In the Pit
Never Alone
Hi Friends,
In New Jersey, where I live, Fall is in full swing. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and the days are getting shorter. I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful season.
I have been thinking more and more about the types of "pits" we can find ourselves in and how we, as Christians, can learn to view these seasons in our life where we feel completely lost, defeated, and as if we are in a pit.
Sometimes we may feel like we can never get out and don't see a way out of these pits, making us feel helpless, defeated, and at times hopeless. But, as Christians, we are ANYTHING but hopeless.
King David knew what it was like to be in the pit. The Bible doesn't tell us what kind of pit he was in; we don't know if it was fear, grief, depression, anxiety, financial, health-related, or other "pits" that he could've been referencing.
Psalm 40 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.4 Blessed is that man that make the Lord his trust, and respects not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.5 Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
There are many types of "pits" that we can find ourselves in, but the good news is that God is with us in every one of them. We are never alone.
You may look around and feel you are in the bottomless pit. That pit could be a health issue, loneliness, regret, shame, guilt, pain, financial burdens, grief, isolation, depression, anxiety, or other things that could be happening that could be considered "the pit."
But friend, there is WONDERFUL NEWS!
We may FEEL alone. But, praise God, feelings change. However, God and His word never have and never will change!
As Corrie Ten Boom said so very well — 'There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still.
Even if He doesn't take us out of the pit, He will be with us IN the pit.
There are countless stories in the Bible where God was with the His people "in the pit." He didn't remove the Red Sea; He parted it. He didn't keep the Hebrew three from the fire, but He was with them in it, He didn't keep Daniel out of the pit, but He shut Lion's mouth.
Like David, when we come out of the pit, God will use the experience for His honor and glory. He may not keep us out of the pit, but once He delivers us, He will put a new song in our mouths!!
What a mighty God we serve!!!
Today, if you are "in the pit" and you have begged God to take you out, and He hasn't, I want to encourage you to know that He will hear you and He will be with you. He will be with you, He will sustain you, and He will be everything that you need.
You are not alone. God is with you, and He is for you.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you love me with unconditional love. Thank you for promising never to leave me or forsake you. Please help me to trust you in the waiting. Please help me to keep my eyes on you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Song: https://youtu.be/n_aVFVveJNs I do not own the rights to this music and am not affiliated with Centricity Music.
God's Timing is Perfect!!!
You Can Trust God's Timing and Plan for Your Life
Hi Friend,
Are you at a place in life where you wonder why you have to "wait" for your "answer" or feel forgotten by God? You may be praying for guidance, a clear path, a job, test results, a positive pregnancy test, a good prognosis, a way out, strength, a spouse/relationship, relief from pain, freedom (from something), and the list could go on.
Maybe you feel that you have prayed for a long time. Perhaps you have even followed all of the rules yet feel that God isn't listening to you or maybe wants to deny you of something good (this is a lie from the enemy).
Waiting can be so painful. It can provoke anxiety, apprehension, and even dread. As Christians, it is essential to keep our perspective and remember that God's ways are not ours; ways and his thoughts are not ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Today, we will go back in time yet again to my favorite Old Testament character, Joseph. I wrote about how the Bible tells us God was with Joseph and helped him in a previous blog post.
The focus of that blog post was about the feeling of abandonment. I hope to focus and encourage you today on the aspect of not only being used where we are but trusting in God's plan and His timing for our lives.
As a recap, in Genesis, chapters 37-50, we learn of the life of Joseph. We see him as his father's favorite son, his envious brothers throwing him into a pit, plotting to kill him, yet deciding to save his life and sell him to slave traders. We later see how he was rising through the ranks of the household of Potifier until his wife (Potifer's) became furious with Joseph for refusing her enticement, lying to him, and having him placed in prison. Some people account for this time for around 12 years.
After being thrown into prison where he interprets dreams, has a great attitude, helps others, and is seemingly forgotten (for what some believe was 2-3 years). Only after many years, by some accounts anywhere from 12-15 years, is he finally "free," and we see him rise to become a great leader in Egypt. He is eventually reunited with his family, yet he is compassionate and kind instead of angry with them. Now, many people, if they had lived through what he did, may become very bitter, angry, resentful, or perhaps even lose faith.
However, we see where Joseph says (regarding what had been done to him by his brothers), "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive (Genesis 50:20).
As Christians, it is essential to keep our focus on God and remember that God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).
You may be thinking today that you have been given the short stick, that maybe God has forgotten about you, or that you are insignificant. We can see how the Lord was with Joseph, even when it seemed like things were "over for him" in a sense; in many ways, he could've looked at his situation with a fatalistic lens.
However, he chose to trust God and wait on his timing. We don't know how often Joseph prayed for his case to change. We know that it took years and that he was oppressed and experienced significant injustices.
Friend, we serve a God who specializes in the impossible. You may be praying for a miracle, a job, a relationship, some "healing" (relational, health, financial, or something else), a child, a path forward, a way out, hope, faith, or some other things that may seem "impossible." You may want to give up.
Additionally, we are told that he came to give us life and to give it more abundantly (Matthew 19:26). The timing may not be as "fast" as you would like, it may not make "sense" to you, and you may not "see" a way out or even feel that you are too insignificant. He has a plan and a purpose for your life.
The Lord loves you and wants you to have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).
Some takeaways to remember while waiting on the Lord:
- Trust the Lord and His timing during the journey (allow him to use you and your testimony to others during this time).
- Know that the Lord will strengthen you and help you every step of the way (Isaiah 41:10).
- He will equip you and has told us that we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).
- Remember that His ways aren't our ways and that we are made strong in weakness (Isaiah 55:8).
- Believe that His plan is better than anything we can "force" or manipulate and trust his timing. Praise him anyway.
Friend, you are not alone today. There is hope, and God will help you and sustain you. Ask him to help you bear this burden (whatever you face), and he will. Don't lose faith.
He may be wanting to "grow" your faith in the waiting, he may be wanting to teach you to trust him, contentment, or perhaps there is something better down the road which requires patience.
Also, once the waiting is over, you will be better equipped to encourage someone else in their waiting and even learn how to pray for and comfort them while they wait on the Lord (2 Corinthians 1:4).
In the meantime, I encourage you to continue to read the Bible, pray, meditate, attend a church or small worship group, and don't forget that God loves you and has a beautiful plan for you and your life (Jeremiah 29:11).
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your word and the examples of the men and women of faith that I can look to for encouragement. Please help me day by day as I wait on you and your timing. Please help me, strengthen my faith, give me wisdom, guard my tongue, please help me not to complain, allow me to be a witness and example of your love to others. I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Song: I do not own the rights to this song and am not affiliated with Lauren Dangle or Centricity music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv-SXz_exKE
God Already Knows
We Can Trust God's Plan
Hi Friends,
I am writing this post on a Monday night, an odd occasion for me as I usually post new blogs on the weekend.
However, I am moved by the Spirit to write this tonight on the eve of the anniversary of my son's near-death experience.
For those of you who don't know me and our story, I will give you the background information for the context of this blog post.
Two years ago, we were invited to a wedding in Lake George, New York. We had planned on this being a short trip, a six-hour drive each way, and we thought it would be another weekend in the books.
We arrived late on a Friday, and the next day went out with family for breakfast/ lunch, and then we had planned to go for the rehearsal dinner later that evening.
We were staying in an Airbnb and didn't know the layout that well. We had settled down after lunch and were not even ten feet away from our son, mind you, with a room full of people, when we were told that our son, who was two weeks away from his third birthday, had just fallen out of a two-story window.
You can probably imagine the panic that ensued and the desperation we experienced trying to get to our son while wholly devastated that he had just fallen out of the window.
He had fallen headfirst out of a second-story window onto concrete.
When I say that it was a parent's worst nightmare, I can't even tell you how serious I am as I type them now. All the while trying to get to him and help him.
I could write an entire book on the experience and how God made himself more real to me than ever, but I will save that for a later time.
Today, I want to share with you all a verse that helped me. At the same time, there were several that God gave to me during the initial shock to hold onto to this day.
As many of you know, I am a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and one of my best friends and mentors comforted me a few hours after the fall.
We were in the ICU, and we did not know if he would live, if he would have brain damage, or if he would ever be able to walk and talk again; we knew absolutely nothing of the future. We were told it would be a miracle if he lived. At all.
All that we knew was that he was stable, that at that point, he didn't have a brain bleed, and that his brain at the time wasn't swollen.
My friend, the mentor, her name is Anna, sent me a text saying: "April, God has already protected your son. When he fell, an angel was there to soften that blow. God wants you to believe Him. He has this, and He has Daniel."
Psalm 91: 11
"For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways."
I must tell you that I wanted to believe this, but I was also a nurse. I knew that Christians still die, we still get cancer, we still get injured, and our children get hurt. It was tough for me to claim this; I won't lie to you. I knew that God doesn't always give us the answers that we want.
From the time the accident happened and Daniel was placed in the helicopter, all I did besides tell him that I was sorry was pray.
I prayed aloud and prayed over my son in the trauma bay; I just prayed constantly. I would fall on my knees and pray. People kept asking me, do you need a Chaplain, and I would say- I need my God to touch my son and deliver him!! And that is all that I wanted and all that I cared about!
I thought about Daniel in the Lion's Den, I thought about the Hebrew three in the Fire, I thought about Jesus raising the dead, healing the lepers, healing the lame, I thought of him setting me free from my chains.
