Peace in the Storm!

Psalm 3:5- I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. NKJV

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It is said that Psalm 3 is the first psalm with a title. The title we are given lets us know that David wrote this psalm while he was fleeing his son Absalom. We recall that God had said to David,

Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’

2 Samuel 12:10 NKJV

So, David’s son tried to dethrone him and would have killed him in the process.

As David was on the run, he said to the Lord,

Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.” Selah

Psalm 3:1-2 NKJV

David was aware that his son Absalom wished to kill him and take over the kingdom. In the midst of this, David cries to the Lord and says his enemies have increased and risen up against him. On top of that, they have said there is no help for him in God! David always found help in God! No matter if the sin was his own, he always turned his heart towards God!

When you are in the midst of a storm, the first thing you are going to have to do is turn your heart towards God. It doesn’t matter if it is a relationship storm, a financial storm, or a personal storm; you have to turn your attention to the only One who matters. God!

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

Psalm 3:3 NKJV

David begins to give God praise, reminding Him that He was a shield for him. He is the One who lifted up his head, the One who gave him his glory! David understood that all of his help came from the Lord, that every victory was a result of His goodness. So, he gave God praise.

This is a lesson to all of us who are going through. After you whine and complain, you turn your face to God, then give Him some praise! What has He done for you? What victory has He brought you to? How good has He been to you and your family? Thank you, Lord, for blessings told and untold!

I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

Psalm 3:4 NKJV

Then David prayed! He prayed with the confidence of someone who had gone to God in the past and had Him answer. He prayed with the realization that God would hear him now.

This is how God expects us to pray to Him. With confidence, with boldness!

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

1 John 5:14-15 NKJV

That’s expectation! That’s an assurance that the thing we have asked of God is so, because He heard, and He answered!

I’ve had many occasions when this has been a truth in my life. But I immediately thought of when I was a young girl and romance was on my mind. I used to read Harlequin Romance books as a young girl. One day, I decided that I should probably not be reading books that didn’t align with my faith, so I stopped reading them. But I remember saying to the Lord that He was the author of love, and why couldn’t I experience a love that made my heart beat faster, or my toes tingle? Several years later, when I met my husband, I experienced this type of love. After 38 years of marriage, I’m still in love with him. God can do anything! He can make anything happen! He can answer the heart’s cry when it doesn’t even know what it is crying for. Learn to trust Him more!

The part of this psalm that I really love is this next verse.

I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.

Psalm 3:5 NKJV

David said he went to bed, and he slept! After David turned his face to God, he gave Him praise, prayed in confidence, then he went to bed and fell asleep! David decided that God was his sustainer! That God would protect him from Absalom as He had protected him from so many others. So he went to sleep!

That’s the remedy to worry today. We are not to pray, then go to bed and worry. We are to pray and believe that God is taking care of our situations and therefore, we are going to bed to sleep.

Worry is a Christian’s nightmare. I know, because I have experienced it. You toss and turn, and then you turn and toss. Your eyes peek at the clock, and you change positions throughout the night. All because you are worried about something that you should have prayed about, or that you prayed about but didn’t turn over to God. But not David! He went to sleep because to him, it was a done deal. And when he woke up, he knew that the Lord had sustained him. He was kept by the majestic hand of God!

I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.

Psalm 3:6 NKJV

When David awoke, he said that he wasn’t afraid of ten thousand people who had set themselves against him. He didn’t know what the end of this situation was going to be, but he did know that he was in the hand of the Lord. He didn’t know if Absolam was going to get the best of him or not, but he believed God that it was going to be alright.

I love this psalm. It brings such encouragement to the weary soul. David ends this psalm by stating that “salvation belongs to the Lord”. He was convinced that no matter what happened, God was in control!

I don’t know what you are going through today. I don’t know what your situation is. But I know that God can handle it! I’m confident that if you trust Him with it, it will be alright and that He will give you peace in the midst of your storm. Wonderful Jesus!

Deliverance in the Kingdom! Repost!

Mark 5:7-9 – “And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He asked him,  “What is  your name? And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” NJKV

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We’re in chapter five of Mark, and Jesus and His disciples have just experienced the storm on the Sea of Galilee. It is the same night, and they have made it to the other side.

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.

Mark 5:1-2 NKJV

When we think about making it to the other side of the storm, we think about a time of relaxation or celebration, not more trouble! But that is exactly what Jesus and His disciples ran into when they crossed to the other side, a man under the influence of demons!

Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

Mark 5:3-5 NKJV

The influence of the demons was so pronounced in the man’s life that Mark shares with us some scary things. He tells us that the man lived in the tombs and that no one could bind him, even with chains. He says that even when people would put chains on him, he would pull them apart and break the shackles into pieces. The demonic influence was so strong that no could tame him as he roamed through the mountains crying out and cutting himself with stones. This sounds like someone in a horror film. Someone whose dwellings in the tombs would never have to worry about a visitation from us, as the people of the city also avoided him. But God!

I easily remember encounters I have had with people possessed by demons. They are pretty unforgettable. One of the first time happened when I was a college student. We were in a service and the demons started manifesting through this young person. As the demon made itself known, the person became loud and distracting. When they tried to remove this 100 pound individual from the service, they were met with a supernatural strength they hadn’t bargained for. Grown men tried to remove the individual to no avail. It became a spectacle. I can’t believe that I don’t remember a deliverance, but I surely remember the utter embarrassment of how the grown men were unable to handle the situation!

