Glimpses: A Gentle Leader

"You. Christian. What have you done?!"

Maybe, you followed Him. You let Him lead, and you were content to walk behind. You prayed. You fought. And you fell.

Maybe, you heard the still small voice, but never answered. You saw the broken, and turned your head. Or maybe, you never even cared to look.

Maybe, you cared only for yourself. You were afraid of pain, and could not carry a cross. You ran from the nails, to a world of flesh.

"If You had not loved me first I would refuse You still........"

This is me.

The Enemy is fueled by lies. It was the lies about God's goodness that trapped Eve in the Garden. It was the lies that God would compromise His command that turned Saul's heart. Lies that God could not see everything baited Jonah. Lies that God was not there caused Manasseh to force child sacrifices on the nation of Israel.

The lies that we so often are attacked with today, that God cannot forgive. That you've fallen too far. That God could not want you, after all the times He's had to pick you up and set you back on track.

How often do we accept these lies, without a fight?  I can't even count the times I have been afraid to approach the throne of God, because I have neglected it for so long. The Enemy knows our weakness, and preys upon it. "Do you have any right to ask for forgiveness AGAIN?"  

But he is not the only one that knows weakness. Jesus Christ acknowledges it intimately. He came down to earth, and felt it. Our God is not the frowning, unapproachable overlord that so many portray him to be. He understands our weakness, and always has. Look at this passage from Exodus:

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.

-Exodus 13:17-18

Think about the context behind this. God has just sent ten unbelievable, supernatural plagues into the midst of the Egyptians. He has freed a people held in bondage for centuries. He has spoken with them. He has brought an insurmountable victory. They have seen it.

Yet their faith is still weak. They think they are strong... they're even ready for battle, to fight anything that would stand against them in the strength of their God.

His response?  He does not grow angry at their weakness. He does not shake his head in disappointment at their shallow battle cries. He does not force them to do something they cannot, though the way through the Philistine country is shorter.

Instead, He gently picks them up, and carries them. He calls them out, to build them. He is willing to take the longer route to His promise, so they can make it. He knows their weakness, but loves them the same.

Our God meets us where we are. He doesn't expect more from us than what we can give. He knows our weakness. No, He's not satisfied with it. As Christian leader Joanna Weaver put it: "God loves me where I am, but He loves me too much to leave me there."  He is waiting to build us. He is our leader, who will take us to victory. The promise will be reached. But He will not force us to go alone. God didn't have to lead the Israelites. He could have just waited at the Promised Land for them to come to Him. He could just wait for us to come to Him, and be strong. But He doesn't.... He comes to us. He left Heaven, to show us the way into the Promise. And no matter how many times we fall, He will pick us back up, and continue to lead us.

Think about Exodus 13..... the Israelites had not yet fallen from God. But He knew they would. And He chose them anyway. So often, I think we wonder how God could still want us after all the times we've fallen. But God knew, even before we were born, that we would fall. He knew every mistake, and every shortcoming. He knew every time we would pray for selfish gain, and every time we would forget to pray. He knew every battle we would fight for the flesh, and every battle we would neglect for His Kingdom. He knew every sinful thought we thought, and every brave-hearted, pure thought we tried not to think about, for fear of pain. He knew it all. And yet He still reaches out....

"Do not fear... I have called You by name."

-Isaiah 43:1

Jesus is not a leader who will tolerate weakness..... He loves us too much to leave us in it. He longs to give us strength. But He will not force it upon us. Instead, He gently takes us by the hand, and shows us how to walk. And when we fall, He smiles softly and picks us back up.

I would encourage you not to pretend to be strong if you're not. Don't approach God with a front, to impress Him. Don't try to purify yourself before you come to Him. Come as you are, and let Him purge you. He will not force you down a path you are too weak to take. He has promised to give you strength. He does not command that you meet Him where He is, although He longs to take you there... He comes down, and meets you were YOU are. The way to the Promised Land may be long. But He's willing to lead you down every step, until you see it.

