I need to remember, to return, to breathe it in deep~
It's all about You. You. Jesus. Beloved. Savior. Friend.
You're the Breath I breathe, the Joy I dance, the Peace I hug tight to beating heart. The warm kiss of gratitude undone.
Oh, God!
How much You've given me: children, family, friends, home, work, play, eternity.
I choose to dance with You unfettered, unbound to worries, fears, anxieties, myriad cares of this world that seek to suck the life out of me.
Giving thanks, I know: You'll be there--that's all I need to look ahead and spin radiant Delight.
You're here now--that's all I need to fill my lungs and exhale bursting Joy.
How wonderful You are! God-Who-Put-on-Skin, transformed like we will one day be. Scars sinking into mine. Love unfurling exquisite Beauty, wrapped up in burning Light. And Despair can never, ever extinguish Perfect Love. You are Holy Flame torching this heart~transcendent to the aches and distortions and miscarriages of Paradise-robbed.
I live Surrender, and You become Laughter! A shout of Joy triumphant in the midst of chores and children and falling snow. You're Sanity and Safety and Reckless Abandon and Lion Roaring victory over my old enemies: Helplessness and Not-Enough and Too-Much.
I rejoice in Kingdom Presence and my enemies slither away!
You're madly in love with me and You made me exactly who I am and I give it all back to You--every missing piece, every stolen dream, every awe-filled moment when bare feet touch holy ground and Not Enough becomes God-All-Sufficient and Girl-Too-Much becomes Precious-and-Chosen, Ransomed-and-Redeemed, Called-and-Set-Free at my Father's knees.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Worthy of Full-Throttle Faith
"We have a good, good Father. That's who He is." -Chris Tomlin
"Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works! ...Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth." Psalm 105:1,2,5
Whenever I need a boost in faith, I love to do just what this Scripture says...recount the works of the Lord, remember what He has done in the past, and proclaim over my future His faithfulness. He always provides, always nourishes, always pours out His goodness upon our lives for His glory. That's Who He is!!!
When God doesn't answer prayers exactly the way we want Him to, our trust is often shaken. Yet, as we humble ourselves to seek Him simply for Who He is, He begins to show us that He is behind every answer to prayer, no matter how it came. As we mature, and especially when we become parents, we realize that a good Dad doesn't always say yes. Or rather, He says no and wait at times because His ultimate YES is always for our good. And to God, our spiritual growth and relationship with Him are center stage. He also meets our physical and emotional needs, yet in accordance with His overall plan for our lives and our ability to handle increased responsibility.
He is so good! He declares that He is the one who will meet all our needs and He absolutely does not want us to put anyone else in our God Spot. In other words, He moves heaven and earth to shift all our dependency upon Him and away from another person or ourselves or a job or a hobby to meet the needs we have. He jealously loves us and guards our affections! As babies, we rely absolutely upon someone else to meet our physical and emotional needs. Yet, caregivers all fail to provide completely for what a baby needs so children begin to learn self-reliance as well as social reliance. In other words, we build a framework of relationships, skills, and hobbies to attempt to meet most our needs. Yet, in all our developing, God allows circumstances to jar our dependence on this framework and whispers, "Fall into My arms, Child. I am Everything. The source of life and all you need to live it well."
"His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." II Peter 1:3-4
Perhaps the first jarring shift from dependency on man to absolute, heart-wrenching dependency on God occurred for me after my miscarriage. I was a young mom with a one-year-old son and I felt shocked then excited to discover I was pregnant again. I didn't have the usual morning sickness and felt none of the usual exhaustion--the pregnancy was going wonderful! Or so I thought. Then the bleeding began. We were in Germany and a group of ladies from church prayed with me for healing. I fell across my bed and begged God to keep the baby alive. Instead she passed into this world in little pieces that simply hadn't been able to form whole and healthy. Jesus! I cried and cried.
The next morning in my living room as I wept facedown on the floor with my Bible in front of me, God showed me a vision. He showed me my little girl in heaven, praising Him in glorious white, arms outstretched, face radiant in joy before His throne. He said He had answered my prayer for His glory and praise. So that's what I named her--my precious Praise. Then Jesus told me, "You will have more children."
I believed and did everything I could humanly speaking to fulfill that promise. But I knew deep in my heart that many women suffer multiple miscarriages or can't conceive. I had no control over if or when that promise would be fulfilled. Anger toward God flooded each month I wasn't pregnant, but God knew. He showed me the deep, painful canyons bored into my heart from the miscarriage. And He said, "You can fill the emptiness inside you with bitterness or compassion. What do you choose?" I chose compassion and a month later, I became pregnant.
I rejoiced yet fear flooded too. What if I lost this baby too? Jesus said, "Ayrian, you don't know the future, but I want you to choose to be thankful every day you are pregnant." So I did and eight months later, my second daughter arrived, strong and healthy. Did God keep His promise? You bet He did. Three years later, I felt forgotten and abandoned. God stepped in, like He did for Leah, and I became pregnant. Morning sickness now was an incredibly good sign. I rejoiced and declared, "You have remembered me, oh God!"
At that same time, I began crying out to God for help about moving overseas to do full-time missions work. I felt like I could handle any place except the third-world, Communist country where my husband at the time wanted to go. I told him, "I can't go there just to please you. I have to know for certain that God wants us there." As I was folding laundry two weeks later, a clear vision flashed across my eyes. It was a scene from a Christian movie of a widowed pioneer woman sitting alone in the middle of a vast prairie--alone in a strange land. In that moment, the Holy Spirit applied it directly to me. My Abba Daddy declared over me, "I will be with me when you go to ___." I knew then that we really were called to go and that He would do all He had promised--HE would be One to provide all I needed emotionally and in all other ways. So I shared the vision and a year later, we sold everything and moved across the Pacific Ocean.
God kept His word. At first, I thought the way He was providing for my emotional needs was through my writing. He gave me a beautiful story to write about my experience in a foreign world and I came alive in writing it. I felt such joy and love and safety! My Daddy loved me! My desires and dreams and needs mattered too! He empowered me to rewrite a story from my teen years, but then a strange thing happened. My stories became the only place I felt safe and loved. They had become an
addiction. God showed me that I had to take responsibility for the health of my real-life relationships and write only an hour or so a day instead of up to 10 hours. I cried out, "If I'm never happy again, I will be responsible!"
Oh, I hadn't learned yet how very GOOD our Daddy is! He required that I attend a Discipleship Training School. I thought I knew so much, and intellectually I did. But I decided to have a good attitude even though it seemed like a waste of money. Within three days, God blew my socks off! The Holy Spirit kissed me and I felt it to the core of my being! He kept pouring rivers of love through me and on me, loving me like only the Purest of Beloveds can. For two weeks, He soaked me in Holy Spirit glory and healing.
Painful disagreements continued to occur in my marriage, but Jesus was teaching me to run to Him instead of my writing or depression. One day I sat writing a bit in our small cabin while the kids played outside. Suddenly I felt my Bridegroom's presence. He walked into the room, light upon light, kindness flowing from His eyes. I set down my pen and sat a little straighter. "Oh, it's You!" Jesus smiled. "You may keep writing." I stared. "How can I when You are here?" He sat in the chair next to
me, and He said, "I'm your husband now. And I will never turn My back on you." Oh, the wonderful safety of those words! Emotional neglect is the same as someone turning their back and walking away. Previously, God had given a word to one of His teachers that He had removed the spanking paddle from my life. Tears had poured down my cheeks at that time because that was exactly how fits of rage against me felt. And now my wonderful Savior was stepping in completely--taking over the areas abandoned and neglected, shamed and stoned. He would never abandon me!
As DTS continued, God granted me two more gifts: I became pregnant again even though we had decided to wait at least another year if not longer. Joy bubbled up. "I know this baby is from You, God, because only You can trump our decisions and make life!" My second baby boy was born in a foreign land, and although I was scared to be in that hospital room by myself, the Presence of my Beloved filled the room. I worshipped Him as He swept out all my fears and showed me all over again that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He also opened the door for me to partner-publish my first novel. I worked with an editor online then bought the first installment of copies to cover publishing costs. I sold many to family and friends and rejoiced in God's unexpected provision through the insurance payment on our water-destroyed modular.
A year later, we returned to the States and God gave me a great desire to attend a Christian fiction writers convention in Colorado. However, we were due to return to Asia right before the convention and didn't have extra money for it. I prayed, "Please let me go next year, Lord." The Holy Spirit whispered, "Will you give up the desire to Me?" Sadness settled over me for I felt He was telling me no, it wasn't in His will for me to further my writing career. I said, "Yes." Two days later, a
check arrived in the mail from some dear friends. The note said, "Seed money for Ayrian's writing." It was the exact amount of the writers' convention being held in two weeks. I stared then rushed to ask my husband, "Do you think I can go? I know it would mean switching our tickets and buying one to Denver, but what do you think?" God moved in his heart and he agreed. I flew to the convention and God showed me two things: One, everyone respected me for who I was. Total strangers enjoyed talking to me! I felt alive and full of the Holy Spirit. Two, I wasn't afraid of airplanes even though I had just experienced a panic attack on one. God showed me clearly the panic attack came as a symptom of trying to pretend the ongoing verbal abuse didn't hurt. But it did. And in the following months, He showed me clearly that I had to bring others in for accountability, counsel, and strength. As I took the ultimate step of vulnerability and risk because I had always been warned that sharing on these issues would result in divorce, God provided incredible love, encouragement, and support through His presence as well as from family and friends.
