Tag: Salvation (Page 11 of 17)

Blessings, in Disguise.

March 5, 2022 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“The Israelites were leaving with their arms raised in victory. But the Lord caused Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to become brave. And Pharaoh chased the Israelites” –Exodus 14:8.

“I’ve heard it said, “nothing can stop God’s love, and God’s love stops at nothing.”

The Lord had told Abram that His chosen people would be afflicted for 400 years— “Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for 400 years” –Genesis 15:13. We read of the Israelite’s first steps towards freedom from their oppressor through the lens of today’s Scripture. They were leaving behind some 430 years of affliction and subjugation in Egypt. This bloody, tyrannical chapter in the lives of God’s people coming to a seemingly implausible close; God’s Word is inerrant, All-Powerful, it cannot return to Him void. So even as God spoke to Abram, a non-rescindable promise was released over future generations. God’s people would be free. God’s promise would be fulfilled. All of this then, in God’s own time.

No seeming victory by the prince of this world can ever come to bear over the will and plans of our Sovereign King.

It is God alone who gives Satan both the power and permission to execute his thieving, murderous plots and schemes so that, in the end, all men may witness God’s glory and victory over every evil, giving glory to God for the victory. “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this'” –Exodus 14:4.

So how do we respond when our blessings show up disguised as trials? When the love of God feels like anything but love?

Do we take God at His Word? Do we honestly know, trust, believe that even our trials are blessings in disguise? “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” –Romans 8:28.

Scripture reveals two vastly different responses to this question.

Yet before we read about those, I pray the Holy Spirit gives us a fresh vision, a new level of discernment, that He does what only He can in removing the scales from our eyes, every preconceived notion we have concerning God, period. Specifically, I pray this as we walk through these perilous times of wars and rumors of wars concerning how we perceive God will, or will not, can, or cannot move, in our lives and our world. I pray we trust His Omniscience. I pray He refines us, bringing us to new levels of surrender to His will. I pray we catch a fresh revelation of the Sovereignty and Power of our God—and fully surrender ourselves to Him, leaving our every fear, our unbelief, need for control, our striving, and grappling at His feet. “Father, not our will, but Yours be done.” Amen.

Hear the heart of God’s people when faced with a situation that looked nothing like the blessing they had been told was coming. “As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” –Exodus 14:10-12.

And later, having walked through a seemingly impossible situation, a sea divided, walls of water standing tall, straight, and obedient as soldiers at attention. God continued to stand watch, ensuring the last Israelite stepped out from between the walls of water before commanding them to stand down. God spoke, and the water came crashing down. Exodus 12 informs us some 600,000 men plus their women and children safely crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, the walls of water God had used to deliver His people; He also used to bury their enemy. Yet their grumbling continued. “Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” –Exodus 15:22-24.

Having endured a season of crushing, time spent in the wilderness, or the fire of affliction, how long do you walk around with your hands raised in victory and thanksgiving before dropping them, beloved? For the Israelites, it was three short days. The sea had been parted. They’d crossed over on dry land. They sang songs of thanksgiving and deliverance; then, their need for water appears to have washed away any remembrance of the miracle they’d literally walked through.

Is it any wonder that God calls us sheep? How easily we forget, go astray, want what we want, forgetting the blows the sin of rebellion once dealt us.

Until we come to a garden, that is. Not the first one; that is where all this finger-pointing, pride, and rebellion was born. It’s in the second garden, during the watches of the night—Scripture informs us it was about midnight that finger-pointing, pride, rebellion, every sin, was poured into one Life-demanding cup. Understanding fully now that accepting the cup meant death, Jesus knelt and prayed. He asked the Father if this bitter affliction might be removed from Him. But God said no. Not only did He say no, He waited as Jesus drank deeply and all, the very last drop of the sins of this world. Your sins—all of them. Mine, too, poured upon His Beloved Son. God knew the Cross awaited Jesus. Just as He knew, the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army awaited his people.

God also knew for our sins to be removed, for us to be restored to Him, Jesus had to die. That had always been part of His plan. We catch our first glimpse of it back in that first garden when innocent animals were killed; their bloody skins used to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness. Even in our rebellion and sin, the heart of the Father is to provide for His children. “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” –Genesis 3:21.

Jesus would eventually finish the work we witnessed in the garden when His Spotless Blood was shed as the final covering for all that those might accept His free gift of salvation.

So how do we respond when God’s love feels like anything but love?

Now, hear the Words of the One who said “absolutely! I’ll go” when asked to lay down His life in exchange for ours. Listen for Jesus’ pure tones of acceptance, resolve, trust, obedience, love, devotion, His wholehearted desire to do endure anything the Father asked of Him. “Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” –Matthew 26:38-39.

And a while later, going back to pray, Jesus’ heart is revealed to us a second time—God always confirms His Word. This same One who took away our sin-blackened garments and, not leaving us naked, cloaks us instead with His Pure White Royal Robes of His Righteousness. “He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done” –Matthew 26:42.

Friends, God has given us the unfathomable gift of free will. Not wanting robots that love, worship, or serve Him out of fear or some false sense of obligation or duty, God affords us the privilege of serving Him.

The cup Jesus drank in the Garden of Gethsemane affords us that privilege—still. Your ability to serve God, to call Him Father, to carry His Spirit, alive, in you, is the costliest privilege afforded any man, having cost Jesus His very life.

Two examples. Two vastly different responses. Willful rebellion and self-satisfaction on one side, complete surrender, and the giving of self for another, even unto death, on the other.

So not if friend, but when your blessing comes disguised as anything but a blessing, which of these responses will be yours?

If you have not accepted Jesus into your heart, why wait? Ask Him in now, friend. He’s just waiting for your invitation. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” –Revelation 3:20-21.

It’s Personal

February 19, 2022 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you]” –John 16:7

While speaking to His disciples, Jesus said the above. His point? Not even death will keep Him from being with those the Father has given Him—His Beloved Bride. His disciples. You and me. “…And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” –Matthew 28:20. He is the eternal One: The Alpha and Omega, God’s Logos. Bound by no-thing, nor anybody. He is our Promise Keeper—All-Seeing and All-Knowing. Time cannot constrain God, nor can flesh and bone, angel nor demon hide anything from Him who stands outside of the very time He created. Nothing is hidden from He who imagined and fashioned the flesh and bone, blood, cells, and sinew that uphold us. “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.”–Psalm 139.1-4.

This Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent God exists at once, within all His children.

Jesus had to look His beloved friends square in the eye and tell them; He would soon be leaving them, physically, that is. Have you ever stopped to consider how Jesus’s disciples felt hearing such news? Jesus knew His return to the Father would bless His friends. Being fully God and fully man, He knew the pain His words brought to His friends. I can only imagine that Jesus took some measure of comfort in knowing it was for their betterment. But sitting there in what indeed may have been a moment of slack-jawed silence, fear, and pain, Jesus’ disciples, had not one clue that soon and very soon, His Holy Spirit would be living within them, always.

In my anemic imaginings, I can almost feel the leaded gut-punch of Jesus’ statement landing squarely against His disciple’s defenseless hearts, lacerating them. And while pausing to imagine my brothers’ emotional states, I was reminded of yet another brother who had experienced similar pain, King David. I was reminded of his desperate anguish before the Lord. David had an illicit affair with Bathsheba then ordered Uriah, her husband, to be sent into a fierce battle, ensuring he would die there on the front line. David’s sin was great, and God had temporarily withdrawn His spirit from David. So, in a desperate, heartrending plea, David cried out to God r forgiveness, not to take His Holy Spirit from him—remember that? Unrelated to Jesus’ disciples, but akin in similar emotion; the fear of losing God.

I can empathize, can’t you? In allowing myself to imagine my life without God’s Holy Spirit living in me, at the helm of my life, a desperate panic grips my heart.

How could I live without the Holy Spirit’s comforting? His Ever-present-ness? His leading and guiding, opening, closing, correcting, and realigning, without His whisperings? His merciful, unmerited kindness? Without His friendship and unfathomable love? Even allowing myself to examine these vain imaginings is unnerving. Losing God’s Holy Spirit is as inconceivable to me as losing some piece of me; a leg, arm, or eye—being struck mute suddenly or going blind. Yet far more piercing even than any of these. I could live minus anyone of them. I would be the walking dead minus God’s Holy Spirit alive in me. And I experientially know this because I was the walking dead in my not-so-distant past.

Yet despite the pain I know Jesus’ disciples experienced, I, for one, thank Him for His unswerving obedience to our Father. For His physically coming into this world and physically leaving it as well. If you are God’s child, His Holy Spirit alive in you, then I am sure you are thank-full as well. We, my true brothers and sisters and I, scattered across the globe, millions each united as one now in Christ, by His Holy Spirit alive in us. Jesus loved us enough to leave us—bodily, that is.“…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” –Matthew 28:20.

As our Great High Priest, Jesus accomplished His work here on earth through His sacrificial death and resurrection. The Blood of God’s Perfect, Spotless Lamb, shed for the sins of the whole world. Having resurrected, He is our Great High Priest forever, seated now at the Father’s Right hand, as Intercessor He pleads our cause and presents our offerings before God. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” –Hebrews 4:14-15.

Back now, to Jesus and His disciples. We will continue looking at John, Chapter Sixteen, digging a bit deeper. But before we do, to recap: Jesus had just told His disciples He was leaving. It was time for Him to return to the Father. Not leaving them hopeless, Jesus promised them He would send a “Helper” His Holy Spirit. Jesus knew the work the Father had sent Him to do was nearing completion—His Cross before Him now.

In John Sixteen, starting in verse Eight, Jesus begins to unfold “why” the Holy Spirit is coming.

In part, He is sent into this world to convict it—of its sin and God’s righteous judgment, also, of the coming judgment. And in verse thirteen, Jesus reveals even more of the “why.” He goes on to say that when the “Spirit of Truth” comes, He will guide us, you, me, every Blood-bought believer in Jesus Christ, into all Truth. Seemingly, and in part, this Truth is the “so much more” Jesus spoke of in verse twelve? While in verses thirteen and fourteen, Jesus assures His friends that when the Holy Spirit begins to reveal future events to them, they can trust His voice—His leading, counsel, His revelation. Why? Because the wisdom of the One to come flows directly from Him. Jesus is His Source. Remember, up to this point, Jesus’ disciples have only known, trusted, relied on Him, Jesus’ voice, His teaching. So Jesus assures his friends that the Holy Spirit only speaks what He has received from Him, and that Jesus speaks only from what He receives from God. Triune Unity. “I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it” –John 12:49.

Perhaps penning the Revelation from Jesus while exiled on the Isle of Patmos, John remembered Jesus having spoken these very Words? But I stray.

In verse fifteen, we witness Jesus make plain the greatest mystery ever shared with humanity: The mystery of The Trinity. Here, Jesus makes plain yet deepens the Truth He has been speaking to his disciples from the beginning, He and the Father are One. Jesus now broadens their understanding of this marvelous mystery by including the Holy Spirit in this Oneness.

For the past three and a half years, His friends have solely depended on Jesus. Relied on Him to reveal, teach, expound on, point the way toward the Truth. Towards God and His Kingdom plan. They have witnessed Jesus’ miracles, healing the sick, lame, and blind, bringing the dead to life. Yet the disciple’s pain and disbelief, coupled with their yet limited spiritual understanding, momentarily prevents them from fully understanding that Jesus is not deserting them. Instead, He is passing the proverbial baton to the Holy Spirit. The One who will be with them now, living in them, always. They yet to understand that the work of the Holy Spirit is, in part, to point them, and all those who will come to belong to Jesus, “into all Truth.”

That He will spread God’s Truth globally, by revealing Christ, God’s Logos, person by person; the work of the Holy Spirit is nothing if not personal. And being one of those to whom He has revealed Christ, I thank God for my very personal encounter with the Holy Spirit. I thank God for the engagement ring Jesus slipped on my finger in the person of His Holy Spirit alive in me. Christ’s assurance He will fulfill the promise He made me, returning to bring me to where He is, eternally. And so, I wait. We wait, family. Assured and hope full—we are never alone. “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given to Me [as Your gift to Me], may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world” –John 17:24.

Friend, Jesus died that you might have eternal life, live each day with His Holy Spirit alive in you. Leading and guiding and strengthening you—regardless of sins you may have committed. Won’t you ask Jesus to be Lord of your life today? Confess your sins and be saved!