Glimpses: Promise of Triumph

Dear All,

A friend just got a text message from her brother asking her to shower him and his parish in prayer. He is part of a mission and ISIS has taken over the town they are in today. He said ISIS is systematically going house to house to all the Christians and asking the children to denounce Jesus. He said so far not one child has. And so far all have consequently been killed. But not the parents. The UN has withdrawn and the missionaries are on their own. They are determined to stick it out for the sake of the families - even if it means their own deaths. He is very afraid, has no idea how to even begin ministering to these families who have seen their children martyred. Yet he says he knows God has called him for some reason to  be his voice and hands at this place at this time. Even so, he is begging prayers for his courage to live out his vocation in such dire circumstances. And like the children    accept martyrdom if he is called to do so. She asked me to ask everyone we know to please pray for them. These brave parents instilled such a fervent faith in their children that they chose martyrdom. Please surround them in their loss with your prayers for hope and perseverance. 

She was able to talk to her brother briefly by phone. She didn't say it but I believe she believes it will be their last conversation. Pray for her too. She said he just kept asking  her to help him know what to do and do it. She told him to tell the families we ARE praying for them and they are not alone or forgotten -- no matter what. Her e mail broke my heart. Please keep all in your prayers.

This message was forwarded to my Inbox Friday morning. So many questions flowed through my mind, as I read those heartbreaking words........ why the children?  How long will it be like this?  What am I doing HERE?  Why isn't it me, being abused and martyred?  How am I any different?

THIS is the world He came to save. This is the world Jesus sweated blood for. This is the world that crucified Him. This is the world He created. This is the world we destroyed.

Ever since Cain murdered his brother, creation has been crying out... HOW LONG?!  Will you reject us forever?

This is not what He created. In the beginning, it was Good. He walked with us. And we walked away.... into this world we know now.

But when He sent Adam and Eve out from Eden, He sent them with a promise:

"And I will put enmity

    between you and the woman,

    and between your offspring and hers;

he will crush your head,

    and you will strike his heel."

-Genesis 3:15

The Great Serpent has deceived and destroyed mankind from the beginning. Our struggle throughout history has not been against flesh and blood, but against the principalities of evil. Our fight... our cries... are not against the perpetrators of evil. We fight with the forces that control them.

Behind the black masks of the murderers in Iraq are children of God, living in a lie that commands them to destroy...because there was no one to tell them otherwise. When will we see what Betsie Ten Boom saw, when she looked at the Nazi guard who was beating her, and mourned because He did not know her Jesus?  Where are the Christians that are willing to carry their crosses, and forgive the ones who are nailing their wrists upon them?

Ever since the beginning, there was a Promise. He was the promise. The promise of souls set free, justice for the oppressed, vengeance for the martyrs, love for the broken, and triumph over the Serpent.

But that promise is not just for us. Jesus died to free you and Saddam Hussein alike. Some will reject Him. Some have, and thousands more will. But our role as Christians is not to fight the people whose hearts are contaminated by the Enemy's lies. Our struggle is against the very forces that are controlling them.

There will be a day, when the force of the cross' triumph will be witnessed by all nations, and every knee will bow. The Serpent will strike. That strike killed the son of God. But the fatal blow fell on evil. There will be a day when the final victory will be won. When every tear will be wiped away, every pain will be forgotten, every heartbreak will be healed, every broken piece restored, every repentant prodigal son brought home.

Until then, we wait. We fight. We pray.

This weekend, I have seen in unbelievable ways that there is no place more powerful than being on your knees at His feet. I have found myself there time and time again, crying out over the children that were lost, and the families that were left to suffer in Iraq. It's there that you realize that it's not your heart that breaks over stories like this..... it's His. These are God's precious children. He individually fashioned each one, and knew them from before the beginning. Jesus Himself said that His kingdom belonged to them. And He had to watch, as thousands of them were decapitated by sons that had rejected His love. Even as the realization came over me, I still had questions........ why did this happen?  Didn't you want to stop it?  How long will you wait?  But in that moment, He whispered one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard, to my heart:  They are safe with me. The Enemy can never touch them again.

Even in the waiting, it is still the Serpent's head that is crushed. Even the most horrifying things he could produce could not overcome the Promise. Triumph is here. Maybe we can't see it yet. We are still in the waiting. But John says we are also in the last days. We.... today, right now.... are closer to the coming of the final victory than anyone else in all of history has been. He will bring triumph.

My God has promised, and He cannot lie. 

Glimpses: God of Riches

"In the beginning.... GOD."

These opening words of Genesis are some of the most beautiful ones ever written. God was, and always will be. He is the Creator of all things, the Maker of everything beautiful, the Designer of the universe. 