I knew that God could help; I didn't know what that meant. I didn't know what the future was going to be, and this was so frightening.
Finally, I realized that God already knew when He gave Daniel to us what his life would be like and his future, and I decided to trust God.
God said to me (not audibly), I've got this; you have to trust me. I love Daniel more than you do.
And that is when I gave it to him. What is the "it"- the whole thing, my precious baby. I prayed and prayed, and I gave it to Him.
It was a long, almost three months.
Our son had a decompression skull fracture, a c1 and c2 fracture, a ligament injury to his neck and a traumatic brain injury. He was placed in a soft halo and was in that for almost ten weeks.
But hallelujah, when they did the MRI to check for neck and spine stability, it was stable, and he didn't need spinal fusion surgery, and he was completely healed. He had zero physical residual.
To God be the glory! I want to give God all the credit. The doctors and nurses at Albany Medical Center, Dr Adamo, Dr Danziger, and Dr Edwards, as well as the Interns and Residents, our nurses, Alicia, Kelsey, Jocyln, Rachel, and all of the support staff, we pray for you and thank God for you daily.
If you are scared today and don't know what the future holds, it is ok because the one who knows the end loves you and wants the best for you.
I want to leave you with some verses that I found so helpful during our time in the darkest valley:
- For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways Psalm 91:11
- For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Psalm 139:1-18
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I thank You for answered prayers. Thank you that you are the great Physician and Healer. Thank you for loving us and sending Your Son for us. We don't deserve Your goodness, but we thank you for being able to pray and receive healing. Would you please help us to always give You the glory and the honor? We love you, Lord, in Jesus name, Amen.
Song: https://youtu.be/RFIr8-gH55E I do not own the rights to this video or music.
Footnote: This is a photo of my son (Daniel) yesterday finishing his race!! To God be the glory! Worthy is the Lamb!!
S.O.S.
Anxiety Overload
Hi Friends,
I want to ask you a serious question, are you anxious?
I have to admit to you that lately, I have had to turn off the tv, news and limit my social media time due to the anxiety it was stirring in my soul.
Other things happening in my family's lives and a friend's life, such as a new cancer diagnosis and outlook for treatment and prognosis, have caused me to pray more this week and to feel a bit of anxiety when thinking about all of the unknowns.
The anxiety was causing me to take my eyes off Jesus and caused me to begin to worry about many things.
I was reminded often of this verse we were given by Paul when he was in prison, found in Philippians 4:6-9:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
I know this verse by heart, as I am sure many of you do, yet, I found myself having fear and some anxiety in my heart. I needed to get to the root of the fear, and we know that the origin of fear is unbelief. We also know that fear and unbelief left unchecked can lead to us drift from God.
This anxiety and fear that I felt reminded me of the story of Jesus walking on water. Once Peter realized it was Jesus, Peter asking to join him. Jesus, of course, told Peter to join him, and low and behold, Peter was walking on water. In the text (Matthew 14:30), we noticed that when Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to sink.
Another important fact about this account of Jesus' miracle of walking on water was a massive storm surrounding the disciples, they were on a boat, and the waves were tossing them to and fro.
Jesus had gone up on a mountain to pray, and when the disciples saw Jesus on the water, they thought he was a ghost. They didn't recognize Jesus, although they had been with Him earlier as he fed the five thousand!!
How many times do we fail to recognize Jesus in the storm???!!
Furthermore, like Peter, how many of us take our eyes off of Jesus, and look at the storm, the waves, and begin to sink??
Today, let's set our focus on Jesus and ask Him to help us to look to Him during the storms (and when things are going well too).
I want to end by giving some helpful tips (from the Bible) on what to do when facing troubles.
In the verses above (Philippians 4:6-9), we are told to be anxious for nothing but to:
- Pray
- Give thanks- make a gratitude list!
- Let our request be known to God (tell God what is on your heart and mind- He can deal with it)!
- Meditate on (see verses below for reference) and make a list out of:
a. Things that are true
b. Things that are noble
c. Things that are just
d. Things that are pure
e. Things that are of a good report
F. Virtuous things, praiseworthy things
Make a list of Bible verses, Holy things, Miracles of Jesus, Righteousness of Jesus, Things that are pleasing to God, God's blessings on you, your life, your friend's and family's life- write them out and think about them when your mind starts to wander and worry. Ask God to help you, and He will.
Meditate on These Things Reference Verse:
Phil 4:6-9 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Let's thank the Lord today for his presence during the storms in our life and for Him equipping us to combat fear and anxiety by focusing on Him and His word.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, we thank you that you are Holy and Just. Thank you for being with us in every storm in life. Please help us to keep our eyes on You and not what is going on around us. Please help us to meditate on Your word and Your goodness. We thank you and praise You for all that You have done and all you will do; in Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Verses for Meditation:
Psalm 23
Philippians 4:6-9
Song:
I am not affiliated with nor own the rights to this song by Lauren Daigle. https://youtu.be/9PugD11k3JU.
You Are Not An Imposter!!
You can do all things through christ and he qualifies you to do whatever he asks you to do!
Hi Friends,
Do you suffer from self-doubt, low self-esteem, guilt, shame, regret, or anything that may keep you from becoming the best version of yourself or from fulfilling God's will in your life?
For many of us, the answer is YES!
It could be that we feel we aren't intelligent enough, eloquent enough, or perhaps we are being told by the enemy that "God can't use us" because of our past.
The good news is that when God says we can, we can be assured that not only will He help us, but He will also equip up with the tools to do so.
Recently, I have been interested in this concept of the "Imposter Syndrome." A quick google search will define this as a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their skills, talents, or accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a "fraud".
Sound familiar to anyone?
I am a newer Nurse Practitioner, but I have been a Registered Nurse for over 21 years and have held an advanced degree in Nursing for more than 15 years, yet still, I have struggled.
Recently, I have been experiencing this identity crisis known as the "Imposter Syndrome." Whether it be my new title, new knowledge base, lack of experience in the role, the syndrome is legitimate.
This "syndrome" can leave one asking the question, wait, am I qualified? Do I know this? Am I in charge?
Self-doubt creeps in, and then I have to regroup. I remind myself of my education, knowledge, certifications, qualifications, and resources (my collaborating Physician etc.).
This reminds me of Moses.
In Exodus, we find that God has just spoken with him via the burning bush and had shown Moses a few miracles. In theory, assuring him (Moses) that these miracles would prove to the children of Israel that they could believe him (Moses). Also, that God had indeed given him this power to perform miracles and to lead them.
God gave Moses a series of instructions to prove himself to the children of Israel.
First, Moses threw his rod down as instructed by God, and it became a snake. Secondly, he stuck his hand in his cloak and pulled it out, and it had leprosy, then he put it back in, and when he pulled it out, it was healed. Thirdly, the Lord told him, if they still don't believe you, get some water from the Nile and pour it on the ground and when you do, it will become blood (Exodus 4:1-8).
We often hear people say, "oh, I wish God would give me a sign!" But God gave Moses 4 of them (those three mentioned above and God came to him via a burning bush)!!! Now, I don't know about you, but that is "a lot of signs."
Still, Moses, feeling inadequate, was dealing with the Imposter Syndrome. He tells the Lord," I am not eloquent" and he says to God, "please find someone else." He tells God, to find someone else.
Can you believe that?
He found another reason for them (the children of Israel) not to believe him.
Was Moses dealing with some severe self-doubt or perhaps a slight lack of faith?
Exodus 4:10-13
Moses said to the Lord, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."
The Lord said to him, "Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord?
Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."
But Moses said, "Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else."
Isn't it beautiful and profound what the Lord says to Moses? The Lord reminds Moses that He (God) gave humans our mouths and our abilities to speak, hear, sight, and senses. He assures Moses that He will go with him and help him and even teach him what to say.
We serve a God who sees us as we are, His children, His handiwork, and He will equip us to do the work that is in His perfect will (Philippians 1:6).
Below are a few things that can "hold" us back as Christians from living our potential in Christ:
- Feeling we aren't enough: God tells us that He has made us whole (Mark 10:52).
- Feeling we've messed up too much: God tells us that once we are saved, we are no longer condemned (Romans 8:1) and that our sins have been removed as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12).
- Feeling that God can't use us because of our status or education: God can use anyone to accomplish His will (John 14:12).
- Feeling that their past is holding them back: the Bible tells us to leave the things in the past behind us and to look ahead (Philippians 3:13-14).
- Feeling we're not strong enough: the Bible says that we can do all things through Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:13).
Just like the Lord was there for Moses and helped him, He will help us too. He wants us to live boldly, abundantly, and confidently in and through Him. We are never alone and can trust Him to live through us and in Him. We can rely entirely on Him.
Let's thank the Lord today that He will work in us and through us to accomplish His perfect will!!
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank you that You will accomplish Your will in my life as long as I surrender and obey You. Thank you that I don't have to live a defeated life full of shame, regret, and rumination. Please help me trust You and lean on You for Your help, and please allow me to do Your work to help enlarge the Kingdom. Would you please use me and let other's see You and Your light in me? In Jesus' name, Amen.
Song:
https://youtu.be/1yBzIt_z8oY I am not affiliated and do not own the rights to this song by Casting Crowns.
