Bearing One Another's Burdens

...they forced him to carry the cross....(Mark 15:21)

I often wonder what it must have been like to be Simon, the Cyrene. He was forced by the Roman officials to carry the cross from outside the city gates to Golgotha, because Jesus was physically too weak to carry it any longer. 

I wonder if he understood what he was doing as he journeyed with the Savior of the world to the crucifixion. Although Jesus was too physically weak to carry the nearly 100 pound cross bar He still walked right beside Simon. I wonder if they linked arms, or if Simon helped hold Jesus up as they journeyed together to Golgotha. I bet he was afraid. I would be too. I wonder if he knew Jesus as his own Messiah or if he knew him only as a religious figure. I wonder if on their journey he looked Jesus in the eyes and saw the fierce compassion of a loving Savior who was "led like a lamb to the slaughter." (Is. 53:7) 

I've asked myself, why is this in the biblical narrative? What is God trying to show us? As I've asked Him to show me why I believe there is one point of application, to me, that stands out. 

This account is meant to be a picture of the church in action. There will be many times in my life when my burdens seem to great to bear. That's when my brothers and sisters in Christ within the church are meant to walk with me, helping me bear my burdens. Maybe they will pray for me, make a meal, clean my home, help financially, watch the kids, or sit and listen during the greatest storms and tragedies of my life. 

In those moments we practice "bearing one another's burdens." (Gal 6:2) We walk with our beloved friends, shoulder to shoulder, helping them bear their burdens when they are too weak and beaten down to do it themselves. 

There's an old Bebo Norman song I have always loved, called "Borrow Mine" some of the the lyrics say, 

Take my hand and walk with me a while
'Cause it seems your smile has left you
And don't give in, when you fall apart
And your broken heart has failed you

I'll set a light up on a hilltop
To show you my love for this world to see

You can borrow mine when your hope is gone
Borrow mine when you can't go on
'Cause the world will not defeat you when we're side by side
When your faith is hard to find, you can borrow mine, borrow mine

And take my love when all that you can see
Is the raging sea all around us
And don't give up 'cause I'm not letting go
And the God we know will not fail us

Side by side, the church in action, bearing one another's burdens. Now that, is something beautiful. Let us live like that today! For God's glory!

Fearing Rest

I think people fear rest. 

Although many people, myself included, need it desperately, we fear what it might reveal. We fear if we slow down we might actually have to deal with the hurt and pain that lingers deep within. We fear we won't measure up or be able to keep up with everyone else. We fear we won't make enough money or are children won't be the starting player, so we stay busy, really busy. We run 1,000 miles per hour thinking that we're doing what's best. Yet, if we took just a moment to sit and rest we'd find that our souls are actually worn to the bone, our hearts are not full, but empty and our minds are not at peace, but filled with anxiety. 

Instead of creating time for rest we add more and more to our plate and before we know it we have quickly become our child's chauffeur; instead of their wise counsel. We don't know who are spouse is anymore, because we only see them in passing. Sure we sit next to them from one sporting even to the next, but there's no real intimacy there. Now one is really sure when the last time the family actually sat down to a meal together was because, everyone is-busy. 

I think in order for families to be healed someone's going to have to say, enough is enough. I'm choosing to rest, because that's what is best for my own health, my children's well-being and my relationship with my spouse. 

Otherwise we'll continue to run ourselves into the ground reaching for depression medication, the divorce papers and blowing up at our kids, because we're not taking time to rest. 

I think God wants us to rest. 

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."- Matthew 11:28 

Even Jesus rested (Mark 6:31). We should too.

I think when we rest, a death happens. A death to fear, anxiety, worry, anxiousness and anger. A new life begins when we rest with God. It's there where He refreshes our hearts, gives us new hope and places His joy in our hearts. 

When we choose to make a commitment towards rest, true transformation happens as we hide ourselves in God's word. That is where we spring forth to new life in our minds. The lies come crawling up to the surface, the pain becomes un-earthed and Jesus, our healer comes in to make us new. 

I want that kind of rest. Go ahead, you can have that kind of rest too. Don't worry about what others might think, just go and be with Jesus.

Quiet, Be Still!

True, abiding faith is far from passive; it is fiercely active. 

When the wind and the waves began to overtake the boat Christ and His disciples were traveling on as they crossed Sea of Galilee Jesus lay sleeping on a pillow, in the stern of the boat.  In a panic the disciples came to Him, crying out, “Lord, don’t you care if we drown!?” (Mark 4:38)

Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and the waves and with a loud shout said, “QUIET, BE STILL!” (Mark 4:39)  The wind and the waves immediately died down. 

I wonder, if in that moment the disciples heard the same truth in their hearts, “quiet, and be still”, as they frantically scrambled around on the boat trying to save themselves, all the while, Jesus, in the midst of a great storm had everything under control even when it seemed as though they would drown. 

Abiding faith teaching us to rest in the middle of what seems like an overwhelming storm.  As our hearts run, unguarded, filled with fear, worry, and anxiousness we seek to take over control, forgetting all the while that our Lord is resting at the helm, asking us to join Him there. 