But how many of us actually feel an adrenalin rush when we think about those descriptions?  How many hearts stir when we pick up the timeless Word of God?  

This morning, I was helping out in the two-year-olds Sunday school class at church. When the main teacher instructed the kiddos to sit down for a story, a little boy I'd been playing with stood up, and looked at me with tremor in his eyes. "Oh no!  The Bible!  I don't like the Bible!"  I tried not to laugh, as I told him the story would be fun. (I also thought it was funny that this little boy happened to be the pastor's son :))

Often, like li'l Isaiah, reading the Bible is one of the last things we feel like doing. Why?  Because we have lost the spark of glory that was once seen within it. 

Modern Americans have a very simplistic view of God. He seems to be nothing more than an outdated, possessive, demanding overlord who has too many rules, is followed by a band of hypocrites who call themselves Christians, and has theoretically spoken an ancient piece of literature into being. All I can say when I hear something like that is..... really?  Have you encountered Him?!?!

What if we truly saw our God, not for what culture has made Him out to be, but for who He truly is?

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"I am sitting on the beach this evening, watching the swells roll in toward me. Each wave builds as it approaches, ascending, taking shape, deep greens below sweeping upward into translucent aquamarine. A sculpture in motion, curling forth like shavings from a jade carving. The sheer elegance is enough to take my breath away. The wave I'm fixed upon crashes to the sand like a work of art toppling from its pedestal, but before I can feel the loss another is rushing to take its place, sweeping upward, forward, utterly mesmerizing beauty...

All things were made through him, and without him nothing has been made that has been made. What are the waves telling us about Jesus?"

-John Eldredge, Beautiful Outlaw

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Such a portrayal is anything but dry and outdated. Have you ever been in a scene like the one described above?  I'll never forget the time I flew to India for the first time, when I was 11 years old. I had spent almost the entire 13 hour flight sick to my stomach. But when the plane flew over Nepal, all of the nightmarish hours before were worth it. Suddenly, I was passing the snow-covered peaks of the tallest mountain range in the world, with a glorious roseate sunset behind them. After the sun went down, a pure white crescent came to take its place, surrounded by glittering gems of light, to dimly reveal the mountains under their soft light. 

When I think back to that precious hour I spent over the Himalayas, I can't help but wonder how someone could think God was stingy. He is a Father, who lavishes blessings abundantly on His children and His world!  Yes, there is an Enemy out to destroy. But think about it. We're the reason he has that precedent to destroy. Before humanity sinned, there was no destruction. Yet even after we ruined the perfect works of His hands, He still pours out glorious riches upon us.

Take a minute to reflect on John Eldredge's description of the waves. Think of the extravagance of design poured into each one. It would take a human artist years to even come close to make something as beautiful, and yet God's masterpiece is alive with changing motion. There are thousands around the world every second.... crashing to pieces, receding, and rising up with white ribbons of foam to take your breath away all over again.

Think of the sky, stretched out farther than eyes can even see. It has color. It's not brown, or dull. It's arrayed in spectacular shades of blue, and streaked with whisps of water and air that are, by an incredible molecular process, visible from the ground. Think of how the colors change as the sun's position changes. At the end of the day, blue is replaced by an array of color that would make a painter's mouth water.

Trees are arrayed in glorious, towering splendor all across the world. They can self-sufficiently repopulate forests, and create sustenance for their environments. The green of their leaves brings color to the surface of the planet, even from outer space. And, as if those glorious shades of green weren't enough, they change colors in the fall to create a show of nature beyond belief.

Or what about tiny little often-ignored flowers?  The extravagance poured into them, in their variety, color, scent, and shape is mind-blowing. Each one is different, yet beautiful.

"Look at the lilies of the field; they do not labor or sow, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they?"

We serve a God of riches. If we only understood who Jesus was, think of how much bolder our God-prayers (not for selfish gain) would become!  Why would we have any reason to doubt that the God of glory and riches would bring His glorious presence to those who ask?  Why would we need to question whether or not He wanted to save one that is lost, when He sees them as even more valuable than the lilies of the field, into which He pours so much beauty?  Why would we think that the God who purifies the gray from a clear sky after a storm would hesitate to purify our hearts?

So often, we are afraid to approach the feet of Jesus with our specific needs. How easily we forget that we serve a God of glorious Riches!!  He is not stingy with His blessings. As Jesus Himself said, "Ask and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you."



