OPINION OF OTHERS

When the big question "Why was I born?" emerges from within, it is a time for significant endings and new beginnings!  It is a place in the road of our journey that can make us feel disoriented as we straddle our past and consider our possible future. This dot on our timeline can make anyone feel heavy, and depressed or melancholy.  When we feel stuck and unable to make decisions about which way to travel, it is time to STOP and BE STILL and LISTEN to the voice within.  Our wise elder, the inner teacher, the Holy Spirit, may be asking us to slow down and turn inward so we can take stock of what is working, what is not? How do we respond to the opinions of others?  Do we adjust ourselves to adapt to public opinion, or do we make adjustments to hold on to our belief in what God says about us?  How do we honor our priorities, commitments,

responsibilities, and boundaries?  Who do we consult when making long-term goals?   Have we examined how our belief systems? Are the stories that we tell about ourselves and the world about the miracle of our redemption?  Do we consider how our words and silent thoughts affect our current reality? Are the stories we tell useful? Do we hold captive every thought and align our thoughts with Christ, and His plan for us?  A PRAYER: Lord help each of us grow as bored with our vocalized victim stories as everyone around us already has!”  YES, it is time to shed the skin of our old sad self like the caterpillar did! Stilled out of pure boredom with all that the world had to offer, the caterpillar released his old life, his adolescent memories and surrendered his entire body and mind.  Then God created a brand new creature with wings that can fly above the world’s ways, and get a FRESH God sized perspective of our glorious short LIFE on earth, and our valid HOPE for eternity without pain or struggles!

Our heavenly Father's opinion of us is that He is pleased with His creation and He takes great pleasure in us. We must reclaim this truth and the authority of Christ within us.  We must BELIEVE that God will FINISH what He started in us! We must inhabit the truth that God equipped us to handle whatever task He assigns to us!   Let use our wings of faith to experience our pre-destined life at its best. Our death-of-self and rebirth into a new creature “in Christ” is our separation from a previous world view, and into God’s plan. Our radical break from the lie, from our old and tired self portraits accelerates our ongoing wave of renewal! It is in the “little things” that we witness change in us.  It is in the daily details that

we notice, moment by moment, that we are living an enriched, thriving and changed life. In the face of the current overwhelming planetary crisis, we can choose to start now, and begin small, to start fresh wherever we are. As set apart people, we gladly turn away from what has never worked, to embrace God’s way. This does not mean that LIFE will become easier! We will meet opposition, we will struggle, and we will be victorious even in the midst of chaos. Small efforts make significant differences in our own communities.  Instead of trying to change the world, as transformed people with renewed minds…we confidently contribute on a small scale and know that God is using us to make huge impacts on one watching person at a time. We are faced with many choices while living on earth, however, there are only two eternal choices. Pastor Rick Warren, author of a "Purpose Driven Life" gives us a look at our two eternal choices. CLICK this link and ENJOY Rick Warren's reality check, a living Word from God, and His loving opinion of WHY we should choose His way.  The Reality of Hell, Part 1

Are Ye Content Being Still?

In March 2017 I enjoyed a cruise on the Caribbean with 800 Christians who love Sandi Patty. With morning and evening worship daily for seven days, I disembarked feeling inadequate, and maybe off God's plan for my life.  Was it simply that the first year anniversary of my son's shocking death kept me uber sensitive, weepy and feeling hurt?  I allowed my soul just one day to collapse into silence then rebounded by solo kayaking in the Bahamas.  I questioned my life purpose and thought "Why do I feel such discontent?  Why am I here?" A dear friend gifted me a great book by Natalie Grant entitled "Finding Your Voice". Natalie penned a wonderful insight about the question God posed to Elijah. "What are you doing here, Elijah?" to which he replied "I have been zealous for the Lord God Almighty...I am the only one left, and now they are trying to