The rebuke of “quiet, be still” was not just for the storm, but for the disciples as well.  In their panic they forgot that their Lord was in total control.  They allowed worry and fear to overtake them.  They become controlled by it and quickly forgot the faithfulness of their God. 

I can totally relate with the disciples.  Far too often, I forget the faithfulness of my God.  I focus on the storm and allow myself to be held captive by fear and worry, quickly finding myself reaching towards the helm to take over control.  Yet, there my Lord sleeps, resting, asking me to join Him there.  If I desire to truly take over control I’ll find myself stepping over him, maybe even, in my panic, kicking him out of the way to grab hold of the reigns of control.

What a stubborn fool I’ve been.  Thankfully, the gospel can make new the most stubborn of hearts.  With humility and prayer I can learn a new way of doing life.  I can let go of the helm and rightfully, give it back to Jesus.  It is hard work to get to this point, but with active faith, working with God for our renewal, we can be made new. 

Father, forgive us, we forget so quickly, that in you, is rest.  You promise to stand with us, to never leave us.  You are a good Father.  May we remember to quiet our hearts and be still in your presence no matter what life throws us.  May stillness be our default and trusting you be where we land.  In Jesus name, amen. 

Following at a Distance....

I'm a lot like Peter.

I talk too much.  I think I know it all.  I don't listen well.

Not to mention, I'll think to myself, "I would never do (fill in the blank)."

Yet, in my sinful nature, I would.

I think the demise of Peter can be found in Matthew 26:58

"But Peter followed him at a distance".....

As Jesus was on His way to appear before the Sanhedrin Peter followed Jesus, but at a distance.  He allowed His pride to say He would never deny Christ and now he lets his fear keep him from following Jesus closely.

Peter got away from following Jesus closely and before you know it, he denies Christ three times.  Three times!  Within minutes of each other.  The rooster crows immediately and Peter weeps bitterly, because he had done the unthinkable.  He denied knowing Christ three times.

In Jewish culture to deny your Rabbi three times was to cut yourself off completely from him.  It was as if Peter was flipping Jesus the bird and saying, "I'm done with you!  Get out of my life!"

We should be careful to say, "I would never."  God just might put certain circumstances in our lives to humble us, showing us that without staying close to Him, without abiding in Him, we are capable of grievous sin.

Thankfully, Jesus restores Peter back into fellowship with him in John 21:15-17.  Jesus is full of grace and mercy towards Peter, even though Peter does not deserve it.  Jesus offers that same grace and mercy for us.  That is good news indeed!

Father, hold me close, for I, Heather, am capable of grievous sin without you.  May I walk in humility, daily, coming as a beggar at the door of your mercy.  In Jesus name, Amen.

It's Good to Be a Woman

You know, it's good to be a woman.

"A woman came to him"....Matthew 26:7


There are a few women in the bible who were able to see something others were not.  They are always the kind of woman who had eyes and ears to hear and see great and mighty things.  They were women who were convinced, convinced God was true and that Jesus was the Messiah.  They did not waver in unbelief or question it.  They simply believed and acted upon their faith. 

Their faith allowed them to have experiences far better than those around them, because they were able to see, with eyes full of faith, and hear, with ears full of trust, the greatness of God before them in the person of Jesus Christ. 

When Anna, a Prophetess was praying, daily, in the temple courts, she knew when Jesus showed up that the child was the Messiah. I imagine her prayer life was so deep and intimate that it was no question for her when the baby Jesus came onto the scene. 

What about when the Angel told Mary she would have a son and He would be the Savior of the world?  She did not question or doubt.  She simply embraced what was true.  To us she showed great faith, yet I wonder if for her it was really quite simple.  Could be it that her heart and mind were so conditioned to trust God that her act of faith came without much debate in her own mind? 
Could it be when this woman, who came with her alabaster jar of perfume was so convinced Jesus was the Messiah, a years worth of wages was but a small offering to her, because her treasure was in Heaven and sitting right there, before her? 

I imagine Anna, transformed as she was through her constant state of prayer, was able to see the Christ there in the temple, because she was so close to the Father, when He showed up it was no question.  She already knew His heart, now she saw His face and I'm sure, without question, something leapt inside of her with great joy when she saw Jesus. 

It's good to be a woman.  It really is.  I want to be that kind of woman.  One who sees what others do not.  The kind who hears with spiritual ears and sees with spiritual eyes.  I want to see Jesus in such a fresh way it causes me to see a greater glimpse of His glory.  I want the kind of prayer life Anna had.  I long for the kind of trust Mary displayed and I seek the same attitude of sacrifice this woman who poured perfume on the feet of Christ displayed.

Father, I want to be that kind of woman.  In Jesus name, make me that kind of woman.  One who trusts you, who is a woman of prayer and who sacrifices much for your glory.  I am often distracted and doubt far too much.  I long for a transformed mind.  To see with spiritual eyes and hear with spiritual ears.  In Jesus name, Amen.  

Stretch Out Your Hand....

Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand".....(Matt 12:13)

Jesus came upon a man with a withered hand. Imagine a man whose hand was paralyzed with no ability to move. It had no life in it. Yet, Jesus, the great healer comes upon this man on the Sabbath and has compassion for him. 

However, Jesus doesn't just come upon this man and instantly heal his paralyzed limb, no, if that's all we see as we read we're missing a great point of application. 

Before Jesus heals this man, He asks him, "stretch out your hand." 

To you and I this seems like a simple request, but to this man, I'm sure it seemed like a great impossibility. His hand is withered. He has been unable to move it for who knows how many years. It would be as if you were mute and Jesus came up to you and said, "say a few words to me." Yet, this man does not doubt. The scripture tells us that he stretches out his hand it is restored completely. Had this man not exercised great faith in believing that Jesus would heal him by stretching out his hand would he have experienced the healing power of Jesus?

Jesus wants to do the same for you and me. He wants to bring healing into our lives, but we must not forget that Jesus often times wants us to exercise the faith that shows we believe that He can do that which is impossible a part from His power. 

I don't know what it is for you. I'm not sure what you're praying for in your life. Many people pray to be more patient or for more self-control. Yet, when Jesus offers them the opportunity to put their faith into practice when someone annoys them and test their patience they back down and give into their annoyance. Then, turn around and ask the Lord to just please "give me more patience."

No, this is wrong thinking that we must do away with if we're truly going to grow as Christians. Growth comes about when we put our faith into practice. as we actively apply scriptural truth to our lives. If Christ lives inside of you the power of the Holy Spirit dwells with in you. God has given you all the patience, grace and self-control that you need in Christ. It is available for you in Christ in the moment of temptation when you are tempted lack grace or patience. In order to overcome, we must CLAIM patience, grace and self-control IN THE MOMENT as OURS in Christ. Then, put it into practice. If we do, we will grow. 

Praying that God will give us more patience, grace or self-control is like beating a dead horse. Only one of you is doing the work and quite honestly, its meaningless work. When I choose to exercise the faith that I have received through Jesus Christ and claim that for my life, then I am working together with the Lord for my own personal healing. 

Stop asking God to "heal your hand." Stretch our your hand and claim the power over sin in your life available for you in Jesus Christ.

When I Gave Up on Ministry

...a smoldering wick he will not snuff out...(Matt 12:20)

It wasn't long ago when I decided I was done with ministry. It had become too burdensome, too tiring and I had convinced myself I was going to fail, so before I did, it was time to get out. I had no joy in serving. I was hanging on until the end of the ministry year so I could go on vacation, thinking a week away would be the re-charge that I needed. 

Little did I know the real problem was I had fallen away from my first love. I had become so busy doing ministry and other activities, filling my plate and time with numerous things that I had no time to rest in the Lord. I had no time to truly sit at the feet of Christ, studying the scriptures, seeking Him in prayer and solitude. 

Thankfully, Jesus, in His kindness did not snuff me out. By all accounts, He should have and just moved on to the next ready and willing soul to be used of Him. Yet, in His loving-kindness and mercy He showed me the real remedy for my defeat was not a week vacation, but the need to rest in Him. 

I remember reading a book for my masters degree on the need for quietness and solitude during this time in my life a couple of years ago. It was so convicting to me, because I recognized that I had made doing ministry for Jesus above my relationship with Him.

Soon after I made the commitment to make time for rest, to get into the word daily and set aside time for extended prayer and worship. As time went on Jesus took my smoldering wick and poured on it the life-giving oil of the Holy Spirit and soon I became a fire burning with hope, security and confidence in the Lord Jesus. 

A life set on fire for Jesus is no secret. The formula is really quite simple. 

Rest in Christ + Prayer + Time in the word of God = the power of the Holy Spirit being poured out on your life. 

I am more convinced than ever that those who are most hungry for God and most passionate for Jesus are the ones who have continually, with unwavering commitment, sat at His feet. They long to hear what the healer as to say to them. They cannot imagine life without Him. They love His word and they are devoted to prayer. 

I am no fool to think I could never become a smoldering wick again, if I were to neglect setting aside time to rest in the presence of God. 

I'm not sure where you are today. If you are a fire blazing or a smoldering wick. Know this, Jesus has the life-giving oil of the Holy Spirit that He wants to pour out into your life. If life meets you in a smoldering spot remove those obstacles that keep you from sitting at His feet. He will meet you there and in His presence you will be made new. 

Lord Jesus, I know that I am capable of deep sin. If I stray, call me back. If I neglect time with you, burn within me. Remind me of your love. If I become a smoldering wick once again Father, lead me back, by your grace to a deeper walk with you. Jesus, burn brightly in your daughter to the praise of your glorious grace and for the proclamation of your gospel. In Jesus name. Amen.

The Feeding of the 4,000

Observations from the feeding of the 4,000 in Matthew 15 

1. Jesus had COMPASSION on all the people, which spurred Him to meet a need they had.

2. Their NEED was hunger, because they hadn't eaten for three days.

3. The disciples response? Um, Jesus, where are we gonna get all that food around here?

Jesus asks His disciples, "What do YOU have?"