Challenge of the week: Just look up, and rest in Him. He's waiting.


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All pictures via Pinterest

Glimpses: Introduction

Many years ago, an ambitious young missionary set off for a tribal area in India. After months of labor for Christ, he finally brought his first converts to the gospel; just one man and his family. When the village chief heard of their conversion, he brought the little family to the public square in front of the entire community, and declared that, if the man would not renounce his faith, his children would be killed before his own eyes. The man stood firm, with these words:

I have decided to follow Jesus,

No turning back.

Enraged, the chieftan commanded the children to be put to death before the community. He turned to the man again, and threatened to do the same to his wife, if he would not deny Christ. With trembling hands, but a steadfast heart, the man responded:

The cross before me, the world behind me.

No turning back.

Within minutes, the man's wife had followed her children to their cruel fate. The village leader declared that this was the man's final chance; if he would not deny Christ, he, too, would be murdered. His brave response was simple:

Though none go with me, still I will follow.

No turning back.

These were the last words he ever spoke. Within minutes, his body lay on the ground next to those of his family. The community was silenced as they witnessed his brave martyrdom. That hour, the entire village was brought to salvation because of the testimony of one man and his tiny family...... including the chief who had initiated their deaths.

Thus begins the story of one of the greatest worship songs ever composed; one written by the blood of one man whose entire life was resolved to show the world that the life of Christ had not been poured forth without a purpose. He had entered a covenant with his precious king of kings, and he was determined never to turn his back on Jesus.... even if it meant giving up his own life.

You call yourself a Christian. 

You talk the Good talk.

But if they slighted you, would you still walk the walk?

You call yourself a Christian.

You sing, you praise Christ.

But would you keep rejoicing if it cost you your life?

2,000 years ago, one man set foot on the surface of Nazareth. His mission was intense, and beautiful in its simplicity. With one word from his lips, he lead a dead man from the grave, and stilled a raging storm. This man touched water, and it became wine; touched a blind man, and he could see; touched a paralytic, and he walked. He was the fulfillment of an ancient covenant, with a mission to restore. He was the long-awaited one. People caught a glimpse of God Himself in this man, and followed him by the thousands. This was the one, who would fulfill what countless generations of law could not. This was the one, who would take death's own weapon and, while nailed upon it, struck all of hell a fatal blow in the climax of all time. This was the one, who would cast out demons and fight to protect the integrity of the temple.... yet would gently invite the least of these, by name, to His side. This was the one, who would lead legions of angels to victory in the final battle.

This is Jesus Christ.

"Glimpses" is about His person. The goal of this series is to delve deeper into who Jesus was, and is, as revealed all throughout scripture. I think if we only knew truly who Jesus was, not as an idea, but as a person, we would gladly pick up our crosses, and die with Him.  From Genesis to Revelation, glimmers and promises of this Messiah appear. Over the next few weeks, I'm excited to explore them throughout this series. This is going to be a diverse exploration, going from the depth of wealth shown in Creation and the "Son of Man" in Ezekiel, to the heart-wrenched cry, "I Thirst" as described by Mother Teresa... and everything in between!

Because of its diversity, I'm anticipating that this series will continue through the end of this year, and blend in with our second advent series in December. As I'm starting to get ready for this series, I'm amazed by how much this particular topic is growing me spiritually. Through initiating Real Christianity for over a year now, I'm seeing more and more that it's those who write the posts that truly gain the most from them, because they know the material the most intimately. I am always excited to receive devotionals that each of you have written, but I would like to specifically open an invitation to you, to write for this particular series. If you truly want Jesus Christ, it's not going to be enough to just take my word for it. I would encourage you to dig deeper for yourself, in your search for Christ. Don't just read my thoughts on His miracles and parables; write some of your own. Don't just hear about my experience with the cross through the Gospels; see it for yourself. See Him for yourself.

"You will seek me, and find me,

when you seek for me 

with all your heart."