The Dawn Is Breaking!

January 22, 2022 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

I left for work during the wee hours of the morning before the sunlight could break through the night sky. About 30 minutes into my commute, the world began to manifest its colors. The light of day began illuminating the road before me. Amid the morning beauty, I thought, “the dawn is breaking.” While it may have been a sort of narration in my mind, the phrase had a hopeful prophetic undertone. That phrase reverberated within me for the remainder of the week, provoking the wonder of possibility. I began to contemplate venturing into new rhythms of life.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace” –Ecclesiastes 3:1.

There is a rhythm to life that expresses itself as seasons. This rhythm has surrounded us since the dawn of creation. The sun rises every morning and sets every evening. The moon makes its appearance, getting outshined by the sun in the morning once more, resetting our 24-hour day. The seven-day week begins fresh every Sunday, followed by the fast pace of work and family, ending every Saturday. A year has twelve months divided into four seasons, each ushering in its divine purpose. Sowing, reaping, resting, and rejuvenating. Ecclesiastes describes how every individual also developed a rhythm for what fits our pace of life.

But what happens when it seems as though our rhythm has failed us?

While we love that consistency gives us a sense of security, this passage in Ecclesiastes assures us that our environment is ever-changing. I believe that God, the originator of rhythm, was the one to build this desire for consistency into us because only in Him He can it be fulfilled. What happens when you must take an unplanned pay cut? A family member gets ill, and you have medical bills and schedule changes that your rhythm is in no way in sync with your current rhythm?

You see, it is these moments that build our faith in God. We must accept that the rhythm of life is constantly changing and adapting to whatever comes. If we expect things to stay status quo and refuse to move with the shifting seasons, discouragement will set in, leaving us filled with doubt and fear. As the seasons of life change, we must trust that the One who remains constant and is unchanging is the same One who knows our end from our beginning and will see us through.

Scholars believe that the writer of Ecclesiastes was King Solomon, the king of Israel. He had a philosophical mind, always searching for the meaning of life beyond what his wealth could buy him. If anyone in his time could have shifted anything for his benefit, it was King Solomon. He was the son of David, heir to the throne. The Old Testament describes him as “having wisdom that surpassed all the men of the East and all of Egypt” –1 Kings 4:30. Solomon was incredibly brilliant and wealthy, able to obtain anything he wanted. Some believe that Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes after amassing his kingdom and possessions at the end of his life. He acknowledges that just as there are seasons in a year, there are seasons, or rhythms if you will, to this life; a time for everything.

You may be in a building season, where the future is bright, and you feel hopeful for what lies ahead. Conversely, you may find yourself in what feels like a tearing-down season where everything is seemingly falling apart. You may be mourning, but remember, “weeping only lasts for a night, but joy will come in the morning” –Psalm 30:5.

The dawn is breaking. There will be a new day, and what you are experiencing is only for a moment. Fix your eyes on God through every season.

When you begin to shift your perspective from the here and now to the big picture, you will become much more resilient in times of trouble. When I’m ill, I remind myself that I may be sick this week, but I have the whole rest of the year to be well! Or weeks when I am busy working nonstop for days on end, I step back and look at the big picture. I take a deep breath and realize that I am exhausted this week but remind myself there are still 51 weeks before me. I can rest next week (and believe me, I do). I choose to fix my eyes on the Lord to give me the strength to get through whatever I may be experiencing. I know that it is only through Him that I can persevere with unexplainable joy and peace that brings me through to tomorrow—because the dawn is going to break soon.

At the end of Ecclesiastes, we read these words.

“When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity” –Ecclesiastes 12:13.

You and I have our rhythms. We have our predictable schedules, but this year, let’s make a point of aligning our every step with God’s commands. The commands to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31), even in a world that encourages turning off anyone who disagrees with us. It is the command to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9), even when our circumstance is scary. It is the command to trust God with all our hearts (Proverbs 3:5) in the face of financial need. It is knowing, on principle, that the dawn is breaking soon; that your circumstances are just that- circumstances. And circumstances are temporary. Hold on to hope by looking ahead. There is a new day approaching, and it just might be your breakthrough.

If this seems impossible, it’s because it is without the help of the Holy Spirit. I invite you today to make God the center of your life, leaning on Him for direction and fulfillment. He will give you life and life in abundance. I pray you are filled with joy as you walk with the Lord through your life, knowing that He will carry you through the trials and rejoice with you in your victories. If you have not asked Jesus into your heart, please, do it today. The dawn is breaking, and we are not promised tomorrow. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” –Revelation 3:20.

Fulfilled.

January 8, 2022 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

New Year. New hope. New future.

Often, that is the mantra for an ambitious person stepping into a new year. New Year’s resolutions brim over with eager plans for lifestyle changes, new habits, and new goals. Along with completing these resolutions comes the pleasure of feeling brand new! For the believer, however, fulfillment of vision only feels complete when our vision is in line with the will of God. If you are anything like me, you are great at producing ideas and starting things. Whether we want to do something as simple as reading more books or completing house projects, we are great at beginning tasks but not so great at finishing them. My house has plenty of half-finished projects, half-read books, and half-completed meal plans.

So I thank God that although inconsistency may be a part of my human condition, that less-than-stellar trait God is working out in me, my flaws are in no way reflective of God’s character. He is not a halfway God. He always finished what He started. He leaves no page unturned. “The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does” – Psalm 145:13.

As we look forward to this New Year, let us pause for a moment and invite God into our plans. “A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps” – Proverbs 16:9. Throughout Scripture, we witness God keeping His promises to His children. And there is no greater satisfaction than living and walking in our God-given purpose. We can set goals in and of ourselves and then complete them certainly. But when we do it with God, He multiplies the return on our efforts.

As I read Joshua and saw the words “fulfilled promise,” two things hit my Spirit. First, a promise fulfilled is a vow that has already come to pass, whether it comes from personal efforts or through a gift we’ve received. Second, fulfillment is a feeling of satisfaction—the pleasure of knowing that what has been achieved is a good thing indeed. “Not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed” –Joshua 23:14

Inviting God to be Lord over our goal-setting opens up a way for us to grow in Him. Asking God for His vision enables us to see what He wants us to accomplish. It is beautiful to live out His vision for our lives because, in His vision, we thrive—growing in passion and vigor. When our vision is void of God, it is only self-serving. But in living out His vision for our lives, we do not just come alive within our hearts, but we help build His kingdom in the process. In part, living out God’s vision for our lives means that it will have both internal and external effects in our here and now.