God's provision continues to amaze me. He provides when I don't expect it. He keeps His promises when I can't. He has taught me to throw myself recklessly upon Him, learning on His strength and good, good heart. For all that He asks of me, He provides. He syncs my desires with His and fulfills them because He delights in His children. As missionaries, our income depended on the Holy Spirit moving upon the hearts of others to send support money. Never once did the support money fail. Sometimes the amount slid very low yet our expenses were low too. Other times, a huge check would arrive from someone who had never given to us before. Within the month, we had need of the money. Our Father knows what we need before we do! He faithfully taught me to rely on His goodness and ability rather than my own budgeting skills and frugality.
After my divorce, He has stretched my faith even further, asking me to live a life of generosity toward my children and others. He asks me to give monthly above tithe even though I have a college loan to repay. He is teaching me not to let my heart get small. He wants me to model to my children a life of generosity and caring for others even when we have what seems little. Like the woman with the jar of oil, we experience our Daddy multiplying what we have...what we surrender to His loving care. The children and I have never lacked, and the Holy Spirit opens up channels of provision while asking that I walk in humility and receive what He provides, thanking Him because EVERYTHING we receive is from our Heavenly Father. When I lost the full-time office job I obtained after college graduation, social security called that very hour to tell me that my son with Asperger's had been approved to receive SSI. Coincidence? No way! By the time school began, I had a wonderful part-time job with flexible hours in my preferred career field, perfect for our needs. My Daddy provides!
So what am I saying in all this? I'm saying that no human being is worthy of or can sustain our faith. Human relationships are made for blessing but must not occupy our place of utter Trust. That is idolatry. If I look to a hobby or pleasure for joy, God allows it to sour because even good things addict us. Jesus' presence is the only High that will last and never harm. Financially, if I turn my faith to the government or economy, both may collapse within a year. If I bank on a certain amount of hours at my job, my kids might get sick. If I think my parents will cover an expense, they inform me that they expect repayment. Why? Because they know that it is vital I continue to take responsibility--not just for managing my finances well but for my faith. Faith that absolutely has to be in the One who will never fail!
And you know what? Jesus never will! He alone is absolutely worthy of radical, tenacious, full-throttle faith!!!
"Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works! ...Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth." Psalm 105:1,2,5
Whenever I need a boost in faith, I love to do just what this Scripture says...recount the works of the Lord, remember what He has done in the past, and proclaim over my future His faithfulness. He always provides, always nourishes, always pours out His goodness upon our lives for His glory. That's Who He is!!!
When God doesn't answer prayers exactly the way we want Him to, our trust is often shaken. Yet, as we humble ourselves to seek Him simply for Who He is, He begins to show us that He is behind every answer to prayer, no matter how it came. As we mature, and especially when we become parents, we realize that a good Dad doesn't always say yes. Or rather, He says no and wait at times because His ultimate YES is always for our good. And to God, our spiritual growth and relationship with Him are center stage. He also meets our physical and emotional needs, yet in accordance with His overall plan for our lives and our ability to handle increased responsibility.
He is so good! He declares that He is the one who will meet all our needs and He absolutely does not want us to put anyone else in our God Spot. In other words, He moves heaven and earth to shift all our dependency upon Him and away from another person or ourselves or a job or a hobby to meet the needs we have. He jealously loves us and guards our affections! As babies, we rely absolutely upon someone else to meet our physical and emotional needs. Yet, caregivers all fail to provide completely for what a baby needs so children begin to learn self-reliance as well as social reliance. In other words, we build a framework of relationships, skills, and hobbies to attempt to meet most our needs. Yet, in all our developing, God allows circumstances to jar our dependence on this framework and whispers, "Fall into My arms, Child. I am Everything. The source of life and all you need to live it well."
"His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." II Peter 1:3-4
Perhaps the first jarring shift from dependency on man to absolute, heart-wrenching dependency on God occurred for me after my miscarriage. I was a young mom with a one-year-old son and I felt shocked then excited to discover I was pregnant again. I didn't have the usual morning sickness and felt none of the usual exhaustion--the pregnancy was going wonderful! Or so I thought. Then the bleeding began. We were in Germany and a group of ladies from church prayed with me for healing. I fell across my bed and begged God to keep the baby alive. Instead she passed into this world in little pieces that simply hadn't been able to form whole and healthy. Jesus! I cried and cried.
The next morning in my living room as I wept facedown on the floor with my Bible in front of me, God showed me a vision. He showed me my little girl in heaven, praising Him in glorious white, arms outstretched, face radiant in joy before His throne. He said He had answered my prayer for His glory and praise. So that's what I named her--my precious Praise. Then Jesus told me, "You will have more children."
I believed and did everything I could humanly speaking to fulfill that promise. But I knew deep in my heart that many women suffer multiple miscarriages or can't conceive. I had no control over if or when that promise would be fulfilled. Anger toward God flooded each month I wasn't pregnant, but God knew. He showed me the deep, painful canyons bored into my heart from the miscarriage. And He said, "You can fill the emptiness inside you with bitterness or compassion. What do you choose?" I chose compassion and a month later, I became pregnant.
I rejoiced yet fear flooded too. What if I lost this baby too? Jesus said, "Ayrian, you don't know the future, but I want you to choose to be thankful every day you are pregnant." So I did and eight months later, my second daughter arrived, strong and healthy. Did God keep His promise? You bet He did. Three years later, I felt forgotten and abandoned. God stepped in, like He did for Leah, and I became pregnant. Morning sickness now was an incredibly good sign. I rejoiced and declared, "You have remembered me, oh God!"
At that same time, I began crying out to God for help about moving overseas to do full-time missions work. I felt like I could handle any place except the third-world, Communist country where my husband at the time wanted to go. I told him, "I can't go there just to please you. I have to know for certain that God wants us there." As I was folding laundry two weeks later, a clear vision flashed across my eyes. It was a scene from a Christian movie of a widowed pioneer woman sitting alone in the middle of a vast prairie--alone in a strange land. In that moment, the Holy Spirit applied it directly to me. My Abba Daddy declared over me, "I will be with me when you go to ___." I knew then that we really were called to go and that He would do all He had promised--HE would be One to provide all I needed emotionally and in all other ways. So I shared the vision and a year later, we sold everything and moved across the Pacific Ocean.
God kept His word. At first, I thought the way He was providing for my emotional needs was through my writing. He gave me a beautiful story to write about my experience in a foreign world and I came alive in writing it. I felt such joy and love and safety! My Daddy loved me! My desires and dreams and needs mattered too! He empowered me to rewrite a story from my teen years, but then a strange thing happened. My stories became the only place I felt safe and loved. They had become an
addiction. God showed me that I had to take responsibility for the health of my real-life relationships and write only an hour or so a day instead of up to 10 hours. I cried out, "If I'm never happy again, I will be responsible!"
Oh, I hadn't learned yet how very GOOD our Daddy is! He required that I attend a Discipleship Training School. I thought I knew so much, and intellectually I did. But I decided to have a good attitude even though it seemed like a waste of money. Within three days, God blew my socks off! The Holy Spirit kissed me and I felt it to the core of my being! He kept pouring rivers of love through me and on me, loving me like only the Purest of Beloveds can. For two weeks, He soaked me in Holy Spirit glory and healing.
Painful disagreements continued to occur in my marriage, but Jesus was teaching me to run to Him instead of my writing or depression. One day I sat writing a bit in our small cabin while the kids played outside. Suddenly I felt my Bridegroom's presence. He walked into the room, light upon light, kindness flowing from His eyes. I set down my pen and sat a little straighter. "Oh, it's You!" Jesus smiled. "You may keep writing." I stared. "How can I when You are here?" He sat in the chair next to
me, and He said, "I'm your husband now. And I will never turn My back on you." Oh, the wonderful safety of those words! Emotional neglect is the same as someone turning their back and walking away. Previously, God had given a word to one of His teachers that He had removed the spanking paddle from my life. Tears had poured down my cheeks at that time because that was exactly how fits of rage against me felt. And now my wonderful Savior was stepping in completely--taking over the areas abandoned and neglected, shamed and stoned. He would never abandon me!
As DTS continued, God granted me two more gifts: I became pregnant again even though we had decided to wait at least another year if not longer. Joy bubbled up. "I know this baby is from You, God, because only You can trump our decisions and make life!" My second baby boy was born in a foreign land, and although I was scared to be in that hospital room by myself, the Presence of my Beloved filled the room. I worshipped Him as He swept out all my fears and showed me all over again that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He also opened the door for me to partner-publish my first novel. I worked with an editor online then bought the first installment of copies to cover publishing costs. I sold many to family and friends and rejoiced in God's unexpected provision through the insurance payment on our water-destroyed modular.
A year later, we returned to the States and God gave me a great desire to attend a Christian fiction writers convention in Colorado. However, we were due to return to Asia right before the convention and didn't have extra money for it. I prayed, "Please let me go next year, Lord." The Holy Spirit whispered, "Will you give up the desire to Me?" Sadness settled over me for I felt He was telling me no, it wasn't in His will for me to further my writing career. I said, "Yes." Two days later, a
check arrived in the mail from some dear friends. The note said, "Seed money for Ayrian's writing." It was the exact amount of the writers' convention being held in two weeks. I stared then rushed to ask my husband, "Do you think I can go? I know it would mean switching our tickets and buying one to Denver, but what do you think?" God moved in his heart and he agreed. I flew to the convention and God showed me two things: One, everyone respected me for who I was. Total strangers enjoyed talking to me! I felt alive and full of the Holy Spirit. Two, I wasn't afraid of airplanes even though I had just experienced a panic attack on one. God showed me clearly the panic attack came as a symptom of trying to pretend the ongoing verbal abuse didn't hurt. But it did. And in the following months, He showed me clearly that I had to bring others in for accountability, counsel, and strength. As I took the ultimate step of vulnerability and risk because I had always been warned that sharing on these issues would result in divorce, God provided incredible love, encouragement, and support through His presence as well as from family and friends.
