Let the light....

2 Cor 4:6 God who is able to call light out of darkness - dispell deep set blackness with just a word - has caused HIS light to dwell in our hearts through Jesus Christ. Darkness is not a problem to God - He is not scared of it or threatened by it... It dosn't take him by surprise or shock Him... He just illuminates darkness with His Glory and love - not to expose it, but to dispell it. The light of God is not accusational in its illumination, but rather cleansing, truth defining, freeing and full of hope. The darkness within you - we all have it, and it doesn't mean evil within you - whatever you've hidden in a dark corner, whatever situation you keep under wraps and out of the way, the fears and abuse that have locked you in a dark and confusing space - Let the light of Jesus shine over them... Its like morning light on perfect day... warm, cleansing and hopeful. His light within us, even in the dark places, is healing and strengthening... and causes His light not just to shine in us, but out of us - into the darkness that so many face. Enjoy the sunshine wherever you are...

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you... (James 4:8 NKJV)

I love this verse. It's always been about us.
Some people expect God to be all over them like a rash; interceding and barging in whenever they are in trouble...but that's just not the case. It's not who God is or how He works. He has gifted each one of us free choice and true relationship with Him means out of all our options, all the many choices we can make, choosing Him first. It's a little like that old adage: "if you love something let it go. If it comes back to you it's yours..." When we keep coming back to God, we are His. There was a slight, tongue in cheek variation to ending of that adage that goes "...if it doesn't come back, hunt it down and drag it home". Although God has the might and power to do such things, He is a gentleman, waiting on us to make the choice...the first move! And when we do He comes rushing to us, to sweep us up in His love. It reminds me of the story of the prodigal son. While he was off doing his own thing, the father, albeit worried, let him figure it out. But when he comes to his senses and heads home, the father sees Him from a distance and runs to embrace him. That's God. That's how He responds to us. Always there...always waiting. And as soon as we make the slightest movement toward Him, He comes rushing in. Have you been holding God at arms length waiting for Him to make the first move? Turn it around today...you won't regret it!

Today,be stronger !!!

Ezra 4:10 "Get up, for it is your duty to tell us how to proceed in setting things straight. We are behind you, so be strong and take action.”

 Ezra had found out that the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord, and he was making confession to God on their behalf… praying, weeping, repenting… He stayed in this manner for quite some time. The people gathered around and then a man came up and said the above verse to Ezra. I needed this encouragement today for 2 reasons.
 1) sometimes we just spend too much time thinking on the past, the negative, the sin, the offence, the offender… we start to dwell there and get caught up in the drama and emotion of it… and we really need to Get up, Be strong, and Take action. Move on, bury the hatchet, make peace with the person or situation and your own heart. Repentance is awesome and the right thing to do, as is being aware of where you go wrong and what slips you up. But I want to encourage you today not to camp too long with negativity or toxic thoughts of failure and offensives, given or received. Move on, get up from that and go live the rest of your life.
2) Its just a good encouragement to live purposefully. Get up - don't be lazy or sleepy when it comes to your call and ultimately to your life, be aware and wide awake to the world around you… Be strong - strengthen yourself in the Lord, exercise your spirit so it can take the weight of life… Take action - live, don't be stalemated by your past, or frozen by hurt, or hindered by failure. Keep on trying, keep on going, keep on living. Don't let the bad keep you from all that is good, wonderful and amazing about this life. Especially a life with Jesus who will pick you up, give you strength and has so much purpose for you. We love you, we believe in you and we KNOW that you have what it takes to be all you were created to be.