kill me too." Okay, nobody that I am aware of is seeking to hurt me, but my pirates of the Caribbean, my thoughts of being unwilling, unable,and undone robbed me of my peace, my calm. "After the earthquake came a fire, and the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper."  (1 Kings 19:9 -12) - Perhaps because my birthday is the 19th of the ninth month, that this word from the King of Kings struck me STILL enough to hear a gentle whisper too. God knew that His faithful, fervent prophet was shaken and weary....and in the midst of a rock shattering storm, an earth splitting quake and a blazing fire, God quietly asks Elijah "What are you doing here?" Imagine what your response to God would be? God knows when our hearts are trembling and He knew that his son Elijah needed to hear His gentle, calming voice. Facing murder and mayhem, Elijah chose to be calm in the storm and trust God. He acted with a wisdom that whispers "walk this way".  Believing that my potential is monumental, and that what I have to speak, or write will bring God glory, sometimes I am overwhelmed by the commission to: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations" Matthew 28:19-20  Behind my poised exterior is a quaking irritation about how much I could be doing. Moses doubted his ability to successfully free the slaves of Egypt.  Esther was afraid to approach her husband, but she did and was used by God in a huge way. Rahab must have found divine courage to defy her people and lower that scarlet rope to the spies. God has uniquely equipped me and He is faithful to give me strength in my weakness.  But what IF I want to live a quiet, calm life? I read and a part of me resonated with a blogpost: What If all I want is a mediocre life?  "What if I never build an orphanage in Africa but send bags of groceries to

people here and there and support a couple of kids through sponsorship. What if I just offer the small gifts I have to the world and let that be enough." Krista O'Reilly-Davi-Digui author of A Life in Progress.  Then I read a book that caught me in the midst of my denial " From Faking it to Finding Grace  " by Connie Cavanaugh. God works in fascinating ways.  My reluctance to pick up the bible, attend church or meet with friends is a certain SIGN that I am in conflict with the gifts I have and what to do with them.  "Peace, be still" is a scripture that came to mind, a pause for me to recover, slowly, "In His timing, In His grace".  Reflecting honestly on my hesitations to "be great" for His glory... I am now moved to thank my Holy Father Jesus, for the storm of emotions that I felt aboard the "Eurodam" and for His word that "this too shall pass".  Realizing that Jesus is in the boat with me during this storm, I am in the very BEST company.  I believe that God will finish what He has begun in me. Following His lead, I pick up a book entitled "Good to Great in God's Eyes" by my first spiritual mentor Pastor Chip Ingram.  Chip a mature man of God wondered "Is it really wrong to want to be great?  Is it self-centered to want your life to really make an impact?  Does ambition indicate a spiritual problem? What does "greatness" in God's 

 kingdom look like?  Is it prideful to want to honor God with lives of great faith and excellent work?  Is it arrogant to imagine achieving greatness in the church?"  In Luke 22 the disciples argued which one of them was the greatest? Jesus did not rebuke them for their longing to be great.  Additionally, Jesus did not condemn them, nor did He warn them against being prideful because of their passionate desire and ambition to be great.  Jesus Himself was not prone to mediocrity.  In a long prayer the night before his crucifixion, he prayed "I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do." John 17:4  That is a bold statement of greatness, and His desires were Godly.  To desire to be great in God's eyes, in His kingdom is not self-centered, but it is a noble thought, a worthy ambition.  Our greatness, as God defines it - is His desire.   When God created us He proclaimed us not just good, but "very good" Genesis 1:31 - So if you are wondering like Elijah "what possible kind of impact you could make for His glory?" Consider living the prayer embedded in the tapestry hanging near my computer  "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit." John 15:8   The go with the flow approach will almost guarantee an auto-pilot spiritual life for me, but the niggling whisper in me that 'there has got to be more' will not be silenced until I accept His call for me to seek to 'bear more fruit'.  In order for God to accomplish a great measure of His highest purposes in my life, I have decided to give myself permission to live out my passion for writing and speaking with intentional impact. Doing more for the kingdom is NOT required for salvation and you cannot earn more love or brownie points with God.  There is no 7 steps to success with God, there is no obligation "to do more" for God.  But if you have a "calling" or a quaking desire, a God given dream, a recurring internal motivation to have an eternal impact for the kingdom of God then "GO FOR IT!" In the course of a week I was went from hurting to healed!  Hallelujah!!!