They have a mere seven loaves of bread and a few small fish for a crowd of well over 4,000 people.

5. Before Jesus feeds the people He GIVES THANKS for the sacrificial offering of food they are giving to the people. Jesus and His disciples did not give out of their abundance, but out of the little they had. It was barely enough food to feed themselves. It was a sacrificial gift of faith and God blessed it in great abundance.

If we are spurred with compassion towards a person or persons then our next response must be, "Lord, what shall I do?" He may ask you, "What do you have?" Then, He may show you something that would require a great sacrifice on your part, do not worry, your heavenly Father will meet your needs according to His riches in grace.

When we offer up our gift to those whom God has stirred us with compassion for we must do it with a heart of thanks, not begrudgingly or in doubt that God will be able to meet our needs.

God desires to take your little and multiply it to show off His glory. Do not hold onto your little for fear that you will not be provided for. God is faithful, if you are stirred with compassion and God shows you a need to meet for someone else, then go and meet it with a heart of thanks. He will provide for you. He is faithful and good.

Sin Most Appalling- My Own

The one persons sin I should be most appalled by is my own. 

We spend a tremendous amount of time believing someone else needs to change when the person God is most concerned about changing is the one looking back at you in the mirror. 

I am a firm believer that most relationships would be mended if we followed this simple principle and chose to believe the person who really needs to change is ourself. 

Instead of saying, "she needs to change or "if he would just change" we should say, "I need to change."

Following the Master

We often forget the key to walking with Jesus is waiting for the next step from the Master. There may be times when we are running with Jesus, step by step, following Him with vigor and life.However, we must not forget that sometimes the Master calls us to rest and in our rest, we are indeed following Jesus. 

Other times the Master may ask us to follow Him on a journey of deep suffering. It may seem uncertain, the terrain difficult, but Jesus promises to stand with us in our affliction and to never leave us. Do not flee from your affliction. Many of us will never see the deliverance of God from it, because we chose not to believe that Jesus could see us through it. 

We would be wise to remember that in the midst of our battles, following Jesus simply means to be still and watch Him fight for us. We will quickly become defeated if we choose to fight without Him or if we try to flee from the affliction. 

Following Jesus is more about patiently waiting then passionately pursuing. In our patience, we listen we discerning ears what the Master would have next for us. We dare not run ahead of Him or wait too long. We know His voice so deeply that when He does call us to the next step we rise with confidence, because we love to follow after Him.

To Be Like Joseph

Joseph could have very easily been angry with God. 

His brothers, who were terribly jealous of him, threw him in a pit, faked his death and sold him to foreigners. Not only that, but after many years of serving in the house of Potiphar, as his right hand man, he was wrongly accused of sleeping with Potiphar's wife. He was quickly thrown into prison, bound with chains and left to rot and die. I'm sure this wasn't the dream Joseph had for his life as a young boy. 

Many of us, myself included would become bitter, angry people, we would complain about our present suffering so that others might see our pain. We love it when others notice. In a twisted way it makes us feel better. It somehow puffs up our pride to have others notice our suffering and to complain about it with us. 

Yet, Joseph doesn't complain. He trusts God. It's really that simple. He trusted God so deeply that others took notice. Others knew that GOD WAS WITH JOSEPH. He lived in such a way that proclaimed the belief that God was in control. He carried himself in a way that spoke of the greatness of his God regardless of his terrible circumstances. The Bible tells us that God blessed Joseph and gave him favor, even while in prison. 

I wonder if any of us are even able to see God's favor in our lives when we face our own personal prison of injustice? If I could be honest, I focus so much on the bad circumstances that put me in the spot that I'm in, I have a hard time choosing to focus on the greatness and favor of God when my life is less than ideal. 

Forgive us Father for focusing not on your greatness, but on our suffering. We have caused ourselves to become bitter people full of complaints. We have not remembered that you are with us. You promise to never leave us or forsake us. Please help us take our eyes off our circumstances and to place them back upon you. We choose to trust you even though we cannot see the outcome. We will believe you for our deliverance as we hold fast to you, in Jesus name.

When We Feel Forgotten

God has not forgotten you. 

Many of us feel as though He has. We think to ourselves, certainly, if God loved me, He would have removed my suffering by now. God has stopped listening to our prayers, we think. Things haven't turned out the way that I have desired them, so God has chosen to be done with me. If God truly cared he wouldn't have allowed this person to die, that job to be lost or my spouse wouldn't' have left me. 

Oh, how I wish I could peek into the heavenlies. I wish I could see the Master at work, orchestrating His plan for our lives. I wish that I could see the great cloud of witnesses cheering me on saying, "Don't give up!" "Persevere!" "Fight with the Lord Jesus!"(Heb 12:1-2). I wish that I could, but I cannot. I must exercise trust and faith. I must choose to believe in the sovereignty of God, even though I do not know when God's deliverance will come. 

