Under Attack

We recently sent out a newsletter to our friends and family updating them on everything going on with our family and Liberia. In that newsletter, there was a quote by an unknown author that reads:

“Faith can move mountains, but don’t be surprised when 

God puts a shovel in your hands!”

We all will face mountains in our lives, some small, some big, and some astronomical. Whatever the case, we are never ill-equipped for those mountains, even though, at times, it may feel as if we are. The mountains in our lives are no surprise to the Lord. He knew they were coming. He has the tools we need to conquer those mountains. The Lord equips us with everything we need to face our mountains.  

As you know, my family has been called to the mission field of Liberia, West Africa. We have spent the last year traveling the United States raising funds and I am excited to announce that in one short month from now we will depart for this sweet country. As we have been diligently packing bags and applying for visas, satan has been setting siege to our family. My extended family has undergone a flood of attacks some of which include heart attacks, car accidents, dog bites and our most recent news a diagnosis of muscular sclerosis (MS). Part of me is outraged, the other part of me just has to chuckle because the attacks only mean one thing, we have satan so upset and in such a state of panic that he has no other choice but to throw a temper tantrum. Please don’t get me wrong, I am in no way happy that my family is under heavy attacks from the enemy. But I am reminded of the words of Paul: 

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. And perseverance must  finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

I can either choose to ignore this passage and get angry and bitter, or I can stand on the word of God and know that coming out the other side of these things, my family and I will not be lacking anything. I much prefer standing on the fact that we will be made mature and complete and not be lacking a single solitary thing.  

As I have been praying about all these situations, I asked the Lord “why?” (Yes, I know, faith is the crucifixion of the question why, but I believe that sometimes a heart can ask this question in a truly honoring way.) The response I got back was “in order for your faith to grow.” If the Lord simply takes away the attacks before we have to walk through the trial, what have we gained, how has our faith grown? I am a firm believer that the Lord will put a shovel in our hands in order to not only move the mountain but to build our faith in the process. 

Quite a while ago I read a devotional from “Our Daily Bread” that talked about a man who was in desperate need to have access to hospital care for his wife. (Please note that this story was coming from a time before there was access to planes and cars.) The only way to get to the hospital was to go over a mountain that lay between his village and the hospital. As the man frantically attempted to get his wife safely to the other side she passed away before he could get her the help she needed. Upon returning home he had determined that he would make a way to have faster access to the hospital for others. After much deliberation, he began to dig. The townspeople assumed that the death of his wife had caused him to lose his mind. However, despite their best efforts, they could not convince him to stop digging. As the weeks and months went on, people in the town began to understand the need to have access to medical care. Little by little, they began to join in the digging. And after several years of digging day in and day out, a tunnel had been dug through that mountain!

Our faith starts out as a mustard seed, but this does not mean that God wants it to stay that size. He will ask us at times to put in some blood, sweat, and tears in order for our faith to grow. Our faith must be made “mature and complete” in order for us not to lack anything. As my family remains under attack I take comfort in knowing that despite satan’s best efforts to shipwreck our faith, we persevere. Our faith may start out as a mustard seed, but with stubborn perseverance, it will grow! 

Related posts: The School of Trial, Falling Into Place, Touching The Hem Of His Garment, My By Faith Shoes

Heavenly Father, you know the needs of our hearts. You know the trials and mountains that we face. Thank you that your plans are to give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11) in the midst of our mountains. Things might not go according to our plans, but our trials and struggles never surprise you. You saw them coming long before we did. Give us this day the things we need to accomplish today’s mountains or even today’s section of the mountain. Help us to remember that just because our mountains get bigger, does not mean you love us less. Your love is not a yo-yo, up one day and down the next. Please solidify in our spirits that our mountains are not an instrument to measure your love for us. Lord, seal all these things upon our hearts in Jesus precious name.

Christian Bondage?

We should not be fooled; Christians can be as much in bondage as those who do not know Christ and in some cases even more so. The devil is out to rob kill and destroy (John 10:10).  The very second we say yes to Christ we inherit a target on our backs. We become marked. When we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we gain all power and authority leaving the devil no choice but to attack. If we are not ready and aware of his schemes we can find ourselves more bound than free. So, yes, there are times when even Christians need freedom from the chains that the enemy is trying to desperately entangle us in. Satan does not desire to watch us thrive in the kingdom. He desires to watch us fail and with flying colors, might I add, so that we can become a walking advertisement for why Christianity might not be such a great idea. Satan is not out solely to rob kill and destroy us as individuals, but he is hoping that by our bondage we will bring others down with us. What a tangled web Satan desires to weave. 

How do we know that we are being held in bondage? How would we even begin to recognize the schemes of the enemy?
I am currently working through a book, for the second time, that brings some clarity to these questions. The book is entitled “Breaking Free” by Beth Moore. I will be the first to admit that sometimes we need to review things several times before freedom can come, and other times we are simply facing new battles. Between these two reasons, I decided to read through this book again.

Beth Moore states... 
“A Christian is held captive by anything that hinders the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life God has planned for him or her.”
Anything that holds us back from fulfilling God’s plans and purposes for our lives is bondage. I believe God has a good, pleasing and perfect will for our lives (Romans 12:2). But in our times of unyielding to that still small voice, we sacrifice that good, pleasing and perfect will. We can find ourselves listening to the voice of reason instead of the voice of the Shepherd. There will always be two voices, which one are we listening to?