In reading Joshua 23, I found it interesting that there are reminders throughout the text to “be strong and obey the commands of God.” It starts in verse six and echo’s back to the chapter one. Joshua reminds himself, and his people of all the Lord has promised them.

Moses, that great prophet and father of the faith, is long dead, having never entered the land promised him and his people—instead Joshua is the one God had chosen to step into it, leading the Israelites to take possession of the land. The Lord had to appoint a new servant to lead His people into the land He had promised them years prior. And while Moses did not see Israel’s promise happen, God had not forgotten His promise. This promised land, however, was no move-in-ready situation. There were strong enemies in the land who needed evicting.

In Joshua, Chapter One, we read, “Be strong and courageous… do not be afraid.” My favorite reiteration of this command is Joshua 1:8-9. “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Have you ever been let down because someone broke a promise they made but did not keep? Have you ever felt the weight of not being able to carry out what you intended to do?

Be encouraged today that when God makes a promise, He never breaks it. He is always faithful to fulfill what He says. Ask Him what He has for you and trust Him to lead you in His divine purpose for your life.

So, why did God have to remind Joshua to keep the book of the law on his lips? It is because God knows us better than we know ourselves. God knows that man will go his own way, deviating from God and His Word at the slightest inkling of success or the moment we think we can do things on our own. God also knows that it is in our wandering where sin creeps in. And sin deprives us of the plans and purpose God intended for us, robbing the fruit that comes along with knowing Him. “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”– Galatians 5:22-23. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of God working in our lives.

God knows that mans human nature tends to slip into self-serving ambitions rather than maintain a life-giving lifestyle. Be strong, but also remember His word. Remember the way of righteous living that is taught throughout scripture.

As you realize what God has for you in this new year, be it physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally, walk with confidence that He will not fail you. Even if it means you are quivering at the knees a little bit, do what you are called with faith in Him, knowing that He will never let you down. And, if things do not happen according to your plan, do not be discouraged. Keep pressing on, knowing that God has never failed, and He never will. It is not in His nature. Remember also that God’s timing and our own often differ. Trust God’s over your own.

Our God will supply every one of your needs. He is in the smallest of details and will leave no page unturned in your story.

In this time of looking ahead to the new year, be open to wild visions and scary dreams. Do not close the door on things that make you say, “not me.”

Move forward, in things you want to accomplish and those things God wants you to do. In the end, I promise you that you will come away both feeling and being, fulfilled. Having not only the evidence of your dreams realized; you will also have the satisfaction of looking back and knowing that God blessed what He called you to do. This level of satisfaction is not solely for your gratification; it also allows for God’s glory to shine in your life. Your faith will increase as you behold with your own eyes the faithfulness of God at work in your life. Let your faith precede the evidence. As God comes through for you, you will have the surmounting proof that gives you the confidence to know that the Lord has never failed you, and He will not start failing you now.

Today, I invite you to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Let Him be the author and finisher of your faith. Wherever you find yourself today, He is faithful to meet you where you are. He is omnipresent, meaning He can be everywhere at any time. He saw you and knew you before you were born, and He died for you so that you may be saved and live an abundant life. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you and help you find a new purpose in this new year.

The Light of Life.

December 25, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

Jesus is so powerful—yet kind. Just—yet wildly compassionate. Mighty—yet gentle. He has no beginning and no end; He cannot be measured. He is the Originator of all things: time, space, light, earth, you, and me. He is everywhere yet ever near to us, simultaneously. God left Heaven and came to earth, for us. I have experienced a new sense of expectation surrounding celebrating Jesus’ birth this year. I have spent extra time reflecting on what this joyous day, the whole of advent, really, truly means for humanity—for me.

Losing the wonder of Christmas can happen quickly amid the business of the season. So now that the card writing and gift-buying are finished, and Christmas dinner has been enjoyed, I invite you to pause and breathe in the joy and privilege we have been afforded simply to celebrate the birth of Jesus! I invite you to slow down now, and allow the true meaning of Christmas to take its rightful place in your heart. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him, nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:1-5

The Gospel of John speaks about the dawn of creation. It tells us that Jesus was with God—in the beginning—before the earth was formed. That He spoke all things into existence- standing over the dark void. And in this same Gospel, we receive the most beautiful revelation; John identifies Jesus as “The Word.” The same Word who spoke time and light into existence. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness”. – Genesis 1:2-4.

The Word was God. He was the very Word that brought the light that we see with our physical eyes into existence. “…all things have been created through Him and for Him.” – Colossians 1:16.

However, when sin entered the world, the light of the soul was quenched, leaving humanity in the darkness. In Genesis 3:23-24, we read of the moment that man was banished from the Garden of Eden. “So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” Adam and Eve sinned. They disobeyed God. And their sin of disobedience disqualified them from walking with, being in direct communion with, a holy God. Holiness and the depravity of man cannot coexist.

And so, after the fall of Adam and Eve, God, for the most part, spoke to mankind through His prophets. No longer was man free to walk with God in the cool of the day—Genesis 3:8. But having been made in His image, created to love, worship, fellowship with, and serve Him, God could not let our story end there—in sin and separation. And so, He sent Jesus into the world. Not as a flashy king or powerful ruler but a humble baby. He sent Jesus to us, as one of us, fully God yet fully man. That He might experience life as we do yet live it without sin. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” –John 3:16.

And being God, Jesus loved us enough to leave the majesty of Heaven, His Throne, to come to us. “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). —Matthew 1:23.

Jesus alone is worthy—God’s spotless Lamb restores us into right standing with God.

Sin hovers over the darkness of our hearts, but God loves His creation too much to leave us in this state.