Why Godly Friends Matter
The Importance of godly Friends
Hi Friends,
I am very excited to blog about an incredible miracle that Jesus performed.
I want to share something very personal to me, and why this miracle means so much.
My brother has cerebral palsy and needed multiple surgeries during his childhood to be able to walk independently. He wore braces on his legs for several years, but thankfully, the day came when he would walk independently!!
Not once, growing up, not ever, did I hear my brother complain. Not once. That is for another story and another blog post, but I had to tell you why I say that he is the strongest person that I know, and that is because he is.
The topic of today's lesson was one that my brother and I used to talk about when we were little. We attended a Christian school, so we were highly familiar with the Gospels and of Jesus's miracles.
Can you guess which one was our favorite? If you think Him (Jesus) healing the lame, then you guessed correctly!
While today's topic is not which miracle is our favorite, it does bring to light a topic which I find is important for us to examine.
Today, let's focus on the men who helped the lame man, who we should surround ourselves with, and what type of friend we could be to others. I will also close with tips on making friends if you don't have any or want to create a new friendship.
Mark 2:1-12
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the Word to them.
3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.
4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
8 Immediately, Jesus knew in his Spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?
9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'?
10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the man,
11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."
12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
This miracle has many facets to it, but I want us today to look at the men who dug through the roof and lowered the man down to Jesus.
We do not know if these men were friends of the paralyzed man, but we do know that they had faith and didn't give up.
Imagine for a minute that you were in this position of the paralyzed man. You had been paralyzed and unable to walk or move around independently; you couldn't move and you had to depend on others.
You perhaps knew that Jesus was the only way you could get up and walk. You had seen Him do it for others, or you had heard how He cast out demons, and of how He raised someone from the dead, perhaps you heard how He walked on water, and now, this was your chance. You couldn't miss it.
Imagine now for a moment that you had no one to help you get to Jesus. No one to bring you to Him, no one to carry you up the steps, to dig through the roof, and no one to lower you down to be close to Jesus.
Maybe your friends think you're insane to believe that a man can heal, that the dead can rise, that blind men can now see. If you had friends like this, you would be forever "stuck," paralyzed.
This man, however, had men surrounding him who were willing to help him, were willing to work for him to be healed and had faith to get him to Jesus.
Wow. Imagine having friends like that or being a friend like that, amazing!
Perhaps you have felt paralyzed, stuck, useless like you would never live up to your potential. You perhaps felt like a burden, or maybe you were angry or loathed in self-pity, or perhaps you just didn't know how you would make it.
Perhaps there was someone who came along and helped you out, told you about an escape, helped you out of a pit, or even offered a helping hand. It could be that without their help, you would still be "stuck"?
We need Godly friends. Imagine how much this man's life changed for the better, because of these men he had in his life?
You may be asking yourself, how do we get friends like this? It can be very challenging to find friends, especially as we age.
However, the Bible gives us directions on staying close to God and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are commanded to assemble with other Christians (Hebrews 10:25). We can find Christian friends at Church or in small groups.
Also, as that old saying goes, to have a friend, you have to be a friend. A friend doesn't have to be your own age. One of my dearest friends was forty-two years older than me.
Many elders in our churches are often lonely, widows and widowers, and may love and welcome a new friend.
The Bible also tells us that when we seek, we shall find (Matthew 7:7). There may be someone out there right now praying for a Godly friend, and you may be their answer to prayer.
Remember, we all need each other. The Bible tells us that no man (or woman) lives to himself and no one dies to himself (or herself) (Romans 14:7).
The Bible also tells us that it is not suitable for man (or woman) to be alone (Genesis 2:18).
Imagine the impact you can have on someone else's life. You could be the reason they "get better", or you may help them "unstuck".
You could also be the reason someone is "touched by God." Your faith could "move" them; your love, your faithfulness, could help bring them closer to God and His extraordinary saving grace.
Wow, what a beautiful picture that is!
The Bible tells us to let our light shine (Matthew 5:16), and I can't think of a better way than by reaching out to other's who may need a friend as much as you or I do.
Below are a few tips to reach out and perhaps make new friends and how to impact others:
- Visit Church and become involved.
- Volunteer helping in Sunday school or with kids church.
- Ask around your neighborhood or Church to see if there are elderly or widows/widowers who may be lonely, see if they would like help around or company.
- Text or call someone you've been missing.
- Visit a local nursing home and ask if there is a way to volunteer to help.
- Volunteer to sit with, shop for, or aid with an older person or even a new mom or single parent.
- News moms or single parents with young children may need help too with different tasks. Ask if there is anyone in your neighborhood or Church who needs help.
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen, meals or wheels, hospital, or Nursing home.
- Start a group online for people, a book club, a Bible study, a walking group, a bird-watching group, you get the idea.
I would also like to add that some people are bedridden or homebound. They may feel that "I can't do much." I often share this story of how, many years ago, when I was in school to become a nurse and visited a patient's home. This patient was an older woman in her nineties. She asked me for my name and asked if I was married and had children. She wrote our names down and said, "I can't do much anymore, but I can pray." She then pulled out a notebook filled with hundreds of names. She told me, "I spend hours praying for every name in this book."
If that (praying) is "all" you can do (and praying is ENORMOUS), then pray for others and thank the Lord that He can use us all. The Bible says that the prayer of the righteous (the saved people) accomplishes much (James 5:16).
Remember to smile, be kind, and ask how you can help to serve others. You may be surprised at how much you're needed!!
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank You that you gave us your Word to guide us in all areas of our lives. Thank You for allowing other's into our lives to help us when we are in need. Thank You also for being our great help and Comforter. Please open our hearts to trust and serve You and show us where we are needed most. We love You, Lord, and Thank You in advance; in Jesus name, we pray and ask, Amen.
Verses for Meditation:
Hebrews 10:25
1 Peter 2:9
1 John 1:7
Isaiah 60:1
James 1:27
Song:
https://youtu.be/b_RjndG0IX8 I am not an affiliate, nor do I own the rights to this song by Matthew West.
We have been set free!
Worthy is the lamb!
Hi Friends,
A common theme of the week in my world of caring for patients and running my social media accounts is the question of "am I enough?"
Self-worth, on our merit, is a fascinating concept for believers for many reasons.
We live in a world where we are told that we can do anything, have anything, accomplish anything, that we don't need anyone, that we do "it" all on our own.
This concept of self goes against Scripture. In Romans 14:7, we are told, "For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone."
In James 1:7, we are told that "every good and perfect gift comes from above." This means that your talent, good looks, connections, good works, and anything "good" thing come from God.
You may say, what about _________ (fill in the blank), they're not a Christian, and they have good things!!! In Matthew 5:45, we are told that God "causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
According to Scripture, "there is no one righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10). And we are told that all of our good works without God are like filthy rags (Isaiah 46:6).
Not to gross anyone out, but if you read the commentaries, this isn't dirt they're being compared to; they're referring to disgusting body fluids. I will leave that to your imagination or Google search for further examination.
So, you may be asking, then what possibly can "I" do to gain favor in God's sight?
Now you're getting somewhere (hint, you can ONLY gain His acceptance by doing one thing....and it's NOT by "works"; it is by believing and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life Ephesians 2:13)!!!
Ah, that is the winning ticket!
The Bible tells us, in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
We are worthy because HE IS WORTHY! He did the work!
Isn't that a sweet relief!
We don't have to work for it, we don't have to be perfect (that is impossible anyway), and we don't have to beat ourselves up for not being perfect and not being able to "live" the Christian life." We can only become righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ.
In Philippians 3:8-9, Paul puts it this way, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them[our best efforts] rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
What does brother Paul mean? He says that even if we keep all the laws and Commandments, it would still be considered garbage.
Why would our good works be considered garbage? Why??? Because Jesus Christ fulfilled the law and paid the price of sin and shame. And without His blood covering our sins, all the "good that we do" is trash!
Praise the Lord, and the work is done, whew, what a relief.
Jesus said in John 8:36, "whom the Son (Jesus) has set free, he is FREE indeed."
We are free. What does that mean?? Does that mean we can let the good times roll?? No! It does not!!
The Bible says, in Romans 6:1, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid!
God doesn't give us a free ticket to go about and live as heathens!
We aren't to go out and live a sinful life, but we are to depend on God working through Jesus Christ to shine through us.
In Ephesians 2:9, Paul tells us, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
What does Paul say? He says that we are His (God's) "workmanship, created IN CHRIST Jesus." We can only do good works because it is Him working IN us and through us. In Philippians 2:13, Pauls tells us, For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
Again, folks, not to kill your ego here, but it is NOT about YOU. It is about HIM (Jesus) and HIS finished work!
Paul says in Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this very thing that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
So what does all this mean? It means, stops saying, "I feel so defeated, I keep slipping up and ____________ (fill in the blank)." Confess your sins, give them to God, and move on.
The Bible tells us in 1 John 1:9 that "if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
You will never live a sinless life, even after you are saved. We are humans, and we have a sinful nature, but we have been redeemed and set free.
Ephesians 3:20 gives us so much hope, "Now unto Him (Jesus) that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us."
When we ask Jesus to help us, work IN us, and THROUGH us, HE WILL!! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TRY! HE WILL DO IT FOR YOU!!
Surrender it, give it up, give it to God, and be free.
We can rest in Jesus.
Romans 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We are loved, and we can rest each day knowing that because He is worthy, we are set free!