As I continue to read through “Breaking Free” I am sure the Lord will pursue my heart and reveal areas of bondage, areas that need to be surrendered. I know that only by God’s revealing and my yielding will I be able to become more like Christ with each drop of the chain. 

Related posts on this subject: Time To Wage War, A Clean Cup

Father, thank you for showing me that there are areas in my life that I have held me back from the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life you desire for me. Help me to recognize those bondages clearly and surrender those areas to you so that I can live in freedom. Give each of us the spiritual eyes and discernment we need to recognize satan's schemes and to deal with them quickly so we do not find ourselves in chains. We ask these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ. 

What's Your Thorn?

Over a year ago I wrote a blog post entitled “Worthy To Be Praised.” In that post, I shared briefly on the topic of Paul’s thorn in his side. I had mentioned that perhaps Paul’s thorn was some form of physical pain (although, this is not clearly stated in scripture). Whatever the thorn was, be it physical pain or not, it was something Paul was continually dealing with, something he had to keep in a crucified state and laid down at the feet of Jesus. Today I would like us to take a look at this thorn, this continual struggle that needs to be crucified on a daily, hourly or even a minute by minute bases.    

Roses and thorns
In the plant world, roses were created with thorns. God made them that way on purpose, not to harm the rose, but to protect it. I want us to think about this concept just for a moment...the very thing that brings pain to a predator (the thorn) is the very thing that brings life and protection to the rose. I find it ironic that our hardest struggles can sometimes turn out to be our saving grace, and our Heavenly Father ingeniously designed it that way. The very sin that trips us up time and time again can sometimes be the very thing God uses to bring about the growth and protection of a beautiful rose. Please don’t misunderstand me here, I’m not saying God created sin in our lives for our protection. But I am saying that sometimes I think God allows us to have our own way and walk in our own struggles long enough for us to blossom from them. Sometimes God will use our struggles to bring about something so exquisite that we never could have predicted the full extent of its beauty. This is why we can claim “all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

I was out walking with my husband the other day and as he was talking about the topic of pride, the Lord began to drop in my spirit… “that is your thorn.” I had to do a double take for just a quick second, and then I began to realize that all of my issues with self-esteem boils down to this five letter word. PRIDE. God had placed a finger on it. Now, the question remained what was I going to do with it? I believe we all have to deal with some level of pride, and keeping it in a dead state. However, I am learning that, for me personally, it is requiring way more work on my part. God is not going to take away this battle of pride in my life. He has allowed it to stick around as a continual reminder to me to stay focused on him. The extent to which I can lay down my pride (aka: my self-esteem issues) is the extent to which I will blossom. In other words, the thorn is there so my rose can come forth. Without the sweat equity required by the thorn, the blossom will not be protected. If I continue to be lead by my self-conscience nature, I will never see my rose.

So, I find myself brought back around the mountain, yet again, to wage war. But this time, I understand a little better why my battle seems to keep cropping up. When I wrote my post entitled “Time To Wage War” I wrote from the standpoint that this thing was going to flee and never return. In some cases that is exactly the standpoint we must take in order to see change. However, I feel as if the Lord has changed my thinking a bit on this particular area of my life. When the Lord said “that is your thorn.” I believe He was showing me that I will always face this battle. In knowing that piece of information, I can now fight just a little different. I do not believe this information was shown to me so I can throw up my arms and give up. However, I think the Lord chose to share this so my fighting could be adjusted for a marathon rather than a sprint, for a lifetime rather than a moment in time. It has made a difference knowing the duration of time I have been called to fight this battle. It has put my mind to rest just knowing that it’s okay for me to struggle with this issue because it is my protection for the rose God has in my life. Believe me, coming from someone whose sin of self-consciousness has deeply entangled her at times, my mind has been truly calmed by knowing that my continual battle with this will bring about my own protection in the end. The Lord never ceases to amaze me in the intriguing ways he weaves our deepest hurts, struggles and hardships to bring about the highest honor and glory for His name.  In our weakness, He is strong! (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Call to action
What is your thorn? What is the thing in your life that Christ is continually putting His finger on that will bring about your very protection in the end if you willingly and faithfully lay it at His feet? May I be so bold as to encourage you to seek out your thorn. Ask the Lord what it is that you will be expected to battle with for the rest of your life, not as a form of discouragement, but as a source of relief in knowing where your protection is coming from. May we all have the courage to ask the Lord to reveal our thorn.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for thorns. I thank you that our very struggles are the things you use to display your strength. May you reveal to our hearts the specific struggle that we will face for a lifetime so that your honor and glory can come forth like a rose! Thank you that your ways are higher than our ways. We ask all this in Jesus name.

Being Ready

There are two main passages of scripture I would like for us to take a look at today, but because of their length, I will not be inserting them directly into this post. Please click on the links and you will be redirected to Biblia.com where you will be able to read each section of scripture pertaining to today’s post.

Matthew 25:1-13
The 10 virgins - 5 were prepared and ready, with extra oil, 5 were not. Those who were not ready missed the bridegroom entirely. 

Matthew 26:36-45
Jesus asked His disciples to keep watch and pray. However, they could not keep their eyes open and kept falling asleep.

