The Choice is Yours

There are times in our lives when we have to make tough decisions.  We hem and we haw about whether or not we are making the right ones.  We seek counsel from our peers and often times we keep asking until we hear what we have been wanting to hear.  In the end, our peace hangs in the balance because we don't know where we really stand.  It becomes less and less about the decision itself and more and more about the outcome of that decision.  And the outcome is determined by where we place our focus, on what or on whom. 

For the past several weeks, the messages at church have been convicting, to say the least.  Week after week, speaker after speaker, the Holy Spirit comes and penetrates the hearts of those who earnestly seek after Him.  Truly, Jesus told us the importance of chasing after God because we truly want to know His will.  “How blessed are the pure in heart! for they will see God."  Matthew 5:8 (Complete Jewish Bible)

For those of us who say we believe in God, we must make a very important decision. Even Joshua posed this question to Israel and his answer graces walls all over the world, including my own.

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:14-15 (New Living Translation)

What does it mean to put away the idols your ancestors worshiped?  What does he mean "choose this day whom you will serve?"

On the surface, it seems we are to abandon the ways of those who have come before us.  But, I would challenge you to dig a little deeper.  It's not just about the generational idol worship that you and I have inherited, it's about those idols we are dragging around behind us.  It's about the past - the wrong we have suffered, the hurt we have carried and the pain we may have caused another.  It is the very thing that keeps us in bondage and from walking in the liberty of God!  Why do we feel we must consult our past in order to move into the future??  We don't own our past anymore!  As soon as we crossed the threshold from the past to the present, God takes ownership!  He doesn't want us to carry the weight of the past upon our shoulders.  It's why He sent His Son to suffer and die.  He said to us, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 (NLT).  Yes, He spoke regarding our current burdens - our worries, our struggles, the things we battle in the here and now.  Yet, He also meant the weight we carry behind us - the very things that haunt us when we approach something new and exciting and that we know is in line with God's will for us.

Instead of walking in the liberty of God's truth and love, we cower beneath the weight of the what-ifs and the fear of not just failure, but of success.  We idolize our past to such a degree that it leaves us paralyzed and unable to walk into our destiny.  The very Spirit that raised Jesus from the depths of the grave lives in us, if we truly have accepted the free gift of salvation.  Once saved, we have an opportunity to show our gratitude to God by walking in obedience to Him.  Our offering is all of our heart, mind, and soul.

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. 
Deuteronomy 10:12 (NLT)(emphasis mine) 

What can we bring to the Lord?
Should we bring him burnt offerings?
Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves?
Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
to pay for our sins?
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:6-8 (NLT)(emphasis mine)

It's not about fair.  It never will be.  The past is the past and only God alone reserves the right to pass judgment.  We must bear in mind, however, that you and I are afforded the same grace and mercy. My sins are no better or worse than your sins, regardless of how the world views them.  Sin is sin.  Jesus paid the price for all sin. Why is this important? Because I didn't go to the cross for any man.  I have no right to be disobedient or rebellious against God because someone we believe deserves to be punished seems to be getting away without any consequences.  So, why do we drag that weight around our necks?  Why do we shake our fist at God and ask "why?" all the while demanding He bless us in our feeble attempts to serve Him?

Here's the bottom-line:  God will not honor lip service.  He cannot do so.  James tells us this: 

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”  You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.  And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God  So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.  Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.       James 2:17-24 (NLT) (emphasis mine) 

God wants to bless us.  He wants to answer our prayers.  But, He can and will only do so if what we ask is in line with His will.