The Word present at creation, the One who spoke everything created into existence, came as God in the flesh. In His great compassion and mercy, God, no longer able to walk with us in the garden of Eden, came instead as a babe wrapped in milk rags, found by shepherds laying in a manger. He came to restore us—to experience life as we knew it and to change life as we would know it. The Word by which light came forth became the Light of Life –John 1:4. No longer must we wander in spiritual darkness, aimless. Jesus came to restore light to our souls, illuminating the dark places that have somehow become all too comfortable for us. Jesus came to save us. To restore us into right relationship with the Father. To our place in His family. Jesus made a way for us to be in God’s presence, the best place to be. And while we can enjoy being ushered into God’s presence in solemn moments set aside for Him, days such as today, let us never forget Jesus is with us in our day-to-day moments as well. He is with us while we work, clean, drive, in our staying and going. We can spend time with Him and worship Him freely every day.

There is constant worship before the Lord in Heaven, we read about it in Luke’s Gospel. Heaven came to earth, and the angels appeared to usher in His presence with worship. The Angels came to Jesus’ birthplace, rejoicing! Jesus, the King of Heaven, the Lord of Angel Armies, the very Word of God made flesh, now dwelt among mere men. – “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” –Luke 2:13-14.

When looking at this scripture, I imagine that while the angel’s rejoicing was primarily due to their announcing God’s royal presence among us, I had to wonder if the angels also rejoiced because the Light of hope now dwelled amongst God’s creations once again?

I wonder if part of the rejoicing were the angels knowing God’s restoration plan for His children would now be fulfilled? Once again, God’s Light might enter the human soul, exposing every wicked instinct to sin against Him. Now, through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has restored a way for us to live our lives in God’s presence once again. I am so grateful that you and I do not have to wait to get to Heaven to talk to God, to thank Him for sending us His Son; we can do it right now, thanks to Christ’s birth—the first advent. And while we wait for his second advent, or coming, we can worship Jesus in spirit and Truth right now, for it is in His presence we find our purpose and the fullness of joy! “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” –John 4:24.

If you do not know Jesus yet, I invite you to receive His free gift of salvation today, for Christmas. Open your heart to Him and make Him the Lord of your life. There is no pain too deep or sin too great that God cannot forgive. May He fill you with abundant joy this Christmas season. And may this next year be one of new life for you as you walk with Him every day. “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” –John 3:3.

Merry Christmas! What an honor it has been to share my heart with you on this beautiful holiday.

Through Love, Part 2.

December 18, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

In Part One of “Through Love,” I shared a specific prayer request with you. I had asked God for more opportunities to share the Gospel at my workplace. With my colleagues, I shared the Truth of Jesus amid workplace Halloween activities. While I was not necessarily preaching to them, I did uncompromisingly share the truth of how God’s nature conflicts with a holiday that does not point to the love, light, and peace of who God is.

In my workplace environment, I am often reminded of the bible verse found in 1 Peter 3:15-16, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander’.” As a follower of Jesus Christ I must be prepared, suited in the armor of God, ready always, to defend my faith with gentleness and respect. Moreover, I must be bold in sharing the Truth of God’s Word, even if it makes those who yet believe feel uncomfortable. It has become clear that the profession and defense of my faith in Jesus will not always be easy and will be met with challenges more frequently than not. Yet if I fix my gaze on an eternal perspective, however challenging any situation may feel in the moment, the challenge in no way compares to the possibility that God’s Truth may turn someone’s heart, leading them to faith in Jesus Christ.

Another way the Lord responded to my prayer request concerning ministering in my workplace was when He instructed me to connect with others during lunchtime. There are times; frankly, I do not enjoy breaking bread with my colleagues at work because the conversations too often revolve around gossip. The bible states, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” –Ephesians 4:29.

For instance, during lunchtime with a group of work friends, I began listening to one coworker gossip about her dislikes of an executive leader in our company. While everyone jumped in in agreement, I gently challenged them by asking, “Have you considered the possibility that this person may be going through something at home and brought it into work? Or they are making decisions from business pressures we may know nothing about? Before we judge, I think it’s good to know the source.” The conversation certainly shifted because my questions did not come from a place of agreement, rather a position of challenge. Hopefully, one that allowed them to see how a thrilling chat about someone while feeling or seeming harmless carried judgment with it instead. Proverbs 18:13 says, “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”

In other more positive instances during lunch, just being in contact and available to break bread has led work colleagues to approach me for advice or with their questions about the Bible. In those moments, I think about Jesus Christ and how His contact with so many folks in the Bible led them to receive His life-changing grace. We can preach all the Truth in the Bible; however, it is essential to come in contact and draw close to those who have not learned or experienced the gospel message. We draw near in the hopes that they may be drawn in.

I think about how Jesus encountered Mary Magdalene, a woman possessed by seven demons. In comparison, the Pharisees skipped over those like Mary. But not Jesus. He knew of her situation, who she was, what she had done, yet He was nonetheless compassionate towards Mary. He saw her. Mary Magdalene was not passed over with disgust by Jesus. Jesus proved His love, healing power, and care, which radically changed her. Mary became one of Jesus’ followers. And ` I think about how Jesus, aware of Zacchaeus being a tax-collecting thief, had dinner with him. “When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner” –Luke 19: 5-7.

No one wanted to dine with a tax collector, yet before addressing his sin of stealing, Jesus did eat with him. The Bible tells us that after his encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus gave half of his goods to the poor. “And Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much” –Luke 19:8. And I think about the woman at the well. She was a foreign woman, living in sexual sin, yet before addressing her sin, Jesus first offered her His living Water. And immediately after her encounter with Jesus, the Samaritan woman ran back to her community, exclaiming her experience with Jesus. Her faithfulness led others to believe in Jesus.

In each of these biblical accounts, I realized Jesus, being fully aware of their sins, first proved His love and compassion towards them before He addressed their sins. “But God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinner, Christ died for us” –Romans 5:8. And, through these accounts, the Lord has reminded me that the opportunities I so desire to share about His good news at my workplace are often linked to my sitting down and first connecting with people.

Regardless of what I know of the person or how I may feel towards them, only the Holy Spirit is fully aware of their hearts. Yet, our genuine connection with others makes room for the Gospel to enter and be at work in their hearts. Sharing the Gospel is not about insisting on being correct like the Pharisees, not on being theologically right; instead, it is about demonstrating genuine care, compassion, dignity, and a listening ear. It is incredible how the teachings of Jesus were always modeled on love. And how they teach us about the power and effectiveness of how far a gentle, compassionate, and respectful response can go.