We are much like the disciples who grew tired and the 5 virgins who grew lackadaisical in their desire to see Christ, in turn, causing them to be unprepared for Christ’s return. We need to recognize that God is not calling us to a spiritual sprint, but rather to a spiritual marathon battle. 

Several months ago, attended an intercessory prayer meeting. The entire goal of the meeting was to seek the face of God for revival, unity, and healing for this divided and broken nation. The portion of the meeting I was able to attend lasted just over six hours. I found it truly interesting just how many times I had to continually refocus my attention back on Christ. I found myself drifting away into thoughts of how tired I was. In those moments of my non-engagement, I realized I was nothing more than an unprepared virgin and a sleepy disciple. It’s hard work to keep our attention on the face of Christ. This is the very reason why He calls us to these types of intense times of intercession. Jesus knows that it is a true sacrifice of our flesh. Our flesh can always come up with a million other things that it could be doing that seems to be more fun than interceding for a lost and dying nation, but the fact of the matter is this, if we don’t, who will?

The burning of my heart has always been for the lost, but lately, it seems more urgent and more desperate. I am not one who has studied out the “end times,” but all I know is that there is a groaning in the spirit realm. The heavens are roaring for God’s people to rise up and take hold of the altar, to storm the gates of hell for the unsaved! The breaking of God’s heart can be heard in the spirit realm. It’s like a woman in labor screaming in pain, desiring so desperately to see her baby in her arms. God desires so deeply to see a generation who will rise up and stand for righteousness, not grow weary in well doing, but to reap a harvest. We will never reap a harvest by warming a pew! What are we doing about it? Are we shaking heaven, or are we being shaken up by the storms we see raging around us? We need to grab hold of Christ, keep our eyes focused on His face and He will never let us down! The heavens are calling us to wage war like no other time before! As we look around us we see our culture making a drastic shift towards unrighteousness. Why does it seem like we are seeing people frantically sprinting toward hell convinced that they are racing towards heaven? I’m not sure I have the answer to this question, but I know that we, as born-again Christians, have an immense responsibility toward these people. We have sat back and watched too many people go to the grave only to spend eternity separated from their maker with little to no regard for them. When are we going to learn that sitting back was never meant to be something we are to be lukewarm about? The condition of people’s souls is something that will affect them for eternity. 

It is a scary thought to think that we are all going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) and give an account for the life that we have lived here on earth. Are we going to hear, well done good and faithful servant, or will the Father ask us about each and every person He placed in our path that we just let walk away without uttering a word, with no regard to the eternal implications? We don’t make the decision of who goes to heaven and who doesn’t, but we can make the decision whether or not those around us will hear about heaven from us. Silence is the gravest of sins in these final days. As Christians, we hold the words of life and death on the tips of our tongues. For some people in our paths, our silence is like us sentencing them to death. For some, we may very well have been their chance at heaven. Eternity is too big a thing to risk staying silent about. 

Prepare your oil, be ready to stay awake in the dead of night when Christ calls you to the prayer room. We do not know whose lives we will be able to save all because we were ready.

Heavenly Father, we know that your heart breaks for the most vilest of sinners! Give us the desire to get ourselves into a position of readiness. Help us to speak life to those around us. We know there is a sense of urgency in the spirit realm. Let us not grow weary or lukewarm, but rather to be steadfast and blazing hot for the things of your kingdom. We ask these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ.

A Quarrelsome Wife

I came across these two verses in Proverbs about a quarrelsome wife and it got me thinking. I wanted to share with you my thoughts and a little bit about some things I have discovered along the way.

 “A foolish child is a father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof.” Proverbs 19:13

“ A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand. ” Proverbs 27:15-16

Quarrelsome means to be argumentative, contentious,the tendency to cause disagreement or strife. Someone who is quarrelsome likes to be right, and feels the need to get the last word in or come out with the upper hand in a situation of tension. At first glance of this definition, I would be pretty quick to say I am nowhere near a quarrelsome wife. However, as I look at these phrases like… “likes to be right”, “come out with the upper hand.” Yeah, I can see that there is a tendency for me to be quarrelsome, especially in the moments when I’m feeling weak and vulnerable already.

Have you ever seen the reaction of a hurt wild animal when someone tries to help them? Their natural tendency is to fight. Why? Because in their minds they don’t want to get hurt worse than they already are. It’s their defense mechanism kicking in. They are trying to protect themselves, but what they fail to understand is that in reality, they are pushing away the very hand that is trying to help them heal. I am wired much like that wild animal, especially in those moments when I am already hurting from something else. My defense mechanism kicks in and I become the quarrelsome wife that scripture talks about. My insecurities get the upper hand and I fight back. Can anyone relate, or is it just me? I’m guessing there are probably a few of you who become quarrelsome when your husband puts a finger on your already hurting wound. Here is what I fail to remember in those moments. My husband is not my enemy. He is the hand that is trying to help bring healing and I am pushing him away by being quarrelsome. 

If we take a look at Proverbs 19:13 and Proverbs 27:15 closer, they both say that a quarrelsome wife becomes like a constant dripping. Have you ever had a dripping sink? How about the sound of a toilet that just keeps running and does not shut off? Does it irritate you? It drives my husband insane! He absolutely hates those continuous sounds that don’t let up. And yet the word of God says I am that type of irritant to my husband when I am quarrelsome. Proverbs 27:16 says restraining a quarrelsome wife is as difficult as catching the wind or holding oil in the hands. Both of these things are about impossible to contain. Thank goodness we serve a God of the impossible!   