When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 

Mark 5:6-8 NKJV

Jesus never encountered a situation that was too much for Him! When this demon possessed man rushed towards Jesus screaming, I’m pretty sure He didn’t bat an eye. Although he worshipped Him, (because every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess), it wasn’t from a heart of worship! I am pretty sure there was a tug of war over that man’s soul as there was something in him crying for deliverance, while the deons in him were vying for the right to remain in him. But Jesus gave a command that the unclean spirit would come out of the man, and there was no struggling with individual!

Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.

Mark 5:9-10 NKJV

Legion is a word that described a group of Roman soldiers. Within this group were 6,000 soldiers. Does this lead us to believe that the man was possessed with 6,000 demons? Quite possibly, considering all of the things they were driving him to do! What we can infer is that there were certainly a lot of demons living in this man. This was an unfortunate situation, but Jesus was the One who could handle it without breaking a sweat!

I believe in deliverance ministry. I personally prefer to not get into a situation where I have to deal with demons, but it does happen. I’ll share an experience from a few years ago. We were in our women’s ministry service when a woman walked into the service who was demon possessed. As the service progressed, so did her antics. As I was sitting in the front, I began to pray. I remember saying something like, “Lord, I don’t want to have to deal with this, but I have to pass her to go to the bathroom, and I really need to go. If she is there when I return, I will deal with it.”

As I got out of my seat, I was met by a woman in the church. She was concerned that things were getting out of hand and offered to call her husband and brother-in-law who were not far from the church. I told her not to call for I would handle it when I came back from the bathroom. Of course, my plan was that God would have encouraged her to leave before I returned because I didn’t really know how to handle it. But I had put myself out there, and now I was committed. Sure enough, she was still there! Lord, why me?

I opened the door to the sanctuary, got her attention, and asked her if I could speak to her. Of course, I didn’t want an audience. The word was going forth and I didn’t want to add to the distraction. She stood up in the back of the church, faced me, and I thought, okay, we are doing this the hard way! Then the demon said, “You want me to leave don’t you?” I responded with a yes, I did! Then the most amazing thing happened. She gathered her things and left! Whew! Thank you, Jesus! In hind sight, I should have said that I wanted the demon to come out of her, but I’m grateful for the way things ended!

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Matthew 10:7-8 NKJV

I don’t believe we have to major in demon chasing. I also don’t think a demon is in everything. When they show up there is no question about it. But when they show up, we don’t have to be afraid, we can operate in the kingdom as Jesus did, and set the captive free!

The event ended well for the demon possessed man, but not for Jesus!

 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.

Mark 5:15-17 NKJV

Jesus sent those demons into the swine, and they caused the swine to commit suicide by running over the hill. The man was set free, clothed, and in his right mind; but the townspeople were afraid of this kind of power. They asked Jesus to leave! Had they understood who was in their midst, they would have begged Him to stay! Wonderful Jesus!

Blessing Blocker!

Matthew 11:6-And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” NKJV

Several years ago, I wrote a blog, “Are You Offended with Jesus.” In it, I discussed the problem John the Baptist had with Jesus, how he asked if he was the One or should they look for another? I thought it was a very good post. Today, I would like to elaborate on the offense we have with Jesus!

When I think about “offense”, I’m reminded of the very first place in scripture where offense took place. In Genesis 4:4-5, we see

Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:4-5 NKJV

Abel and Cain had offerings to the Lord. Abel’s offering required blood to be shed, and Cain’s didn’t. God respected Abel’s offering, but Cain’s offering didn’t make God happy. Cain got so angry with God, so offended by what God did, that his countenance fell.

So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Genesis 4:6-7 NKJV

This is the very first time someone became offended with God. It was here that the precedent was set. God told Cain, “If you do well, you will be accepted. But if you don’t do well, you won’t, and sin lies at your door. ” If what you do pleases Me, you will be blessed. If what you do doesn’t please me, you will not be blessed, and sin is waiting for you.

Well, we know Cain failed the test. Instead of trying to please God, he killed his brother and gave over to sin. Sin doesn’t have to conquer us; God said we can rule over it.

John was obviously offended with Jesus when he sent his disciples to Him. Jesus was smarter than John, just as He’s smarter than us, so He saw immediately what the problem was. John was offended.

“Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

John 4:4-6 NKJV

Jesus told John’s disciples to say to him all the things that He was doing. The blind were receiving their sight, the lame were walking, the deaf were hearing, and the dead were being raised, just like he prophesied about. And blessed was the one who wasn’t offended because of Him.

Just as Cain blocked the blessing of God in his life, John was about to do the same thing, and Jesus warned him, ‘You don’t want to end this way.’

Let’s look at another blessing blocker. The older brother of the prodigal son. He was at home taking care of business, honoring his father. But his younger brother went to his father and asked for his inheritance so he could live it up. When he lost all of his money, he came back home, and his father threw him a party. But the older brother was not happy.

“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

Luke 15: 28-30 NKJV

A person in my church told me that they had a problem with this story. It looked like the bad son was blessed, and the good son was considered bad. Here’s the problem. The bad son was bad, but he repented and therefore was made right in the sight of the father. The good son, on the other hand, was offended, harboring that offense and anger at the son and at the father, and he was blocked from all his father had for him. We don’t know if he ever got it right again.