Sharing and demonstrating the Good News of Jesus Christ is at times challenging; however, as Christians, we are commanded to tell others about Jesus Christ. And it is His Holy Spirit at work in us who empowers us to do the work with which we have been entrusted. Honestly, the more I share, the more confident I become. “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety” –Proverbs 29:25.

The Lord called me to Himself through someone who showed this compassion when they spoke to me about God’s love. Instead of judging me, they showed compassion, allowing my heart to be receptive to the gospel message. If you are a believer, I pray that you will not hold back from sharing Jesus with others. Be confident, be obedient, be loving. If ever there was a time to speak about the One who is The Light in the ever-increasing darkness, it is now!

If you do not have a relationship with Jesus, ask Him to reveal Himself to you now. Admit and confess that you are a sinner in need of His rescue, guidance, and love in your life. Ask Him to send godly people into your life to support and encourage you. And pray that He opens your ears and heart to be able to understand His Word. God is inviting you to come to Him. Open the door of your heart to the One who loves you and created you in His image. Who died for you—has a purpose and plan for your life. I pray you fully commit your life to Jesus! Trust me; it will be the best decision you will ever make!

His Love Transforms.

December 11, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” –Romans 12:2.

This Advent, let us call to mind the true reason for celebrating the Christmas season. As you wrap your gifts in festive, embossed papers, in like fashion, allow your heart and mind to be enveloped in this Truth:

At just the right time, God stepped across time as we understand it and wrapped His Holy Majesty in human flesh—in the person of His Son, our Lord, Jesus; giving this world, giving you, the most precious, costly gift you will ever receive. Then, being wrapped in milk rags, He was laid in a manger, Emmanuel—God with us. Jesus said to him, “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’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?” –John 14:9.

And why this gift of Emmanuel—God with us? John 3:16 makes abundantly clear God’s overarching reason for His freely giving us His only Son “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” –John 3:16.

Simply put, God loves you.

And because He loves you, today, right now, right where you are in your addiction, in your hotbed of adultery, in your homosexual lifestyle. In the middle of your messed up relationship and dysfunctional family mess. In your inability to decide whether you are male or female, white, brown, or black. Wherever you may find yourself today, regardless of how far removed you may feel from God—He wants you back. He wants to have a loving, committed relationship with you.

You see, sin separates us from actively partaking in a loving relationship with God.

Our sins create a barrier of sorts, a gaping divide separating us from God and prohibiting us from reaching out to the very One who can save us. Only God, being drawn to the one whose heart is crying out in sincere repentance, can break through, closing off such divides—sealing them shut, eternally, with His eternal Love, forgiveness. His healing, cleansing, and restoration. “I will ·forgive them for [be merciful with regard to] ·the wicked things they did [their unrighteousness/wickedness], and I will not remember their sins anymore”—Jer. 31:31–34; Luke 22:20. Accepting Jesus as Lord is the only way for a relationship with the Father to be restored. Jesus’ Life, death, and resurrection are what make this restoration possible. We, sin-full man, must sincerely say yes to God by accepting the free gift of His Son, Jesus. At that moment, an exchange occurs. Jesus’ Righteousness, His Right standing with God, is placed over us, covering our every sin, and we are, our Spirit man, made new—washed clean in Jesus’ Pure Blood. Jesus’ Righteousness covers us, much like the robe the Father wrapped about the shoulders of his prodigal, wayward son.

Now, when God looks at us, He no longer sees our sin; instead, He sees Jesus, the Spotless One sacrificed in our place on Calvary’s Cross. “The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet” –Luke 15:21-22.

So, what does all of this have to do with us, now—today?

Simply put, it means the same thing it has always meant. God is Immutable—unchanging; giving and transforming is part of His character. God’s Living Word assures us of this Truth. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” Hebrews 13:8.

Scripture makes clear that God so loved you and me that He could not stay away from us one second longer. He chose to come, the Bible says, “in the fullness of time,” and give us, provide us with, a clearly marked path back to Himself. How exactly? Through our acceptance of the free gift of His Son—Jesus. “But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons”—Galatians 4:4-5.

Hence, why we celebrate Christmas, the day the Lord declared “the fullness of time” had come, and in fulfillment of the Scriptures, a God-man was born to a virgin named Mary and His earthly father, Joseph. That holy night, a host of angels broke through a thick night sky to proclaim the birth of this long-awaited Messiah to lowly shepherds tending their sheep in a town most assumed nothing good could ever come from—Bethlehem. It means “house of bread.” How fitting then that the Bread of Life be born in that place. And a star unlike any other led those lowly shepherds and Three Wise men from afar off, to the very spot this newborn babe lay, in a manger. “This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh” –John 6:50-51.

But what about today’s Scripture verse? How does Jesus’ birth connect to our minds being transformed and renewed and our relationship with God restored?

In part, I will answer the second part of this question; rather, Scripture will, before looping around to answer the first, where I will close out this week’s teaching.

As I touched on earlier, Scripture makes plain that the only way we can be restored into a right relationship with God the Father is by accepting His Son, Jesus, into our hearts. When we recognize we are sinners and are willing to humble ourselves before a holy God, asking His forgiveness. Then, as with the prodigal, God will wash us clean of the filth we have allowed to cling to us. Surrendering our will for His in that instant, we are made new. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants”‘ –Luke 15:17-19.

The moment we accept Jesus, God deposits within us His Holy Spirit—God slips an engagement ring on our finger, in you will.

His unbreakable promise that we are His Bride forevermore. Snatched out of the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of this world, forever to reside in the Kingdom of our God. This is the heart of the Gospel—The Good News! That we, sinful men, have been afforded the unfathomable privilege to partner with a Holy God, through Jesus’ Life, death, and resurrection, to carry this Truth, a Light in this present darkness, to all men, just as Jesus did. “Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me”—John 14:6.

You just read that the very moment we say yes to Jesus, God deposits His Holy Spirit within us. God takes up residence in us. We are now one with God. His residing in us a mystery far too great for finite understanding to fully take in—but it is, nonetheless, True. “The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him” –Ephesians 1:14.

Since Jesus is The Truth, alternately, there must be a counterfeit.