Our Heavenly Father is so gracious with us. Not only has He sent us husbands to help us learn, but He is so patient with us in this process of learning. Even though our husbands may grow impatient with us, we serve a God who has a detailed roadmap for us to follow and is patiently helping us navigate our way through the wounds and scars of life. How do we combat the mindset of a quarrelsome wife, especially in those moments we think we are right and our husbands are in the wrong?

Admit and Lay it down
We must be willing to admit when we are being quarrelsome before we can ever hope to overcome the constant dripping in our husband’s ears. The very moment we notice this creeping in we need to run to the feet of Jesus and ask for His help and wisdom. We can not cut the bonds of being quarrelsome without Him!

Be quick to listen and slow to speak
James 1:19-12 says... “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” We are never going to solve our problems by arguing them away, all this will bring is destruction. If we truly desire to see our situations transformed, then that transformation must happen in us first. From the overflow of a changed heart, will flow a desire in others to change will inevitably become contagious.

Select our words carefully
Part of being slow to speak means that we take the time to think about how our words will affect the heart and mind of the one we are speaking them to. Will our words bring life or destruction, joy or pain, peace or turmoil? Scripture tells us to... “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11. If it is not encouraging, it should probably not be said.

Choose the appropriate tone of voice
It’s not just the words we say that speak volumes, it is the tone in which we say them, our body language as they roll off our lips and our and our overall demeanor as we speak that will penetrate the heart. We can say all the right words and still come across as a quarrelsome wife with our tone, body language, and demeanor. Yep, I can definitely relate to this one! There have been many moments I have shared things with my husband and they were not received well, all because I shared them in the wrong tone and demeanor. Scripture tells us that… “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 

Pick the ideal time
Not every moment is the right moment to discuss challenging situations with our husbands. When he walks in the door from a long day at work, it is not the right time! We as wives need to be sensitive to his needs as well. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4. When we are able to decipher when it is a good time and when it is not a good time to discuss challenges we will be able to keep ourselves from becoming a quarrelsome wife. 

“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” Proverbs 14:1. I believe we become a wise woman when we communicate with the proper tone, body language, and demeanor. I also think that a wise woman is able to discern the proper timing to discuss difficult situations. By doing these things we build our house and in turn it keeps us from being a quarrelsome woman who tears down their house.

Approach with a heart of love, compassion, and humility 
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2
 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
In order for us to even begin to communicate with the proper tone, body language and demeanor, and to discern the best time to share, we must first operate from a place of love, compassion, and humility. That’s the bottom line here, when we keep ourselves humble, compassionate and overflowing with love, then it will be much easier to guard ourselves against being a quarrelsome wife. I don’t know about you, but this is challenging at times. My selfish nature wants its way something fierce at times and I’m ashamed to admit it, but my husband ends up with the quarrelsome wife when he should be getting the one filled with love, compassion, and humility.

Heavenly Father, you know the struggles we face at times. Our selfish nature crops in on us and our poor husbands get the complete opposite of what they should be getting. I pray that you help us to recognize when we are being quarrelsome and run to your feet immediately. Help us to hold our tongues, to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Guide our tongues to the right words to say, the proper tone, body language and demeanor in which we convey them. Give us wisdom in when to share and above all else fill us with your love, compassion, and humility. We ask all these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ. 

References used: Crosswalk.com, gotquestions.org 

Do you love me?

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
John 21: 15-17

I find it interesting in this passage of scripture that Jesus would ask Peter three times in a row if he loved Him. As you study out the original Greek and Hebrew of this word love you realize why. In the English language we just have one word for love, but many definitions, or expressions of the word love. However, in the Greek, there are six different words for love with six very distinct meanings and expressions. In the Hebrew, they have three different words for love, each conveying a very different weight and connotation to it. I feel like the original language does a better job of helping us to see into the heart of Peter in this passage better than our current English translation can. 

The original Greek
I wanted to take some time and examine the Greek words used in this passage. When Jesus asks Peter the first time if he loves Him (vs 15). That word love in the Greek is agape. This word carries a unique weight to it because it is the word used in scripture time and time again to describe the way God loves. Agape love is an all-consuming passion for the well being of the one being loved. It is a love that esteems, elevates, prizes, and delights in others expecting nothing in return. It keeps loving when the love is not reciprocated when the one being loved is unkind, unlovable, unworthy and rejecting the love being given. It is an unconditional love that only desires the best for the one being loved and nothing less. Doesn’t that just sound like our Heavenly Father? Agape love is God. That is the very definition of who He is. Agape love is how He loves us! 

Now that we understand the weight associated with this word agape, let’s return to Peter. When Jesus asks “do you agape me?” I can just picture Peter squirming a bit and somewhat getting defensive as he answers… “you know I love you.” But here is where it gets interesting. Peter does not respond with the word agape. He responds with a completely different word for love and he says... “you know I “philos” you Lord.” 

This word philos has an entirely different meaning and carries a much lighter weight than the word agape. It is a word that means brotherly love, a friendship kind of love. It is a fondness or a liking for another person. I read one definition that actually went as far as to say that this type of love can collapse in times of crisis. When I read this it made me stop and wonder if Peter was unknowingly foreshadowing his coming denial of knowing Jesus (Luke 22:54-71) when he said... of course I philos you, Lord. 

