that today. Jesus makes all things new again. All things! What does that mean to you? To me it means:
- He can take a child whose mother left him at the doorstep of a hospital and make him new with a family that raises him up as their own.
- He can take a prostitute who walked around lost and crying out to him, but couldn’t open her eyes wide enough to see, and turn her into the princess of the Most High.
- He can take a meth addict who desperately sought to be a mother to her child, but couldn’t do it on her own, and open her heart to love like she’s never known.
- He can take a girl whose innocence was stolen as a child by a man she trusted and restore her to wholeness.
Oh, the things He can do!
My pastor introduced me to this video and it inspired me to write today. Though the graphics and the song bring sadness to my heart, I am reminded of His grace and mercy again as I have been made new. We can all be made new!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Embrace this video and find comfort in knowing just how saved we are.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ7oAhYNEhg]
by | Faith Lived Out
Today I have faced sadness, hope, triumph, and the gentle touch of God.
I drove a friend and mentor to his radiation treatments this afternoon. It was my honor and privilege to do so. I have been inspired by Sandy Steward and his walk in the faith. This is his third time in the ballgame of cancer and he’s refusing to strike out.
As we pulled into the parking lot of the treatment center a familiar feeling washed over me. I stepped into the waiting room and flashbacks filled my mind. Two chairs from where Sandy and I sat was the same place I sat with my father over a year ago. I remember staring at my “pop” as we waited for his name to be called for the first treatment. His leg was shaking 90 miles/hr. He was scared to death. So was I. Both of us were too prideful to admit it.
Sandy Steward and Doug Graham were diagnosed with the same type of cancer in the same month. That was the only similarity between the two. My dad sat in that waiting room with no hope in his heart. His eyes screamed with fear. Pain filled his soul. Today I sat next to a man whose presence took over the room. Hope radiated around him. Strokes of deep trust were painted into his smile. His pain was washed away from God’s embrace holding him tightly. And I had the honor of experiencing it.
Today I could easily allow myself to ask “what if’s”. But I choose not to. What’s done is done and God has restored and redeemed both men. My father was taken to heaven where his restoration was made complete. Sandy’s is still being perfected in this world. His light is still shining and I’m so thrilled I have the honor of standing close enough to him to let it shine on me.
As we drove back home he filled me with God’s word. He lifted me up. We prayed for friends. We laughed. I remember driving home from my dad’s treatment and the air was thick and silent. There was none of the above.
I have watched the journey of two different men with the same issues. One fought. One didn’t know how. But both were saved with God’s Amazing Grace!
Don’t ever lose hope. Don’t ever let the light go out. Reach to Him – He is your saving grace!
by | Faith Lived Out
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30
with all your heart… Your heart is the vital center of your being, emotions, and sensibilities. When my emotions are running on high I have to do a heart check. To love God with all our hearts we must be willing. Willing to do what? Whatever it takes, no matter what the cost. When Jesus chose the twelve disciples he didn’t do so because of their faith. He didn’t choose them because of their abilities or social status. He picked them out of the hundreds of people that followed Him because they had a willing heart. I want to be willing. I want God to create in me a pure heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10.
with all your soul… Your soul is eternal. It’s the deepest part of you. Can love that deep for God really exist? Not without God. One of my sister’s reminds me constantly that it takes God to love God. To love God with all your soul it must first be restored. Ask Him to restore your soul. Psalm 23:3. He will. Walk in obedience to Him. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide, and then you will love Him from the deepest parts of your soul.
with all your mind… This is the battlefield. This is my biggest struggle. I often find myself so engulfed in thoughts I leave no room to love the God that created the brain I think with! The enemy knows this is my weak spot, which reminds me there is no room for spiritual laziness and I must keep my armor on and stay in the battle. Meditate on God’s promises. When self-defeating thoughts pop into your head, speak what you know is true; and speak it with a smile on your face. It leaves Satan furious. Seek God with your mind and it will be renewed. Romans 12:2.
with all your strength… You can’t persevere without strength. Endurance can’t exist without it. Where do you reach for your strength? Do you reach for yourself or God for that strength? I am guilty for relying on my own power to accomplish the big and little things in this life. God usually has to knock me over with the humble stick before I realize that once again, my strength is not sufficient. God reminds us that He will strengthen us and help us. He will uphold us with his righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10. I must put aside my pride and ask for His strength; He promises He will give it. Besides, when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10.