                                     -Jeremiah 29:13

As Christians, we have all, in a sense, "decided to follow Jesus". But do we truly understand what that means?  Do we understand who we're following?  Have we caught a glimpse of the pain, majesty, beauty, purity and glory that defines true Christianity?  My hope and prayer is that this series will stretch us, challenge us, and build us. I think it would be hard to say that any of us who sits down and really takes a serious look at their faith doesn't have a longing, on some level, for something more. The goal of this series is to take that longing to the bank, and pursue what we were created for. I would invite you to dive fully into this series with me. Try not to approach these devotionals with a distracted mind. This isn't about me, or anyone else who may contribute devotionals. This is about the glory of Jesus Himself, and a deeper knowledge of Him. All I can ask is that you take HIM seriously. Because, when you do, you will never regret it.

Are you ready to catch a glimpse of God's son?

I have decided to follow Jesus,

No turning back.

No turning back.

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Sneak Peak to next week's devotional!!

Guest Article: Victory in Difficult Circumstances

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

VICTORY IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

Jackie Pullinger, a long-time missionary to China, spoke about sharing the Gospel with a woman who had been a prostitute for more than forty years.  She had been rejected, abused, and mistreated in nearly every way imaginable.  If anyone would seem to have valid reasons why the hope and victory of the Gospel couldn’t truly be experienced, it would be a woman like this.  Yet it wasn’t coddling, human sympathy, or personalized psychology principles that delivered this woman from despair and changed her from the inside out.  Rather it was the transforming power of Jesus Christ.  She became a new creature in Christ, and, as Jackie described it, “she had all her life again.”

Throughout Christian history, the Gospel has spread like wildfire whenever the most destitute and notorious people have been radically changed by its power.  In all the great revivals, people were drawn to the Gospel when they saw drunkards forsake their alcohol and prostitutes begin to live in purity. If the Gospel can offer such freedom and triumph for people with these backgrounds, can it not do the same for us?

Modern Christian ministry often sets us up to believe that we have “special circumstances” because of specific things we have been through, and therefore the Gospel can’t truly be applied to our lives in all its fullness and power.  We assume that if we’ve been through extreme difficulty or disappointment, we are entitled to a “special version” of Truth—perhaps seasoned with a few sympathetic words such as, “Don’t worry, God knows your situation is unique—you can’t be expected to apply Biblical Truth to your life the way others do!”

When we play the “special circumstances” card, we are merely creating a makeshift excuse to not take Jesus Christ at His Word.  There is no situation that the power of the Gospel cannot permeate and transform, and there is no wound that His cleansing blood cannot heal.  In fact, the more extreme the circumstances, the more opportunity for His supernatural grace to be demonstrated in all its life-changing power.

For me personally, it has not been the times when things have been easy that I have felt the most impact of God’s Truth in my life, but when things have been the most difficult.  In our ministry and books, Eric and I frequently emphasize the joy, peace, victory, and triumph of the true Christian life.  Consequently, some assume that our lives have been relatively easy and that is why we can speak about these truths with such confidence.  “They haven’t been through anything really challenging,” people think. “That’s why they can talk about lasting joy.” Or, “They haven’t been abused like I have, so that’s why they can preach about forgiveness and victory over sin.”

But in reality, Eric and I have been through tremendous personal trials and struggles. Anyone who has been in front-lines Christian ministry for twenty years, as we have, knows that it’s like living on a battlefield.  We have taken many bullets along the way—both from the enemy’s spiritual attacks and from various people who have reviled and rejected us.  We have experienced intense personal grief, such as losing our second child to a miscarriage, and we have been stabbed in the back by friends we deeply trusted.  We have faced extreme financial crisis through the dishonesty and corruption of others.  We have been threatened, cursed, and called terrible names publicly.  Most of the details of these experiences can’t be shared without dishonoring certain people, so we don’t often write or speak about them.

My point is this: it is not because we haven’t been through trials that we can speak so confidently about the transforming power of the Gospel, but because we have faced so many.  We have personally experienced the victory that comes when we cling to the Cross and allow His divine power to give us strength far beyond any strength we could ever find within ourselves.  That doesn’t mean that every day is filled with sunshine and roses.  There are times when we must wrestle through the tears, the hurt, the confusion, and the fear until we finally “break through” to a clear, Truth-filled perspective.  But when we wrestle for it, it always comes.

As you are contemplating the victorious, triumphant Christian life that He has called you to, beware of an attitude that says, “But my situation is different.  I can’t experience that kind of joy and freedom because…”

Mrs. Charles B. Cowman wrote, “Faith has nothing to do with circumstances. It deals entirely with the Word of God.”