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us and sending Your Son to die in our place. Please forgive us of our unconfessed sins and help us to forgive those who have wronged us. Please help us to realize that we have been set free. Please help us see that it is not our works that "get your acceptance" but that it is when we put our trust in your Son and the gift of salvation? Would You please remind us that because of You, we are set free? Thank you that You love us and want us to become closer to You. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Verses for Meditation:
Romans 7:15,19,25
Psalm 119:5,32,40,115-117,173,176
Galatians 5:17
Philippians 4:13
Song: https://youtu.be/-FkxxNuO6PM I am not affiliated with Phil Wickham or Orchard Music, nor do I own their video or music/lyrics rights.
You have access to God through Jesus Christ!!
Full Access
Hi Friends,
I sure hope you are all having a great weekend and hope the new week is filled with peace. I hope you will find time each day for self-care.
As some of you know, I recently started a new job. There were many hurdles in the process of "proving" my credentials (I am a Registered Nurse and am a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner).
For those of you who aren't familiar, please bear with me while I share the process of becoming a Registered Nurse, a Nurse Practitioner, and the steps that follow to become "certified" and then in obtaining a license. It is pretty involved and not for the faint of heart. I promise that I am going to make a correlation with scripture in the end.
For me, there were four years of college (go Clemson Tigers), two years of Graduate school; then, I later received a post-master's degree as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
After college, I had to take and pass the NCLEX exam (intense) to become a Registered Nurse. Then I had to obtain a license to work in my home State. Next, when I applied for a job, I had to get my fingerprints processed, and a full background check.
Next, requirements for credentialing to become a Nurse Practitioner, I had to take and pass the ANCC Board exam (even more intense), apply for a license in my home State (as well as have an active R.N. license), complete another background check, apply for an NPI number (for insurance billing), apply for a Controlled Substance Drug license, and then apply for a DEA license.
Even though I had gone through all of these steps, I still was required to prove my credentials to my place of employment. They needed another set of fingerprints, background checks, and copies of my transcripts and diplomas.
Then, once I obtained the job, I was given an I.D. and a title which, finally, reflected my role and credentials.
This I.D. and credentials gave me access to the hospital, the patients, the documentation system, prescriptive authority, decision-making authority, a benefits package, and much more.
When I think about all the steps that I had to go through to become a Nurse Practitioner to care for patients, it made me reflect on how little that "I" had to do to be rescued by God and how much more Jesus had to go through to give me (and you) full access to Him and everlasting life.
Jesus had to take on the form of a man (Philippians 2:7), live a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21), be crucified, buried, and resurrected (1 Peter 2:24), so that we could be saved (John 10:10).
Because Jesus took on our sin and bore our shame, we can be set free (John 8:36). Hallelujah!
Because He lives, we live (John 14:19).
When He rose from the dead, He broke every chain (Luke 4:18-19).
Those who believe in Him not only have eternal life but full access to the Father (Ephesians2:18).
The Bible tells us that when Jesus died on the cross, that the curtain in the Temple was torn in two! Why is this significant?? Because back then, before Jesus died, only the Priest could talk to God behind the veil!!! When Jesus died, He said, "It is finished" (John 19:30). What is "it"? What did Jesus mean?
Matthew 27:51
51 At that moment, the curtain of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split.
What do I believe that He meant? I think that He was saying, "I did the work;"
He did it all. He paid the price, He bore the sin, He bore the shame, He lived the sinless life, He was resurrected, He took the keys to Hell and the grave, and He ascended and is on the right hand of the Father.
He said, "hey, because of Me, YOU can talk directly to my father" (Hebrews 10:19).
Because of Him, we are not alone. Because of His FINISHED work at Calvary, we have access at any time to the one Holy God (1 Timothy 2:5). We can pray, we can worship or pray, whenever we want.
Because of Him, we will never die. Yes, our physical bodies may die, but our soul will live with Him for all eternity (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Friends, you are loved by God. You are not alone. You are not going through the Christian life on a gamble, waiting to see if you can do or be "good enough." The Bible says that when He sees us, He sees the blood of His Son (1 John 1:3).
We don't have to do anything except repent and confess (John 3:16). That is it.
Whatever is going on in your life, in your mind, or what has happened in your past, He already knows. And guess what? He loves you and wants you to live a peaceful and happy life (John 10:10).
Let's thank Him today for giving us full access to Him and all of His glorious benefits because of Jesus' finished work at Calvary.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us and sending Your Son to die in our place. Please forgive us of our unconfessed sins and help us to forgive those who have wronged us. Please help us realize that we have full access to God because of Your sacrifice and love for us. Would You please remind us that because of You, we are set free? Thank you that You love us and want us to become closer to You. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Verses for Meditation:
Ephesians 2:13
John 8:36
Romans 5:1
Hebrews 7:25
Romans 5:11
Song: https://youtu.be/Ymkl0t0FOcw I am not affiliated with Custom Media Solutions, nor do I own their video or music/lyrics rights.
Can you hear the voice of truth?
Are you listening?
Hi Friends,
We live in an age of constant distractions and noise. Texts, phone calls, notifications, alarms, this can be pretty noisy. Times have changed so much over the past twenty to thirty years. It is often challenging to find the time to sit and be still.
When I was a child, my dad worked various shifts for work. I would often wake up late in the night due to hearing him speak to my mom after he came home from working a long shift.
Sometimes, I would listen to him talking to my mom very late at night. I was never frightened because I knew that voice was my dad's. I never worried if the voice that I was hearing was a stranger or an intruder in our home.
How did I know my dad's voice? Because, obviously, I had spent time with him, I knew and could recognize his voice.
Thinking on this reminded me of little Samuel when he first heard God speak to him.
1 Samuel
Chapter 3:4 the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, "Here I am!"
5. So he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me."
And he said, "I did not call; lie down again." And he went and lay down.
6. Then the Lord called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."
7. (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.)
8. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you did call me."
Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy.
9.Therefore, Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, 'Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10. Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears."
In the above scripture, we find little Samuel (who was being trained by the Prophet Eli) lying in his bed at night when he hears someone call his name. He believes this is Eli, but Eli tells him that he (Eli) didn't call him.
Verse 7 tells us that "Samuel didn't know the Lord yet." That speaks to us as to why little Samuel didn't know the voice of the Lord. Jesus said in John 10: 27, "My sheep hear my voice, and they know me."
Wise, Eli told little Samuel to go lie down and then how to respond. If we notice, verse 9 says that "Samuel went and lay down in his place."
Sometimes, the Lord has to get us in our "place" for us to be able to hear him. This place could be a valley; it could be when He "makes you lie down," an illness, a loss, a time of uncertainty, a time when we are made to be still, a time to sit and listen, to turn down all of the noise.
When we seek Him, we will find Him (Matthew 7:7). If we listen, if we ask, He will answer!
His is the voice of truth. In Him, we find love, redemption, acceptance, forgiveness, peace, and comfort.
God loves you with everlasting love! He wants us to seek Him. How do we do this? By reading the Word of God. He wants us to meditate on His Word and to pray. By doing these things, we draw near to Him.
The Bible says that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8).
Let's thank the Lord today for His unfailing love!!
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us and sending Your Son to die in our place. Please forgive us of our unconfessed sins and help us to forgive those who have wronged us. Would you please help us to learn to be still and seek You? Please reveal Yourself to us and Your will for our lives. Thank you that You love us and want us to become closer to You. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Verses for Meditation:
Jeremiah 29:13
Psalm 145:18
Hebrews 10:22
Psalm 73:28
Song: https://youtu.be/ogGOlGswStA I am not affiliated with Vertical records or SME, nor do I own their video or music/lyrics rights.
God's got you!!
God has already made a way!
Hi Friends,
Have you ever wondered, how am I going to do _________ (fill in the blank)? It may be regarding your health, finances, job, relationships, or some other obstacle that you find yourself facing.
Perhaps you are facing something that seems "too big" or "too great," and you may even feel that there is no way around it.
You may even feel that you are "not good enough" or "have messed up too much." You may even hate yourself and think that there is no way that you can even pray or inquire about God.
You may even think that you're too old, too young, "too _______ (fill in the blank)."
You may even feel that you are too far "gone" and out of God's reach or desire.
Before we move on to the example, I want to let you know that the Bible, our source of truth, says that "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). This "whoever" includes YOU.
In John, we are also told, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out" (John 6:37). That means that everyone is welcome and wanted by God.
In prepping for this weeks' blog post, I prayed and asked the Lord what to write about this week. I kept thinking about Zacchaeus, even though I had planned to write about something else; I kept coming back to this great example from the Gospel of Luke.
Luke 19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short, he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner."
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now, I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
If we look at the passage above, we see a man hated by his own because he was Jewish and a tax collector working for the Romans. Tax collectors were known to not only be thieves but also to bully and oppress.
Throughout my life, I have heard of the story of Zacchaeus. How he was instructed to come down out of the tree, was saved, repaid his debts and the people who he had stolen from, and how he was changed.
It is a fantastic story of how God can change people and how anyone can turn their life around.
If we zoom in a little more, we can see something that God had planned many years earlier that helped Zacchaeus find redemption.
Notice that the verse says that Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed a Sycamore-fig tree.
If we stop and think about it, we see that God had already provided a way for Zacchaeus not only to be seen by Jesus but to be rescued and restored.