Love God. But don’t do it half-heartedly. Do it with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your strength. After all, it is the most important commandment.
by | Faith Lived Out
Do you believe that God can use anyone to bring glory to his name? I do. Can a man who stole a piece of candy as a small child bring honor to God? Can a woman who left her husband for another man possibly bring glory to God? Yes indeed. He used Paul, a man who according to Acts 26 was convinced that he needed to do whatever possible to go against the name of Jesus. He was the true definition of a Pharisee.
Paul declared, “On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.” (Acts 26:10-11)
Can you imagine? One person put that much energy into hating those that loved Jesus. That is a lot of power from just one person filled with malice toward the Son of God. He was responsible for the deaths of many who picked up their cross daily to announce their faith in the Messiah. One of those men was Stephen, who in Acts 6:5 was known as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Acts 22:20 tells us that Paul just stood there while Stephen was being killed, guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.
Paul committed hideous crimes and yet God used him in a big, big way. But just like the many people Paul persecuted, he too received the same treatment. After his conversion, in which a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazed around him, Paul set out to open the eyes of the Gentiles and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins. (v.18)
Festus needed a second opinion before sending Paul’s case before Caesar. There were no charges that could stick and so King Agrippa, a man who was often consulted by the Romans on religious matters, was brought in. Paul was ready to defend himself and the message Jesus had commanded him to preach.
Put yourself in the shoes of King Agrippa for a moment. You believe in God, you are deeply familiar with religion, but you don’t believe the truth about Jesus. Or perhaps you believe, but out of desperation to keep your high-powered reputation, you won’t admit it. This man stands in front of you and says that Jesus appeared to him telling him that he would now be a witness and a servant, sent out to turn people from darkness to light, even after the horrible crimes he had committed. Would you believe him, or shake your head in disbelief?
As Paul went on, Festus silenced him saying, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane.” (v.24) Had Paul’s education and knowledge of the Scriptures made him crazy? To those who didn’t believe in Jesus it most certainly looked that way. Maybe you’re familiar with today’s term for someone who lives and breathes the Scriptures as a “Bible Thumper”.
The Expositor’s Commentary says, “Down through the ages Festus’ response has been echoed by men and women too trapped by the neutral to be open to the supernatural, too confined by the “practical” to care about life everlasting.
Paul had been sitting in prison for two years waiting for a time such as this; a time he could defend himself, but more importantly, to preach the very message of Christ that he once despised. He was done with practicality. We as Christians today are called to do the same. We are chosen, just as Christ was before us to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. (Isaiah 42:7) We are called to be a light.
Does that sound like our world today? Are we opening blind eyes or are we blinded ourselves? Are we too caught up in deciding what to record on the DVR tonight that we forget that at this very moment the supernatural is happening all around us? A spiritual battle is taking place for our very lives.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
Can we stop being practical and dig into the everlasting? Here is what I know: I am a sinner, charged and convicted of my horrible sins. A sin is a sin, and like Paul, I deserve punishment for the things that I have done. But I have a king who took my place. I have a Savior, whom instead of letting me be condemned of my guilt gave his very life for me.
So what do I do now? Keep quiet and be practical so people won’t think I’ve gone crazy? Or do I proclaim the gospel of Jesus with no fear? I choose to say goodbye to society’s view of normal and proclaim freedom for the captives. (Isaiah 61:1)
Paul suffered. He was beaten. He was stoned. He was murdered. He was persecuted for the message of our Savior. I desire to die to myself daily, pick up my cross and do the same, whether persecution comes my way or not. Let us step out of the multitude and into discipleship. Practical is out; supernatural is in. Just call me a Jesus Freak – Paul was.
by | Faith Lived Out
In his book DNA of Relationships, Garry Smalley says, “Behind every all we find a person who feels unsafe. That person doesn’t want to stay closed and offended, but because the environment feels unsafe, he or she builds the wall for protection and self-preservation.” What do your walls look like?
I know this woman who has not only built four walls around her heart, she has created a fortress. Behind that fortress is a little girl who has felt too unsafe to come out. For over twenty years that little girl has been me.
For a while now two of her most popular games have been hide-and-go-seek and peek-a-boo. She slowly moves her head out from behind the wall. Here eyes move left to right. It looks clear. She eases one foot out. It appears safe to come out.
I see a small glimpse of her. I had forgotten what she looked like. I watch her as she tip toes very cautiously. Her fingers slide across the bricks as she hesitantly lets go. Then she hears a voice. “Come to me.” It sounds so calming and deep. She’s never heard anything like it. She smiles and waits to hear again.