CLAIMING TRUTH

Today I take the time I need to be who I am, and to rest.

Today I choose to BE STILL and listen to what the Spirit is saying.  

Today  I hear that I am loved by God and His plan for me is marvelous.

Today I feel resilient and fortified by the ever present Holy Spirit.

Today I am adequately equipped by God to do what He sets before me.

Today I am filled with thankfulness for all things. 

Today I seek the hidden gift within any unexpected experience.

Today I choose to trust God and know with certainty that all will be well.

Today I accept that God never rejects me, but at times people do, and that is ok.

Today I believe that God alone determines my worth.  Today I am worthy.

Today I tell myself the Truth, that God has set me free and there in NO condemnation.

Today I expect to be the recipient of grace, mercy and love from Jesus, my Lord.

Today I embrace the truth that I am not in control of how others perceive me. 

Peace be Still

NO arguments in 2017

The man with all the answers could have argued, but He was smart and He just let the woman have her opinions without correcting her. The wise Man wasn't interested in winning the argument of ownership of the well, nor did He respond to why people with a different ethnic background or political view insist that they were correct. He also remained calm after shocking her by simply asking her for a drink. You see, He was more interested in winning her soul than having her agree with His beliefs. His way was to 'be' understanding of varying cultures.  He was consistently courteous to those who held opposing beliefs. For me, there is an important lesson in the story of Jesus meeting the woman with a questionable character at the well. Therefore, I choose to refuse to argue with people who hold different political or spiritual beliefs. Wisely I will hold my tongue, smile, listen and offer "I can understand how you feel, I once felt that way too, but you know what I found?"  IF they ask "What?" Then I will respond with "I found that my ways, and my judgments did not honor God, and so today, I choose to love everyone, even if their ways are not what I believe they should be." 

Truth or Fiction?

Geology supports the order of creation.  Mathematics proves that creation was not random. Biology validates that each creature created reproduces after its own kind. Physics confirms that the world is running out of resources. Anthropology confirms that of all creation, only the human being can think, learn, listen and respond with intellectual writing. The Bible clearly teaches that God created a variety of species, organisms and man. The so-called contradiction between the Bible and modern science is: only a conflict in the opinion of the God created thinking man.  There are NO man made facts that can resolutely alter the Truth as revealed in the Holy Bible.  In the book of Genesis chapters 1-11, God lays out the origin of the universe; man and the nations, man's corruption, his own destruction, the scattering of man made beliefs and false gods.  God's plan to birth the nation of Israel, unfolds through a generation, born of a man named Abram. Chapters 12-50 tells the history of God's

rejection of those who refused to obey Him. The Father of all Creation tests and disciplines those He loves. God chose to teach and lead His people to trust and obey through the example of Abram. In chapter 12 of Genesis, God directed Abram to leave his homeland and go to Canaan. God changed Abram's name to Abraham (father of a multitude) and He promised Abraham that He would make a great nation out of his descendants. God made a covenant with Abraham in which He stated that the land of Canaan would be occupied by his descendants.  When Abraham was 100 years old, God told him that he would have a son through his 90 year old wife Sarah.  In spite of their laughable doubts, God fulfilled His covenant.  Isaac, the son of Abraham, was used to fulfill God's promise and Abraham's descendants became as numberless as the stars.