Remember, Zacchaeus was short in stature (perhaps he was a little person as some Theologians believe), so God knew he wouldn't be able to see Jesus.
So what did God do? He had a tree grow there, in the exact spot where Jesus would be passing by.
He (God) already had planned this out for Zacchaeus.
What is even more interesting is that Zacchaeus didn't even know it. We can imaging that he had been listening to Jesus. Because when Jesus called him down, he (Zacchaeus) called him Lord (which means that Zacchaeus in his heart had already believed in Jesus).
What does this mean for us? It means that He (God) has already made a way for you.
It means that you don't have to fret and worry about "how" or even try to manipulate the situation. God has it! He has already been working.
Before we were born, He sent His son to die and raised Him from the dead!! He also had the Bible written for us to read and grow closer to Him.
He had someone tell you or live a Godly example in front of you to show you the way to salvation.
How often do we worry! How often do we let our focus stay on the problem instead of placing it on the ONE who has all of the answers and all of the power?
We have Father who has already made a way for us. He is waiting with open arms. He loves you and wants you to live a life of abundance, joy, and peace.
If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior or have never heard the gospel and just happened upon this blog, I urge you to watch this video from Dr. Charles Stanley on how to be saved https://youtu.be/cyoNGZWAeJg .
The Bible says that today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). God is waiting for you with open arms.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us and sending Your Son to die in our place. Please forgive us of our unconfessed sins and help us to forgive those who have wronged us. Would you please help us to learn from this story of Zacchaeus that You have already made provisions and have a plan for us? Thank you that you already "planted that tree for us" many years ago. Thank you for being our hope and for loving us unconditionally. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Verses for Meditation:
2 Corinthians 5:15
Jeremiah 29:11
John 3:16
Psalm 55:22
Song: https://youtu.be/aVgetIvEIAs I am not affiliated with Toby Mac or UMG Music, nor do I own their video or music/lyrics rights. .
God is greater than any obstacle you will ever face
What is stopping you today?
Hi Friends,
I have been thinking a lot about obstacles lately. Often, we (in Psychiatry) will advise people to change their focus, not look so much at the "obstacle" but to find solutions for whatever "problem" is at hand.
Today, we will look at the obstacles that Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of James were facing and where their focus was, and then look at where ours is and see if we need to readjust our mindset and focus.
Our reading today is from Mark 16: 1-4.
Mark 16 1-4: And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
Let's think back to why these women were headed and why. The Lord Jesus had just been crucified, died, and was placed in a borrowed tomb. It was customary in those days to treat the bodies with spices and anointing, and these devout followers of Jesus wanted to take care of His body.
Of course, they knew that the Roman Guards had rolled a great stone in front of it (Matthew 27:55-66). From the text, we see that they had been at the tomb when His body was laid. They had witnessed the stone rolled in front of the opening of the tomb.
We can see a few things about these remarkable women and easily translate what they faced to our own lives when closely exams their reaction to an obstacle.
First, let's exam their faith. They knew there was an obstacle, the stone. It was massive. In researching this post, many theologians believe that it would take anywhere from 2-5 men to roll a stone this size away from the opening. Remember that Roman soldiers were also guarding the tomb, so they had at least two obstacles in this scenario. Notice, the knowledge of these things did not stop them.
Secondly, they had faith. We don't see these women going to the disciples or bringing men to help them roll this stone away. We don't see them saying: Should we wait? We aren't strong enough? What if we get arrested? What if we throw out our backs? What if we go there and can't get in? What if no one is there to help us? No, hallelujah! They had faith!! They said, who will roll it away? They didn't focus on the negative (what ifs).
Notice where and Who their focus was on that day. It was NOT on themselves, in their own strength or resources. No, they weren't looking to themselves; they were looking to God!!! I believe these women KNEW that "someone" would roll that stone away.
They were weren't worried about what THEY could do; no, they KNEW what God could do!!
What about us today? What "obstacles" are you facing? Whether it be: depression, anxiety, the weight of other people's opinions, finances, relationship problems, low self-esteem, self-pity, pride, ego, obsessions, compulsions, greed, anger, impulsivity, covetousness, regret, guilt, shame, etc., whatever "it" is, GOD and His plan is greater!! He will deliver you, and He will help you. He will make a way.
We often worry (lack of faith) about things that are out of our control instead of trusting the Lord to help us. These women show us that we can have faith and that when removing the "obstacle" is part of God's plan, He WILL remove it!!! Praise the Lord.
When we start to lose faith, we can remember that we serve a bigger God than any problem that we will ever face.
Does this mean that God will remove ALL of our obstacles? No, it does not. Sometimes we must go through things that we do not understand.
All we have to do to see this is to read the book of Job. We can also read about the lives of the Christians in the New Testament. We can see from their lives that being a Christian is not always a walk in the park.
Remember, Jesus Christ, the greatest, kindest, most loving person who never sinned was hated and killed (John 15:18). Why should we ever think that negative things won't come into our lives, even more so if we serve Him?? Are we better than Jesus? For goodness' sake, NO!!!
While we aren't promised the answer we want to every prayer, we are promised that He will be with us every step of the way (Matthew 28:20).
One of my favorite verses (I know I say that about all of them) is a promise from Jesus Himself. John 16:33 Jesus said: "in this world, you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world." Notice, He doesn't say, "you MAY have trouble," He says, 'You WILL!!" But look at that following line, He says: "I HAVE overcome the world!!" Not, I will overcome, not one day I will, not maybe, not if I feel like it, nor does He say "if you do this or that," nope, He says, "I HAVE!" Past Tense!!!!!! It is done! It is finished!!!!! If that doesn't make you want to shout and sing, I don't know what else will!
Friends, whatever you and I face, let's always remember that we serve a God Who is Bigger, Who is Greater, Who is mighty to Save.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank You for Your completed work at Calvary. Thank You for loving us and dying on the cross for us and for saving us from ourselves. We aren't worthy, but because of You, we are. Please help us to rely on You when as we face obstacles each day. Would You please help us keep our eyes and focus on You and Your love for us? We are so weak, but You are Mighty and Strong. We love You and thank You that You have already overcome this world. Please forgive us of our sins and help us to forgive those who have hurt us. We thank you that we can do all things through You. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Verses for Meditation:
1 John 4:19
1 John 4:7
John 10:10
Philippians 4:13
Mark 10:27
Ephesians 4:20
Song:
I am not affiliated with Leeland Music, nor do I own their video or music/lyrics rights.
In All Things give thanks
You Want Me To Give Thanks for What?
Hi Friends,
Today, we will take another look into Acts 16 and see how giving thanks during what most of us would deem a very dark time led to salvation for a Prison guard.
It is customary in our society to say "thank you" when someone does something nice for us or gives us a gift. However, we do not show gratitude or offer thanks when something terrible or off-putting happens to us or in our lives. Most of the time, we may have the opposite reaction, "why me, why is this happening, this isn't fair, where is God, etc.
The Bible does instruct us to give thanks in ALL things (Psalm 105:1, 1 Thess. 5:18).
Scripture reading: Acts 16:22-33
22 The multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, then commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23 When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely, 24 who, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.
25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened. 27 The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, "Don't harm yourself, for we are all here!"
29 He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas, 30 brought them out, and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. 34 He brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God.
We can see from the above reading that Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown into jail. They were then placed into stocks (a form of shackles) on their feet/legs.
What do we find Paul and Silas doing around midnight? Keep in mind; they had just been beaten; they had been thrown into prison and were shackled. Perhaps, many of us would be questioning God, crying, angry, or maybe very confused.
However, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. That amazes me. These men indeed were in pain and shackled, but they were still praising God and singing. Hallelujah!!
Then, a mighty earthquake shakes the place so violently that their shackles are loosened, and everyone in the bonds/shackles becomes loose and is set free. The prison guard, realizing that if the prisoners go free, that he will pay dearly, perhaps with his life, begins to take out the sword to kill himself. Paul stops him and tells him that everyone is still there.
Immediately, the Prison Guard fell trembling to ask Paul what he had to do to be saved. We are told that he (the Prison Guard) was saved that same day and his household!! What a fantastic gift!
When we think about the testimony of Paul and Silas, we do not know if they had been preaching in the jail; we do not know if the Prison Guard saw them being beaten, but we do know that they were singing and praising God.
Thankfulness, or conversely, the lack of appreciation, leads us to think about our own lives. When we face uncertainty, disappointments, pain, a loss, or anything negative in our lives, I wonder if anyone is watching us?
Perhaps the person who is watching us needs salvation. Maybe the way we respond or behave is the critical piece they need to lead them to the Lord. Maybe our reaction and faith are what they need to lead them to His Saving Grace?
It makes one wonder if the testimony, the men praising God and singing during their imprisonment, wasn't the initial deciding factor for him. Was watching these men, still worshipping God, what changed his heart?
Perhaps the earthquake was the opportunity for him to ask them? But, on the other hand, it may be that their response, their faith, that moved his heart to believe in the Lord.
I can imagine him watching them, thinking, "what is up with these men"? How are they praying and singing when they were just beaten?" But, then, perhaps, he heard their prayer; maybe he heard them giving thanks?
How are we to respond when terrible things happen to us? First, the Bible says we must give thanks in ALL things (1 Thess. 5:18). But, unfortunately, giving thanks during hard times is not always easy.