God's provision continues to amaze me. He provides when I don't expect it. He keeps His promises when I can't. He has taught me to throw myself recklessly upon Him, learning on His strength and good, good heart. For all that He asks of me, He provides. He syncs my desires with His and fulfills them because He delights in His children. As missionaries, our income depended on the Holy Spirit moving upon the hearts of others to send support money. Never once did the support money fail. Sometimes the amount slid very low yet our expenses were low too. Other times, a huge check would arrive from someone who had never given to us before. Within the month, we had need of the money. Our Father knows what we need before we do! He faithfully taught me to rely on His goodness and ability rather than my own budgeting skills and frugality.
After my divorce, He has stretched my faith even further, asking me to live a life of generosity toward my children and others. He asks me to give monthly above tithe even though I have a college loan to repay. He is teaching me not to let my heart get small. He wants me to model to my children a life of generosity and caring for others even when we have what seems little. Like the woman with the jar of oil, we experience our Daddy multiplying what we have...what we surrender to His loving care. The children and I have never lacked, and the Holy Spirit opens up channels of provision while asking that I walk in humility and receive what He provides, thanking Him because EVERYTHING we receive is from our Heavenly Father. When I lost the full-time office job I obtained after college graduation, social security called that very hour to tell me that my son with Asperger's had been approved to receive SSI. Coincidence? No way! By the time school began, I had a wonderful part-time job with flexible hours in my preferred career field, perfect for our needs. My Daddy provides!
So what am I saying in all this? I'm saying that no human being is worthy of or can sustain our faith. Human relationships are made for blessing but must not occupy our place of utter Trust. That is idolatry. If I look to a hobby or pleasure for joy, God allows it to sour because even good things addict us. Jesus' presence is the only High that will last and never harm. Financially, if I turn my faith to the government or economy, both may collapse within a year. If I bank on a certain amount of hours at my job, my kids might get sick. If I think my parents will cover an expense, they inform me that they expect repayment. Why? Because they know that it is vital I continue to take responsibility--not just for managing my finances well but for my faith. Faith that absolutely has to be in the One who will never fail!
And you know what? Jesus never will! He alone is absolutely worthy of radical, tenacious, full-throttle faith!!!
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Clothed in Light
Shine, glorious child of Mine, shine bright like the sun!
Total transparency radiates Jesus within
And like the Light that forces Darkness to flee
So there's no need to fear that Darkness can come near
When you're clothed in My glorious Light.
Shine like the Sun, glowing brighter like the break of day.
It's not about you--it's all about Me
And I am Joy and Wonder and Brilliant Light.
Everything you do and say is all for Me
And then your life radiates My glory.
Face shining, skin glowing
But nothing about your beauty is skin deep.
Radiate that Light within
And don't cover up.
Don't think you're too much or not enough.
Don't apologize or undermine your great worth.
Incredible value have My children who adore Me.
I reign within and the world must see--
I'm the Coming King and those who flee
Love Darkness more than Light.
They cling to works that one day I'll burn away
But you will stand as a Lighthouse,
Passionately burning for all the world to see.
Total transparency equals total beauty to Me.
Holy passion, holy fervor, holy flame
Dancing, dancing, bursting with joy
Out of crazy, world-changing love for Me!
Total transparency radiates Jesus within
And like the Light that forces Darkness to flee
So there's no need to fear that Darkness can come near
When you're clothed in My glorious Light.
Shine like the Sun, glowing brighter like the break of day.
It's not about you--it's all about Me
And I am Joy and Wonder and Brilliant Light.
Everything you do and say is all for Me
And then your life radiates My glory.
Face shining, skin glowing
But nothing about your beauty is skin deep.
Radiate that Light within
And don't cover up.
Don't think you're too much or not enough.
Don't apologize or undermine your great worth.
Incredible value have My children who adore Me.
I reign within and the world must see--
I'm the Coming King and those who flee
Love Darkness more than Light.
They cling to works that one day I'll burn away
But you will stand as a Lighthouse,
Passionately burning for all the world to see.
Total transparency equals total beauty to Me.
Holy passion, holy fervor, holy flame
Dancing, dancing, bursting with joy
Out of crazy, world-changing love for Me!
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Ministering to Our World
I realize that my previous post seems very harsh and hard-core. That's not my desire. We all need God's help every day in the areas where we struggle. Each of us face different battles and victory often comes as a process.
"Whom will He teach knowledge? And whom will He make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little there a little." Isaiah 28:9-10
Maturity occurs through growth and God is so gracious and gentle with us. "I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them." (Hosea 11:3-4)
God's words are the nourishment we need to grow strong and healthy in Christ. Peter the Apostle says, "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." (I Peter 2:2-3)
The Holy Spirit comes alongside the written word, encouraging us and filling us with joy as we surrender our ways to Him. He never withholds Himself and is present with us, even in the midst of our sins and weaknesses. He isn't afraid to step into our messes and join us in our filth. He only asks that we allow Him to clean us and pull us out.
Graham Cooke writes in his book Coming Into Alignment: "I love the Holy Spirit. He is the happiest, most cheerful person I have ever encountered... He is cheerful, exuberant, and amazingly enthusiastic about us. He loves His role as Comforter, tutor, and come-alongside friend. He gets to talk about Jesus (whom He adores) and equip us to fellowship with the Father. He is an absolute genius at life, a brilliant mentor who knows everything. He has a wonderful sense of humor and is a powerful advocate and warrior. He is never fazed at circumstances but loves to life us up to see more from His perspective. He is a gorgeous, amazing paradox. He is recklessly cheerful and incredibly wise. He is full of majesty and yet astonishingly gentle. He is completely and radiantly Holy, yet comforts us in our struggles and lovingly teaches us the ways of righteousness. He is inspiration, generous, kind, gracious, and endlessly patient in redeeming us to live in Christ." (p68-69)
Francis MacNutt, founder of Christian Healing Ministries, tells us a story in his book Can Homosexuality Be Healed? about two lesbian women who began attending a Bible study. The leaders prayed with them and one received Christ but continued living with the other. As she received unconditional love and read the Word, the Holy Spirit spoke gently to her that she needed to leave her lifestyle. She asked for God's help because she didn't want to hurt her partner. Jesus then appeared to the partner and showed her that it was time to stop living as lesbians. They both "reconciled with God and parted from each other in peace." MacNutt shares, "The Holy Spirit works from inside us, rather than through an imposition of law from without." (p82)
God works within us, transforming us to align us with His very best for our lives. He simply desires us to be sensitive to His wisdom and guidance as we minister to hurting people around us.
"Whom will He teach knowledge? And whom will He make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little there a little." Isaiah 28:9-10
Maturity occurs through growth and God is so gracious and gentle with us. "I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them." (Hosea 11:3-4)
God's words are the nourishment we need to grow strong and healthy in Christ. Peter the Apostle says, "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." (I Peter 2:2-3)
The Holy Spirit comes alongside the written word, encouraging us and filling us with joy as we surrender our ways to Him. He never withholds Himself and is present with us, even in the midst of our sins and weaknesses. He isn't afraid to step into our messes and join us in our filth. He only asks that we allow Him to clean us and pull us out.
Graham Cooke writes in his book Coming Into Alignment: "I love the Holy Spirit. He is the happiest, most cheerful person I have ever encountered... He is cheerful, exuberant, and amazingly enthusiastic about us. He loves His role as Comforter, tutor, and come-alongside friend. He gets to talk about Jesus (whom He adores) and equip us to fellowship with the Father. He is an absolute genius at life, a brilliant mentor who knows everything. He has a wonderful sense of humor and is a powerful advocate and warrior. He is never fazed at circumstances but loves to life us up to see more from His perspective. He is a gorgeous, amazing paradox. He is recklessly cheerful and incredibly wise. He is full of majesty and yet astonishingly gentle. He is completely and radiantly Holy, yet comforts us in our struggles and lovingly teaches us the ways of righteousness. He is inspiration, generous, kind, gracious, and endlessly patient in redeeming us to live in Christ." (p68-69)
Francis MacNutt, founder of Christian Healing Ministries, tells us a story in his book Can Homosexuality Be Healed? about two lesbian women who began attending a Bible study. The leaders prayed with them and one received Christ but continued living with the other. As she received unconditional love and read the Word, the Holy Spirit spoke gently to her that she needed to leave her lifestyle. She asked for God's help because she didn't want to hurt her partner. Jesus then appeared to the partner and showed her that it was time to stop living as lesbians. They both "reconciled with God and parted from each other in peace." MacNutt shares, "The Holy Spirit works from inside us, rather than through an imposition of law from without." (p82)
God works within us, transforming us to align us with His very best for our lives. He simply desires us to be sensitive to His wisdom and guidance as we minister to hurting people around us.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Grace and Holiness in the Church
"When Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Let grace be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness." Isaiah 26:9-10
Holiness and grace are two sides to the same coin. Without grace, none of us can stand. Without holiness, love becomes tolerance and acceptance of every form of self-centered action humankind has every thought up. And self-centered equates with rebellion against God and His rules, which means our acceptance quickly evolves into embracing all kinds of gratuitous evil.