The promise of God passed from Abraham to Isaac. Then from Isaac's son Jacob, the second born twin of his sons. Esau was the first born of the twins. However, Isaac's wife Rebekah plots a deception.  She prods her second born, to disguise himself as Esau, in order that Jacob receives the blessing of their dying father.  Isaac blesses Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram, to find a wife among the daughters of Laban. On his journey, Jacob rests and in a dream he receives a vision of a ladder leading up to heaven.  The Lord speaks to Jacob and reaffirms His original covenant with Abraham.  Jacob falls in love with Laban's daughter Rachel, however, Laban tricks Jacob on his wedding night. Laban's daughter Leah repalced Rachel in the wedding tent.  Jacob eventually marries both sisters and through them and two concubines, 12 sons are born.  Joseph was his first born son through his favored wife Rachel.  Jacob departs from Laban and soon learns that his twin brother Esau is coming to visit with 400 men.  Jacob is

terrified of Esau's probable revenge.  One night before Esau arrives, Jacob encounters an angel of the Lord. The angel changes his name from Jacob to Israel, which means "contender with God".  Israel learns that his brother Esau carries no grudge and Jacob AKA Israel settles in Shechem.  Joseph is Israel's favored son and he gives Joseph a multi-colored robe. Hatred and jealousy prompt Joe's brothers to plot to kill him, but then they simply strip him of his robe and drop him in a deep pit to die.  The brothers take back Joe's blood smeared, multi-colored robe to Israel. The father weeps for his dead son Joseph.  Joe is rescued from the pit by Ishmaelite traders who sold Joe as a slave to Potifar, an officer of the Pharaoh in Egypt. Joseph is soon elevated to a high position with Potifar due to his trustworthy wisdom. Potifar's wife attempts to seduce Joe, and when he rejects her, she falsely accuses him and Joseph is imprisoned. Two years later the Pharaoh summons Joe out of prison to interpret his dream. Joseph successfully forecasted seven years of prosperity followed by seven years of famine. The Pharaoh made Joseph the ruler over all of Egypt's resources to prepare for the famine. The famine affects Canaan and Jacob AKA Israel sends all his sons except Benjamin to Egypt to get grain for their tribe.

Joseph's brothers did not recognize him, but eventually Joseph reveals his identity. Genesis 47-1 "Joseph went and informed Pharaoh 'My father and my brothers, with their sheep and cattle and all that they own have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen." Genesis 50:15 "When Josephs brothers saw that their father (Jacob AKA Israel) was dead, they said to one another, 'If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we caused him.' ....But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid, am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result - the survival of many people."  Just like Jesus, Joseph was favored then betrayed by his brothers, and friends, then placed in a pit to die.  Jesus was rejected by his brothers, his community and was crucified and put in a tomb.  But God had a plan for Jesus and Joseph and God raised them up for His purpose. To fulfill His covenant to bless the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Jesus was lifted up from death, and returned resurrected from the dead for God's purpose, the salvation of the world. LESSON for ALL: Trust and Obey God to receive His blessings.

Bible Overview

There are sixty-six books in the Bible and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are the key to both the inspiration and understanding of God and His story, His living Word to us.  The New Testament is a historically accurate document that proves Jesus Christ lived and spoke words of Truth.   The first century Jewish historian Josephus wrote “the so called Christ” whose disciples  “reported that He had appeared to them three days after His crucifixion and that He was alive.”  Jesus taught about the inspiration of the Bible and confirmed that the Old Testament is the divinely authoritative Word of God.  Jesus also promised that the Holy Spirit would lead His disciples in writing an inspired New Testament. Jesus said “Scripture cannot be broken” John 10:35.  Jesus also said that the Word of God “must be fulfilled” Read the book of Luke chapter 24: verse 44.

We also cannot neglect the fact that Jesus also stated that “ignorance of the Old Testament is the source of error.”  Matthew 22:29.  Obediently the New Testament writers also considered the Old Testament (OT) to be Scripture which is “inspired by God” 11 Timothy 3:16.   The critics of the Bible attempt to deceive us and cause us to choose between the Truth as revealed in the Holy Bible, and what they say "The Bible is a fairy tale for the weak"  Our choice is to accept the authenticity and the authority of the Old Testament or to disagree with what Jesus affirmed to be true.   