In a previous blog post (The Fourth in the Fire), I shared how my son had a critical injury, and his life hung in the balance. During this time, during the Life Flight (helicopter flight to the hospital), one of the main verses that kept coming to my mind was 1 Thess. 5:18 (there were two others, but I will share those another time).
I started thanking the Lord for everything. Our son, his life, the helicopter, the nurses, the pilot, medicine, you name it; I thanked Him for it. Yes, I still prayed constantly for healing and complete restoration, but I was (by God's grace alone) obedient to this verse. So I thank the Lord for giving me this verse during this time.
Friends, we never know who is watching us, who we are witnessing to, or even how we can be used of the Lord. Because Paul and Silas were obedient to the Lord, this Prison Guard and his whole house were saved.
The Lord used the pain and testing of Paul and Silas to bring others to Him. I wonder how many times He uses our pain and suffering to bring others to Him?
Remember, there are many times that we may not understand what is going on or why the Lord is allowing these things to happen to us or around us. But, the good news is, we serve a God who will never leave us or forsake us (Duet 31:6). He knows how our story will end, and He will hold us and never let us go (Isaiah 41:10).
Friends, if you have never received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to come to Him today.
This link is to a video from Dr. Charles Stanley showing you how to become saved. I am not affiliated with Dr. Charles Stanley or InTouch Ministries but am a lifelong fan of his preaching and church's ministry. https://youtu.be/cyoNGZWAeJg
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank You for Your goodness to us. Thank You for never leaving us or forsaking us. Thank You for the gift of salvation. Please help us to forgive others who have wronged us and help us to love our enemies as You do. Please forgive me for unconfessed sin in my life, and please help me serve and uplift Your Holy Name. Please help us to point others to You and to praise You in the storms. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Verses for Meditation:
Colossians 3:17
Philippians 5:6
Psalm 100:1-5
Ephesians 5:20
Hebrews 12:28
Song:
I am not affiliated with Bethel Music, nor do I own their video or music/lyrics rights.
Chain Breaker
Are you in chains?
Hi Friends,
Today, we will explore freedom and discuss how the Lord can set us free.
First, let's think about something, who benefits from others being in bondage (hint, The Enemy)?
In this post, we will take a close look at bondage and delve into what types of bondage we can find ourselves in from time to time. We will also take a look at how we can be set free.
When we think of bondage, many of us think of a prisoner, a slave, perhaps some physical restraint like chains or handcuffs, etc.
However, as many of us know first-hand, there are many types of bondage. Addiction (to anything, substances, food, attention, sex, etc.), anxiety, depression, negative thinking/self-talk, obsessions, being liked, making money, impulsivity, perfectionism, the list could go on and on.
Many people wake up every single day and battle these types of bondages without relief and suffer immensely in the process.
The Bible tells us that once we become saved, we are set free (John 8:36) and that through Jesus Christ, we can do all things (Phil. 4:13).
In Acts 16, we find the story of a young woman who was demon-possessed. I wonder if she even knew that she was possessed? I wonder if she even knew she was being used?
Acts 16 As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune-telling. 17. Following Paul and us, she cried out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!" 18 She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" It came out that very hour.
The Bible tells us that this young slave girl made her masters a lot of money. In this case, she was indeed being exploited. She was controlled by the demons and by her masters. The word "Masters," in the plural tense, tells us that she had more than one.
Perhaps she was proud of her "gift" of fortune-telling. She made lots of money; most likely, she was treated well by her masters, of course, for their own gain. I can imagine that she felt pride in "reading people's fortunes" and knowing that she had these demonic powers to give her "supernatural" knowledge of things that others did not know or have. Perhaps she didn't know they were evil spirits, perhaps she was deceived that these were divine gifts???
How many times have we or a friend been in a situation that "felt good" or "seemed good" yet was toxic and destructive? How many times have thoughts taken hold of our lives or our loved ones' lives and led to anxiety, depression, obsessions, guilt, shame, etc.?
Additionally, when misused, things such as substances (like alcohol), food, addiction, gambling, sex, etc., can lead one down a road of devastation and destruction and take years to recover. The impact can forever change one's life and lead to sadness, loss, and regret.
Often, the person gets so wrapped up in these "bondages" that they do not even realize that they have a "problem." Or perhaps they know they have a "problem," but they do not know how to fix it or feel like they can't, or that there is no solution???
The good news for all of us is that Jesus came to set us free (Luke 4:18). He is the answer for every addiction, every negative thing, every toxic thing; He can manage and help us to rid our life of whatever it is that holds us back and keeps us down (Psalm 103:3).
Whether it be a physical addiction, a psychological addiction, a situation, negative thoughts, low self-esteem, low-self worth, obsessions, compulsions, anxiety, depression, self-pity, and the list could go on and on, no matter what it is, Jesus is the answer (Phil. 4:19).
The Bible tells us that Satan goes around seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). What better way to hold us back or down than to bind us with "chains."
He (Satan) does not want us to live the extraordinary life that God has planned for us. Instead, he sets traps for us. Once we get trapped, we often forget to look to God to rescue us. However, if we cry out to the Lord, He will help us, and He will deliver us (2 Chron. 7:14, Matthew 7:7).
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank You that you are the Chain Breaker. Please forgive me for my unconfessed sins and help me to love others and forgive others, as You love have forgiven me. Please, help me to be set free of ________________. I do not have the power on my own, but I know that You have endless Power and Might. Thank you for what You have done for me and what You will do for me in the time to come. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Verses for Meditation:
Psalm 107:14
Isaiah 58:6
Isaiah 45:2
Romanos 8:2
Song:
I am not affiliated with Zach Williams or SME, nor do I own their video or music/lyrics rights.
In The Fire
The Fourth One in the Fire.
Hi Friends,
I want to talk to you today about the concept of trials that come into our lives that may make us feel as if we have been put into a blaze of fire.
Perhaps you have been in a trial recently or are in the midst of one where you could or can feel the heat of the battle, the burn of the pain, even making it hard to breathe or even see a way out.
A couple of years ago, my family faced this type of fiery trial when our almost 3-year-old son, fell headfirst out of an 18-foot window while visiting family for a family wedding, landing onto concrete. He suffered a decompression skull fracture, a C1, and C2 fracture, and was placed into a soft halo for almost 10 weeks. It was the longest 10 weeks of our lives.
It was at the 10-week mark of being in the halo that the medical team performed an MRI and saw that his neck was (praise the name of Jesus) stable and he did not need spinal fusion surgery. For weeks we did not know what the extent of his injuries would be and we all (and hundreds if not thousands of people were praying for his complete healing) were waiting on the results of the MRI.
Thankfully, now, he is healthy and has no residual damage (thank the Lord), at the time, especially during the first few months it felt as if we were all being tested. I will write more about this in the future but wanted to share that I do know what it is like to face fierce uncertainty while trusting in the Lord to take care of the situation.
When I began to write this post, I wanted to talk about the three Hebrews ( Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) who were placed into a fiery furnace for not bowing down to an image and came out with not even the smell of smoke on them.
Let's go back to Daniel 3 (for the full context of this story please take time to read this chapter) and take a look at this amazing story in the Bible. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three Hebrew men who were leaders in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar had a massive image erected and had commanded that at the sound of instruments playing that would signal everyone to bow down to it.
Our three Hebrew stars of this chapter, refused to bow down to this image because they had vowed to only bow to the One True God.
Of course, there was a group of men (Chaldeans) who tattled on them for not bowing down to the image and then King Nebuchadnezzar commanded the men to come forward and explained that he would give them one more chance to bow down and that if they didn't bow down to the image at the sounds of the instruments playing, then they would be bound and thrown into the fiery furnace. Of course, the men tell him that their God would deliver them and that they would not bow down to the image.
We can just imagine the scene. The instruments begin to play and then the three men, don't bow down. At this, Nebuchadnezzar is furious. He has the men bound and had the furnace heated to seven times hotter than it normally was set. The men had on hats and layered in garments. We are told that the men who cast them into the furnace were killed from the heat alone as they threw them in the furnace.
What happens next, I believe, is a picture to us all when we are cast into the fire in our own lives. The fire representing trials that feel like intense heat.
When Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fire, he saw four men. He thought it was an angel, but who was the fourth in the fire? It was Jesus. Who is with us in the fire? Jesus. Who was with us before we were born in our mother's wombs? Jesus. Who will be with us when we face death? Jesus. Who is with you in the pit (whatever that "pit" may be for you)???? Jesus!!! Praise the Lord.
We see that the men were untouched, their clothes didn't even smell of smoke. Not one hair on their head was even consumed.
Nebuchadnezzar then commanded that no one speak ill of the God who saved these men and he then promoted these men to even higher positions in his kingdom.
When we look at the above scene and apply it to our own lives, we can see that God is always with us.
Imagine how easy it would have been for them to have bowed down and not face the fire. They stood their ground. Their faith did not waver even when facing death. They responded that their God would save them.
When we were facing the unknown with our son, it was God who was there with him when he fell. I believe he broke his fall with His (God's hand). We were told by the Physicians who cared for him that it is a medical miracle that not only did he survived the fall but that he is not permanently disabled.
We know that God does not heal every disease or fix everything that is broken (physically and emotionally like relationships). What we do know and can say with confidence is that He will be there with us no matter what we are facing. How wonderful that we serve a God who gets in the fire with us!!!!