If we keep reading Jesus asks Peter a second time “do you truly agape me?” Again, I can picture Peter still squirming and feeling a bit perturbed with Jesus’ questioning… “Yes, Lord, you know that I philo you.” Now, for a second time in a row, Peter did not answer with the same word. I wonder if that word agape had such weight in the original Greek that it was too much for Peter to even speak? 

Finally, Jesus asked Peter a third time if he loved Him, but this time instead of agape He used philo, love of the friendship variety, a brotherly kind of love. Peter again replied with… “you know that I philo you.” Finally, Peter’s answer was lining up with Jesus’ question!

I don’t believe Jesus was trying to exasperate Peter here by repeating the same question over and over again, but I do believe Jesus was trying to make a point. We serve a God that loves us with an all-consuming kind of love, a love that cannot be broken, weakened or taken away. What Christ was showing here is His desire for us to love Him with that level of passion. As I studied this out I found myself asking...Do I really agape the Lord? Do I really love Christ in the manner He desires for me to love Him? God desires an all in composing, all-consuming kind of agape love. Do I even remotely give that type of love to Him or is it more of the friendship variety?
Just like Peter, I can honestly say that I absolutely philo the Lord, but agape Him is a whole new dimension, one that I wonder if I have remotely come close to.  

Call to action
How about you? Do you love the Lord with the weight of an agape kind of love, or does it lean more towards the philo or friendship type? I know there are some of us out there who can honestly answer that we love the Lord in an all-encompassing, all-consuming agape type of love. But for those of us whose love for the Lord leans more towards the philos variety, we have some work to do.  I wish I could say I have answers for moving from one level of love to another, but I do not. I will be seeking the Lord to reveal to my heart how to make that transition. I am just thankful that the Lord brought me to a place where I noticed there was a difference. 

To read more on the topic of love visit the series on love.

Father, thank you for showing me the difference between the agape love that you shower upon me and the philos love that I end up returning. My heart’s prayer is that you bring me to a place where I can love you and others with an agape love, one that does not have expectations involved. I pray for anyone reading this post that may need to make a change in their level of love for you, that you deal with their hearts compassionately and gently. Lead them to a greater understanding of agape love. Show us, Lord, how to love like you! Show us how to agape others!

Identity Crisis?

Knowing who you are and how you are wired is a pretty substantial thing in life to know and understand about yourself. But what happens when you feel like everything you have always understood about your identity seems like it is taking a paradigm shift? What if you feel like your identity is no longer clear? What if you feel like you are going through an identity crisis?

This was me, questioning who I was, where I fit into life and how I was supposed to be a thriving member of society anymore. Let’s back up and understand how I came to this dangerous mindset. As you may or may not know, my family has been called to the mission field of Liberia, West Africa. Our lives had always been pretty routine and predictable. We owned our own home and honestly, it was a little piece of heaven on earth. We had bought our house knowing that we would be leaving it one day, and eight years later the Lord called us to sell everything and leave. Without hesitation we did. In this monumental act of obedience, I later came to realize that I had inadvertently wrapped up my identity in my routine, predictable and my comfortable lifestyle. So, when we left everything behind I unknowingly left behind my identity as well. I had mistakenly thought that when God called us to the mission field I had to leave not only the material life behind but also everything I had become up to that point. This thinking had started me on a slippery slope of questioning who I was and how I fit into the calling God had for our family. Please know that I never once questioned the call, I questioned how I fit into the call because I had left my identity behind. In other words, I assumed that because we were entering a new phase of our spiritual walk that I would no longer function in the same manner in which I had before. 

I praise God for His grace and mercy to bring me to a place of understanding in this area. You see, God never called me to leave behind my identity of being a wife, a mom, a spiritual disciple of my children, the educator of our kids (aka homeschooling) or any of those things. God as simply called me to add to it. When God calls us into new realms he doesn’t ask us to abandon who we are. In fact, that is the very thing He desires for us to take with us. God has shaped our identity in a special way so that as we are called out into moments of ministry that our uniquely shaped identity shines through to bring honor and glory to His name. Upon reaching this understanding it brought my heart such peace and clarity. So, was I going through an identity crisis? No, I had simply misunderstood God’s intentions for my uniquely designed identity. I had mistakenly assumed that He wanted me to leave behind my identity instead of adding to it. This is such liberty to my spirit because it allows room for growth, room for further stepping out, room for more doors to open up and room for more callings to come. I don’t have to become anyone else. All I need to do is grow in the person God has created me to be!

If you are struggling with your identity in Christ, know that you are not alone. But also know that He has uniquely wired you to do things that are specifically designed for you to do in the kingdom. Take comfort in knowing Jeremiah 29:11.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

For more reading on your identity check out the following posts: Who Am I?, You Are A Masterpiece, You Are A Masterpiece (Part 2), A Mother’s Commission

Father, I thank you for uniquely creating each one of us for plans and purposes you already have mapped out for us. Help us to know who we are in Christ and have full confidence in that identity. In the moments of our questioning help us to see things through your eyes. Direct us where to go in your word and to the right people in order to get the encouragement we need to search out our identity. Thank you for having a special place for us in the kingdom. We pray in the precious name of Jesus Christ.