I truly believe that some of us were on the brink of our deliverance, but we gave up. We became wearied of the battle so we stopped fighting. Truth is, maybe we were fighting not in God's strength, but in our own. We prayed fervently for days, weeks, months or years and God didn't answer our prayer the way we wanted Him to so we stopped praying. Yet, maybe our prayers are being hindered, because of unconfessed sin or disobedience in some aspect of our lives(1 Pet 3:7, Mark 11:25). We never did stop and think that maybe God had answered our prayer, it just wasn't in the way we wanted it. God always answers prayer and we must be wise to discern His voice. 

True discernment takes a listening ear that is ready to sit in stillness before the Lord. Our culture is full of distraction and busyness. Our minds are so clouded by entertainment and demands that we have a hard time hearing from God, because we have not conditioned our minds to be free from clutter and distraction. We walk around wishing God would answer, wondering where He is, when all this time He's been shouting the answer at us. Yet, we are too busy to hear His voice. We would rather scroll through our phones, numb out our minds, be entertained by mindless games and videos instead of hearing from the living God. 

God has not forgotten you, but often, we have forgotten Him. Amidst the busyness of life, we go on, 100 mph and forget to be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. We grow angry, we become people we don't even like, but we never pause to sit in the presence of God. The place we experience true transformation. 

Do not give up, but fight with the Lord Jesus for your deliverance. Those who have gone before you are cheering you on in the heavenlies. You cannot fight or win your battles alone. Only God can bring victory. Take up your stand in prayer, don't give up, but take your place in God's army and watch as your Captain leads you into victory in Jesus name! It may not be the victory that you expected or in the timing you would have liked, but we must trust that God knows what He's doing and He will work all things together for the purpose of His will. 

"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him"- Psalm 37:7

To Be Made New: A Time for Self-Reflection

I think what the people of the church need most is time for self reflection.  The problem is most people and family's fear self-reflection. 

In self-reflection we must face the darkness of our souls.  We have to come face to face with the reality of pain in our lives or that constant, aching emptiness.  

We have convinced ourselves that busyness is best.  It keeps us from really dealing with the issues in our lives.  Busyness keeps us stuck.  Better yet, we love our dear friend of busyness, distraction.  Busyness and distraction are tools used against us to keep us from being made new.  

Often times we're not too busy, we're just too distracted.  In a world where our eyes are constantly looking into a screen whether it be a phone or  television, there is no time for self-reflection.  There is no time for stillness  with the music blasting, the TV going and the iPhone always right next to us.  

We scroll and scroll and scroll through news feeds hoping to entertain ourselves or maybe subconsciously, detach from our own world, to keep us from dealing with it.  

Everyone loves to say, we're so busy!  We wave it like a banner to be praised, when in reality it is something we should do away with in order to see our lives and our families healed from years of dysfunction and generational sin.  Yes, I truly believe that if families would slow down, and each would take time for self-reflection with the Lord that we could see family dysfunction healed.  It's there in the stillness where the Lord speaks into our lives, we confess sin to God and it is there where we hear from Him.  

What families need more of is stillness.  They need a mom and a dad who will sit and listen, who will offer words of wisdom and wise counsel.  They do not need more extra-curricular activities, sports practices and expensive gadgets.  What they need is your time.  Unfortunately, in a world run by busyness and distraction parents have become more like chauffeurs then the well from which their child can drink to find things like, spiritual wisdom, guidance and direction.  

Instead, our children latch onto the world that is presented to them.  They run with the crowd of those who are busy and distracted.  They learned from us, what more should we expect?

We wonder why our children have issues with anger, anxiety and loneliness.  However, we never take the time to stop and think that maybe it's because they're crying out for us to guide them.  They're longing for a deeper connection and when they don't find it at home they will go looking for it elsewhere.  Now instead of wisdom being passed down from the generations, our children are being taught by the latest youtuber on what the purpose of life is, or their deep questions about life are being answered by google instead of the generations of parents and grandparents who went before them.  

What if we said, I'm just going to practice stillness each day before the Lord?  What if we made it a priority to place our schedules down before the Lord and to ask Him what He wanted on it?  What if we spent time with our children, having meaningful conversation with them on a weekly basis?  What if we allowed the Lord to deal with the generational sins in our lives and the dysfunction that our family passed down to us?  

I think the church would look quite different, our children would grow to be more confident and satisfied in the Lord Jesus as they observe us at rest in the presence of the Lord.  

"But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint"- Isaiah 40:31

Parenting in a World of Moral Evil

Who we have become has much to do with where we have been. 

Lot's daughters spent their time in evil Sodom and Gomorrah. They were exposed to constant evil within their culture and it shaped who they would become. 

We are foolish to think that if we do not choose to protect our children or even our own eyes from destruction, moral filth and evil that it we will not be changed by it. 

Lot's daughters commit a grievous action by sleeping with their father. They hearts and minds had become so tainted by the evil culture of Sodom that the thought of sleeping with their father become a good idea. 

Something happens in a culture when we call what God calls moral evil, something good. It is a dangerous and slippery slope when we start to redefine what morality truly is. 

If man looks from within himself to find morality, he won't find much. Why? Because man within himself is led by selfish motives. 