This leads us to the Bible’s answering just how our minds are renewed. God’s Holy Spirit living within us enables us to test, to challenge, as Romans 12:2 states, every other spirit and voice that attempts to come against us—attempts to speak into our lives, to misdirect us, leading us astray. “…that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” Jesus Himself attests to this Truth. Listen now, in John Chapter 10, Jesus uses sheep to illustrate this powerful Truth to His disciples, how those who are His can hear and discern His voice, that they will know and follow Jesus—only. “After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:4-5;27.

Friend, if you celebrate Christmas yet have not asked “the reason for the season”—Jesus, into your heart, I pray you do that right now. I can promise you, as one who has asked Him into my own heart and life, that you will receive the most Life-changing, extraordinary of Gifts –a relationship with Jesus now. His Spirit living in you, and eternity spent in His presence. The Precious Gift of God’s Holy Spirit at work in you is the only gift that truly keeps on giving

“When Gods Best Is, “No.”

October 9, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire” –Matthew 26:39.

God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus. –Max Lucado

God’s answer to the anguished tone of Christ’s impassioned plea to be loosed from having to drink deeply of the bitter dregs of Golgotha’s cup; was a life-exacting “no.” God knew that part of Christ, His “fully man,” needed to hand over its will at that moment—dying there in Golgatha to what it wanted—making Jesus’ Cross possible to bear then as “fully God.” What needed to be accomplished only God could achieve.

It appears that it was in His flesh, His humanity, that Christ pleaded with God to save Him from that hour, sparing Him from the inscrutable trial He was about to face. Remember, Jesus was both fully God and fully man. Privy to feeling everything that we mere mortals can feel—all pleasures and pain; yet Jesus was without sin. “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin” –Hebrews 4:15. But God!

Again, In His Sovereignty, God knew Jesus’ flesh had to die. Why? Our only hope of being restored to right relationship with God—now, and in the world to come, hinged on Jesus’ obedience.

Ever wonder what hinges on your obedience? We’ll touch on that in a bit. But for now…

Three times, Jesus pleaded with the Father that if there be any other way around what He knew was coming, to let His cup of brutal suffering pass over Him. Let pass; what He knew would be a gut-wrenching betrayal, a savage, near-fatal beating at the hands of His ruthless Roman oppressors, to say nothing of His pain-full, shame-filled, very public crucifixion. We need only read what God says about any man hung on a tree to recognize the implication of Christs’ guilt and the shame Jews would have associated with His crucifixion. “His body shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall most certainly bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is cursed by God) …” –Deuteronomy 21:23.

And yet, God never intended for Jesus’ cup of suffering to pass over His Passover Lamb.

“Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS [crucified] ON A TREE (cross)”—Galatians 3:13.

So intense were Christ’s pleas to be delivered from the death He knew was imminent; the Bible informs us that as He knelt pleading with God, droplets of His blood mixed with sweat and stained the ground just beneath His slumped frame. “So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing” –Matthew 26:44.

The blood shed by God to cover Adam and Eve after their fall—a foreshadowing of Jesus’ Blood, attests to this Truth. “The LORD God made tunics of [animal] skins for Adam and his wife and clothed them” –Genesis 3:21. The blood the Israelites painted on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, yet another foreshadowing of Jesus’ Blood. “Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel [above the door] of the houses in which they eat it. The blood shall be a sign for you on [the doorposts of] the houses where you live; when I see the blood I shall pass over you, and no affliction shall happen to you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” Exodus 12:7;13.

Now if you’re wondering, “why is she telling me that God’s best for me right now, may be His saying “no” in answer to my fervent prayers? Doesn’t she know how much I need hope! To be encouraged. Is she living in some corner of the globe where people aren’t living in fear? Fear of losing their jobs for noncompliance. Fear of being ostracized. Of being shunned by family or friends because they’ve chosen to exercise their freedom in Christ, saying yes and amen to what God has impressed on their heart. Fear they won’t have enough money to pay the rent or mortgage, buy groceries, and put gas in their car?

So why this? And why now?

I’ll pass your questions over to Jesus to answer…

Listen to what Jesus taught His disciples as He stooped low to wash their feet. What He’s teaching us today about obedience, humility, and preparedness. “I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you. Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.….” –John 13:15-17.

Much like God knew the hour had come for the “fully man” in Jesus to die, He also knows that time has come for us as well. The days of lukewarm half-stepping have long passed. God is calling those who are His to surrender their whole life to Him while it is still today. Dying to whatever their flesh may be tugging to hang on to—or avoid. Jobs, family, friends, feeling accepted, “fitting in,” running away from Jesus—and not wholly surrendering. Why? In part, for the same underline reason, Jesus had to submit. The reason God asked Father Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, “obedience.” We must be willing to give God whatever it is He may ask of us—even unto our very lives. He alone is God. Above Him, there is no other. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son” –Genesis 22:12, emphasis added.

Jesus needed to lay down His life so that He could take it up again in three days, having defeated sin, death, and the grave then, once, for us all. Father Abraham needed to know there was nothing he’d hold back from God. So do you and me. We’re in that season of learning now—a season of preparation. Of our garments being scrubbed with a more powerful cleanser, a new strength of bleach being applied to those stains that have stubbornly clung to our garments—being made whiter than snow, without spot or wrinkle. The Bridegroom is coming!

So why this? And why now? Because it’s time, and you need to be ready.

Because like Jesus, our most excellent example, we must submit and submit and go back and submit again, until it’s finished, until our whole heart, all of it, can say, “not my will, but Thine will be done,” and mean it. And if it took Jesus thrice to surrender His whole will to God, then you must keep going back as many times as you need to. He is faithful to receive the humble and contrite in heart. “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]” –1John 1:9.

We each are in our own Gethsemane, Beloved.

In these final hours, minutes, perhaps, of the world as we’ve known it, we’re being made ready for the Bridegrooms return. That’s why I’m telling you all of this now. To point you towards a future and the hope that so many are desperately seeking. A future and hope found only in obedience to God in this hour. Not in striving or sinless perfection, that’s impossible; John 1:8 makes that clear, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” It’s by God’s grace alone, our unwavering desire to be obedient to Him, no matter what happens, that we are made whole and ready for our Bridegroom’s return.