Missionaries

We find ourselves on the road yet again for the second round of fundraising. So, please forgive me once again for my posts being a little scattered. Living on the road does not give as much time for writing as I would like. Upon the completion of round two of fundraising, are hoping to have enough funds to get to Liberia come August or September of this year. We have had some precious opportunities to spend with family, friends and even fellow missionaries on the field. Our most recent adventure was to Tijuana, Mexico. We spent about 5 days with two beautiful missionary families. We rejoiced with them as they shared their many God directed moments and connected with them as they openly shared their struggles and challenges of being on the mission field. Missionary life is not easy no matter what part of the world you are in. 

Missionary calling
Did you know that we are each called to a life of missions? Scripture tells us to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). It never tells us where, it just says go. That “going” could mean the grocery store, our workplace, our neighborhood, and even our closest friends and family. There are no clear boundaries given to that word “go.” You don’t even need to find yourself on foreign soil in order to fulfill this word, but you do need to “go.” But because the word “go” is an action word, we must physically be doing something in order to fulfill the scripture. We must take some kind of action to see disciples coming into the kingdom. They will not just magically appear because we want them to. We are required to put in some blood, sweat, and often times many many tears rooted in prayer in order for that scripture to come to fruition. When we do our part, the Lord will always make good on His word. So, no matter where you are at, you are called to be a missionary for Christ!

I wanted to share with you some of our experiences on the mission field of Tijuana, Mexico in hopes that you may be encouraged to reach out to those in your own community who are in need of the love of Jesus Christ.  I realize that some of these experiences may be extreme cases but look around you. There are hurting people everywhere. They don’t all look the same from the outside, but their hearts still need Jesus just the same. 

A local orphanage

What a tremendous heart-tugging experience it was to visit an orphanage in Tijuana. This particular orphanage is currently housing 64 children. They provide housing, meals, schooling, clothing much-needed love and support to all of these precious children. You could not help but want to take these kids home with you. Are there any orphaned individuals in your community? People who have been written off as unwanted, unneeded or unloved? What are some things you can do to show them the love of Christ?

The city dump
This was by far the most gut-wrenching thing to see during our stay in Tijuana. These people had literally built shelters in at the city dump. They spent their days picking through dump truck loads of trash that were disposed of on a daily basis. We passed out more than 100 sandwiches and snacks to individuals and even had the opportunity to pray for several of them. It truly breaks your heart to see people with so little when we are blessed with so much. We were told by one of the native people that these individuals flee to the dump often times to escape the police. They know that the police will leave them alone if they are there. There is a lot of drug abuse and a dump is a place that the police do not want to go. Who are the people around you who find themselves in a hopeless situation, a situation they don’t know how to get themselves out of? How can you show Jesus to those who are down and out, heavy-hearted, or just simply running away from their past? 

There are people who find themselves in these types of situations in every walk of life. The situations may disguise themselves in different masks, but as I said earlier, they still all need Jesus.

Father, open our eyes that we may see those around us in need of you. Help us to seek out the broken hearted so we can bring them to your feet so you can bind up their wounds. We know that there are broken people everywhere. We do not have to go to the orphanage or the city dump to find them, they are in our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and sometimes even in our own homes. Help us to see people through your eyes. We pray this in the precious name of Jesus Christ.

Where Is Your Heart?

I was reading a portion of scripture this morning and something seemed to jump off the page. What’s funny is that this was not some kind of new understanding or realization. It just got me thinking about this question… Where is your heart?

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,” Luke 4:18 (Emphasis mine)

After reading this I realized Christ came for the poor, the prisoners, the blind, and the oppressed so they can be set free. I was once all of those things, but have been set free. Not that I don't’ need Christ on a daily basis, because I do, but it got me wondering where my heart is. If Christ’s heart longs for the poor, prisoners, blind and oppressed, then who am I longing for? Who am I proclaiming the good news to? It convicted my heart to realize that the majority of the time I am talking about Christ it is with other believers rather than with the lost. I began to look up other verses about whom Christ came for and why he came and believe it or not the pattern is very similar to the verse we just went over. Let’s take a look at some of these verses, shall we?  

“On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17 (Emphasis mine)

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 (Emphasis mine)

“The one who does what is sinful is of the devil because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” 1 John 3:8 (Emphasis mine)

Christ’s main goal is to destroy the devil’s work. Now, I realize at times it may seem like the devil is winning the battle, but the beauty of this whole thing is that he never wins the war.  If you look at the back of the book Christ wins! That is exciting news! The way He wins this war is one soul at a time, one person who is poor in spirit at a time, one prisoner at a time, one blind eye opened at a time, one oppressed spirit at a time, one lost heart at a time, and one sinner at a time. Where is my heart in all of this? Am I willing to fight the good fight of faith and go after these precious souls, or will I just be comfortable in the fact that I am “safe” in the knowledge of Jesus Christ? Am I willing to seek out the lost and hurting or do I want to stay in my comfort zone and pretend like everything is going to be fine with my neighbor, the clerk at the grocery store, my co-worker or the librarian at the public library? Where is my heart?