"My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he’s listening. And if we’re confident that he’s listening, we know that what we’ve asked for is as good as ours."
1 John 5:14-15 (The Message)(emphasis mine)

What is the point to all this?  We have to make a choice.  Let's revisit Joshua 24:14-15 again:

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:14-15 (New Living Translation)(emphasis mine)

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be like Ebenezer Scrooge's partner, Marley, who bore in death the chains of sin he created in life.  I want to walk in the liberty of God, so that I may serve Him, and prosper.  Just as God exhorted Joshua, we can glean the same power and strength from these words:

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.  Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:6-9 (NLT)(emphasis mine) 

The time to live boldly for God is now.  Choose this day whom you will serve.  For me, there is only one Way.  I can't make this choice for you.  I can only point you in the direction of the Truth.

"But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (NKJV)

Focus.

I wonder if you are like me. . . I often find myself with good intentions that often go awry.  I am highly distractable (insert bright, shiny object here).   

Yet, the word that came to me tonight was "focus."  Like I often do, I looked up the meaning of the word and according to Professor Google, the noun means "the center of interest or activity" or "the state or quality of having or producing clear visual definition."  Let's look at the verb, however.  To focus is to "(of a person or their eyes) adapt to the prevailing level of light and become able to see clearly" or "pay particular attention to."  Hmmm.  As you may have guessed, my interpretation has a slight slant to it. . .

I heard on the radio earlier today that Jesus had developed the habit of obedience.  While I won't explore that concept at this time, I would venture to say that Jesus was, indeed, focused.  In all things, Jesus always prayed for His Father's will (Matthew 6:9-13, John 17:1-26 to quote a sampling).  We might think it was easy for Jesus to pray for God's will on earth, but the Bible clearly tells us that He was tempted in every way that we are today:  "Also, let’s hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son;  because we don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin." (Hebrews 4:14-15, CEB)

So, what is it that kept Jesus from distraction?  He knew His Father's will for Him was far greater than what He could purpose for Himself.  Even as He was fully God, He was fully human as well.  This is why we can have confidence that He knows our every emotion  - good, bad or indifferent. 

So, how do we find the focus that Jesus had?  Is it even possible?  Oh, yes, my dear friend, it is.

Let us turn to the Scripture, the very Word of Life that Jesus embodies:

Psalm 16:5 - LORD, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future. (HCSB)

Psalm 37:5 - Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. (ESV)

Proverbs 3:5-6  - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (ESV)

Proverbs 16:9  - The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (ESV)

Isaiah 43:18-19  - “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (ESV)

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)

1 Corinthians 2:9  - But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (ESV)

Many of these Scriptures may be familiar to you, but let's go back to our word, "focus" so you understand why I am sharing these verses with you.

The definition that struck me was this:  "(of a person or their eyes) [to] adapt to the prevailing level of light and become able to see clearly."  If you are a follower of my blog, you will recall I wrote about "The Eyes With Which We See."  I spoke about viewing our lives through our spiritual eyes versus our natural eyes.  I believe focus is not much different.  We must "adapt to the prevailing level of light and become able to see clearly" but we must be certain of the source of that light.  If it is not God, what is it?  Psalm 119:105 says "Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path."  His Word, God's Word, illuminates the path before us.  So many times we try to hold up the lamp of our own making, a manufactured ideal that we are in charge of where we are going and what we are doing.  Yes, we have been given free choice to choose God or reject Him, but once we have the Holy Spirit living in us, any attempt to deviate from the path of righteousness leaves us frustrated, disappointed and full of regret. 

Believe me, I am not immune to this process.  Again, I am highly distractable.  I often times find myself doing things that waste time and effort and then I kick myself later for doing so.  We are not alone in this.  Even Paul, the greatest apostle that ever lived, told us in Romans 7:15 that "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." (NIV)  So, what did He do? He focused on the right Light.  The Light of Jesus, the Living Word of God.

I know it's hard to take it all in.  I struggle just as you do.  But, we do have a hope in Jesus.  Once we are born again of Him and of His Spirit, we can and will accomplish all that He has predestined us to do.  We may make choices that delay possession of that destined blessing, but in the end, when we hone in on what we have as sons and daughters of the Most High King, the possibilities are endless.