When Lot's daughters got their father drunk and become impregnated by him I'm sure Lot never dreamt of such a day. However, it happened and much of it had to do with what Lot, as a father, decided to allow into his children's lives. The moral corruption of Sodom shaped his daughters. 

What is shaping our children? Who they will become has much to do with the decisions that we make to protect them from moral evil. If we allow them to watch any movie they like, listen to any music they choose or spend their time with whomever their heart desires then they will be shaped by those things. 

However, if we place our children and our own lives into the household of God, practicing wisdom in what we allow our eyes to see and our ears to hear, then our children will be shaped by things like, goodness, holiness and mercy. This does not guarantee they will become sold-out Christians, but it does set the stage for a greater propensity towards a lifestyle shaped not by the filth of evil, but of Godly qualities and characteristics.

Will Life Ever Get Better?

Today many of us feel as if life is passing us by.  We wonder when life will finally bring its "big break" or when our circumstances will change to our liking.  We try to manipulate and our control our lives with the hopes that things might look differently tomorrow than they did today.  

We often forget that the world and its troubles are much to great for us to handle on our own.  Our efforts to control and manipulate only leave us wearied and frustrated.  Many of us comfort our disappointments with a new outfit, a brand new car, a new relationship or a job change.  

Yet, we still live with a gnawing dissatisfaction inside of us.  Wondering if this is really all there is to life.  

"I'm pursuing my dreams.  I have a big house, a husband with a great job, we say to ourselves," but our hearts are not at rest.  

We live for the next big thing.  We long for a better, different life.  We bury our hurt and pain.  We self-medicate, put on a happy face and make it seem as if we've got it all together.  Until, the dam breaks and the waters of insecurity, discouragement, failure and disappointment come rushing out.  

This infects everyone around us as the waters come gushing out.  Often times the ones we love the most.  We ruin and wreck relationships.  We cause turmoil in our lives, telling ourselves, "I'm not going to do that anymore," but we just can't seem to stop.  We know it's not good for us, but we keep repeating the same cycle.  We feel broken, but we don't want anyone to know.  

We wander on lonely roads of hopelessness.  Seeking restoration, a brighter future and a happy life.  Everyone tells us to just "look inside ourselves" or "tell yourself that you're number one", but the more we do this, the deeper our dissatisfaction grows.  We don't even really like ourselves.  All we see when we look inside ourselves is fear and deep insecurities.  

Maybe that means we need to start looking outside ourselves.  Maybe the cure to a heart troubled by life worries is to look to something greater than ourselves?  Maybe real hope and joy isn't found in our circumstances, but in something that is constant in joy, and holds the key to life and peace.  

A wise man once said, "come to me all who are weary and heaven burden and I will give you rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light'.  He also said, "I came that they may have life and that they may have it to the full".  

The reason this man is able to offer rest is because His nature is different from ours.  He is peace.  He is joy.  He is hope.  He is freedom.  

If I cling to this source of peace and joy I will find rest for my weary soul. 

Jesus Christ is that man.  He is calling unto you today to run with courage towards Him.  To turn away from your own way of living and towards His life.  It's there that our lives finally find rest.  We can sit in contentment as we find wholeness and healing, freedom and joy!  

We must recognize that our way of living is wrong.  His way is right, come into agreement with God, confess that to Him, turn away from it, and choose to embrace Jesus Christ as master of our life.  

That is where true freedom is found, hallelujah!  

The Operating Table: Entering into the Altar of Sacrifice

"Offer your bodies as living sacrifices"- Romans 12:1

What does that mean for me, a follower of Christ to offer myself as a living sacrifice?

I remember when my sister and I were kids, we used to love to ride bikes together.  We'd go everywhere on our bikes and we only had one speed, fast.  A leisurely bike ride just wasn't in our vocabulary.  As we zipped around town at mach speed one day, my sister said that she needed to slow down.  I being the loving and understanding sister that I am said,

"What's wrong you big baby? Can't handle the speed?" 

My sister responded to my ever so kind words with,

"My heart is racing and I just don't feel very good".  

Well in that case I thought, I guess we can slow down.  It wasn't long after that my sister had a similar episode when we were playing in a 3 on 3 basketball tournament.  Mom and dad were in on this episode so they decided to take Andrea to the hospital.  We soon learned that my sister needed heart surgery.  That made me feel really great for my loving comments while on that bike ride.

I remember sitting in that waiting room during the surgery.  I was really afraid.  I was only 11 years old and I really wasn't sure what to expect or how to feel.  I just knew that my best friend was now lying on an operating table and there was nothing I could do to make her better.  She was at the mercy of the doctors now.

Thankfully my sister had a successful surgery.  We were back to riding bikes at mach speeds soon after.

As I reflect on that moment in my sister and I's life it helps me better understand what Paul says when he tells us to offer our bodies as a "living sacrifice".

My sister could do nothing to fix her heart.  She was at the mercy of the doctors.  The ones who had a higher authority, the ones who knew how to fix her heart.  Had my sister continued to ride bikes at neck breaking speeds and run up and down the basketball court without having heart surgery the doctors said, eventually, her heart would have burst.   She would have died instantly.

