Believe

With things still spinning outside my window (pandemic, politics etc.), I’ve been calling out to God and asking Him what I should do.

I mean, really. We all have a part. We all have a purpose. (Are you asking Him what you should do?)

For me, it all goes back to the word He gave me for this year:  Believe.

At first I thought the word was just for the Christmas story I wrote last month. But the more I travel into January, I know it’s for this year. (He gave me another word, but I believe that’s something He’s going to do and is already doing. But that’s for another post.)

But the believing, well, that’s up to you and me.

We believe God parted the Red Sea, and Jesus calmed the storm. We believe Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. We believe the countless times when Jesus showed up people were healed, changed, challenged, and redeemed.

Don’t let the storms, the cresting waves of this world threaten you, scare you, or send you running for cover, my friends.

Believe in God. Believe in His power and His promises. Believe in His faithfulness and His love. Believe that He never leaves you. Believe that He has good plans for your life. Believe that in all things He is working things out for the good of those who love Him. Believe that Jesus rose from the grave and is seated at the right hand of the Father right now, interceding for us. Believe the Holy Spirit is on planet Earth, inhabiting the spirits of the willing vessels who surrender and call out to Him, inviting Him to guide, counsel, comfort, and direct. We don’t have to wander around aimlessly and hopeless.

We don’t have to lower our heads as discouragement tries to weigh us down.

We lift our eyes to the hills, where our help comes from, and we praise our God because we KNOW He is faithful! He always has been and always will be. And nothing is impossible for Him or too hard for Him.

When we believe in God, we are turning our eyes (see, that’s our part) to focus on God instead of the noisy waves crashing all around.

Do you remember what happened when Peter took his eyes off of Jesus while he, Peter, was walking on water?

Peter began to sink. He cried out to Jesus, and immediately Jesus saved him.

Wherever you are today, my friends, don’t take your eyes off of Jesus. Stay focused on Him. And if you give into your flesh and you look away, don’t give into the sinking. Don’t give up. Call out to Jesus. Immediately, He will be there to lift you up.

Don’t doubt. Believe.

“‘But if you [Jesus] can do anything, take pity on us and help us. ‘If you can’? said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:22b-24 NIV.)

Now Is the Time

We’ve all been hurt by someone. Perhaps it was a parent or a close friend when you were just a child. Maybe it didn’t happen until you were much older, blindsiding you and leaving you crushed and wondering how you’ll ever come back.

Maybe you were even hurt by someone in the Church.

It can happen. The Church is not a building where people gather but a family of believers, a group of imperfect people trying to follow the perfect Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, most families do hurt each other at one time or another.

But what devastates a soul is when the pain becomes a loud rushing sound, drowning out the voice of God, and that soul walks away from Him.

I imagine Almighty God lowering His head and sobbing, longing to hold His child who has turned away from Him and is suffering alone. (If this is you, please turn back to God. Please let Him hold you and help you to heal and move forward.)

Now is the time, dear Church, to prepare to bring back those who have been wounded by our imperfections; each and every lost and wounded soul. Now is the time to open our hearts to God so He can fill us with His love to overflowing, so when the doors of the building open wide and the injured, the broken, and the lost come in, we are ready to pour out His love upon them.

We must be ready to love like never before.

And we must prepare to find those who have wandered off, to take His love to them and not wait for them to come to us. Let us remember this time of being the Church outside of a building and not grow comfortable when we return to meeting inside of a building again. Let us be so moved in our desire to please God, the One we met with when we were withdrawn and in our homes, that we can’t sit still, that we must go whenever He calls and wherever He leads.

Heavenly Father, help us to be ready to obey You when You call. We invite You, Holy Spirit, to have your way and lead the Church inside and out of the buildings where we meet, beyond the social media sites. Expand our territory. Jesus Christ, You are the head of Your Church, and we yield and surrender ourselves to You. Use each one of us as the members of Your body, Lord. Please forgive us for the time we’ve wasted and redeem that time, Lord. Our hearts need You. Our spirits long for You. Our desire is for more of You and less of ourselves. Lead us, Holy Spirit, guide us and teach us how to love others more deeply than ever before. Teach us to worship in spirit and in truth. Teach us to speak Your Word with great boldness. Show us how to reach those who are hurting in the world. Help us to bring the wounded back into Your fold. And teach us to love You more deeply with all that we have and all that we are without worrying what others might think, aiming only to please You.  It’s in Your name, the powerful name of Jesus Christ, we pray these things. Amen.

May the Lord prepare His Church for the mighty movement of His Spirit. May He stir us from our sleep, stir something deep within our spirits now so when we are drawn together in the physical realm again, the whole world will hear His voice and know our God reigns.

And those who have wandered off, those who are lost, and those who have been wounded will be overwhelmed by the very love of God who never, ever gives up on His children.

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28 ESV.)

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NIV.)

 

(Photo from pexels.com.)

 

Do You Want a Spark or a Flame?

Are you just getting by, barely hanging on? Does it seem like life is tossing you back and forth like a ping-pong ball? Or perhaps it seems the enemy is constantly hanging around, discouraging you and lying in your ear, making you feel like you’re a big fat failure and you can’t do anything right.

My dear friends, keep going! Press on! Stand strong!

Does it seem like I’m yelling at you? I am! (But not in a bad way. Keep reading.)

When I was reading Scripture this morning, I found a note I’d written a long time ago, asking myself the question:

“Do you want a spark or a flame?”

I don’t know about you, but I want a flame. A big roaring flame! I want to set the world ablaze with all that God wants to do through me. I want to be bold. Obey. Stand strong. Press on. Reach and grab onto my heavenly Father with all that I’ve got and never let go.

And that’s what I want for YOU.  (See, that’s why I was “yelling.” 🙂 )

If you feel at odds with so many things in life right now, like you’re being squeezed, don’t let worldly worries suffocate you. Don’t let the enemy make you fearful or discourage you. Press in closer to God.

You see, a spark is nice. It can be the start of something powerful.

But a flame, well, the flame shines bright. The flame is God’s power working through you now. The flame refuses to back down because of the darkness. The flame does not fear the darkness but dispels it, disarming it.

The flame doesn’t whimper in the corner, fearing the darkness will overtake it or afraid of overstepping boundaries. The flame doesn’t pull back but pushes forward. The flame roars and is bold, swelling and growing because of the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit. The flame hushes only to listen to the voice of God and no other.

But you and I, we have to do our part. We have to be obedient. We have to seek God above all else. We have to fan the flame. We have to trust in the power, the direction of Almighty God, and not try to contain the flame He sets ablaze in our hearts out of fear of offending others or losing control.

When we give control of our lives over to God, surrendering it all to Him, that’s when the world will see Him in us. And that’s when He can use us powerfully.

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:6-7 NLT.)

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV.)

(Photo from Pexels.)