How horrible.
Grace and holiness must work together. Historically, we have gone through a holiness phase, followed sadly by a time when many people experienced abuse from self-righteous individuals. The Holy Spirit anointed the Church with powerful grace to minister to the hurting and broken, bringing them back to the fold. This movement, however, has dissolved into tolerance and now outright acceptance in numerous sins that we, the Church, have failed to confront.
In our church today, numerous believers engage in and justify sin, calling it something different. So now the Holy Spirit is calling us to radical restoration of the fullness of His beauty--grace, mercy, and holiness synchronized into pure hearts, righteousness living, and tender mercies for the broken repentant.
As God restores holiness to His church--discernible by the clarifying of Biblical boundaries--many church-goers scream accusations of judgment and unfairness. However, just because there has been and most likely still are some abusers of authority does not negate the clear warnings of Scripture that if we fall away from God's precepts, we have fall snare to the enemy of our souls who seeks only to steal, kill, and destroy.
God's proclaimers of righteousness cry out in grief and agony out of their deep compassion that mirrors the heart of God. Scripture shows clearly that not only church leaders but also believers have a responsibility to hold other believers accountable for ongoing, unrepentant sin. Paul states this concept clearly in I Corinthians 5:9-13: "I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore 'put away from yourselves the evil person.'"
Wow! This instruction runs smack into our current grace-centered theology. However, it is exactly the same issue going on in our churches today. Paul warns us then and now: "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you...and you are puffed up and have not rather mourned that he who has done this deed might be taken away from you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore, purge out the old leaven." (I Corinthians 5:1-7)
Interestingly, the church of Corinth did as Paul directed and the sexually immoral man repented. Note that first the Church repented of their approval and tolerance of the man's sinful lifestyle. Then Paul wrote, "This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm you love to him." (II Corinthians 2:6-8)
Are we, the American church, so afraid of hurting someone's feelings--especially a friend's--that we neglect to enforce Godly boundaries in our interactions that we have stifled and even prevented the convicting work of the Holy Spirit in their lives? Dear friends, I hate conflict. I pour out grace after grace and affirm the person's identity in Christ over and over, praying for their relationship with Jesus to be strengthened and their consciences sensitized to the boundaries and blessings He has for them as they surrender their vices and weaknesses to Him.
Yet, there also comes a point where sin has such a stronghold that the person rebels against gentle reminders and corrections. This rebellion is a demonic stronghold, as Scripture asserts, and no demon will bow the knee to Jesus or release its hold until the person must decide what side he/she is on and renounces the familiar spirit and the habitual sin (see II Corinthians 10:1-6, 12:19-21, 13:5).
As we seek to walk in accordance with holiness and grace, Scripture clearly states that God's grace is for the humble, broken, and repentant while dis-fellowship is for the proud, arrogant, and unrepentant. James states the matter clearly: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, 'The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously?' But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, 'God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." (4:4-10)
How wonderful Redemption is! For both believer and unbeliever, God promises complete cleansing and restoration of fellowship simply upon our cry of repentance and need. As the Holy Spirit resensitizes His church to the full message of grace and holiness, we who have tolerated sin in ourselves and others need to repent and fully embrace Biblical standards as we extend the awesome promise of Christ's redeeming power.
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:6, 8-9
Holiness and grace are two sides to the same coin. Without grace, none of us can stand. Without holiness, love becomes tolerance and acceptance of every form of self-centered action humankind has every thought up. And self-centered equates with rebellion against God and His rules, which means our acceptance quickly evolves into embracing all kinds of gratuitous evil.
How horrible.
Grace and holiness must work together. Historically, we have gone through a holiness phase, followed sadly by a time when many people experienced abuse from self-righteous individuals. The Holy Spirit anointed the Church with powerful grace to minister to the hurting and broken, bringing them back to the fold. This movement, however, has dissolved into tolerance and now outright acceptance in numerous sins that we, the Church, have failed to confront.
In our church today, numerous believers engage in and justify sin, calling it something different. So now the Holy Spirit is calling us to radical restoration of the fullness of His beauty--grace, mercy, and holiness synchronized into pure hearts, righteousness living, and tender mercies for the broken repentant.
As God restores holiness to His church--discernible by the clarifying of Biblical boundaries--many church-goers scream accusations of judgment and unfairness. However, just because there has been and most likely still are some abusers of authority does not negate the clear warnings of Scripture that if we fall away from God's precepts, we have fall snare to the enemy of our souls who seeks only to steal, kill, and destroy.
God's proclaimers of righteousness cry out in grief and agony out of their deep compassion that mirrors the heart of God. Scripture shows clearly that not only church leaders but also believers have a responsibility to hold other believers accountable for ongoing, unrepentant sin. Paul states this concept clearly in I Corinthians 5:9-13: "I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore 'put away from yourselves the evil person.'"
Wow! This instruction runs smack into our current grace-centered theology. However, it is exactly the same issue going on in our churches today. Paul warns us then and now: "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you...and you are puffed up and have not rather mourned that he who has done this deed might be taken away from you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore, purge out the old leaven." (I Corinthians 5:1-7)
Interestingly, the church of Corinth did as Paul directed and the sexually immoral man repented. Note that first the Church repented of their approval and tolerance of the man's sinful lifestyle. Then Paul wrote, "This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm you love to him." (II Corinthians 2:6-8)
Are we, the American church, so afraid of hurting someone's feelings--especially a friend's--that we neglect to enforce Godly boundaries in our interactions that we have stifled and even prevented the convicting work of the Holy Spirit in their lives? Dear friends, I hate conflict. I pour out grace after grace and affirm the person's identity in Christ over and over, praying for their relationship with Jesus to be strengthened and their consciences sensitized to the boundaries and blessings He has for them as they surrender their vices and weaknesses to Him.
Yet, there also comes a point where sin has such a stronghold that the person rebels against gentle reminders and corrections. This rebellion is a demonic stronghold, as Scripture asserts, and no demon will bow the knee to Jesus or release its hold until the person must decide what side he/she is on and renounces the familiar spirit and the habitual sin (see II Corinthians 10:1-6, 12:19-21, 13:5).
As we seek to walk in accordance with holiness and grace, Scripture clearly states that God's grace is for the humble, broken, and repentant while dis-fellowship is for the proud, arrogant, and unrepentant. James states the matter clearly: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, 'The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously?' But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, 'God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." (4:4-10)
How wonderful Redemption is! For both believer and unbeliever, God promises complete cleansing and restoration of fellowship simply upon our cry of repentance and need. As the Holy Spirit resensitizes His church to the full message of grace and holiness, we who have tolerated sin in ourselves and others need to repent and fully embrace Biblical standards as we extend the awesome promise of Christ's redeeming power.
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:6, 8-9
Monday, July 6, 2015
Shifting Boundaries
"The law of the Lord is perfect,
converting the soul.” Psalm 19:7
Confusion
increases within the church as our culture continues seeking to redefine the
concepts of love, hate, grace, and even Christianity. Numerous voices call out
amid the crowd, asserting that love cannot be limited, that disapproval is
hate, and that Christians must never condemn. In fact, the Law of God lurks as
an enemy to modern thinking and even to the modern church where Grace triumphs
over all.
Yet,
Christianity without Holiness founded on the Word and Sovereignty of God is
simply man’s sugar-coated acceptance of all sorts of sin. In the church, we
long to show mercy so we refrain from gentle correction. However, without the
law of God bringing conviction for sin, mercy is unnecessary. Jesus didn’t die
to save the righteous (or self-righteous), remember. “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
(Matthew 9:13) “He died to save
sinners—of whom I am chief!” (I Timothy 1:15)
Yet, sin can
only be recognized with the aid of a standard. “I would not have known sin except through the law…. Therefore, the law
is holy and the commandment holy and just and good.” (Romans 7:7, 12) Without
the conviction of sin, repentance cannot occur for Godly repentance means
recognizing that we have been headed the wrong way and choosing to turn and run
in the opposite direction. “For godly sorrow produces repentance
leading to salvation, not to be regretted.” (II Corinthians 7:10)
The Bible
makes it clear, when read as a whole from cover to cover, that grace never
contradicts or cancels true holiness. Mercy may remove the punishment for sin,
but it never moves the BOUNDARY of right and wrong. If all God needed to do was
change His standard to clear us of wrongdoing, Jesus would never have needed to
suffer or die. Without a changeless boundary, the Cross means nothing. And
Mercy cannot remove the punishment for sin unless that punishment has already been
paid—the purpose of the Cross. “Without
the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.” (Hebrews 9:22)
Yet, in our
modern church, we have an epidemic of ‘cheap grace’, even though a daily
reading of Scripture would quickly bring conviction that we must not continue
living in our sin just because we’ve said a prayer of salvation. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue
in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live
any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1) “Shall
we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not
know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s
slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death or of obedience leading
to righteousness?” (Romans 6:15-16)
In point of
fact, the Bible makes it clear that a truly transformed heart will manifest
through growth in holiness because the Holy Spirit is at work within us,
causing us to become more and more like Christ Jesus. “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the
Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by
the Spirit of the Lord.” (II Corinthians 3:18)
Some people
assert, however, that Old Testament boundaries no longer apply to us.