How about you? Where is your heart? Do you feel drawn to the lost and hurting or do they scare you and freak you out? Are you like me and would feel way more comfortable saying nothing at all because we don’t want to offend anyone. I believe we are in a day where if we don’t speak out the name of Jesus to this lost and dying world, then the rocks and trees will do it for us. And if that actually transpires, then standing before the judgment seat of Christ is going to be a miserable experience for us. Instead of “well done good and faithful servant,” we are going to hear “why didn’t you say something to the clerk in the grocery store when you could clearly recognize her hurting heart? Why didn’t you say something to your co-worker when you recognized they were having a bad day?”  

I don’t mean to scare us here, but scripture clearly states we are all going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for what we did when we walked this earth. I would much rather find myself in a position that God is pleased with instead of the other end of the spectrum.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10

Heavenly Father, we plead at your feet for forgiveness for being complacent about the lost. Please place within us a burning inside our bones for the lost. Break our hearts for what breaks yours. Guard our hearts against the many excuses we come up with on a minute by minute bases for why we can’t share your love with those around us. We know that they are nothing more then lies from the enemy in the attempt to stop your kingdom from coming as it is in heaven. Jesus, birth a passion in our souls for the lost that literally consumes us if we are not seeking out the lost. Give us backbones of steel, that we will not back down in the moments of testing. We know that fear is not from you. It is just a weapon that satan uses to keep your people silent. Fill us with your loving boldness. We ask this in the precious name of Jesus Christ.

Weapons Of Warfare (Part 3)

We continue today in with our examination of our weapons of warfare. We have already looked at the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness and feet fitted with readiness. To read about those please visit Weapons of Warfare (Part 2). If you have not read Weapons of Warfare (Part 1) please feel free to read that as well.

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:11-18

4. The shield of faith

In Biblical times the Roman shield was a pretty large piece of equipment. It stood about 3.5 feet tall, 16 inches across and weighted about 22 pounds. The purpose of the shield was to protect any area that was exposed after all the other armor was strapped into placed as well as pushing back the enemy in face to face combat. 

The physical purpose of the shield has direct application to our spiritual lives today. Not only can our faith “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one,” (Ephesians 6:16) but our faith can literally push our enemy out of the way. The beauty of taking up the shield of faith is just what Jesus tells us about faith… “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20) We do not need to have piles of faith to see satan running for his life. All we need to do is put on just the tiniest bit of faith and watch satan flee! How awesome is that!

The issue lies in this, we choose not to pick up faith, rather we choose to pick up doubt, fear and unbelief when faith should have been our shield all along! (Related post: Time to Wage War.) Trust God at His word! When He says He will do something He will do it! That’s faith. Believing that God is going to do what He said He would do. Faith is summed up by simply believing that God is going to stay true to His character not matter how bad our circumstances appear. ( Related posts: Facing Our Giants, Faith That Impresses Christ, Believe And Not Doubt). So, pick up the shield of faith and watch satan flee. James 4:7 tells us to resist the devil and he will flee, not he might flee, not maybe he will flee. No! He WILL flee! Resist with the shield of faith. 

5. The helmet of salvation
The helmet is protective armor for our heads, more importantly our minds. In warfare the enemy will try to attack the opponent's head, because if they can damaged the mind they take the soldier out of the fight. Satan is no different with us. How many thoughts a day do we have that are not godly? I know for me personally, it’s more than I can count. I would say it’s because most of the time I walk around without my helmet, which gets me into trouble. (Related posts: Time to Wage War, Being on Guard Duty, 5 Words that Hijack Our Faith, Unchecked Emotions And God's Faithfulness) Do you ever walk around with your mind as an open target for the enemy?

How do we begin to take authority over our thought life? I believe the first step is recognizing weather or not a particular thought is of God or not. The best way to do this is to measure it against scripture. Do the Philippians 4:8 test. I shared this in test in a post entitled “Being On Guard Duty.” So, if you are unfrmilulare with this test, go back and read that post. Once you have established the source of the thought, then it is a matter of lining that thought up with God’s word if it’s not already. Quoting scripture and rehearsing thankfulness are great ways to redirect ungodly thoughts.

6. Sword of the spirit
Thus far, all our discussion has been on items of armor, items in which we put on for our protection. We have yet to discuss any items in which we can use to do actual damage to the enemy. The sword is a weapon that was designed to destroy and kill. Our sword of the spirit is the word of God, and Hebrews tells us just how destructive the word of God can be. 

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 

When we battle with the word we send satan away wounded. (Related post: My Battle Verses) The best part of battling with the word is not just the effects it has on the enemy, but it is the effect is has on our own hearts and minds. When we make a practice of hiding God’s word in our hearts it begins to change our thought life, our actions and our words. This is yet another reason why Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word can penetrate soul, spirit, joint and marrow. It gets inside of us and transforms us. I can think of no better weapon to fight with. Not only does it send satan away like a dog with his tail between his legs, but it strengthens our souls. There is your double edge! (One that wounds, one that builds up and strengthens).

7. Prayer
The last thing that Paul presents us with in this list of spiritual armor In Ephesians 6 is prayer. Prayer is the yet another weapon God has placed in our hands to do some serious damage in the heavenly realms. 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

“Pray continually.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1

We are called to be consistent in prayer. How often do we get about ten minutes into our prayer and either get distracted or frustrated that we haven’t seen God do anything amazing and earth shattering? So often we get impatient with God. We are called to pray continually, pray without ceasing, and pray and not give up. God is not raising up a bunch of spiritual sissies here. He wants people who are going to fight for the kingdom! Prayer is one of the most powerful weapons we have in spiritual warfare, and when we pray the scriptures, satan doesn’t even have a chance. 