You may feel alone, but those are only feelings. They are not real. Facts are real. God's words are real. He will never leave you and He will never forsake you.
Prayer:
I thank you, Lord, for the gift of Your presence. Thank You that when we feel alone, we are not alone. Thank You that You are always there. Thank You for saving my son Daniel and for being in the fire with us. Please help every person who is facing the fire today. Show them Your presence, show them Your love, give them faith that can move mountains. We ask that You forgive us of our unconfessed sins and that You would please help us to love our enemies and forgive those who have hurt us. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Verses for Meditation:
- Isaiah 43:2-3
- Psalms 94:14
- Psalms 139:8
- Hebrews 13:5
Song:
I do not own the rights to Hillsong and am not affiliated with Hillson United.
God sees you!!
YOU ARE KNOWN TO GOD!!
You are not Invisible to God.
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed (Exodus 17:11).
Have you ever felt like the invisible person, the supporting actor in someone else's life? If so, let's take a look at just how important of a role that we each have in the plan that God has for our lives and in advancing His kingdom, and in doing His work.
Let's take a trip back to ancient times. Shortly after Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, they (the Israelites) were attacked by a hostile nation. Moses was over eighty years old by then and was not able to physically fight in battle. However, his apprentice, Joshua, recruited an army to fight the battle. While younger men were fighting, Moses stood on a hill holding up hands. “As long as Moses held up his hand, the Israelites prevailed, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites prevailed” (Exodus 17:11).
We find that when Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up – one on one side, one on the other – so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword (Exodus 17:13).”
Most of us have heard of Moses and Aaron, but how many of us heard about Hur? We find that Aaron is mentioned in the Old Testament over forty-five times while Hur is only mentioned twice. I find this very powerful.
Hur had just as much to do with helping to hold up Moses' arms as Aaron did. Had Hur not helped hold up his arms then the Israelites would've most certainly been defeated.
I wonder how Hur felt as Moses, Aaron, and Joshua most certainly received praise and recognition? I think about Hur, holding up Moses' arms all night, supporting him, watching the battle, knowing he must do his part for the battle to be won. Then later, his name is only written about twice.
I think about us, sometimes our role is to uplift, to pray, to intercede, to encourage, to exhort, to help, to simply be there for someone. Our actions are oftentimes unseen. The prayers we send, the meals we make, the calls/text, and so many other things that we may do that may not receive worldly recognition but make a lasting impact on the Kingdom of God.
Imagine the similarity to what Hur did for Moses and the Israelites to how God can use every one of us in our lives as we go about helping others fight their own battles.
It may be in the prayer room, in the board room, in Sunday School, in their homes, in our homes, but every one of us plays such an important role in living out the will of God and showing love to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
If you feel invisible today, please dear friend, know that you are loved and seen by God. He has a plan and a purpose for you.
There are so many ways that you can uplift up others similar to the way that Hur and Aaron uplifted Moses. You don't have to have to write a book, make a movie, become famous, or do any other thing to do God's work.
What we have to be is available and willing to be used, however, He may see the need to use us.
Is there someone you could help lift today? Someone you could hold up in prayer or some other way?
Ask the Lord to show you how He can use you today. You are loved and you are needed by God.
Verses for Meditation:
Psalm 133:1
Proverbs 11:14
James 5:20
Matthew 6:10
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for Your unfailing love. Thank You for Your Word and that we can pray to You. Please forgive me for any unconfessed sin. Please use me to uplift others, to help them, and to do Your will and Your work. Please let all that I do bring honor and praise to You. Thank you, Lord, that you see me and that You give me the strength and power to do all things. Please use me. Thank you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Song: https://youtu.be/xckDgX8xNfg
I do not own the rights and am not affiliated with Tauren Well of SMG Records.
You are never alone
God will never abandon you.
Hi Friend,
I want to talk to you today about abandonment. It is a source of deep pain for many who have been abandoned by people who once claimed to love them or even made vows to love them forever. Spouses, parents, siblings, friends, or people whom we have been close with can decide to walk out of our lives. Their leaving can become a source of intense feelings of loneliness and can bring about many untrue thoughts that in some people, bring into question the worth of oneself.
If we think back to the life of Joseph in the Old Testament, his life is an example of being not only abandoned but also betrayed by his brothers. In addition to leaving him in a pit, they also sold him into slavery and lied to their father about what happened to him.
Once he was down in Egypt he was a slave in the house of Potiphar, one of the Pharaoh's Captains of the Guard (Genesis 29:1-23), where he served and was successful and trusted by Potiphar.
The Bible tells us that Joseph was very handsome and was desired by Potiphar's wife. After many attempts to tempt Joseph to be with her physically, she became angry with him and falsely accused him of trying to force himself onto her. She even tore a piece of his garment to use as evidence against him. He was tried and was placed into prison.
While there in prison he interpreted dreams for a cupbearer and a baker who were from the house of Pharaoh and who had been placed into prison with Joseph. Both of these dreams were interpreted correctly by Joseph and came to fruition. While the baker was hung as was predicted by Joseph's dream, later when the cupbearer went back to work for Pharaoh, he forgot about Joseph.
I can imagine Joseph sitting there in that prison for another two years. The Bible tells us that the Lord was with him (Genesis 39:2). Let's think about that for a moment. Joseph was in a foreign land, in a prison, yet, God was with him. How beautiful is that? There is nowhere that we can find ourselves that He is not with us!!
Additionally, while Joseph was there, the Lord was preparing him for what was ahead. He was using every moment, molding and shaping him into the Leader that he would become in Egypt. Think about this, Joseph didn't know what was to come, but he trusted the Lord God. He didn't wallow in self-pity. I am sure that he missed his family, we can assume like most humans, that he wondered why would they do this to him (sell him into slavery and abandon him) but it seems that he trusted God to work all things out for his good.
Later on, the cupbearer remembered Joseph when he heard that Pharaoh had a dream that had disturbed him and that no one could interpret it. As the story goes, Joseph interprets the dream and is later named second in command in the land of Egypt.
This story later leads to a face-to-face with Joseph his brothers who had sold him into slavery. Joseph does not hold their sins against them, he isn't bitter, no, what does he do, he embraces them and forgives them. He tells them, " you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today" (Genesis 50:20). How beautiful is this picture?
He could've been bitter, he could've placed them in prison, he could've had them thrown out of the country. No, he forgave them, he embraced them, and he took care of them. If you have not read this story in a while, I encourage you to take some time and read it. It is one of the most beautiful stories of love and forgiveness and it gives us a picture of how God is always with us.
We see that throughout Joseph's life that God was with him. Even when it wasn't obvious to an outsider, He was there. He was always working and preparing Joseph's life for what it would become.
If you have been abandoned, please know that God will never leave you or forsake you. You can rest your head at night knowing that the God of this universe loves you, just as he loved Joseph. He will be there with you and he will strengthen you. Do not allow the lies that can pop into your head, questioning what is "wrong with me," that so often comes to mind when someone hurts us or leaves us.
Can you imagine if Joseph had wallowed or allowed himself to think thoughts like this? If he believed that he was unlovable, not good enough, and/or not wanted? If he had believed those lies, those negative thoughts, then it would've been very difficult for him to have become the leader that he became.
Thankfully, he leaned on the one true source of truth, the Lord God, to sustain him. If you are feeling down today, rest assured that God will never leave you, He loves you, and He is for you.
Verses for Meditation:
- Hebrews 13:6
- Joshua 1:9
- Isaiah 41:10
- Matthew 28:20
- Romanos 8:28
- Philippians 4:6-7
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Your promise to never leave me or forsake me. Thank you that you love me with everlasting love. Please help me to look to you for validation of who I am as a person and not in how others treat me or what others may do or not do to me or for me. Please heal my heart that hurts and aches because of the pain that was inflicted when others abandoned me. Please help me to love those who hurt me and help me to forgive others as you have forgiven me. Please forgive me for my unconfessed sins and draw me nearer to You. Please help me to see myself and those who have hurt me, through Your eyes. I love you and thank you for the gift of salvation. Please help me to be a light in the world and to be an example of Your love and forgiveness. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Song - https://youtu.be/37wV6D49iEY
I do not own the rights to this song and am not affiliated with Zach Williams or Dolly Parton.
Peter's Denial of being a follower of Jesus
God will never cancel you!!!
Hi Friend, I want to discuss with you today this new phenomenon that is taking place in our culture, it's called "being canceled."
You may have noticed lately in the headlines, over the past few years, many people have been "canceled" due to something from their past or from something that they have said or done, and/or for doing or saying something that some people may find offensive.
If you don't know what "being canceled" means, a quick Google search says that it means to stop giving support to that person, usually a celebrity or well-known person due to something offensive that has been said or an act that may be labeled as such. This can be devastating for those when this happens to them. Some people have had comments or an action from their past dug up, some from many years ago that have resulted in them now losing their jobs, status, relationship with sponsors, companies, etc. They are now being defined by their past. Even if they have grown, matured, apologized, or perhaps didn't mean for that "thing" to offend anyone, in today's "cancel culture", there is zero mercy for them (socially speaking).
This leads us to our discussion today about a leader in the Church. He was called a "Rock" by Jesus and was a key instrument of God in building the Church (Matthew 16:18-19). Who am I referring to?? You guessed it, Peter. Had Peter lived today, many people would've "canceled" him for his mistake. How tragic would that have been for Peter and the Kingdom of God!