Love and those other things like it.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud (1 Corinthians 13:4 NLT)

 In the Western world, we have a very narrow context of love. We hear the word and our minds go instantly to movies like The Notebook, The Titanic or Breakfast at Tiffany's. Hollywood has taught us to think in terms of romance but love, especially it's biblical context, is so much larger than that. The love that Paul talks about here in 1 Cor 13 reflects the love God has for us. Not based on feelings but based on total connectedness. Not for self gratification but self sacrificing. Not from a place of pride but a place of humility. This love teaches us how to love in the purest form. It sets a model and empowers us to love with the same ferocity, passion and strength. It guides, nurtures and upholds. It surrounds, comforts and supports. It always wins and never fails. God's love for you, for everyone, never ever gives up! It always holds out and hopes for the best. His love fills and forever brings to life. Today, your experience of love may be different. It may even make you shy from the love of God because your experience is far more painful. Allow yourself to experience and be nurtured by His complete and restoring love. It will be patient and kind and never jealous, boastful or proud!

Walk with the Wise

Proverbs 13:20 (The Message) "Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces."

 Growing up, and  a little today., I listened to a lot of music by 'Steven Curtis Chapman'. He had a song called 'Walk with the Wise', which at a young age helped engrain into me how important it is to choose who you 'walk with' wisely. It's not just talking about friends or even who you hang out with, but those you do life with closely - those you allow to walk with you through times of doubt and frustration, through sickness and challenge, through times of great success and achievement. Who speaks into and influences your heart through these seasons has great impact on the decisions you make and ultimately who you become because of them. I believe God asks us to be a friend to many, extend kindness and help to those around us - this scripture isn't telling us to be exclusive with our love, it's telling us to be wise with who we let influence our path in life. Studies say you become like the 5 people closest to you. Sometimes to make a significant change in your walk, you need to make a change in who you place around your heart. Walk with the wise, and you will also grow wise. Still love - be compassionate and generous with the love you give, but be very deliberate and choosy with who you 'walk' with. You have to ask yourself 'who do I want to become'?

Avail...... and then Avail some More

James 5:16 "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

 I used to read this verse and think 'am I righteous enough to avail much? Are God and I on good enough terms for him to answer my prayer? I would pray fervently, but I begged God for everything. My thinking was a little (a lot) off. 2 Cor 5:21 says "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." What makes us righteous is not anything to do with ourselves or what we can do or have done, but it has everything to do with Jesus and what he has done for us. We are righteous simply because He has made us so. When we pray, we don't need to convince God that He should listen, or talk Him into answering us... We pray like sons and daughters, confidently aware of our place in the kingdom, standing righteous before our father and king. No grovelling, but through relationship fervently and effectively speaking with God. Bringing our concerns and hopes to Him knowing that 'He who promised is faithful'. Don't get trapped into begging and grovelling in your prayer life. It actually says that you don't believe Jesus sacrifice was enough to make you righteous. Come bodly before the throne of grace, in all humility understand that you have been made righteous, you are a son/daughter of God, and your place is in His presence. The fervent prayer of a man who understands his place in the kingdom, who stands in the righteousness Jesus bought for him on the cross, is effective and avails much

Light

The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? (Psalms 27:1 NLT)

 As I write this I'm sitting in beautiful and cleansing morning sunlight. There's always something fresh about sunlight, especially morning light...the light that breaks the darkness. Whatever fears or worries haunted you through the night, the morning light often brings a sense of hope. A sense of peace. The thought from this first verse in Psalm 27 is that whatever fear darkness brings into your life, just expose it to the light of Christ. Whatever thought or situation would have you think God can't bring you victory, just drag it into the presence of our Almighty Savior! Thinking like this gives me the mental picture of the old vampire movies where when exposed to day light or even a crucifix (haha yes!!!) those dark and evil things writhe and burn up in pain. What once was a predator becomes a victim in the light. Your fears and worries come from the voice of a predator who's only safe in dark places, disguised by shadows and illusions. Drag them into the light of Jesus and every shadow will disappear to reveal a weak and thwarted enemy. The light will be so bright those voices, fears and apprehensions (from the enemy) cannot stand it and writhe and struggle and slink away. Whatever fear you face - illness, lack, relationship breakdown, people, self confidence - bring them by the scruff of the neck into the presence of God, expose them to the light...they won't last long! The Lord is your light and salvation today.

Song: We are- Kari Jobe