So, perhaps instead of getting all wrapped up in what I am not accomplishing and allowing myself to escape into my distraction of choice, I really should get focused.  But first, I think I'll ask God to give me a peek at His plan for my life. And even if the road ahead requires mud boots and waders, I am confident that the Light I see in the distance will take me to a future that can be nothing short of glorious.

"We are the dreamers of dreams. . ."

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, 

to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." 

Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

We all have a dream.  Sometimes that dream is birthed within us when we are young, before we even have the ability to speak it. Sometimes it comes as we become seasoned in life, fine-tuned and focused.  And then, sometimes the dream changes, morphs, if you will, as we reevaluate and re-purpose ourselves and how we live our lives. One thing is constant, however.  When our dreams are not realized, we tuck them away, or bury them even. And at some point, either a new dream rises in our hearts or the old one resurfaces.

I've been writing since I was a child.  It used to be my outlet for depression and teen angst.  My stories were dark, sometimes haunting and always written from a place of pain.  As I grew older, I stopped writing.  I'd pick it up now and again, journaling, documenting life's events and/or the road I traveled to get to them.  In December of 2015, I felt the call to really write - write from a place of strength, peace, growth and love.  You, my dear reader,  share in the fruit of that labor.  I thank you for reading and sharing in that journey.

Last week, I received a notification that a Christian book publisher was having a writing contest.  I mulled it over and tried to temper my excitement.  God has impressed upon me a book in the last several months and I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could share some of that vision. . ..   So, I wrote.  I wrote and rewrote and prayed and rewrote again. I think I questioned myself and my motives as much as I felt the leading to submit an entry.  God bless my dear friend who read and reread and encouraged and prayed.  Finally, believing God had gave me just the right words (and exactly 3999/4000 characters), I paid my entry fee and hit the "submit" button.

The 48 hours following were nerve-wracking.  Within hours of submitting my piece, I knew it needed to be changed, reworked and part of me wanted to retract it.  And, the waiting!  Oh, the waiting.  I tried to put it out of my head. . .but my flesh could not keep from checking my email a hundred times an hour (ok, that's an exaggeration, but goodness!  The agony of waiting!)

Well, yesterday afternoon, I received the announcement.  As my eyes skimmed the page, I begin to read a familiar title. . . really familiar.  And, then, I saw my name.  I. WON.   Yes.  not only had I won, but I. WON. THE. GRAND. PRIZE.  Tears immediately burst from my eyes and I couldn't breathe.  A mixture of unbelief and joy flooded my mind and heart and my body began to shake.  God had birthed a dream in my heart, given me a vision and the words, and then provided "infinitely more than [I] might ask or think."  My husband and daughter were caught off guard as I had submitted the piece unbeknownst to them.  I think I shed tears of joy, fear, shock and a host of other emotions for at least an hour.

 I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't excited.  I'd be lying to you if I didn't tell you that I have been overcome with fear, dread, and worry.  What if I dishonor my Lord?  I already know that the content will change.  What if. . . what if. .. and then, the warfare begins.  Did I disappoint people?  Am I being humble enough?  What have I really gotten myself into?

While the swarm of emotions attempts to steal my joy (and has almost been successful), I am reminded that even if I am in error, God's favor stills rests upon me. No matter what happens in the future  - whether I actually write and publish a book or am lead down another path - God loves me. He REALLY loves me.  I know that He didn't allow this to happen so I'd feel good about me.  I'm to feel good about GOD in me, working through me, on a day to day basis and by the power of His grace and mercy, I can move according to His will and in His power alone.  Even if I made a mistake in my thinking and hence in my writing, I praise God that I know it and that I can have confidence that He will shield those who read it from being affected by what I now know to be different.

God is exceedingly able to bring our dreams back to life.  He is exceedingly able to give us the desires of our hearts. . if and when they align with His will. 