Certainly, they are correct up to a point. Upon his conversion, the Pharisee
Paul experienced the amazing freedom that grace brings when the Holy Spirit
transformed his heart and revealed to him that he no longer needed to keep all
the external rituals of the Mosaic Law. However, he warns clearly, “For you, brethren, have been called to
liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through
love serve one another…. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred,
contentions, jealousies, outburst of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions,
heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.” (Galatians
5:13,19-21).
Jesus said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a
man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,
lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things
come from within and defile a man.” (Mark 7:20-23) Therefore, He gives us
His Spirit living within who produces holiness and righteousness pleasing to
God. perfect but now“The fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control…. Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with
its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:22-24)
Holiness
begins in a transformed heart and manifests in a pure lifestyle--perhaps not
perfect but able to meet God’s Standard far more often because of the empowering presence
of the Holy Spirit. Notice, Scripture makes clear that the standard has not—and
never will be—removed. “Now the purpose
of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from
sincere faith…. The law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless
and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane,
for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for
fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if
there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.” (I Timothy
1:5, 8-10)
Now we can
better understand why some rules don’t apply anymore while other boundaries
reflect the Eternal Nature and Unchanging Holiness of our Creator. When Jesus
rose from the grave after paying for our sins, the Holy Spirit showed His
church that grace frees us from external rituals to produce holy fruit flowing
from a transformed heart. The Apostle Paul wrote at length about the difference
between external holiness and inner holiness. The former is abolished while the
latter radiates the active residence of the Holy Spirit within a person’s
heart.
“For it seemed good to the Holy
Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary
things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things
strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will
do well.” Acts
15:28-29 The Apostle Paul addressed this statement to Jewish believers who had
memorized the numerous requirements of Mosaic Law from their youth.
As Paul
began to preach to the Gentiles, however, the Holy Spirit propelled him to
explain the most basic elements of true holiness because the Roman society
worshipped dozens of gods and engaged in every form of sexuality imaginable. Paul
wrote to the Romans, “God also gave them
up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among
themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served
the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever. Amen. For this
reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the
natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also, the men, leaving the
natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men
committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their
error which is due. Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not
fitting.” Romans 1:24-28
Scripture
directly addresses many behaviors that God defines as immoral, rebellious, and
in direct opposition to His unchanging holiness. Today’s culture wants the
church to question and reject God’s boundaries. Movies, music, art, and now our
laws pressure us to accept sexual standards as archaic and embrace our “freedom”
to participate in sexual encounters with anyone and in any way that we want. But
Biblical standards are based on God’s Eternal Nature. He created us. He knows
best.
“To the law and to the testimony! If they do
not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah
8:20
Monday, June 29, 2015
Human Wisdom Can't Be the Standard
I have sat in a University classroom and heard the arguments for homosexual relationships and gay marriage. The most widely used arguments include the beliefs that 1. homosexuality is inherent--you are born that way 2. they are being discriminated against in the same way that the Blacks and Native Americans were 3. everyone has the right to do what makes him/her happy as long as it doesn't hurt someone else.
These beliefs appear legitimate and even Christian at first glance, so I began to pray and ask God why the Bible opposes homosexual behavior without equivocation. Why did the New Testament church continue to condemn homosexuality as well as adultery and fornication and idolatry while dismissing other Old Testament laws as unimportant, like eating pork, touching a woman on her menstrual cycle, and sacrificing animals?
First, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice so we no longer need to do the outward rituals to try to be right with God. Instead, we are to walk in holiness and purity so that our redeemed lives honor God. When we follow His standards and live within His boundaries, we are kept safe and protected from demonic influence as well as the natural consequences of a deviant lifestyle, which include all sorts of physical and mental illness as well as early death.
Second, if happiness and equality are the standard, folks, we are in big trouble. Sadists are happiest when they're torturing/raping someone. Drug dealers are happiest when they're filling our youth up with cocaine and heroine. Thieves are happiest when they're getting away with embezzlement. Pedophiles are happiest when they're having sex with our kids.
The same is true for saying that homosexuals are born that way. Pedophiles use the same argument, saying it is their genetic makeup to be attracted sexually to children. So whose children are we going to allow them to begin grooming? Do you have a problem with an 8-year-old having intercourse with a grown man? Serious vaginal and rectal damage occur whenever a pedophile "loves" a child.
So maybe our society will draw a strong, sharp line between homosexual love and pedophiles, but why? The very reasons to justify and legalize gay marriage open the door to child molesters convincing children that they "want" an adult to make love to them.
If in fact, we justify happiness only when it does no harm, then we must look again at the harm homosexual relationships cause long-term. If gay marriage doesn't hurt someone, why do studies reveal that the LGBT groups suffer more mental disorders, illnesses, and early death then any other group? Why do studies show that children suffer more when they are deprived of parents from each gender? And if happiness is so important to homosexuals, why are they now suing to get married in churches that don't agree with them? They're sure not concerned with other people's happiness if they're doing that!
Having different skin colors does no harm to anyone. But sexual orientations that diverge from one man-one woman do. God did not create a gay gene, nor would He command us to abstain from what we had no power to control. However, every person on this planet has a choice--unless forcibly raped or molested--of who to have sex with.
Sex outside God's law will never bring true happiness. True love is from God. Men, Jesus is the Man in love with you! Women, Jesus is full of love for you! And because He loves you passionately, He died for you and erected moral boundaries to keep you safe from the lies of the enemy, who comes to steal your true identity, health, and life!
You aren't born gay or lesbian, but we are all born with a sin nature that Jesus transforms when we embrace His True Love!!! The Apostle Paul explains that sexual sin is sin against one's own body and comes from the wrong belief that sex is for our happiness rather than God's glory. God designed marriage to reflect His relationship with the church and He chose to create two genders who unite as one to produce offspring.
Scriptures: Matthew 19:4-6, Acts 15:24-29, Romans 1:22-32, I Corinthians 6:9-20, I Thessalonians 4:3-8, Revelation 22:14-16
Research Sources:
http://catholiceducation.org/en/marriage-and-family/sexuality/the-health-risks-of-gay-sex.html
http://www.battlefortruth.org/ArticlesDetail.asp?id=235
http://www.familyresearchinst.org/2009/02/medical-consequences-of-what-homosexuals-do/
http://factsaboutyouth.com/posts/health-risks-of-the-homosexual-lifestyle/
http://standupforthetruth.com/2013/07/it-begins-pedophiles-call-for-same-rights-as-homosexuals/
These beliefs appear legitimate and even Christian at first glance, so I began to pray and ask God why the Bible opposes homosexual behavior without equivocation. Why did the New Testament church continue to condemn homosexuality as well as adultery and fornication and idolatry while dismissing other Old Testament laws as unimportant, like eating pork, touching a woman on her menstrual cycle, and sacrificing animals?
First, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice so we no longer need to do the outward rituals to try to be right with God. Instead, we are to walk in holiness and purity so that our redeemed lives honor God. When we follow His standards and live within His boundaries, we are kept safe and protected from demonic influence as well as the natural consequences of a deviant lifestyle, which include all sorts of physical and mental illness as well as early death.
Second, if happiness and equality are the standard, folks, we are in big trouble. Sadists are happiest when they're torturing/raping someone. Drug dealers are happiest when they're filling our youth up with cocaine and heroine. Thieves are happiest when they're getting away with embezzlement. Pedophiles are happiest when they're having sex with our kids.
The same is true for saying that homosexuals are born that way. Pedophiles use the same argument, saying it is their genetic makeup to be attracted sexually to children. So whose children are we going to allow them to begin grooming? Do you have a problem with an 8-year-old having intercourse with a grown man? Serious vaginal and rectal damage occur whenever a pedophile "loves" a child.
So maybe our society will draw a strong, sharp line between homosexual love and pedophiles, but why? The very reasons to justify and legalize gay marriage open the door to child molesters convincing children that they "want" an adult to make love to them.
If in fact, we justify happiness only when it does no harm, then we must look again at the harm homosexual relationships cause long-term. If gay marriage doesn't hurt someone, why do studies reveal that the LGBT groups suffer more mental disorders, illnesses, and early death then any other group? Why do studies show that children suffer more when they are deprived of parents from each gender? And if happiness is so important to homosexuals, why are they now suing to get married in churches that don't agree with them? They're sure not concerned with other people's happiness if they're doing that!
Having different skin colors does no harm to anyone. But sexual orientations that diverge from one man-one woman do. God did not create a gay gene, nor would He command us to abstain from what we had no power to control. However, every person on this planet has a choice--unless forcibly raped or molested--of who to have sex with.
Sex outside God's law will never bring true happiness. True love is from God. Men, Jesus is the Man in love with you! Women, Jesus is full of love for you! And because He loves you passionately, He died for you and erected moral boundaries to keep you safe from the lies of the enemy, who comes to steal your true identity, health, and life!
You aren't born gay or lesbian, but we are all born with a sin nature that Jesus transforms when we embrace His True Love!!! The Apostle Paul explains that sexual sin is sin against one's own body and comes from the wrong belief that sex is for our happiness rather than God's glory. God designed marriage to reflect His relationship with the church and He chose to create two genders who unite as one to produce offspring.