Prayer is a conversation we have with the Lord. If we keep that conversation ongoing throughout the day then satan has less of a chance to interject his two cents. Because prayer is a conversation we must give the Lord time to speak. How many of us want to be in a conversation with a friend that we never are given the chance to talk because all they want to do is tell you everything that is going on in their life and the lives of those around them? Prayer really is designed to be a two way relationship and an ongoing conversation. There is no magic words we have to say, or special way in which we should say them. God knows our hearts, but bear in mind He desires for us to know His heart as well, and the only way that is going to happen is if we give Him time to speak.   

For more on prayer visit: Prayer, Challenge # 10 - Pursuing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the armor to use in warfare. Give us the strength we need to take up the shield of faith to protect us against the fiery darts of the enemy. Help us to remember to always wear our helmet of salvation so our minds can be protected against the schemes of the enemy. Grant us the the desire to take up the sword of the spirit and do some damage in the heavenly realms. We know that prayer is how we build our relationship with you. Help us to remember that it is not just a one way conversation, but that you desire to share your heart with us as well. Help us to make the time to stop talking and just listen. Thank you for placing weapons in our hands and not just leaving us unarmed. Give us the strength we need to actually use these weapons each and every day. We ask these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ. 

Weapons of Warfare (Part 2)

If you have not read Weapons of Warfare (Part 1) please fee free to read that first. It lays the foundation to this post.

What are these weapons?
God’s word gives us so many weapons we should wage war with. Please bear with me because I am going to cover many of these weapons, but note that by no means is this an all inclusive list. Please search the scriptures for yourselves to find out exactly what weapons God is calling you to fight with in your particular battle. Not all battles will require the same weapons, nor are those weapons going to be used in the same manner in every battle we face. Spend some time seeking God’s direction on what weapons you need to be fighting with and how you are to fight with them. 

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:11-18

The most logical place to start examining our weapons is in Ephesians 6. This section of scripture introduces us to the armor of God. We will be looking at each individual piece of armor and the significance behind wearing it. Please note that some of the pieces we will discuss are for our protection while other pieces are for us to physically battle with. Each piece is important in our battle against the evil forces in the heavenly realms.

I want to mention quickly that verse 11 tells us to put on the full armor of God so that we can stand against the devil’s schemes. I don’t know any soldier who would go into battle and not wear ALL of their protective gear. I guess if you wanted to lose, become injured or die, you might consider going to war with parts of your armor missing, but in reality, who really wants any of those things to happen? Yet, this is what we do on a daily basis as Christians. We leave our homes for work, school, play dates, errands, and even church without getting dressed in our full armor. By not getting battle ready we are basically inviting satan to wreak havoc in our lives.

1. Belt of truth
In thinking about the belt of truth my mind immediately takes me to one place, the next generation. The belt is a garment worn around the waist. The body parts in and around that area deal with the reproductive organs. I truly think there is a reason why scripture talks about covering our waists with truth. My understanding of this is that we should be covering our children, both physical children and spiritual children with the knowledge of God’s truth. 

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 1:4

Our children can never walk in a truth they have never heard. It is our responsibility to put on truth and in turn pass that along to the next generation as well. In doing so we will reap a beautiful harvest. One major aspect of waging war means sharing the knowledge of God’s truth to anyone who will listen.

2. Breastplate of rightness
The breastplate is used to protect vital organs such as our lungs and heart. I truly believe the key protection area is our heart. It is crucial that we protect our heart with righteousness. Please bear in mind that we can not produce the type of righteousness that has the capability of protecting our heart from the evil schemes that satan is skillfully planning. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” So in other words,the righteousness we need only comes from the Heavenly Father Himself.
“...For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45 When we allow the Lord to fill our heart with His righteousness, our mouths then become a vehicle for God’s righteousness to be spread to those around us. Protecting our hearts begins with allowing God’s righteousness to fill us and then allowing His righteousness to flow from us.

3. Your feet fitted with readiness
What good is it to get dressed for work in the morning if you never actually go to work? God not only desires us to put on the full armor, but to actually go and use it. Ephesians says that our feet should be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. We can never be fitted for readiness if we don’t daily delve into God’s word. We should be so involved with the word of God that it affects the way we walk, the manner in which we carry ourselves, our demeanor, our mindset, our speech and our interactions with others. Our Heavenly Father desires for us to come to such an intimate place in our walk with Him that every aspect of our being reflects the character of Christ. We can not arrive at such a place without putting on the gospel of peace each and every day. I truly believe that the reason God desires us to ready our feet is so that we don’t keep Christ for ourselves. When our feet our equipped for readiness, we have a burning and urgent passion inside to share the things of God with others. It’s time to put on our running shoes saints. We are facing a lost and dying generation that needs to hear the gospel more than ever before.

To continue this series please read: Weapons of Warfare (Part 3).

Heavenly Father, please help us to put on the belt of truth so we can share your truth with the next generation with a sense of urgency. May we faithfully put on the breastplate of righteousness so that our hearts can be protected because we know that when our heart is guarded our mouths will speak forth the godliness that we have stored up inside. Fill us with diligence to lace up our shoes of readiness so that we may go wherever you are sending us and share with whomever you place in our path. Overwhelm us with an urgency to do battle in the heavenly realms.