But we know Joseph got it right. His brothers hated him and sold him into slavery. They didn’t want any parts with Joseph and his dreams. But Joseph did well in Egypt because God was with him, and instead of becoming offended at all that happened to him, he kept his eyes on God. When God elevated him and made him governor of Egypt, his brothers truly did bow at his feet. But Joseph said,

“Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 

Genesis 50: 19-20 NKJV

He recognized that God was in the plan, even though from the outside it didn’t look like it. Because he yielded to what God was doing, he received the blessings of God. I believe John the Baptist got it right. I believe he listened to what they said to him about Jesus, and he got it right before God.

Jesus was another person who got it right. He went through all the hell at Calvary for us, so that He could receive the blessing of being the captain of our salvation. He allowed all of the discomfort of the cross so that He could bring many sons to glory. He took all the stripes in His body so that we could be healed. Jesus got it right!

And I believe today that we can get it right! We can look at the disappointments in life and choose to stay focused on God. We can look despair in the face and say to it that it will not overcome us. We can say to sin, “We will rule over you,” and instead of blocking the blessings of God, we can receive the blessings of God. Wonderful Jesus!

You Still Don’t Know Me? Repost!

John 14:9-Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? 

Philip was one of Jesus’ disciples. For more than three years, Philip watched Jesus as He performed miracles, listened to all of His sermons, and hung out with Him in His private time. Philip had a “front seat” in the life of Jesus. He knew Jesus! And yet, in our verse for today, Jesus says to Philip

“Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?

John 14:9 NKJV

Have you ever felt like Jesus? Have you ever talked with someone and they left you wondering if they even knew you? I can definitely say, “Yes, and amen!”

Jesus told the disciples that He was about to leave them, to go and prepare a place for them. He told them that where He was going, they would also be able to go because they knew where He was going and they knew the way. Yet, Thomas said that they not only didn’t know how to get where He was going, they were clueless as to where He was going!

If this wasn’t enough to prove that the disciples and Jesus weren’t on the same page, Jesus told them they knew the Father and had seen Him. Yet, Philip said to Him:

“Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

John 14:8 NKJV

Clearly, Jesus and the disciples were having a failure to communicate. From Jesus’ standpoint, He had been busy showing the disciples who He and the Father were, and they had totally missed it!

Jesus responds to Philip by asking him:

“Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?

John 14:9 NKJV

For some reason, this question has been echoing in my heart lately. Not so much about Jesus, but in general. It has caused me to stop and think about all the times and all the ways we could use this phrase with others, and be as perplexed with them as Jesus was with Philip!

For example, I was working at my job when my boss came in and threw an accusation at me. I was taken completely off guard because we had worked together long enough, had seen enough drama, and had even put out enough fires together for her to know my character. And yet, she accused me of something that was so totally not me. Have I been with you so long and you still don’t know me? It’s baffling! At this point in our relationship, I believed we knew each other so well that nothing like this could have ever happened. And yet, it did!

Can you imagine Jesus’ perplexity with His disciples at this point? I can! In this text, Jesus used the Hebrew word “ginōskō” which has several meanings, including perceived and understand. Philip thought he was having a “Moses” moment with Jesus. After all, Moses had asked God a similar question when he asked God to show him His glory (see Exodus 33:18). Only this didn’t produce the same results for Philip as it did for Moses because Jesus said:

“Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 

John 14:9 NKJV

I believe Jesus had a two-fold assignment, or goal when He came to Earth. One was to bring reconciliation between man and God and the other was to give us a new awareness of God. In John 12, Jesus spoke these words before His disciples and others:

“He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

John 12:44-45

In the Old Testament we are given opportunities to see God as He revealed Himself. We see Him as the Creator in the beginning. He reveals Himself to us through encounters with Noah, Moses, Abraham and his descendants. We discover Him to be a miracle worker, a healer, a provider, and a deliverer. We are shown His glory and we desire to know Him in a greater capacity; for ourselves, as David did.

Then Jesus comes on the scene. He walks in an authority that no other man has ever displayed. He demonstrates that He is a miracle worker, a healer, a provider, and a deliverer. When John the Baptist asked if He was the Messiah, He told John the blind see, the lame walk, and the lepers are cleansed. He even said to Philip:

Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

John 14:10-11 NKJV

In other words, “Let the works I’ve done speak for Me!”

If you think I’m baffled that those closest to me often leave me feeling as if they don’t know me, then you should know that I am still amazed that so many are unaware of who Jesus is!

I may not know Him as well as I should, but I have the basics figured out. I truly believe that Jesus is real and is the Son of God, and therefore He is God. I know Him to be my healer, deliverer, provider, and protector, to name a few. I trust His character even when I don’t agree with His decisions about my life. I trust His love for me even when He feels distant. I trust His word even when I don’t understand it. It is my heart to know Him better! Paul prayed this for each us:

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God

Colossian 1:9-10 NKJV

We are to live our lives to understand God. We should know Him better today than we did last year. Our desire should be to grow in our understanding of God more than anything else. If we believe that He would do anything to hurt us, then we don’t know Him. If we believe He could ever leave us alone, we don’t know Him. If we believe that He doesn’t care about us, we don’t know Him yet! Keep working at it! He’ll reveal Himself!

I started this blog two weeks ago and it ended up in my drafts. I tried to move on to another post, but I couldn’t move past this one. Without knowing my struggle, my husband came to me this week with this very same puzzlement from his quiet time with the Lord. He thought the discourse between Jesus and His disciples in John 14 was disconcerting. I knew then I needed to go back to this draft.