The reality is that you and I live with a sin sickness.  The bible says that the heart is deceitful, it is beyond cure.  To follow our heart is to follow our feelings.  It's to follow a wisdom that centers around desire and pleasure.  Our hearts run around without self-control, until eventually we nearly become destroyed by the pursuit of desire and pleasure.

In the Old Testament the High Priest would go in once a year to the Holy of Holies to make a sacrifice for the sins of the Jewish nation.  This would be a lamb, pure and spotless that would satisfy God's requirement for atonement of sin.

When Jesus dies on the cross He became that lamb.  He was pure and spotless, without defect and had no sin.  The book of Hebrews tells us that He now reigns as High Priest forever.

I have this picture in my mind of us offering our bodies as a living sacrifice.   What I see is for us to cease doing, fretting, worrying and allowing our feelings and hearts to dictate our every move and to lay ourselves down on the operating table of God's mercy.

To offer our bodies as a "living sacrifice" is to become completely dependent upon the great and mighty healer, Jesus Christ.  It is to place ourself at His mercy, trusting in His will. We must lay down our own will, hurried hearts and scattered minds.  It is to cease doing as we actively lay down our lives at the altar of sacrifice.  It is to say God, I'm done with me.  I'm done trying to come up with the right answers to try to convince myself that I know whats best for my life.

It is to say, God, I recognize that my heart is deceitful and it is beyond cure.  This is why I need your grace and mercy to walk with me, moment by moment and breathe by breathe.  As we lay down our lives as a "living sacrifice" we join in agreement with God that He is in control, that His way is best for our lives.  In that agreement is where our hearts and our minds find rest.  As we sit and rest in the presence of God on the altar of sacrifice it is there where our hearts start to change and heal.  It is there where God starts to tether in us a new mind, centered on His thoughts, His peace, and His perseverance.

Charles Spurgeon so eloquently says, "lie passive in the hands of God and know no will but His".  

I'm wondering who needs to enter into the altar of sacrifice where the Lord Jesus awaits to give you joy, peace and hope.  Who needs to offer their body as a living sacrifice and place themselves at the mercy of our Great Physician, Jesus Christ?

Just as my sister put herself at the mercy of those doctors long ago to be made well God wants to do the same for you and I today.  His desire is for us to be set free and to know the healing and life changing power of Jesus Christ as we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice.

Place your life on the operating table of God's mercy and watch as He makes your heart and your mind brand new.

Actions and Belief: Why Sound Doctrine Matters

Our actions always spring from what we believe. 

Paul tells Timothy to "watch his life and doctrine closely" (1 Timothy 4:16)

Our doctrine can very well determine the path we shall journey through life on. If I hold fast to the promises of God, the truth of scripture, not wavering, but clinging to them in earnest then I shall see the goodness of God in my life and the next. I shall journey through life with purpose as I pursue my God-given destiny. 

If I choose to hold to a different doctrine that rejects the truth of scripture, causing myself to waver in confusion. Then I shall buy into deception as I create a god that fits my own needs and wants.

I will not walk in my God given destiny, but instead I shall wander aimlessly as I attempt to reach the next greatest pursuit in trying to fulfill, yet again, another empty American dream.

The Insecure Woman: What That Low Cut Shirt Actually Reveals

Modesty is not a characteristic that most women ascribe to. Those who dress immodestly wouldn't tell you the reason they do so is because of a deeper heart issue, but in reality that's whats going on. 

They wouldn't tell you that their father never told them that they're beautiful, so they dress in low-cut shirts and hi-cut shorts to get the attention of men to fill the void their father never did. They also wouldn't be quick to tell you the reason they flaunt their curves is because they are deeply insecure about themselves. Deep down they hate how they look, they constantly compare themselves to other women wishing they had her perfect curves or her perfect hair, so they hide from their insecurities by posting cute selfies, hoping to get lots of comments and likes to help them feel better about themselves. In all reality, no matter how many likes or comments they get it doesn't seem to fix that gnawing dissatisfaction with how they feel about themselves. 

Then it goes past dressing immodestly to giving herself away sexually. She believes that sex will make her feel beautiful, if men want her she must be desirable and beautiful she tells herself. When she doesn't realize what's actually going on is that men are using her. She strips her own self of dignity and respect through her immodesty. She presents herself to men without such characteristics. In that moment she is no longer a true woman, but an object to be used. The man also, in this moment, strips himself of his own dignity, honor and respect as he objectifies himself to be used by this woman. She uses him to try and meet that deep need for affirmation. Yet, nothing is met, she still longs for affirmation and to actually believe that she is beautiful. 

Maybe losing a few pounds, getting a new haircut or a cute outfit will do the trick. Nope, nothing seems to help. She swims in a pool or her own misery, but she hides it behind cute outfits and flashy make up. 

She wishes she were someone else, but she can't escape. She's dug herself a hole so deep she's convinced herself there's no way out. The only way to deal with her pain is to bury it, deny it and convince herself it isn't really there. 