“You don’t belong! Give up now!” That’s not the same angelic voice she heard moments ago. It’s loud and harsh and sounds so familiar. Could it be her own voice? Where does she go? What does she do? Run! Run! She jets toward the wall and hides again. I so desperately want her to come back. I want to see her again. I want to tell her she is safe. I want to hear her laugh. I want to dry her tears.
Days come and go and I see no trace of her. Wait, there she is. I watch her try again. Her steps increase. She holds her head higher. But then she runs again. Each time, however, she walks a little further. I watch her as she begins to recognize that wretched voice telling her she doesn’t belong. It is hers! It’s her voice, filled with lies that have haunted her for what seems like forever. She finds herself confused. Can she face that voice or will her fears send her back to the fortress?
She’s been hiding for so long. I’m starting to recognize her more. I’m starting to enjoy her beauty. I can find myself loving her. I begin to see her in a new light – God’s light. Why? Bricks are missing. The walls around her are crumbling. The fortress is slowly tumbling to the ground. She can breathe. She’s finally breathing fresh air.
Today I find myself wanting to grab her hand and snatch her out of that dark place she’s been hiding. But I can’t. She must feel safe first. This time I must protect her the right way.
I have been a master architect. I have built walls with the heaviest bricks. I have made sure no crack existed in those walls. My design was perfect; so I thought. I was wrong. I didn’t’ include an escape plan. My masterpiece is being torn down. My work of art, twenty years in the making will soon be nothing! Praise God! The fortress I have built has never protected – it’s only harmed. Inside those walls has lived a helpless little girl, crying out. I couldn’t hear her cries. I didn’t want to hear her cries. Each time a tear would start to fall I added another brick.
You’ll be happy to know she’s finally flourishing. She’s a work in progress, but she’s finally being se free. Around my heart lays a mess full of concrete. But someday it will be swept away. Someday I will grab that little girl by the hand and we will walk as one. Someday.
Stay tuned…………it’s gonna be BIG!
by | Faith Lived Out
As I began to make this list I thought to myself, “I can think of five or six people that really love me.” When my pen began to touch the paper however, God kept showing me more. I didn’t just see people in my memories saying those three words; I saw their actions that showed true love.
I’ve carried this fear around for the last 21 years that no one could possible love me. I’ve believed the lies that I didn’t deserve to be loved; I wasn’t worthy to be loved by anyone. If only I could be perfect my dad wouldn’t have drunk. If only I wouldn’t have needed so much my mom wouldn’t have worked so much. I have walked around in this life believing I was completely unlovable. I have a strong, well-thought out, theological statement to describe those feelings. What a bunch of crap!
As I thought about making a list of those who don’t love me, I struggled. I thought for sure I wouldn’t have any problems listing those names. I reached into the deepest part of my heart and a few names popped up. Two significant people came to mind, one being my third grade teacher. The more names came to mind.
I wanted to make the list. Those who hurt me in my life, they didn’t love me. My sexual abusers, they didn’t love me. Then God tugged on my heart asking, “What if they don’t know how to love?” Hmm. Good question. That’s why He is God and I’m not. I couldn’t make the list. Maybe they really didn’t know how to love.
So what do I do with that? I’ve already taken the first step, forgiveness. Now I get on my knees and pray for them. Yes, I may have born the pain of their sufferings because of their lack of love, but instead of anger I feel sorrow for their breaking hearts. If only they could see what Jesus could change in them. Maybe someday they will. I’m reminded in Matthew 5:44 that I am to pray for those who persecute me. If I love those who love me what reward do I get? Wow! I’ve read that verse many times, but now I get it. I seek to love each person that has never loved me. I choose to pray blessings over each of them.
So what about my fear of not being loved? I’m 26 years old and my reality is finally setting in. For the first time in my life I’m truly letting Jesus love me. I’m allowing myself to enjoy the beauty he gave me; the way he made me. I feel His love like I’ve never felt it before.
I know his love when he wakes me in the morning with a spectacular sunrise. I know his love when a stranger walks up to me and says, “You have the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen.” I know his love when a friend tells me they can truly see me walking in Christ. I know his love when a sister comes up to me and says, “I want what you have. Will you pray with me?”
This is the real deal folks! Jesus works miracles everyday. He is working one in me. I am loved and I’m finally allowing myself to feel it. It just tickles my Jesus pink!