None of us will ever be able to grasp the totality of the Person of Jesus with our finite minds! Hopefully, we are gaining in our knowledge of Him regularly! Wherever we are in our journey with Him, we don’t want to be in a position where we He asks us, “Have we been together this long and you still don’t know me?” Wonderful Jesus!

No Shame! Repost!

2 Timothy 1:8-Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God…NKJV

Have you ever felt ashamed of being a Christian? Or maybe, it wasn’t so much that you were ashamed of being a Christian, but being associated with someone or something that shed a negative view on Christianity. While I have never been ashamed of being a Christian, I have often felt embarrassment over the shenanigans some people get caught up in as they name the name of Christ!

In this letter to Timothy, Paul is again in chains. And theologians agree that it is the last letter Paul wrote because he was later martyred. Paul writes this letter to encourage Timothy but (in a sense) also to say farewell to Timothy.

I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy

2 Timothy 1:3-4 NKJV

Paul told Timothy that he had indeed been called by God to be an apostle. He wanted Timothy to know all of his service to God had been “with a pure conscience” before God. And even though Paul was in prison and facing death, Timothy was very much on his mind and in his prayers. Paul really loved Timothy, and if we couldn’t see it in the first letter, this second letter leaves us no doubt. Although they were not blood relations, the blood of Jesus had made them family in a way that was equally, maybe even more binding, than that of natural blood. Their relationship was definitely that of mentor and mentee, but Paul was also Timothy’s spiritual father and Timothy was his son!

Paul wanted to see Timothy one last time to be filled with joy before his departure. He knew this situation was hard on Timothy, that Timothy had even shed tears over it, but Paul wanted Timothy to know that he was in a good place and needed to know that Timothy was also in a good place!

Paul reminisced over his experiences with Timothy:

When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 

2 Timothy 1:5 NKJV

He fondly remembered the faith that Timothy had in Jesus. His commitment to the gospel of Jesus and his labors in the ministry. He reminds Timothy that he had a legacy of faith that began first with his grandmother then, his mother, and it was also instilled in Timothy. Not only does Paul remember, but he also wants Timothy to remember.

In those darkest moments of life or our greatest trials, we have to watch what we are meditating on. Paul knew that he couldn’t spend his time awaiting his sentence focusing on his imminent death. Not if he wanted to remain filled with hope! So, he spent that time encouraging Timothy to continue with his assignment by remembering the things that mattered. His faith!

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:6-7 NKJV

Paul reminded Timothy to stay focused. Stir up the gift of God that’s on the inside of you, given to you by God. This is not the time to allow fear to get a grip on you. Yes, Christians are being persecuted! Yes, things are tough right now! But don’t let fear paralyze you and hinder you in the fight of faith! Stir up your gift! For God has given you everything that you need to continue in the work of the Lord, power, love, and a sound mind!

Then Paul said to Timothy:

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God…

2 Timothy 1:8 NKJV

In other words, don’t you dare allow shame to enter your heart! Not shame over the testimony of our Lord, nor shame over me being a prisoner! These are not things to be ashamed of! If anything, Paul told Timothy, share with me in the suffering for the gospel’s sake! That’s why I’m in prison! Not because I have done something wrong or have brought embarrassment to the cross, but because of my unrelenting faith in Jesus and my faithfulness in proclaiming the gospel (see verses 9-11)! As a result, persecution has come to me, and if you are indeed the young man in Christ I know you to be, you will also suffer persecution!

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

2 Timothy 1:12 NKJV

Paul wanted Timothy to understand that there was no shame in his game! He wasn’t upset or offended that he was in prison with a death sentence hanging over his head! As a matter of fact, Paul reiterated to Timothy that he knew who his faith was in and it hadn’t changed! Not only was his faith in Jesus secure, but he was persuaded that Jesus was able to keep all that he had committed to Him! That’s great faith!

But Paul didn’t end there! Paul gave Timothy some more advice:

Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

2 Timothy 1:13-14 NJKV

Paul told Timothy to hold fast to the things that he had taught him! They were sound teachings! Things taught to him in faith and in love! Paul wanted Timothy to understand that he wasn’t believing in something or someone that wasn’t worth it! The gospel of Jesus was worth every moment of joy and every moment of pain to Paul, and he wanted Timothy to understand that his life wasn’t lived in vain! So, the good thing that was committed to Timothy by the Holy Spirit, Paul wanted Timothy to keep at it, to not give up! Powerful words of encouragement!

I’ve read these letters so many times through the years! But never have I really taken the time to think about what Paul was really saying! Paul was completely sold out to the cause of Christ. Nothing was more important to him. He saw his imminent death as a means that the devil could use to shipwreck Timothy’s faith! And he couldn’t bear the thought of that happening! So he laid it all out for Timothy to see so, that he would be encouraged by all that Paul had experienced and not discouraged!

Today, many have abused their positions in the church. They have been caught doing some unthinkable things which have caused many to feel shame, embarrassment, and even shipwrecked in their faith! Paul reminds us, through his letter to Timothy, that there is no shame in the cross! When Jesus was placed on the cross, the devil thought he was bringing great shame to the name of Jesus! But if it had not been for the cross, we would all still be in our sins! Jesus was unconcerned about the shame they were trying to cast upon Him because we were all on His mind! Aren’t you glad that He didn’t give up? I most certainly am!