She gets married thinking, this will do it! Problem is, she comes in with the grand expectation that her husband will mend all of her wounds. He'll make her no longer feel insecure, she'll feel better about herself, because of him, but because she married an imperfect human being she realizes that he just can't meet her expectations, so she moves onto the next man hoping this one will fit the bill. 

I saw myself becoming this woman years ago, if not for the love and healing that I have found in Jesus Christ I'm certain I would have become her. 

Wholeness and joy cannot be found in what the mirror says or how many guys line up to tell you that you're hot stuff. No, only true joy, peace and satisfaction is found in knowing Jesus Christ. 

He affirms me as beautiful. In Him, I know that I am beautiful. I have a joy that cannot be taken from me, a peace that sits within my heart and contentment that envelopes my very being. It's His love that my heart beats for, its His purpose that directs my path. I long for more of Him in my life. 

I find that as I do that I become a woman that draws people in, not because of tight clothes or sexy mascara, but because of my smile, my hope and my countenance that speaks life and peace. 

A true woman is one whose heart is at rest. She does not run after pleasure or run aimlessly trying to fill some deep need in her soul for love, because the woman who is at rest already knows what love is. 

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God"- 1 John 4:7

God is love. Stop running, listen to the words that bring forth freedom! Rest in the one who created you. He has made a better way for you. 

Jesus said, "I came that they may have life, and that they may have it to the full"- John 10:10

Jesus says, "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 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19

Full Time Ministry: Doing Less to Do More

Working in full time ministry is not so much about ministering as it is about preparation.

The minister who neglects preparation will be overcome by the battle and overwhelmed by spiritual warfare. They will fall prey to doubt, fear and insecurity. They will inevitably give in, due to lack of preparation.

Those in full time ministry must remember that God is more concerned about their "being with Him" then His is about their "doing for Him".

If you go and be with your Father, you will find that He will prepare you for the battle, HIs word will guide you, His faith will fill you. His Spirit will empower you. Now, when it's time to minister you're ready, because its God who ministers through you.

Now, stop doing so much for God, burning yourself out and just go be with Jesus. When its time to minister God will raise you up, but don't feel the need to raise your own self up for fear of being classified as lazy, unmotivated or afraid. Let God and His word be your motivation. Drink deeply of its truth, hear His voice more clearly and you'll find yourself maximizing your time in ministry by doing less that does more for the kingdom. Instead of doing more that does little for the Kingdom. Due to being motivated by our own egos, or fears or outside voices we feel forced into filling up the calendar when we neglect to ask God about it first.

Those in full time ministry, be encouraged! It is by far one of the most difficult and challenging vocations, but God is FOR YOU! Do not give in or give up. He goes with you and before you. Just don't try to jump ahead of Him 

Perseverance: Holding Fast in the Midst of LIfe's Greatest Suffering

"perseverance must finish its work"....James 1:4

In the midst of our darkest hour is when we are able to experience Jesus Christ in all of His fullness.  It is there that we can relate with the Christ on the cross.  We must choose in our darkest hour to persevere, just as the Son of God choose to persevere for us on our behalf as he hung on a cross on Calvary's Hill. 

God is challenging me to a season of perseverance.  Most of us just want to give up and throw in the towel in the midst of deep suffering.  We wish to release ourselves from this pain so we choose to resign from it, flee from or or bury it so that we no longer have to deal with the depth of our suffering. 

I'm holding fast to the promises of God that call me to persevere, that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and that the eyes of the Lord range back and forth throughout the entire earth to strengthen those who hearts are fully committed to Him.

I remember Joseph who was sold into slavery, but did not give up hope and God blessed him for his perseverance.  I remember Job who endured such great suffering and loss that his wife told him to curse God and die, yet Job held fast to perseverance in the midst of suffering and God blessed him ten-fold.  Ruth held fast to the Lord in the midst of her desolation and God, by His grace brought deliverance for her. 

It is rare that God's greatest blessings are not first proceeded by life's most painful moments.  In fact, I'm almost convinced that we must always experience a deep loss or pain before God's greatest blessings. 

So many choose to give in, the suffering becomes to great and they miss out on the beautiful story that God wanted to write.  They miss out on the blessing to come because in the middle of their pain they could not see the beautiful story that God was weaving so instead they gave up. 

Hold fast to Jesus in your greatest moments of pain.  Do not give up or give in for there is hope for you in Jesus Christ.  I am believing that as I persevere a blessing will come.  If not in this life, then surely in the next. 

Lord Jesus, you are joy.  You are hope, life and peace.  Your word is full of people who chose to believe you in the midst of their suffering.  I choose to walk in that same faith, believing that you are using this to make me more like your Son, Jesus.  You are teaching me about the gospel in ways that I would never have experienced if I had not walked through this. 

My prayer is that you would refine my character, make me more like your Son and that soon you might bring deliverance, but even if you choose to make me wait I know that I have a Savior who walks with me.   Let perseverance finish its work in me.  In Jesus name, Amen.