So why is examining Peter's life so important? We can find a perfect example of someone (Peter) who made a devastating mistake, the denial of his association with Jesus Christ.
Peter knew that Jesus was the Son of God, he knew that Jesus knew all things. If you think back, Peter had seen Jesus bring back to life his mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:30-31, Luke 4:38-39). He was the only disciple documented to have walked on the water with Jesus (Mark 14:29-33). He was the first disciple to declare that Jesus was the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16), and was with Jesus when he was being arrested (John 18:10). Jesus warned Peter that he (Peter) would deny Him three times before the daybreak (Matthew26:31). Peter then boasted that he would never deny Jesus. The Bible tells us that Peter did indeed deny Jesus three times. Later when he (Peter) realized what he had done that he wept bitterly about denying Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75).
Can you imagine the pain that Peter must've felt? As he was denying Jesus, Jesus was being set up in a "mock trial" and the countdown was on for the crucifixion. The Bible tells us that Peter wept bitterly. Oh, the pain!! Oh, how I feel for Peter!! We can all relate to something in our life that we have done or that we wish we could change, regret, or pain that we can't undo.
However, praise God, this wasn't the end for Peter. We see that when Jesus was resurrected that the Angel was there at the tomb and said to Mary Magdalene to go and tell of the resurrection. We are told the Angel said to her, "go, tell his disciples and Peter" (Mark 16:7). Now, I am overwhelmed by this statement!! Why did the Angel specify only Peter's name? Because Jesus knew how much Peter needed to hear it. It was as if He were saying, hey, make sure you go and tell Peter, I want him to know because I love him, I forgive him, and He is still mine.
Also, he (Peter) was very much on Jesus' mind. Jesus knew his (Peter's) heart. I am sure that Peter begged for forgiveness through prayer and his heart must've ached and he must've experienced immense pain and torment over his denial. Perhaps even feeling that he let Jesus down and that he betrayed his friendship and trust. Jesus heard his cries, he heard his prayers for forgiveness. Jesus knew that Peter had repented and needed restoration. Jesus restored Peter's heart, he comforted him. Jesus knew what Peter needed. Hallelujah! What a God of Comfort, He is!
He knows our heart and He knows our intentions. He is love. His forgiveness can restore any wrong. I can imagine Peter hearing the news of the empty tomb, realizing that Jesus had resurrected. The Bible tells us that he (Peter) didn't just walk, he ran to the tomb (John 20:4). I can only imagine the joy he must've felt in his heart as he started to remember Jesus' foretelling of the resurrection.
We find out in Scripture that Peter went on to continue in the work of the Lord, he penned 1st and 2nd Peter, he preached at Pentecost where three thousand people were saved (Acts 2:41), was instrumental in reaching and embracing the Gentiles (Acts 10:24-29) who previously had not been included. He was also a martyr for the cause of the gospel.
Imagine Peter's mistake and how Jesus later responded. Jesus didn't say, oh no, sorry, you denied Me, you messed up, it's over for you. Likewise, the other Christians didn't "cancel" Peter for his mistake. No, it (the denial) is written about in all four of the Gospels. We know that every Word in the Bible is God-ordained (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We see Peter's mistake as an example of God's grace, forgiveness, and love. Even now, it is used to assure us that even when we feel like we can't recover from a mistake, by the Grace of God, we can!!!!
Furthermore, our past, our scars, can be used to further the Kingdom (Romanos 8:28). How wonderful that we can never be "canceled" in the eyes of God. He loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). How wonderful it is to have a God who loves us and who looks beyond our failures. We serve the one true and living God who can use us no matter what may be in our past, to bring about his honor and glory.
Key verses for meditation:
- Jeremiah 31:3
- Psalm 103:12
- John 10:28
- 1 John 1:9
- Matthew 5:4
- Psalm 147:3
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your gift of salvation, for your Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Thank you that you never have and never will "cancel me." Thank You that You love me and that You are a God of second chances. Thank You for the lessons that we can learn from Peter's denial. Thank You for allowing us to see how You still pursued him, comforted him, and used him for Your ministry, the Church of God. Please forgive me of my unconfessed sins, please use me, Lord. Please help me not to focus on what people may say about me, what the negative thoughts inside my head may say about my ability, for I know that through you, I can do all things and that although my sins were as scarlet, they are now white as snow. I love you and thank you. I will praise You for Your faithfulness and kindness to me. On my merit, I am unworthy, but in You and because of You, I am worthy. In your
name, Amen.
Song:
I do not own the rights to this song and am not affiliated with Zach Williams.
Kintsugi: Added Value
God can repair our shattered life and make it more beautiful.
Hello, friend. I want to talk with you today about feeling broken due to the consequences of our sin.
Have you ever messed up or committed a sin that made a mess of your life? Perhaps, a sin or mistake so severe that it caused you to lose something so precious to you that you felt that you could never recover? A relationship, your reputation, your status, your integrity, your family, your job, the list could go on and on? These are devastating blows that may be the consequences of our own mistakes or our sin. The consequences are ALWAYS much bigger than we anticipated because the Enemy deceitfully fails to tell us that there will be lasting and painful consequences due to our disobedience to God.
Before we get into what Jesus Christ can do and will do for us, I want to highlight a few things about the above scenarios. Many people, even saved people, make significant life-altering mistakes, commit sins that can wreak havoc on their lives and of others around them. The result can leave us very lonely, isolated, angry, bitter, and can cause many people to run from God. Why is this? Some people are running from God due to guilt, but MANY run because they feel that they have messed up too much, that they can never recover, never rebuild, or that God can never use them. They then identify themselves with their sin. Like David, they feel that their sin is "ever before (them)" (Psalm 51:3) and that they are too far gone. They live in a never-ending cycle of self-pity, embarrassment, shame, guilt, regret, and they subsequently continue to run from God. This leads them to a life apart from God and this further keeps them from the purpose that He still has for them. The Enemy is still winning that war because he is keeping them in chains by reminding them of their sin. That, my friend, is NOT the life that God wants us to live.
Many people commit sins and make mistakes and feel that they are too far gone. They feel that there is no way that God could use them because of past mistakes. They worry that people will bring up their past sins, that they have tarnished their reputation, and that people will call them a hypocrite. These are lies from the Enemy. Sure, some people bring up the past, but they are the small minority. In reality, they are the ones who need to pray and ask God to forgive them for holding your past against you and for judging you. Once you have repented, the Bible says that you have been forgiven (1 John 1:9). It is only through Jesus Christ and His blood, death, burial, and resurrection that any of us have any hope and freedom(John 8:36). Jesus said he came to give us life and that we could have not only life but abundant life (John 10:10). Hallelujah!! Notice, He doesn't say, for those who don't mess up, for those who only commit "small sins" (what is a small sin anyway, hint, there isn't one), he came for us all (John 3:16).
This leads me to share with you my thought about how beautiful we are, you are, to God. A few years back I was in a gift shop in discovered a beautiful jar that had been previously broken and then put back together but was then filled in with what appeared to be gold. I did a quick Google search and found out that this was called Kintsugi. The word means, “golden joinery” and it is a method of repairing broken ceramics with a lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum. How beautiful that they do not hide or conceal repairs, but make them more beautiful than the original.
I find it very interesting and astonishing that the Japanese have for years found beauty from broken vessels. That is exactly what Jesus does for us. He takes the "vessel" that is "broken" by addiction, consequences of sin, failures, lies, and every other thing that can "break us" and He makes us more beautiful than before. Even more astounding, is that just like Kintsugi, we have MORE value after He repairs us and puts us back together. How magnificent is the God we serve?!
He is not ashamed of us. The Bible says that He knows our frame (Psalm 103:14) !! He knew when he made you what you were, who you would become, and which sins you would commit. You can't surprise Him! He died for you, flaws and all. He can make those shattered pieces into a beautiful reflection of Himself and later use it as a testimony of His beautiful saving Grace and the power of His healing hands.
To you, your life may look too shattered. You may feel that you are too far gone. You may feel that you are broken into a million pieces. You may not feel that you can be used by God anymore. But my friend, we have a Savior who can and will take up those pieces and put them back together and He will make you more beautiful than anything you could ever imagine. He doesn't repair with superglue, he repairs with the most beautiful materials, like gold, making us into the most beautiful versions of ourselves.
We have a Heavenly Father who loves us and who is waiting for you to reach out to Him and draw nearer to Him today. If you have been running from God, or are living with guilt, shame, and/or feelings that you can't be used anymore, please know that He is waiting for you to come to Him so that He can not only restore you but make you the most beautiful version of yourself.
Key verses to meditate on:
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
- Isaiah 43:19
- Isaiah 53:5
- Philippians 3:14-15
Prayer for Today:
Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for loving me and dying on the cross for me. Thank you for the resurrection and your saving grace. Please forgive me of my unconfessed sin, please bring to light anything that is hindering my walk with you. Please help me to put the past behind me and use me for Your honor and glory. I know that on my own, I am unworthy, but because of you, I am worthy to serve you. Please release me from the guilt and shame that I feel. Please help me to rest in your promise of forgiveness and please help me to cling to your word and not sin against you. Thank you for allowing me to come to you and for answering my prayer. In Your Holy Name, I pray, Amen.