Scriptures: Matthew 19:4-6, Acts 15:24-29, Romans 1:22-32, I Corinthians 6:9-20, I Thessalonians 4:3-8, Revelation 22:14-16
Research Sources:
http://catholiceducation.org/en/marriage-and-family/sexuality/the-health-risks-of-gay-sex.html
http://www.battlefortruth.org/ArticlesDetail.asp?id=235
http://www.familyresearchinst.org/2009/02/medical-consequences-of-what-homosexuals-do/
http://factsaboutyouth.com/posts/health-risks-of-the-homosexual-lifestyle/
http://standupforthetruth.com/2013/07/it-begins-pedophiles-call-for-same-rights-as-homosexuals/
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Seed and Soil
"Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God." ~II Corinthians 9:10-11
I'm so thankful for the breakthroughs God gives us in our perspectives and thought-processes. Often, I don't even realize that I'm thinking the wrong way. I only know that I'm struggling with doing the right thing. Usually my struggle revolves around the realization that I've stopped reaching out to people because I've become fearful of rejection again.
Each time the Holy Spirit puts His finger on this issue, He exposes another layer of misunderstanding about His heart and His ways. Recently, I had once again begun withdrawing then emotionally whipping myself for failure. God reminded me that He doesn't expect me to be like other people in the way I reach out, minister, and give, but I didn't experience breakthrough until He highlighted the parable of the sower and the seed to me (Matthew 13:3-8, 18-23).
I had recently heard a sermon on this passage at church, and the Holy Spirit began to speak to me. First, He reminded me that the seed represents more than just evangelistic words but the total heart of God. The seed represents every act of love, every gift of faith, every word flowing from Father's heart. He said, "Giving time, energy, and resources where there is a need is seed. Your writing is seed. Extending friendship is seed. Patience and mercy is seed. Worship and prayer are seed. And, of course, telling people about Jesus is seed."
As I continued to struggle, not with a desire to obey but with how obedience looked for me as the unique individual God made me, the Holy Spirit spoke again. He knew exactly where to put His finger to free me of the condemnation I was feeling, releasing me to step out in faith again. He said:
"You are not responsible for the soil of other people's hearts, Daughter. Only for scattering the seed. The sower in the Word took no account of the state of the soil. He didn't attempt to assess if the seed would grow. He simply threw it liberally all around, everywhere he walked. He tossed the seed and let it fall in every type of soil. And he let God bring the results.
"Scatter the seed and don't look back. Don't hole up to see whether the seeds are growing or to judge yourself by the result of your labor. I don't judge you by other people's soil. Their soil doesn't determine the quality of the seed. You scatter good seed when you store up My word and truth in your heart, when you soak in the love and power of My Presence. I judge you only by your own soil.
"You stop to asses if there's fruit in others' lives and flail your own. But I'm not that way. I see the sower and I see the soil. I see where you've tossed out seed, and I'm not calling you to make it grow. Toss and keep walking. Toss and don't look back. Toss out the seed as you keep going forward in your daily activities and the opportunities I place before you.
"Store up the seed of My love and word in your heart and let it grow within you so that it will always produce in abundance and you'll have more than enough to share. Toss and do not fear."
~Your Daddy God
Friday, May 1, 2015
Casting Down Giants
In quietness and confidence will be your strength. Isaiah 30:15
"Condemnation is the Giant, Sweetheart. The giant of Gath that says he will throw your bones to the dogs. He is the voice of the evil one who knows he cannot touch you but wants to make you cower in fear.
Do you know who you are, Daughter? You are Mine. You are totally covered in the righteousness of Jesus and wholly purchased by the blood of My Son.
What word of the enemy will I listen to? None. And neither must you. You are precious and holy, called by My name. What accusation will I allow to stand against you? None. I know your weaknesses and flaws, and I paid the ransom for everyone of them.
What is condemnation? It is the waves of the sea, driven and tossed by the ire of serpents and scorpions. But you must walk through the waves, and I will be with you. The storm will have no hold on you if you keep your gaze on Me.
You want to perform to silence Condemnation. Child, it cannot be done. Fix your gaze on Me and learn from Me. Ignore the voices of condemnation, fear, and self-pity. Ignore jealousy, bitterness, and wrath whether your own or others. Focus on Truth, on righteousness, justice and peace. Let Me be your joy and Hope will rise within you.
You are Mine. That is the basis of your dealing with the voices of condemnation. That and My goodness toward you. That old serpent the devil would rob you of your joy, but I already paid in full for all your mistakes. Focus on your identity in Me, on the riches of My goodness.
And remember, Daughter: for Me nothing is impossible. In no way will the taunts of the giant keep Me from pouring My blessing on you."
~Your Papa God
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Papa's Treasure
"Who are you, Daughter? A woman who loves Me. At times you feel your giftings are few and your anointing small. But do you want to be loved for what you can do--what the Kingdom sees--or who you are?
"My treasure are My sons and daughters. Their devotion and love for Me. Their whole-hearted worship and surrender. Their listening ears and expectant hearts.
"Do you want a man to love you for external measures or for the quality of a pure and lovely heart? You choose. And when you choose, remember--My son wants the same thing."
~Papa God
"My treasure are My sons and daughters. Their devotion and love for Me. Their whole-hearted worship and surrender. Their listening ears and expectant hearts.
"Do you want a man to love you for external measures or for the quality of a pure and lovely heart? You choose. And when you choose, remember--My son wants the same thing."
~Papa God
My Protector
God is an awesome Protector! I’m so thankful He’s my Abba Daddy.
When I first became single again, a vast world of possibilities
opened up to me or so I thought. I was free from negativity, criticism, and
oppression, and I inhaled the fresh air of freedom with joy and gladness.
Accompanying my joy, a deep longing to experience a kind, giving relationship
bloomed inside me. I had a vault full of treasure to share and I longed to find
a gentle, loving man to give it to.
My joy and motherly instincts attracted attention. A
divorced man with two kids asked me to coffee. I suggested we meet at a park
instead. He called me on the phone and my heart ached to mother his children
and have my own home to care for again. Because I always seek to give grace, I
brushed off the somewhat demeaning and arrogant way he talked to others. I told
myself his jokes weren’t meant to be harsh. After each conversation, however, I
felt a warning that his beliefs weren’t quite in line with Scripture. Attached
to his kids, I kept downplaying the growing unease I felt. I offered to babysit
his children, but God stepped in. He brought me into contact with people who
told me a little more of this man’s background and his children’s strange
behaviors. Torn between feeling judgmental and sick to my stomach when he
talked about Sophia, a so-called Biblical member of the Trinity, I experienced
a demonic attack. I knew exactly where the spirit had come from. A meeting with
a new friend confirmed all the suspicions I had been trying to explain away.
The man was into witchcraft and even boasted of being able to make his daughter
fall asleep on command. I told the man I couldn’t hang out with him anymore
because he did not have the same spirit as me. That week, he left the church.
God knows how difficult it’s been for me to learn to heed His
still, quiet voice immediately. Attending college at the same time as me, an
older man shared his story about a horrible war zone experience and his
resulting PTSD and drug use. Clean and sober, he was determined to help others
defeat addictions, for which I greatly admired him. I began praying for him and
had received several visions of seeing him transformed by the love of Jesus. A
year later, he and I ended up in the same class together. His eyes sparkled
whenever he talked, his manner showed kindness, and he suggested getting
together. I was excited to share the hope of Jesus, and overcame my usual
reticence, giving him a music CD and my phone number. He said he’d call me, but
as he shared a story about a former girlfriend, the Lord flashed the word
“player” across my mind. I wanted to ignore it, but as he waved my number, I
said, “I make friends with many kinds of people.” He didn’t call me. I started
to feel really bad about the way I had phrased my boundary. I found his number
in the phone book and called it, but the Lord already knew: the number was
disconnected. As I threw away the paper I’d written it on, instantly it flashed
into a condom. I prayed and prayed, listening to the man in class, watching his
words and actions take on an aggressive manner around me. He was so strong on
my heart, I pushed past his coldness and gave him a book on the Father’s heart.
Daddy God wrapped my heart in His love, but the man’s warm, twinkling eyes were
building a deeper attraction in me. I begged God for a clear answer, and God
answered my prayer. I came to school at an unusual time and saw a woman with
her hand on his thigh. She was enough of a friend and espousing Christian that
later I asked her about his moral values. She laughed as she admitted he had
slept with every willing girl on campus as well as her. Later they married, and
I thanked God for forewarning and protecting me.
These incidents as well as others have solidified in me the
necessity of heeding the gentle prompting of the Holy Spirit. God knows the
spirit and nature of a person and reveals the truth when we ask.
Although I based on the title of my first book, Love that is Blind, on a 4Him song about
the basics of life, I know now that Love is not blind. Our Father God sees
clearly, forgives continually, and empowers us with the ability to change. That’s
grace! He also puts up firm boundaries for our protection, warning us not to
seek unity with someone who pursues worldly lusts.
Our Abba Daddy desires to protect us from toxicity,
especially in romantic relationships. He desires marriage to be a fountain of
blessing for a lifetime, but that can happen only when both partners live in
surrender to Him.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Offerings
We all have something to offer.
I’m learning that offering what I have brings God glory
regardless of how others look upon my offering or receive it. In God’s eyes,
there is no offering too small, too scary, too transparent, too simple, or too
extravagant to be viewed with disdain. People may look down upon the offering based
on standards of this world, but heaven never will.
Think about what you have to offer then think about the
little boy with the five loaves and two fishes. His lunch wasn’t enough to feed
the 5000 or even a few. It was barely enough for just him. But it was more than
enough for Jesus.