As believers, we cannot afford to let circumstances or others’ lack of integrity cause us to feel shame! We must make up our minds that it is for Christ we live and regardless of others’ inability to remain faithful to the call, we choose to remain faithful! So even though I am disturbed by what I see in the media, I choose to remain strong like Paul and declare, there is no shame in my game! I am delighted to be a Christian and plan to continue to stand for Him and what His word teaches me, even when it is not popular! Wonderful Jesus!

Getting a Grip on Frustration! Repost!

Psalm 37:1-Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. NKJV

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The Oxford dictionary defines frustration as “the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of inability to change or achieve something.” Frustration isn’t limited to the ungodly, the backslidden, or even the struggling Christian. Frustration happens to us all!

Frustration is the result of a variety of circumstances. People become frustrated when their dreams don’t come to pass. Frustration can be the result of feeling like things are not happening fast enough for you. Or frustration can overtake you when you have put your all into something, and it is viewed as not good enough! Yes! We have all experienced frustration on some level.

Throughout the scriptures, we have many examples of those who probably experienced their own frustrations. Noah was probably frustrated as he built the ark, and the people laughed and made fun of him. I’m sure Joseph was pretty frustrated when he told the cupbearer to remember him to Pharaoh after interpreting his dreams, and the man forgot! Jeremiah was frustrated as he proclaimed God’s messages to the people, and they threw him in the dungeon. David was frustrated with Joab after he killed Abner because David had already joined forces with him.

What frustrates you today? What is going on in your life, or the world around you, that you feel you have no control or little control over, and it annoys you? What is causing you to become so frustrated that underneath it all, there is a slow burn leading to anger or bitterness? Whatever it is, the psalmist noted that if you continue allowing it to have free rein in your emotions, it will cause you harm:

do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harmPsalm 37b-38 NKJV

As I mentioned already, David understood frustration! After all, he had been anointed king of Israel, yet he was running for his life from the ousted king, King Saul. He had saved Saul and the kingdom from the Philistines by killing Goliath, and Saul wanted him dead. Frustrated! As he was running for his life, he ended up in one situation after another. There was Nabal the fool, who refused to feed him and his men, although they had protected him. Frustrated! While he and his men were out to battle, his town was overrun, their families were taken, and they wanted to kill David! Frustrating!

But David had some advice for those of us who experience frustration because they were things he learned along the way. He said:

Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.Psalm 37:2 NKJV

Trust in the Lord, David said! Give that stuff over to the only One who can change it, or change you! He is faithful, and that is what we should be focusing on, not on the things or people that frustrate us! I’m talking to myself right now! God is so faithful, and the things that frustrate us are not greater than the One who loves us! We need to learn that as we trust Him, He will give us the desire of our hearts!

Do you desire to be free of the feelings of frustrations that are trying to cripple, immobilize, and cause you to give up? Then those are desires He can most certainly supply! No one wants to see you free of those frustrations more than He does!

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.Psalm 37:3 NKJV

There are some things that are going to have to be entrusted to the Lord! I can’t control other people’s actions, but I can control how I respond to them. I can’t control how the economy is going, or the high prices for goods and services, but I can control my spending and saving. I am going to have to trust those things that I can’t control to the Lord! David continued his thought by saying,

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for HimPsalm 37:7a NKJV

How do we get a grip on frustration? David encouraged us to rest in the Lord and to wait patiently for Him. It may seem like things are never going to change, or they will never get better! But this is when we rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him! It may seem like it is taking too long for God to move on your behalf, but rest in Him and wait patiently for Him! Frustrations come to us all, but we must get a grip on them and place them in the hands of God! I’m talking to myself today! Wonderful Jesus!

If I Be Lifted Up!

John 12:32- And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” NKJV

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I was in church this week when I heard a minister say, “If I be lifted up, He said, I will draw all men to me!” Along with the rest of the congregation, I said, “Amen.” He was speaking of lifting up Jesus’ name as praise and people being drawn to Him. But then I thought, why do I say amen if I know this isn’t what Jesus was talking about?

When Jesus made the statement,

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 

John 12:32 NKJV

He was not talking about having a praise service or exalting His name.

In this portion of the gospel of John, Jesus is on His way to the cross. He was troubled in His spirit and didn’t look forward to it.

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.  Father, glorify Your name.”

John 12:27-28 NKJV

We are all aware of His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, how He wrestled in His spirit about the cross. But did we know that He wrestled beforehand? That the very thought of going to the cross, of being crucified, of being without the Father for the first time in His life hung heavily on His shoulders?

He asks, “Should I say ‘Father, save Me from this hour?” And then He answers His question, “It was for this purpose that I came into the world.”

Jesus came to die on the cross for the sins of the world. He came that they might have life and that more abundantly. He came to seek and to save the lost. This is why He came. So why would He want to miss out on the cross, to avoid it? Technically, He doesn’t, but physically, maybe He does!

So, Father, glorify your name. Make it everything that You desire it to be. Do what You want with this life that I am living and have Your way.

Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

John 12: 28 NKJV

God was pleased with Jesus. He was pleased with all that Jesus had done and all that He was doing, and going to do. God understood the need for a sacrifice to satisfy the sins of the world. He was all too aware of the fact that fallen man needed a Savior, and that Savior was Jesus! So, yes! He was going to be glorified at the cross!