Even if you don’t sense an immediate victory in the midst of your difficult circumstances, that doesn’t mean God doesn’t intend to give it to you.  Continue to pursue His promises until they have become reality in your daily life.  And soon you will be able to confidently declare along with Paul, “Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Cor. 2:14a, emphasis added).

Written by Leslie Ludy (from www.setapartgirl.com)

Pain: Friend or Foe?

How many times have you ever encountered a difficulty?  Probably a trick question for most of us. We've all encountered hardship on some level... some to an excruciating degree. During these times, it's easy to question God. Is He involved?  Is He truly good?  Why would He bring something like this against us?

Difficulty in the Bible is probably best epitomized in the book of Job. Throughout the book, Job encounters insurmountable hardships.... he lost all of his children, all of his livelihood, and all of his health. He had nothing in which to rejoice. But it's important to ask a deeper question when examining his story: what was the source of his hardships?  Who was bringing all of this against him?  A quick read through the first few chapters reveals very clearly that none of it was from God. Yes, God allowed it to work a greater purpose. But it was not by His hand that Job was oppressed. It was by the hand of the Enemy.

How often, during times of difficulty, do we simply accept feelings of hopelessness and despair as trials of faith from God, instead of fighting them?  When should we accept God's training, and when should we take up a sword and fight against the Enemy's agenda in our lives?

I think I've shared this before, but last fall, I went through a season involving phases of fairly intense guilt over past regrets. For awhile, I thought it was God's hand showing me where I had been wrong. But during this time, God led me to a chapter in Leslie Ludy's Set-Apart Femininity that shed a new light on the situation. By examining the nature of God and the nature of the Enemy throughout the Bible, we gain a deeper perspective on what is from God, and what is an attack against His work. In my case, I could tell quickly that the phases and depression and guilt were not from God. In 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about "Godly sorrow", and how God uses a form of regret over past sins in our lives. But his goal is not to condemn; it's to heal, and protect us from repeating the same mistake again. The Enemy's goal is to destroy us in guilt, and spread the lie that God's forgiveness is not enough. Romans 8:1 makes it clear that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ; the attacks were not coming from God.

Set-Apart Femininity gave some further insight on a few similar issues. Take a look:

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Father of Lights vs. Father of Lies

      "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

-James 1:17

God has created us to know Him more intimately, and glorify Him. He does not change, and He is without guile; we can take Him at His word. He will not lead us into paths of doubt. He will not lead us to condemnation. According to 1 Peter 2:9, God has called us into marvelous light. Light is clear, bright, joyful and glorious; not confusing, blurry and dark. Satan is the father of lies and darkness; his aim in our lives is to draw us away from God, and he has an agenda by which to do  it. 

Anything of confusion, fear or darkness, or that causes us to lose hope and confidence in God, 

is not from God. 

Discipline vs. Abuse

Hebrews 12:5-7 describes the qualities of discipline from God; He gently trains His children to draw them back to His own heart, as a father. When children are being disciplined, they don't see it as love..... but it is. God is our loving father and bridegroom; the enemy is a prince of abuse, and harshness. 

"The loving Bridegroom is a patient listener, affectionate, an advocate and rescuer, willing to give up His life to save, and quick to respond to the need of His bride. Words of love and kindness are constantly on His tongue, and prayers are continually ebbing forth for the benefit of His beloved." 

-Leslie Ludy

He will NOT abuse His beloved in His correction.

Anything of an abusive nature is not from God. 

Shepherd vs. Roaring Lion

Psalm 23 famously praises God for being our good shepherd, who laid down everything to protect His sheep. 

"As our shepherd He is deeply interested and concerned in even the smallest matter, watchful, and constantly alert to the needs of His own. He never tires. He never sleeps. He is always looking upon His lambs with an affectionate gaze, ready to fight and defeat any fiend who would dare attack those under His care."

-Leslie Ludy

Compare this to the lion attacking the sheep. He comes to destroy, and to kill. He brings death and danger in his path. He controls the sheep's attention and respect, by fear instead of love. He threatens, and causes anxiety. Would anyone be able to say that the loving shepherd has these same characteristics?  

Anything of death, destruction, defeat and anxiety are not from God.