  Take delight in the Lord,  and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Psalm 37:4 

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

As I take it all in, a strange voice echoes in my mind. .. Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka who declared in the face of sarcastic criticism "We are the music makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams,. . ."  The line is actually the beginning of a poem entitled "Ode" by  English poet Arthur O'Shaughnessy.

We are the music makers,  

And we are the dreamers of dreams

Wandering by lone sea-breakers,

And sitting by desolate streams;—

World-losers and world-forsakers,

On whom the pale moon gleams:

Yet we are the movers and shakers

Of the world for ever, it seems.

Isn't that true?  We are not of this world!  God's Word tells us that we are to live in the world but not of it!

And, then, Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.   1 Peter 2:10-12 (NLT) 

I also hear the voice of my pastor speaking about "Dream Provokers" and how necessary the both the cheerleaders and the naysayers are to the success of our journey. 

"If God wants you to do something with your life, He will send a dream provoker." - Pastor Marcus Mecum,  7 Hills Church.

Pastor reminded us that without the dream provokers in our lives, we won't be stretched, challenged and determined to achieve much more than that for which we've settled.

So, here's my charge to you. . .DREAM BIG.  Allow God to so move in your mind, heart and soul that you can start to see the vision in clear focus and hear it calling to you.  Be strong and courageous!  If you take a minute to read my short piece, you'll see that we are given the command to be strong and courageous!  It's not an option, but a directive!  Allow the God of all creation to create in you dreams beyond your wildest imaginings and then believe Him to deliver. . . and be prepared for a blessing beyond measure. 

To read my contest entry along with those who have also won, please visit https://www.xulonpress.com/writing_contest/page/winners

photo courtesy of http://akadesign.ca/

Blessing in the Brokenness

For those of you who know me, my story may or may not be familiar to you.  I write because I am now at liberty to do so.  And, now, I can share why I have that liberty.  The journey is not over yet, as I am constantly being reminded that there is "Blessing in the Brokenness". . . 

"Broken"              

adjective bro·ken \ˈbrō-kən\

: separated into parts or pieces by being hit, damaged, etc.

: not working properly

: not kept or honored[1]

Broken.  Ponder that word for a minute.  What does it mean to be broken?  Have we ever really looked at that word?  It's definition seems so simple if we apply it to an object or a promise. 

But, what does it really mean to be broken?  Have you ever lived in that place?  What does brokenness look like?  I can tell you.  I used to live there.

Twenty-two months ago, almost to the day, I was broken.  Not just broken, but shattered.  My heart in a million pieces, I walked out of my house, said goodbye to my then six-year old daughter, and just walked away.  I turned my cell phone location services off and then on again.  I turned the cell phone off and on again.  Tears streaming down my face, all I could think of was does my daughter know how much I love her?  Will they tell her?  Will he, speaking of my husband, equally in a place of brokenness, tell her that I love her?  I just walked and cried.   My heart cried out to God, who seemed so far away.  My body moved forward towards the local hospital, the only destination I could focus on that could possibly bring me healing. I texted my husband.  I called my best friend, whom I could not immediately reach.  Moved forward by desperation, I walked 4.3 miles before my husband finally came to pick me up.  And, the sight of my precious daughter running out to me sent my grief deeper into my soul.  Numbly, I walked back to the van and climbed in.  Soon, my best friend called and before I knew it, she was sitting in my living room and then I was sitting in the emergency room on a 72-hour mandatory psychiatric hold.  I don't remember how long it was before the social worker, larger than life on the television screen before me, released me to her care.  As I walked out with her, all I knew was that I didn't know what would happen next and I felt nothing but despair.

The one conscious thought I had was to make a phone call to my husband's best friend. I thought I was calling for my husband, to ensure someone was there for him.  But little did I know how that one phone call would be the beginning of a journey that I can describe as nothing short of miraculous.  The door to the Ministry Of Miracles was opening to me and I didn't even know it.