Those around Jesus at the time heard thunder. But some said it was an angel speaking to Him. But it was His heavenly Father encouraging Him. And then Jesus said:

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”

John 12:32 NKJV

Is Jesus talking about praise? Is He referring to us lifting His name up? Absolutely not! Jesus is referring to death. The very next verse tells us:

This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

John 12:33 NKJV

It doesn’t get much plainer than that. Jesus told the people that if He be lifted up, He would draw all men unto Him, signifying the method in which He would die. Why? Because the message of the cross draws men and women and boys and girls to the Savior!

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

John 12:24 NKJV

Jesus understood that alone, He was limited in what He could do. So, He had to multiply Himself into a team. When He died, He produced much fruit. Many came to salvation and worked in the Kingdom which He established. And many are still working!

Jesus wasn’t talking about praising His name, or even exalting Him. He wasn’t talking about lifting His name in song or even in a testimony. No! He was talking about the way He would die on this earth! Plain and simple!

However, I think that scripture can be used in more than one way. It can certainly be used to give Him praise or to exalt His name above other names. But that wasn’t why He said it. I think as long as the individual understands that this was a hard time for Jesus and that He was predicting His death, then to use it for other means could be okay.

But the next time you hear it, you will know that it doesn’t necessarily apply to exalting the name of Jesus. It simply means how He would die for the sins of the whole world. And that’s enough! Wonderful Jesus!

Conspiracy Theories! Repost!

Nehemiah 6:6-In it was written: “It is reported among the nations, and [c]Gashmu says, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; for that reason you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.  NASB

Conspiracy theories have been running wild since biblical times. And today, the theories get juicier and juicer, and some are pretty dangerous. In 1998, a conspiracy theory movie entitled, Enemy of the State was released. The movie depicted a lawyer who was inadvertently passed information while out shopping. He then becomes the target of a government official who uses the nation’s technology to destroy the lawyer’s life to cover up his crime of murder.

It’s not the government that is the enemy, this movie argues, so much as bureaucrats and demagogues who use the power of the government to gain their own ends and cover their own tracks.

Roger Ebert, Movie Critic, 1998.

This line resonated with me, as I was flipping through old movies based on conspiracy theories, because it brings to mind what is at the heart of a conspiracy theory. People who use their power in government to attain whatever their heart’s desire is. Merriam-Webster defines a conspiracy theory as:

A theory that explains an event or set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot by usually powerful conspirators.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

This is the situation that Nehemiah finds himself addressing in the sixth chapter. A conspiracy theory. Sanballat and his cronies received word that the wall was built. Unbeknownst to Nehemiah, Tobiah, a close ally of Sanballat, had spies in the camp who reported everything to him (verses 17-19). So when Sanballat heard about the finished work of the wall, Sanballat conspired against Nehemiah.

Four times, Sanballat tried to convince Nehemiah to attend a meeting with him, which was designed to harm Nehemiah, but Nehemiah refused to go. On the fifth time, Sanballat sent a messenger with an open letter. This was significant because it was unusual. Messages were usually sent sealed to keep the contents private, but not this letter. This letter was intentionally left unsealed so that everyone could discover what was written on the inside:

“It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; for that reason you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.

Nehemiah 6:6 NASB

Sanballat accused Nehemiah of rebuilding the wall to rebel against the king and make himself king of the Jews. He stated that the Jewish people were part of this plot to rebel, also accusing Nehemiah of having prophets to validate him.

You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let’s consult together.”

Nehemiah 6:7 NASB

Sanballat’s conspiracy theory was basically saying that Nehemiah had ulterior motives for wanting the walls rebuilt. Those motives did not include the welfare of the people, but the arrogance of Nehemiah, who felt this was an opportunity to make himself king. In sharing this theory with the people, Sanballat was inciting fear in their hearts also challenging their motives for working with Nehemiah to rebuild the walls. They understood that if a message like this reached the king’s hearing, they would experience the wrath of the king. And if that wasn’t enough, Sanballat claimed that Nehemiah had somehow convinced prophets to get on board with the lie that he was king.

Here’s something we need to realize about conspiracy theories. Just because someone has a conspiracy theory, doesn’t mean the theory is truth. Sanballat shared his conspiracy theory in such a way that it was believable. That’s the way these theories work. They could be believable in the right circumstances. Usually. But in this circumstance, it was a conspiracy theory based on lies, and Sanballat knew it as he wrote it.

For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, God, strengthen my hands.

Nehemiah 6:9 NASB

In the movie, Enemy of the State, the official named Reynolds was the bad guy. Reynolds wanted to hide the fact that he had murdered the senator who was against what he was doing. The evidence had been passed on to the lawyer (played by Will Smith), and so Reynolds began using everything at his disposal to destroy the lawyer while discrediting him as a viable witness. The lie was that the lawyer was responsible for everything, when in actuality, the one calling him a liar and a murderer was, in fact, both of those things.

As Jesus cast out demons, the conspiracy theorists (the Pharisees and Sadducees) declared that He was being used by Beelzebub and not God (Matthew 12:24). As Jesus proclaimed the kingdom, conspiracy theorists declared that He was blasphemous and they plotted to kill Him (John 5:18). They had their networks in place and were prospering. Then Jesus comes along and upsets everything. His good became evil in the eyes of the conspiracists, and they ended up calling for his crucifixion! And many of the people joined in with the conspiracy.