Our offering isn’t about the size or expense of it. When we
give with all our heart, our Heavenly Father rejoices. Our offering may be
intensely personal or a simple turn of phrase, but if we’re giving it as a
blessing then it’s intensely beautiful.
A year ago, I offered my house as a place for a Bible study,
and it hurt when other homes were accepted instead. I battled with pain. Was it
because I’m divorced? A single mom whose kids are a bit rowdy? Living in a
low-income neighborhood? Why wasn’t my home good enough? As I cried out to God,
He healed my heart with His gentle love and showed me that as much as I wanted
to host His Presence with other believers, it wasn’t the right timing. My trying
to fit another activity and present a perfect home would have been
overwhelming. The kids and I still needed time to be messy and focus on
personal healing.
Now as I offer my second novel, His Cloak of Grace, to agents in the hope of gaining representation
to Christian fiction publishers, I’m opening my heart for a series of
rejections. But as I’ve learned more about God’s refining process and the worth
of every offering, I’m finding that the moments of rejection are just moments
on my journey—the journey God has for me. No one can ever take away the value
of the message He gave me to share: He gave me the plot and characters to write
and no one else has that story to share. His purpose for my writing will be
accomplished as long as I’m willing to step out in faith and humbly accept the
rejections that come as well as the timing of acceptance—even if that’s just
one person at a time instead of thousands.
Think of an altar where offerings are often made. Some
offerings are just like that…sacrifices. Sacrifices are the offerings that cost
us to give. Maybe our time, our energy, our money. Or maybe like Jesus’ death
on the cross, an offering may cost our reputation, our followers, our lives. Yet
God says to give it—bring the offering and trust Him with both the cost and the
result. After all, without death there is no resurrection power.
Offerings cost us when they’re rejected. They cost us our
pride, our confidence, maybe our hope. That’s why Jesus allows the refining, so
we learn to place our confidence, pride, and hope in Him. Maybe you’ve
experienced rejection. Whether in large ways or small, rejection stings and
presents us with a choice: to shut down, react in bitterness and anger, or
forgive, let go of self-protection, and move on.
In my life, I’ve made offerings that I thought would be
immediately accepted and approved only to feel stunned by rejection and quick
dismissal. Does that make my offering of less worth or significance? No, nor
does it yours.
The purifying process of God’s grace means sometimes our
offerings have to go through fire so that our motives and character are
refined. As we surrender to God’s timing and purposes for our lives, we discover
a greater beauty in forgiveness, submission, and humility. As we gaze upon the
face of Jesus, we see there the scars of a soul submitted to the will of Daddy
God. “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
I’m still learning to trust God when an offering is rejected
as much as when one is accepted. Both require the grace and strength of God in
our lives to fulfill God’s plan and bring Him great glory.
Sneak Peek into Love that is Blind
Prologue
The shrill beeping of the fire alarm jerked fifteen-year-old Cora Abrams out of a deep sleep. Acrid smoke hit her nostrils.
She gasped in horror. Glass shattered downstairs, and trembling assaulted her. Oh, God, what am I supposed to do? Everyone else from the neighborhood had driven to the synagogue to celebrate Hanukkah.
Staggering downstairs, she coughed harder from the thickening smoke. Then she entered the kitchen.
“Yeah!” Dish threw his can of gasoline to the ground and tore across the residents’ lawns with the five other gang members.
Rye stood, petrified. Flames billowed out the windows of the first house they had gassed. Dish had said all the Jews were gone. What if a girl burned to death because of what they had done? His mother had died in a fire, and her terrified screams still haunted him.
Anguish ripped through him as he sprinted to the girl’s house. Locating a broken window, he shattered it with his elbow. Heat poured over him as he vaulted inside. Smoke stung his eyes, but he located the girl on the far side of the kitchen. She lay collapsed, fire licking at her nightgown.
He ran across the room. Flames singed him as he scooped her up. He staggered toward the door, and the metal knob scalded his palm when he opened it. He plunged through the doorframe, but the top beam broke loose, knocking him to the ground.
He fell on the girl, white-hot heat arcing into his chest from her cross necklace. Gasping, he stumbled to his feet, the unconscious girl flopping in his arms. His legs burned as he bolted away from the collapsing house.
Flashing red-and-blue lights lit up the neighborhood, but escape didn’t matter anymore. He dropped to his knees on the dry lawn, cradling the girl against his chest.
A cold voice said, “You’d better let me have her.”
He looked up at the uniformed paramedic, who took the girl from him. Her arms dangled limply, and blood matted her long, dark hair. Had he been too late to save her?
His self-control fragmented. Covering his shaved head with sooty hands, he broke down and wept.
The shrill beeping of the fire alarm jerked fifteen-year-old Cora Abrams out of a deep sleep. Acrid smoke hit her nostrils.
Fire! She coughed hard as she stumbled out of bed, the smoke activating her chest cold. She hurried to the door of her upstairs bedroom in central Los Angeles, then froze when a man shouted outside.
“Burn the Jews’ homes!”She gasped in horror. Glass shattered downstairs, and trembling assaulted her. Oh, God, what am I supposed to do? Everyone else from the neighborhood had driven to the synagogue to celebrate Hanukkah.
Staggering downstairs, she coughed harder from the thickening smoke. Then she entered the kitchen.
Fire licked up the wall near the phone. A cold December wind blew in through the broken window, intensifying the flames.
She swayed as dizziness swept over her, but she had to get to the phone. It was her only hope.
Flames darted close. She grabbed the receiver and frantically dialed 911.
Someone shouted near the window. She clutched at the gold cross on her necklace. Dear Jesus! What if the men came inside? What if they found her?
A calm, professional voice spoke over the line. “911. May I help you?”
“My house is on fire, and a gang is vandalizing—“ The heavy curtain rod above her suddenly crashed down, striking the back of her head. She screamed as she plummeted into darkness.
***
“Cops!” Rye Tyler grabbed the scrawny arm of his teenage cohort as sirens screamed close. “We gotta run!”“Yeah!” Dish threw his can of gasoline to the ground and tore across the residents’ lawns with the five other gang members.
Rye raced after them, but whirled when a girl’s scream pierced the air. “What was that?”
Dish swore, racing faster. “Forget her!”Rye stood, petrified. Flames billowed out the windows of the first house they had gassed. Dish had said all the Jews were gone. What if a girl burned to death because of what they had done? His mother had died in a fire, and her terrified screams still haunted him.
Anguish ripped through him as he sprinted to the girl’s house. Locating a broken window, he shattered it with his elbow. Heat poured over him as he vaulted inside. Smoke stung his eyes, but he located the girl on the far side of the kitchen. She lay collapsed, fire licking at her nightgown.
He ran across the room. Flames singed him as he scooped her up. He staggered toward the door, and the metal knob scalded his palm when he opened it. He plunged through the doorframe, but the top beam broke loose, knocking him to the ground.
He fell on the girl, white-hot heat arcing into his chest from her cross necklace. Gasping, he stumbled to his feet, the unconscious girl flopping in his arms. His legs burned as he bolted away from the collapsing house.
Flashing red-and-blue lights lit up the neighborhood, but escape didn’t matter anymore. He dropped to his knees on the dry lawn, cradling the girl against his chest.
A cold voice said, “You’d better let me have her.”
He looked up at the uniformed paramedic, who took the girl from him. Her arms dangled limply, and blood matted her long, dark hair. Had he been too late to save her?
His self-control fragmented. Covering his shaved head with sooty hands, he broke down and wept.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Colors of the Dance
I’m discovering that God doesn’t conform to our ideas of
what we ought to be. He’s too big for that. He doesn’t teach us just one dance
and then expect us to dance it the rest of our lives. He’s always teaching us
new steps, beautiful, graceful steps. And He’s an expert at leading us,
waltzing with us, mastering the movements we stumble over. He’s never upset,
never delayed, never wondering if we’ll ever get it right. He loves dancing
with us, clasping our hands to His heart when we miss a step, sweeping us into
His arms when we just can’t dance at all.
And His dance isn’t just a rhythm of movement, but colors
swirling, revolving around us, melding, molding, vibrating the love of His
heart. How great our wonderful God is! His graceful hands are moving us in
rhythms of grace, His heartbeat is synchronizing a beautiful orchestra of sound
all around us. Melodies, harmonies, syncopation, heart-pounding drum beats and
warrior’s motions. All the dances blend together into breath-taking, passionate
LIVING.
Unpredictable, powerful, soothing, revitalizing…the dance
colors intertwine, ebbing and flowing, jumping and cavorting in some kind of
grand, crazy type of joyous dance. The flags wave, swirling, skirting, flying,
proclaiming majestic and heartfelt harmony. King of the Universe dancing with
children, sages, menservants and maidservants.
And while we dance, I discover that listening to his voice
means letting go of my expectations, my preconceived ideas. Agendas and plans
simply have to surrender to the fluidity of His hand. He’s making something
beautiful, something achingly like the echoes of heaven, and I feel His glory
transcending skin. Hallelujah!
So while I surrender to the wonder of the dance that is
wonderfully intimate and never the same, I discover that I can’t remain the
same either. I have to be different. Layers of pretense and
trying-to-be-good-enough peel off as the triumph of the music unfolds all
around me. It’s either be swept away or come undone. Both have their way in me.
The Prince of peace having His way inside me.
So who am I? I can’t define myself by a song. They all have
their place in me. I can’t define myself by a color or even a few. They all
take up residence within me and explode in a cacophony of sound and light and majesty.