Our dear friend followed in obedience and made a phone call.  This phone call lead to my husband making a phone call, then another.  And, finally, the instruction came to me.  "I want you to pray about when, not if, you are going to call Bari.  When, Michelle, not if.  Rob has already spoken to her.  She would like to speak to you, too."  I agreed to pray, nothing more.  It's all I could agree to.  Yet, praying seemed so shallow and fruitless. 

But, oh, my Father in Heaven still heard.  He heard the prayers of my husband and our friends and my first call was made two days later on a Saturday night.  "How are you feeling, Michelle?" said a cheerful, but confident voice on the other end of the line.  "Anxious," I said.  "No, you aren't feeling anxious.  You're feeling dread."  How did she know? It was like she could look through the phone directly into my soul.  I tried to shrink further into myself, arms crossed and on the defensive.  But, something pulled me out of that posture.  Someone.  Not just the voice on the other end of the line, but Someone bigger than the two of us.  SURRENDER.  I will never forget writing that word, while laying on my stomach like a teenager, and smiling and laughing.  A new work had begun and my world started to change. 

Today, I walk in liberty.  I stand tall as a Daughter of Zion, a Daughter of the Most High King, a Daughter of Destiny. But this is not just any destiny.  It is a powerful, purpose-filled Destiny that was created before the Earth was formed and my heart existed to possess it.  Today I am rooted in the Living Water that gives me life, the very breath I breathe given to me by the Holy Spirit, poured out over the hours upon hours of counsel, instruction and revelation through the Ministry Of Miracles' principle, Bari.  Strongholds have been broken.  I no longer live with a shattered heart. The chains that once bound me lie scattered behind me.  No longer an empty vessel, the clay from which I was formed has been reshaped and renewed and it now holds the blessings of being raised up and out of captivity.  The scales have long since been removed my eyes and I walk in the light of God's perfect love, perfected in His righteousness, only made possible by Jesus' death and resurrection.  Words simply are not adequate to describe the healing that has mended the broken places in my life. 

Oh, but the blessings were not reserved just for me.  My husband has received counsel and instruction and walks in greater freedom than ever before.  My daughter instantly bonded to Bari and grows closer to God with each passing day.  Gone are the damaged places that kept us in bondage. Hearts and minds that were once under oppression and not working properly, freed and full of life and joy.  No longer are we wounded, living in a fog, feeling dishonored, for we live in the reality of the blessing and honor we receive as children of our loving Heavenly Father. 

Romans 8:9 - 17 says:

"But you, you do not identify with your old nature but with the Spirit - provided the Spirit of God is living inside you, for anyone who doesn't have the Spirit of the Messiah doesn't belong to him. However, if the Messiah is in you, then, on the one hand, the body is dead because of sin; but, on the other hand, the Spirit is giving life because God considers you righteous. And if the Spirit of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead is living in you, then the One who raised the Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you. So then, brothers, we don't owe a thing to our old nature that would require us to live according to our old nature. For if you live according to your old nature, you will certainly die; but if, by the Spirit, you keep putting to death the practices of the body, you will live. All who are led by God's Spirit are God's sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!").  The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God; and if we are children, then we are also heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Messiah - provided we are suffering with him in order also to be glorified with him."[2]

Let's go back to that word, "broken."  Brokenness can be and is used by God.  Brokenness is necessary to the process of restoration.  Without being broken, we do not see the hidden places where anger, shame, bitterness, pain and sin hide.  Only when we are broken, can something new and beautiful be revealed.  A diamond's brilliance is not revealed until it has been broken from the layers of rock around it.  On the outside it is ugly and course, but once revealed and refined, we see it for what it really is - beautiful and precious.  Are we not God's precious jewels, born into an ugly and sinful world?  Reread Romans 8:9-17.  We are precious in the eyes of our Abba, Father, who sent His only Son to die a brutal death but was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit to give us new life.  This new life must be born out of the brokenness that exists deep within our souls, the very brokenness that serves as the fertile ground on which the Holy Spirit cultivates and develops the roots that connect us to the Vine and sustains our lives.