Conspiracy theorists did not stop at the cross. I wish they had! They are alive and well! And with the technology that we have today, their message is proclaimed to the masses. Their objective is to support their agenda while wanting us to believe that they are looking out for our interests. And they are oftentimes very successful! (I will not point you to particular individuals, but will allow God to speak to you in that regard; although it took me years to understand that some of my information about Dr. Martin L. King was a result of conspirators).

We, as Christians, should realize that the only agenda that matters is God’s agenda. Last week’s post dealt with the problem of injustice, but this week, I’m looking primarily at the ones who act like Sanballat, talk like Sanballat, and carry themselves like Sanballat-the conspiracy theorists. They try to cause fear to rise up in the hearts of God’s people. They want us to be afraid of the people whom they are against. They try to make believers feel ashamed when they won’t fall in line with their agenda. And if you don’t get on board with them, they will attempt to see you destroyed!

So, how did Nehemiah handle Sanballat?

For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, God, strengthen my hands.

Nehemiah 6:9 NASB

Nehemiah said that Sanballat was trying to frighten them and cause them to become so discouraged that the work would not be completed. Although the walls were finished, there was still work to be done. And Sanballat saw that they were getting things done, and doing so rapidly. Therefore, he devised this conspiracy against Nehemiah to destroy him before the people. But Nehemiah prayed that God would strengthen his hands. Nehemiah did what he always seemed to do when trouble came his way. He prayed. Nehemiah knew what Sanballat was up to, but he also understood that he needed help from God to remain strong against the attacks coming at him and to help the people stay focused on the truth!

In the movie, the lawyer, played by Will Smith, needed the help of Brill, a spy, to navigate through the webs the conspiracist had created around him. Together, they got things done! Like the lawyer, we need the help of the Holy Spirit to navigate the lies that permeate our society and are designed to weaken us, distract us, and pump fear into our hearts. Prayer will open us up to His leading. But we have to want to know the truth!

Conspiracy theorists decided that Taylor Swift’s relationship with NFL player Kelce is a conspiracy. Conspiracy theorists deny the reality of the Holocaust. And some of them say that mass shootings are fake. Despite the facts they know exist, these theories are being presented as truth! And there are always people who believe them. Even still, that doesn’t make them true!

As we approach the season of voting in America, we need to be prayerful. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us navigate through the political conspiracies that are designed to create fear in our hearts, distract us from the kingdom’s agenda, and lose sight of Calvary. We need to call truth truth and lies lies. We need His help to figure out what is a conspiracy touted for personal gain and what is truth? God doesn’t want us to be ignorant!

Again, I am not trying to be political. When I chose the book of Nehemiah, I had no forethought about the topics that I would write about. But I believe that God set this up for such a time as this! Wonderful Jesus!

Turn the World!

Acts 17:6 – But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. NKJV

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Paul’s mission in life was to bring as many people as he could to the saving knowledge of Jesus. Everywhere he went, everything that he said was for this one mission. In the 17th chapter of the Book of Acts, we see this truth on display, and I can’t help but wonder if I need to ponder this truth more.

We find Paul in Thessalonica, where he has been for three Sabbaths. As is his custom, he is in the synagogue, and the first thing we note is that Paul reasoned with them.

Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures

Acts 17:2 NKJV

Now the word “reason” comes from the Greek word “dialegomai”. It primarily denotes “to ponder, resolve in one’s mind”, then, “to converse, dispute, discuss, discourse with;” most frequently, “to reason or dispute with.” From this word, we understand that Paul was in the synagogue conversing, disputing, and having discourse with the men and women about who Jesus is from the perspective of the scriptures. He explained the scriptures to them that they may understand Christ.

Explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”

Acts 17:3 NKJV

Paul also explained this gospel to them. It’s interesting to note that the word for explain is open, or the Greek word “dianoigō”. It is understood to mean that Paul “opened up completely” what he had to say about Jesus. He wanted them to truly understand the message of hope and deliverance that he was sharing with them. We can understand this by seeing that Paul was not only “reasoning” with the men and women, but he was “opening up their understanding” by interpreting what the scriptures had to say to them.

Paul also demonstrated the gospel message.

Explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”

Acts 17:3 NKJV

The Greek word, paratithēmi, paints the picture of it used of setting subjects before one’s hearers by way of argument and proof. Demonstrating literally means to “lay alongside of”; in other words, showing how the passages relate to real life. It is the practical application of the Scriptures.

And the Bible says that because Paul reasoned, explained, and demonstrated the scriptures for these people,

And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

Acts 17:4 NKJV

a great many of them believed in the Lord Jesus and joined themselves to Paul and Silas. But not all believed, nor were all persuaded!

 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

Acts 17:5 NKJV

There were some Jews amongst them, who heard the gospel so wonderfully proclaimed, yet they did not believe. Not only were they not persuaded to believe the gospel, but they also became envious. And the Bible says they gathered a mob of evil men and attacked the house of Jason, where Paul was staying. But Paul wasn’t there. They couldn’t find him. So, they took Jason and some of the brethren to the rulers of the city and proclaimed:

 “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”

Acts 17:6 NKJV

Wow! What a testimony that Paul, Timothy, Silas, and so many others of the early church had! They were noted here as having turned the world upside down! They preached Jesus to such a degree, they changed their known world for the kingdom of God! They reasoned, explained, and demonstrated Him on such a level that the world stopped and took note of what was happening. They had flipped the switch on the world, and as a result, they experienced persecution. As a result, Paul and Silas were snuck out of town and ended up in Berea!