Radiant harmony. A living kalediscope. That’s what I am when I surrender to the
Father’s hand.
He sweeps me round, lifts my feet off the ground, then
drapes me with the wonder of freedom all over again. His eyes crinkle,
lavishing eternal riches at my feet, keeping me safe in the circle of powerful
arms of everlasting grace. The same story told all over again in a new and
living way. It’s His story and it’s mine. And everything I do rests and abounds
beneath the silver tenderness of love-filled wings.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
His Cloak of Grace: Awaiting Publication
A Modern-Day Redemption Story
Her innocence was placed on sale
like a piece of jewelry, sold to the highest bidder. For
three years, Madison has waited for her chance to escape the life of
prostitution forced on her. Now the moment has come. The man named Hayes
has won three nights with her—outside of her owner’s compound in the jungles of
Colombia.
Missionary
philanthropist Adrian Rockfield has slipped undercover to rescue Madison. He’s also
her husband, thanks to a Texan law permitting her grandmother to say the vows
for her by proxy. As they flee from Latin American drug lords, Rock keeps his
word not to touch her, but his strong faith probes putrid wounds. Filled with
rage against God and men, Madison vows to gain total independence once she’s
safe in the United States.
Will Rock’s gentle protection be
the key to liberate her not only from Cartel vengeance but also from the shame
that torments her?
“And when I passed by again
I saw that you were old enough for love.
So I wrapped My cloak around you to cover your nakedness
and declared My marriage vows.
I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign Lord,
and you became Mine.”
Ezekiel 16:8 NLT
Behind the Story
His Cloak of Grace is an analogy of Christ's passionate desire for intimacy and healing of His Bride. I wrote the story in 2009 after reading Not For Sale, a firsthand look by David Batstone at the horrors of modern-day slavery and human trafficking around the globe. The devaluation and abuse of trafficked persons hit me deeply. As I mulled over the damage done to a trafficked person's emotions and spirit, the plot for His Cloak of Grace formed.
Christ
is my Rock. He is the amazing Servant-King who loves each and every one of us
without ever giving up. He persists with relentless passion in His desire to
hold us close to His heart no matter how much we may resist.
Our
weakness doesn’t change His strength. Our anger and need to be in control don’t
alter Who He is. He is God who made the heavens and earth, and His character
remains untarnished by our sinfulness.
His
holiness offers the safety we need. His grace opens the door to enter into
fellowship with Him. As we gaze upon the beauty in His face, we become more and
more like Him, a fragrant aroma, pleasing to Him.
May
we throw ourselves upon His relentless grace and cling to the beautiful mercy
of His sacrifice upon the Cross. May each and every one of us discover with
deeper joy and greater clarity the glorious wonder of being loved by our risen
King Jesus!
Representation of Christ in His Cloak of Grace
The nickname "Rock" I Corinthians 10:4 "They drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ."
Related to His Bride as a distant kinsman Luke 3 Jesus' human genealogy
Fulfilled responsibilities of kinsman redeemer
Responsibilities
Slavery: Leviticus 25:47-49 "If any of your fellow Israelites fall into poverty and are forced to sell themselves to such a foreigner…they may be bought back by a brother, an uncle, or a cousin."
Murder: Numbers 35:29 "The victim's nearest relative is responsible for putting the murderer to death."
Inheritance: Leviticus 25:25 "If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell some family land, then a close relative should buy it back for him."
Christ's Fulfillment
Slavery: Hebrews 2:14-15 "Because God's children are human beings-made of flesh and blood-the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying."
Murder: II Thessalonians 1:7-8 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don't know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus."
Inheritance: II Peter 3:13 "But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth He has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness.'
Able and willing to rescue when no one else was
Isaiah 59:16-17 "He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion."
Overwhelmed with compassion
Hosea 11:8-10 "Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. For someday the people will follow me."
Listened to the Father's voice
John 8:28 "I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me."
Not recognized as Deliverer
Isaiah 53:1,3 "Who has believed our message? He was despised and rejected-a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief."
Passionate love for his bride
Song of Songs 4:9-10 "You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes, with a single jewel of your necklace. Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride. Your love is better than wine."
Alluring us with his love
Hosea 2:14-16 "But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt. When that day comes, says the Lord, you will call me 'my husband' instead of 'my master'."
Returning a second time for retribution
Acts 17:31 "For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed."
Representation of Christ's Bride in His Cloak of Grace
Held captive by a cruel enemy
II Timothy 2:26 "Then they will come to their sense and escape from the devil's trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants."
Terrorized by fear of Death
Hebrews 2:15 "Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying."
Enslaved to wrong beliefs
II Peter 2:19 "They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you."
Unable to rescue ourselves
Romans 5:6 "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners."
Purchased from darkness
Colossians 1:13-14 "For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins."
Only a new relationship grants freedom
Galatians 3:22 "But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God's promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ."
Given in marriage
II Corinthians 11:2 "I promised you as a pure bride to one husband-Christ."
Granted a new identity and inheritance
Galatians 4:7 "Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir."
Resisting comfort
Jeremiah 31:15 "A cry is heard in Ramah-deep anguish and bitter weeping. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted-for her children are gone."
Demanding Independence
I Peter 2:25 "Once you were like sheep who wandered away, but now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls."
Surviving through wrong means instead of surrender
Ephesians 5:17-18 "Don't act thoughtlessly but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Testimony needed to defeat the enemy
Revelation 12:11 "And they defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die."
Calling to Share Truth
Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Precious Faith
Liquid gold, poured
down.
Poured from heaven,
from the heart of God.
Liquid gold, faith
refined in the fire.
Faith poured out in
sacrifice,
abandoned to the heart
of God.
Trusting, trusting,
trusting.
Hoping, believing, seeing the invisible.
Liquid gold poured
from the purest of
hearts
into the mold of mine.
Cascading, flowing, descending,
filling my soul with
hope
and beauty and truth.
Liquid gold poured down.
Faith borne in anguish,
flooding a life yielded,
submitted to the Father’s
good will.
Faith flourishing,
thriving,
abounding in grace
and mercy and truth.
Faith overcoming.
Liquid faith, not the
kind
instantly visible
or the kind on display
like a jewel, a diamond,
a gold-molded ring.
No, the kind of faith
hidden,
quiet, precious in the
eyes of God.
Discerned by a few,
too fiery to be on
display.
What kind of faith do
you see?
A precious ring set in
mold,
worn by the Master.
Or precious faith,
liquefied, purified by
flame.
No hands can hold it.
No devil can stop it.
The heat, the passion,
the ardent love consumes
it.
Faith filled with love,
no crisis can destroy
it.
Hands of God alone,
gentle and strong enough
to mold it.
Let faith have its work
then.
Its patient persistence.
Refined seven times.
Radiant heart and
spirit.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Judgment and Mercy
“So speak and so do as
those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy
to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James
2:12-13
The other day, I noticed a Facebook discussion. One lady
commented, “I thought God doesn’t judge.”
Really?
I thought of all the times in the Old Testament when God
certainly did judge both Israel and other nations for their sins and idolatry.
I thought of the Book of Acts when Peter confronts Ananias and Sapphira for
lying to the Holy Spirit and they instantly die (5:1-11). I thought about when
an angel struck King Herod for accepting the people’s praise that he was a god
(Acts 12:20-23).
I thought of all the passages in Scripture that promise a
day when the wicked are punished and the righteous live forever in peace. In
fact, isn’t that the Lord’s promise to those who suffer for the case of Christ?
(Revelation 6:9-11)
Although Jesus told us not to judge one another, it is vital
we understand that God is and always will be Judge. Pastor Nick Gough at Faith Center says, “Scripture
needs to dictate our attitude.”
The Apostle Peter declares, “The Lord knows how to deliver
the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the
day of judgment” (II Peter 2:9).
Psalm 96:10,13 proclaims, “Say among the nations, ‘The Lord
reigns…He shall judge the people righteously.’ For He is coming, for He is
coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the
peoples with His truth.”
I thought, “Probably a lot of people think Jesus’ sacrifice
took away God’s judgment.” Graham Cooke on his DVD series The Art of Thinking Brilliantly said, “God has no wrath left to
pour out because He poured it out on Jesus” (see Isaiah 53:4-6). Yet, John the
Apostle had his visions of the Bowls of Wrath being poured out on Earth after Jesus' Ascension (Revelation 16:1). So, how can both be true? The answer, of course, is the
Gospel.
Jesus said, “God did not send His Son into the world to
condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who
believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned
already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”
(John 3:17-18).
The Apostle Paul elaborates on this truth in Romans 6-8. He
sums it up by saying, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are
in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the
Spirit” (8:1). In II Corinthians 5:10, he reminds us, however, to live with
Godly fear because, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that
each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has
done, whether good or bad.”
James shares a similar warning: “Do not grumble against one
another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the
door!” (5:9) Finally, the Book of Revelation emphasizes the terror of that Last
Day when we are either protected by Christ’s sacrifice or found guilty in the
eyes of our Creator. The Apostle John states, “I saw a great white throne and
Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away…. And the
dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in
the books…. And everyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into
the lake of fire” (20:11-15).
We’ve been freed from condemnation, not because the Judge
left or cancelled the Final Day of Reckoning, but because when we accept Jesus
as Savior, the Judge sees us every day with the precious blood of His Son covering
us. All is forgiven. We’ve received a Heart Transplant and the Indwelling
Presence of the Holy Spirit. We’re Family.
And that’s Amazing.
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