Our blessings came not in place of, but because of and through the brokenness.  I needed to be broken for the Father to bring me to the Ministry Of Miracles.  I needed to be broken further in order to break free of the chains that bound me to the pain of my past.  The deepening bond of my heart to the Father's through the firm, yet gentle voice of Bari had to (and continues to) come as the Holy Spirit works in the depths of my soul through our calls.  And, oh, the overflowing joy!  The laughter and sharing as the Lord healed the hidden places in my husband and me over the last twenty-two months are beautiful and precious.  A song born in my daughter's heart, resonates within me as I reflect upon how even she has been reshaped and renewed though so young.

There is no shame in being broken.  For it is only when we are broken and humbled that we become teachable.  And, when we are teachable, the yearning in our souls is satisfied with the manna from Heaven, the Word made flesh, Jesus.  We can then enter His courts with praise and sing "Holy, holy, holy is ADONAI, God of heaven's armies the One who was, who is and who is coming!" (Revelation 4:8).[3]

Walk through the door.  The Father is waiting.  The Spirit is drawing.  The Ministry Of Miracles is the Ministry of the Miraculous.  I am living proof.  And, I praise Him with all that I am. 

For more information on the Ministry of Miracles, please visit www.ministryofmiracles.org.

[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broken

[2] http://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/romans/8.html

[3] http://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/revelation/4.html

It's okay to be weak.

In the last several posts, I have championed strength.  As a matter of fact, I'm in the middle of another Spirit-filled post about victory.  However, as I reflected today on the weakness I have in my physical body (courtesy of this season's version of "flu"), I realized, it's okay to feel weak and vulnerable and still have strength within you.

Many of us have quoted Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9  (I have often quoted it, myself):

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 

But oftentimes, we leave out verse 10, which completes Paul's thought:

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

So what does it mean to be weak?  Is it a negative thing?  Perhaps by the world's standards.   Professor Google defines the term as "(1) lacking the power to perform physically demanding tasks; lacking physical strength and energy, or (2) liable to break or give way under pressure; easily damaged."  In society, showing mercy is considered weak, being honest can make you the "weak link," and being physically lacking often is used to describe a person as a whole as "weak."

But, if being weak is lacking in the world, how much more is it desired in the Kingdom of God?

If we are not weak (vulnerable), we cannot be broken and molded.

Jeremiah 3-4:

So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. "And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the Lord came to me:  “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

If we are not weak, we cannot we be restored and made whole.

Luke 5:5-9 

One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.  When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”  “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!

If we are not weak (vulnerable), our hearts cannot be open to God's plan:

Luke 1:35-38

"And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her."

Yes, God's mighty power is made greater in our weakness, but perhaps it's when we are willing to be weak, that God can do His greatest work in and through us.  As I have written before, it is through surrender that we gain our greatest blessings and power.  When "we end," Christ begins!  It is in and through right standing in God that we have the ability to tap into our inheritance in Christ.  And, Christ freely gave that right to us at His most vulnerable point in life, His death on the cross.

Strength in Christ is essential and being a warrior in God's army requires a lot of spiritual fortitude.  Yet, even warriors must show their weaknesses from time to time.  It's how truces are made.  Yet, they never lose their edge, their confidence, their readiness, or their focus.  Instead, they let the softer side of themselves be used for a greater purpose. 

Whatever weakness you find yourself in today, rest in knowing that God's grace is sufficient for you and He will carry you forth as long as you take the time to rest in His loving kindness and let Him turn your weakness into His glory.  

Failure is not an option!

Have you ever had that feeling that you if you just had one more day, one more hour, one more ounce of "umpf" in your step, that you could reach your final destination or goal?  I know I do.  I've had so many thoughts swirling around in my head, ideas, inclinations, and yet, the Lord impressed upon me to think on the story of Joshua and the City of Jericho.