Berea was fifty miles away from Thessalonica. It’s my understanding that it was “out of the way” in case the trouble-makers were sent to look for them. But as soon as they arrived, they looked for the synagogue to reason, explain, and demonstrate the scriptures to them.

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 

Acts 17: 11 NKJV

In Berea, Paul found fair-minded individuals who were more open to the gospel, and they received the word with readiness. Every preacher wants to preach to somebody hungry for God’s word. Apparently, they didn’t know that Paul and Silas were coming, but when they arrived, the people were ready and they received God’s word. As a people, they were open to biblical truth and desired to know more about the word. So they took it to the next level and searched the Scriptures.

Oftentimes, when I hear the word of God, I find myself fact-checking to see if what I am being told equates with sound doctrine. If I am unsure of something, I talk about it with my family on the way home from the service. And since I am a note-taker in church, I find myself going back into the scriptures to see if things pan out the way they were preached. So I can totally understand the Bereans’ need to search the scriptures. And do you know what happened? Many believed!

Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.

Acts 17:12 NKJV

Paul and Silas made a mad dash for a city they didn’t know to escape persecution. And while they were there, they shared the gospel with the people. The people, in turn, received the word and studied the scriptures, giving them a foundation for what they were hearing. And many men and women believed in the Lord Jesus!

They continued their mission of turning the world upside down for the glory of Jesus! This makes me wonder how I live my life. Am I one who would say I turn the world upside down for the kingdom of God? No, I wouldn’t say that! Although I live my life in constant regard for the kingdom, it’s been a while since I personally led someone to Christ. I am sure that needs to change.

How about you? Are you actively seeking ways to witness for Jesus? Do you spend time wondering if you are sharing the gospel enough to be counted worthy of the cross? I know many have come to the Lord as a result of this blog, and I thank God for each and every one, but I need to personally witness more. Let’s make an attempt to turn our world upside down for the glory of God! Wonderful Jesus!

Jesus’ Mom!

Matthew 1:18- Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. NKJV

Mary has been given a lot of titles over the years: “The Blessed Virgin Mary”, “The Mother of God”, “Immaculate Conception”, and “Gate to Heaven”, to name a few. But the title that is most accurate and certainly most revealing is “The Mother of God”.

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1:26-27 NKJV

Most commentators tell us that Mary was a young girl, a teenager. Mary endeared herself to God when He chose her to be the mother of His Son. Obviously, a young woman of strength and character, she’s minding her own business when an angel appeared to her.

And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

Luke 1:28 NKJV

The Bible tells us that she was troubled at this greeting. After all, she was just a young girl going about her day, and an angel appeared and called her blessed! And then he said to her:

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Luke 1:30-33 NKJV

Wouldn’t you say that Mary received the best news possible? If what the angel said was true, God had decided to pour His favor upon her. Something every girl in Jerusalem probably wanted, but no one truly understood. But here she was, being told that she would conceive, have a son, and call His name Jesus. And the scary part, she didn’t know a man in the biblical sense, she was betrothed to Joseph, and how would she explain all of this to him?

Then the angel continued:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Luke 1:35-37 NKJV

And right there, we see why God chose Mary. She was a young woman willing to believe that with God, nothing would be impossible. She may not have understood everything the angel said to her, but she understood God!

She understood that an angel came to her and told her something wonderful. She would have the Son of God! She understood that nothing was impossible for God! She understood that even though she didn’t know a man, she was about to have a baby. And she understood that a miracle was taking place with her cousin Elisabeth because she was old, barren, and having a baby. Yes, nothing was impossible with God! And she was the recipient of news that would forever change her destiny!

And so she said the only thing that she could say,

 “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” 

Luke 1:38 NKJV

Mary had great faith! The kind of faith that believed she was highly favored by God. The faith that believed she was blessed! The kind of faith that produced the Son of God. And the kind of faith that believed throughout the trials of life.

Although she said yes to God, she didn’t know that Joseph would say yes. Yet, she believed. Did her mother and father believe that she was pregnant with the Messiah? Didn’t matter, Mary believed! Did anyone in her family besides Elisabeth believe? For it was more than apparent that everyone found out that she had conceived a child out of wedlock. Yet, none of these things moved her; she just kept on believing. She was giving birth to the Son of God, and the rest of the world would have to wait and see if it was so.

And so they waited! And it was so! Mary had indeed given birth to the Son of God. She watched Him turn water into wine, heal the eyes of the blind, feed the 5,000, and perform a host of other miracles. Then she watched Him be crucified. The prophet’s words became true,

(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Luke 2:35 NKJV

Her heart hurt, but she believed! And that faith saw Jesus rise again! Rise to greatness! Rise to the redemption of the world! Rise to be reunited with the Father! Thank God for a young woman who dared to believe that, despite the circumstances, she could be the mother of the Son of God!

Mothers can believe when no one else will believe. We believe our babies are geniuses, can do no wrong, and are the cutest babies around. We believe they can be kings, presidents, senators, teachers, and preachers. We believe! And it is because of that belief in our children that they do so many wonderful things in life.

I thank God for the opportunity to be a mother. I thank Him for the three wonderful girls He has blessed me with! I thank Him daily for their love for Him because I know that with Him, they can also do the impossible! Wonderful Jesus!