The entire Word of God is Truth, or Christ is not the Son of God.  We agree that Jesus told us the Truth, which means that the Old Testament is the historically accurate and divinely authoritative Word of God, or we deceive ourselves by criticizing the canonization of the Old Testament.  The word canon means “rule” and it refers to the sacred writings which are the rule for faith and practice among believers.  Today, Christ is our guide; He is the key to the interpretation of the Bible through the Holy Spirit.  There is no other way for a Christian to understand God’s Word.  There are three basic Holy Spirit revelations in which we may see Christ in the Bible.  1) Christ is the theme of both testaments.  2) Christ is the theme of each section of Scripture.  3) Christ centered themes are truths that are found in each of the sixty six books of the Bible.  The overall picture in the Bible is the person of Jesus Christ.  The Old Testament (OT) views the coming Christ by way of anticipation.  The New Testament (NT) views Christ by way of visible realization   The salvation prepared for in the OT was provided by Christ in the NT.  What Hope commenced in the OT is completed in the NT.  Matthew 1:21.  Christ is the theme of each of the eight sections of the Bible.

1) THE LAW (Gen-Deut) is the foundation for the coming Christ.  2) History (Josh-Esther) Christ the King is to come through the chosen nation, His kingdom on earth had to be formed. His kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  3) Poetry (Job-Song)  While suffering and rejoicing His people aspired for communion with Christ.  4) Prophecy (Isaiah – Malachi) Prophets held out hope of national restoration by Christ. Remember that Moses led Israel out of bondage through the Red Sea, but it was Joshua who took the Israelites through the raging Jordan River into blessing. Moses symbolizes deliverance and Joshua symbolizes victory.  5) Gospels (Matt-John)  In the gospels Christ was realized in the flesh. In Matthew Jesus

was made manifest in His sovereignty as King to the Jews. In John, Christ was manifest in His deity as God to the whole world. 6) History  (Acts) The historical manifestation of the Holy Spirit and in Acts the worldwide propagation of Christ began in Jerusalem. 7) Epistles (Rom-Jude) Paul’s doctrinal epistles repeats the phrase “in Christ”. Romans is redemption “in Christ”.  11 Corin is the jubilation or victory “in Christ”.  Galatians reveals emancipation “in Christ” Ephesians is the exaltation and unification “in Christ”. Phil declares the joy “in Christ”. Colo speaks of our completion “in Christ”.  1 Thess we experience an expectation “in Christ”.  11 Thess we discover a glorification “in Christ”.  1 Tim we are urged to faithfulness “in Christ”.  11 Tim we are reminded of the soundness “in Christ”.  Titus we are admonished to a steadfastness “in Christ” Philemon reads of our benefit “in Christ”.  8) Prophecy (Rev) Reveals the

consummation of all things “in Christ”  Through Christ all things were created and in Him all things are directed toward their final consummation. Christ is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega.   The word prophet comes from the word meaning “to announce”. A prophet was God’s mouthpiece, or the chosen human instrument through which God declared His message to man.  The broad meaning of prophecy is to forth-tell what God will do in the future.  These supernatural predictions form one of the strongest evidences that the Bible is the Word of God.  The prophets did not begin with Elijah or Samuel.  The first prophecy was about the coming Messiah, the Christ and was given by God to Adam and Eve.  (Genesis 3:15)  Enoch, the descendant of Adam also prophesied about Christ’s coming. (Jude 14).  Noah made predictions about his three sons (Gen 9:25-27) Abraham is called a “prophet” (Gen 20:7) and both Jacob and Joseph uttered prophecies (Gen 37:6 + Gen 49:10). Moses was considered a prophet (Deut 18:15) But Samuel started a school of the prophets (1 Sam 19:20). New Testament means ‘new covenant’, under which God forgives the ongoing unfaithfulness, mess ups, and wrong choices AKA sin of those who believe in Jesus Christ.  The definition of covenant:  The conditional promises made to humanity by God, as revealed in Scripture.  God’s covenant with “us”  who accept, believe and confess with our mouth that Jesus as Lord, we are saved, because His living Word, His promise to us is trustworthy, it is ever-lasting.  God's unchanging hope for us is that we trust Him, and listen to what "the Spirit is saying" and obey! Hallelujah!