We all know the story.  God told Joshua that Jericho was His.  He gave Joshua instructions on how to conquer the city (see Joshua 6).  The familiar children's hymn comes to mind, "Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho.  Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the walls came a-tumbling down."

The thought occurred to me, what if Joshua hadn't completed the full seven marches around the city over the course of seven days?   What if he stopped just short of the finish line?  Would the walls still have fallen down?  Would the annals of history been the same? 

While I could amuse myself with the possible alternate outcomes, the bottom line is this:  we will never know.  My gut feeling is that the walls wouldn't have come "a-tumbling down."  In fact, I don't believe that the Lord would have allowed Joshua to fail.  I think He would have given Joshua a good talking-to and sent him to finish what he had begun.  I don't believe that failure was an option for Joshua.  And it's not an option for you or I either.

I can hear some of you of saying, that's ridiculous!  Failure just happens. It's how we learn. Didn't Edison prove that with the light bulb?  However, I would tell you that we are not talking about the same thing.

I know I've written before about knowing who we are in Christ.  Our identity in Him is the foundation upon which we build our lives.    If we do not know who we are, we cannot accomplish our purpose.  And we cannot be without purpose.   Purpose is what drives us to succeed.   We fail when we do not know how to succeed.  But, we have been given everything we need to have victory in life.

Paul said in Hebrews 12:1-4

So then, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us, too, put aside every impediment — that is, the sin which easily hampers our forward movement — and keep running with endurance in the contest set before us,  looking away to the Initiator and Completer of that trusting, Yeshua — who, in exchange for obtaining the joy set before him, endured execution on a stake as a criminal, scorning the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Yes, think about him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you won’t grow tired or become despondent.  You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in the contest against sin.

I have to be honest.  I have read that Scripture multiple times, but as I was just reading it again, I saw something that struck me differently this time.  "...put aside every impediment — that is, the sin which easily hampers our forward movement — and keep running with endurance in the contest set before us,  looking away to the Initiator and Completer of that trusting..."  What is it that hampers our forward movement?  Sin.  What sin, you ask?  Any.  Sin is sin.  Whether we believe our sin to be "little" or "big," it's all the same to God.  But, there is something else.  Whom do we look to? ”. . . to the Initiator and Completer of that trusting..."   Our forward movement is entirely dependent on our trust in God. (check out my post here for more on that subject)  Without our trust in Him, we are merely stopping short of what we are called to do and the fulfillment of all that God has purposed for us 

Joshua put his trust in God.  He took of his shoes.  (Joshua 5:15).  In biblical times, removal of your shoes was to give up your authority over yourself.  It was a complete act of submission.  Not only did Joshua obey, but he trusted God for the future.  His declaration is probably  hanging in your home or in the very least, you have recited it over your family:  "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!" (Joshua 24:15) But what would have happened if Joshua hadn't had enough faith in the God of his ancestors to complete the assignment at Jericho?  Would we still have that declaration to speak over our homes today?

Joshua understood the importance of moving forward in God.  He didn't question the command to march around the city.  He trusted and obeyed (more on that here).  It took a lot of faith to take a city without an embroiling battle.  For a warrior of God, marching in silence had to be difficult to do.  Yet, we are called to move forward in faith.   Jesus didn't die on the cross so you and I could stand by and be idle!  Blessings need our participation to come to fruition!  We must complete the assignment as it is given, and not stop just short because we can't see the outcome.  We have to believe that God's outcome is far better than what we hope for and perseverance will pay off!  So often we stop just one or two steps from our being able to sound the trumpet of victory and we never even know just how close we've come.

". . . Keep running with endurance. . ."  Keep on marching around your Jericho.  You have everything you need to succeed inside you! 

Failure is not an option in God.  Our victories have already been won.  It's up to us to claim them.