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Think about all of that..... how many events in our life to we accept because we think they are from God, when they may truly be attacks from the enemy?  God's nature is one of victory, and He has given us a supernatural arsenal to fight the forces of hell, not simply to give way to their agenda. Look at some of these promises:

He will supernaturally protect us from harm.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

-Psalm 91:9-12

He will not withhold any good thing from us.

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed is the one who trusts in you.

-Psalm 84:11-12

He will give us supernatural strength in Him.

29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

-Isaiah 40:29-31

He will give us power over the enemy.

29 

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

-James 4:7

He will stand against all who stand against us.

29 

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn.

-Isaiah 54:17

God is for us. Anything He does in your life will be for good. He seeks to restore your soul, not to crush it. And He has given you everything you need to crush the enemy's lies in your life. 

And if our God is for us,

Then what could stand against?

Raindrops on Roses: The Hope for Tomorrow

Over 1,500 Christians in Iraq have been murdered within the last several weeks. 

1.2 million innocent lives were taken by abortion in the last year.

163 million children live alone and unloved as orphans. 

27 million people are trapped as human slaves in the trafficking system. 

150,000 people died and went to hell today. 

The power and atrocities of ISIS hold the attention of news cameras world-wide. Behind the scenes, children are subjected to injustice beyond imagination.... some abandoned and left to die, some abused and sold for the pleasure of others, others murdered before they've even had a chance to breathe. And in the midst of it all is a church that doesn't feel their pain, can't make themselves care, and are blinded to the burdens of their King. Members of the church itself died and went to hell today, because they never believed. 

Despair. Depression. Hopelessness. 

Betsie Ten Boom lived the last and most difficult days of her life in a Nazi prison camp. She was physically, mentally, and emotionally tortured by guards and health issues. She witnessed the Holocaust first-hand, and became one of its victims. She lived inside the hopelessness..... but it could not touch her. When she looked at the cruel, empty walls of the prison, she saw something beautiful. God gave her visions of goodness, and love, and rejoicing. She saw a place where the people who had been hurt by the cruelty of the camps would be healed, and know Christ; not somewhere far away, but in that very prison camp, with those enslaving walls painted green. And not just the victims; she saw a place where even the perpetrators of the Holocaust could be led to redemption. 

She saw beauty, where there was none. She saw Christ, when no one else could. She was, as Zechariah 9:12 calls it, a "prisoner of hope".

Isn't it interesting how we tend to approach the world?  We blame God for the bad things, and take the good things He has given us for granted. We act as though we deserve blessings, and are angry if we don't receive them. What if you were to change your mindset?

Every day is undeserved. It's a kiss from heaven; a sweet drop of clear, flawless purity, trickling down the soft folds of a rose as its surface meets the first rays of the morning's smile.

Every moment is a treasure.... a precious love letter, and a chance to cherish the beauty of a Supernatural presence enveloping the world with a depth beyond fathom.

Every breath is priceless. It's a new expression of the life of God breathed into the lungs of His creation; a reminder that this second is new and marks the beginning of the rest of your life. 

I am a prisoner of HOPE.

What if, instead of noticing the bad, we were able to truly rejoice in the good?  What if we could see past the difficult moments, to hear God's promises of joy on the other side?  What if we treasured those raindrops instead of destroying them?  What if every breath was priceless to us?  What if we looked past the hopelessness of the world, to the God of all power and goodness, who wept with the world when death took a life he had created, but defeated death and raised the broken to life just verses later?

Hope does not mean that we are happy because of suffering. It's not simply finding the silver lining in the rain cloud. It's more than just being the optimist, telling everyone around you to rejoice, or trying to put on a false outlook and pretending that there is good when you see none. Hope is nearness to the heart of God Himself... resting in His presence, and letting your eyes see the beauty that He sees in the ordinary. Hope is not just a feeling of "happiness"... it feels God's heart for the oppressed, and brings with it His tears for the brokenness of the world. And yet it is the promise that the Enemy will not have the final say.

Lamentations 3 is one of the most beautiful Hope chapters I have ever read. It is not written in a tone of happiness; you feel the fullness of the suffering of God's people when you read it. At times, Jeremiah, the author, doesn't even understand why it is happening, and feels abandoned by God. "Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope."

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more." (Revelation 21:4)

"I know the plans I have for you.... to prosper you, not to harm you. (Jeremiah 29:11)

"I will heal my people." (Jeremiah 33:6)

"My God has promised, and He cannot lie."

        I am a prisoner        of Hope.