So if God is moving on your heart today to give up something or someone or to stand firm in a God-given conviction, obey God. And, if you feel God tugging on your heart, know that you’re in Gethsemane too. That it’s now your time to say, “not my will, but yours be done, God,” and mean it.

“And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” –Revelation 19:8

No More Excuses.

October 2, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

I have found it challenging to rest over the last couple of months if I’m honest. One only needs to open their eyes and look around to see that the world is not okay right now. I mean, maybe it never was, but as days go by, I see the reality of it more and more clearly. While I have personal issues that I am working through, it seems as though the aches and pains of this world overshadow those trivial things that I consider problems. Yet, in all the chaos, I must remind myself to turn my eyes towards Heaven, asking God for His perspective. His vantage point. As I consider all the uncertainty in the world, I am reminded of Romans 8:22. It reads, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” The Apostle Paul, the writer of Romans, was referring to this present hour when he wrote this book.

This tells me that the earth has been groaning for a long time, in fact, for thousands and thousands of years. Long before I became aware of the rapidly decaying state of our world, the earth has been groaning in preparation for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet this passage is oozing with hope when we read it through today’s lens.

God is not surprised by anything. He has been managing crises since the beginning of time. Since the dawn of creation, He has been working things out for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). We have hope in Jesus that, although the earth is groaning, He is still preparing a place for us in our eternal home, in Heaven. While this hope exists for the believer, my heart aches thinking of the people in the world who choose to reject Christ. I’m sure that’s why my heart has been heavy as I’ve been preparing to share a word with you this week; I have not been able to shake the finality of Romans 1:26 from my mind. “God gave them over to shameful lusts…”

As I tried to digest just this sliver of Romans 1, I asked God what He’d have me to say concerning it. And, as uncomfortable as it may be, I believe the answer is this: It is a warning for mankind.

I feel such a sense of urgency as I sit to write about this. Here is the full context of the passage above: “The wrath of God is being revealed from Heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened [they] exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over to the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator who is forever praised. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.”

This Book of the Bible was written thousands of years ago, which tells me that the world wasn’t a wonderful place back then either.

When God throws His hands up and says, “have it your way. I’ll give you over to your sinful desires”, that’s never a good thing. The standards set forth in God’s law, the 10 Commandments, exist for a reason. They’re given to us as a safeguard- much like a guard rail on the side of a road. I also see them this way: dietary recommendations that exist to keep us healthy. If we load ourselves with saturated fats, poorly digestible carbohydrates, sugar, processed foods, and the like, we may feel great while we’re indulging, and we certainly satisfy our cravings. However, as a result of our indulgences now, years down the road, we will experience diseases that poorly impact the quality of our lives. Diseases that may have been prevented had we kept to the dietary standards recommended by doctors.

In like fashion, Biblical standards act like spiritual guardrails or like diets for our souls. The Bible gives us crystal clear directions from our Maker on what is required to make us function optimally. Sin is cancer to our souls. It eats away at our very being. And though often unrecognizable at first, in time, it will ultimately kill us. I’m sure when the above passage in Romans was written, it was intended to address what God calls “wickedness.” And, since God doesn’t change, the same wickedness that existed in that day is still considered wickedness in our day.

As I read these verses, I saw patterns emerge throughout history—patterns of evil days, and then times of revival. And where there was a revival, prosperity followed quickly behind. Look at the first Great Awakening; shortly after the Great Awakening of the 1700s came the Industrial Revolution. The Second Great Awakening was in the 1830s, then, in the 1850s, we saw the gold rush followed by a great economy in the US. I believe that where the Spirit of God is alive and well, people prosper. Not just in riches but also spirit.

We look around our world right now, and we see economies are failing. People are desperate for hope. Depression and anxiety are rampant as fear grips the heart of man, a byproduct of Covid-19. This world needs Jesus! We need to repent and turn from godlessness. The answer to our aching world is Jesus. We need revival; where the souls of man wake up from mediocrity’s stupor and turn towards the fear of God once again. Most people worldwide are so removed from the God of the Bible, Elohim, that they are merely existing. My friends, we were not created to merely exist. We were created to live in the family of God: in a state of belonging, fulfillment, and purpose.

So I urge you, now, to turn from godlessness and run to the Father. These verses are not past tense; instead, they accurately describe God’s heart towards wickedness. Yes, God is good, and yes, He is kind and merciful and loving and a gracious provider for His children. The Bible tells us that He does love the world! You’ve heard this verse I’m sure, it’s John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And, “That while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” — Romans 5:8. God still sees the world He created, and He loves every person in it. He will forgive the sins of anyone who sincerely repents, but, His greatest blessings are reserved for those who obey Him.

Here’s the hope we have in Jesus: God will not expose us without providing a remedy.

Living in sin does not have to be your story. If you feel you can identify with the wickedness mentioned in the verses above, I beg you not to fall into the trap of “oh well! I guess I’m just going to hell then” and wrongly accept that lie. You do not have to go to hell! I repeat, you DO NOT have to go to hell. Repent of your sin, ask Jesus into your heart, and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in the way of His salvation. I promise there is more joy and peace in living for Jesus than in the life you’re currently living. In Romans 2:7, the Bible says, “To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life.” And Ezekiel 18:21 reads, “But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.”

This verse isn’t just talking about our last breath on earth. “He shall not die” refers to eternity. You shall not spend eternity in hell; if you repent and accept Jesus as Lord of your life, you shall spend eternity alive and well with the Father. The hour is now, no more excuses. I pray that this heavy word spoke to you, pushed you even, towards accepting Jesus and living for Him. You’ll have an eternity to not regret that it did.

Living Prepared, Part 2.

September 4, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority” –Acts 1:7.

Last week we found ourselves in Matthew 25 because, the week before last, as I sat doing my morning devotion, something rustling around outside of my window drew my eyes away from the page I was reading. Then suddenly, I heard the Lord whisper these two Words: “Be Ready.” And by what I am sure was Divine revelation, I instantly understood what the Holy Spirit meant by them: A time is coming—soon and very soon was my sense, when we will not have time to “get ready”; we will need to “be ready. Hence, why we explored Jesus’ teaching regarding the Kingdom of heaven and how He likened it to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. We unearthed nuggets of wisdom and Truth found just below and scattered about the surface of this parable. One primary Truth being, not one of those virgins, wise nor foolish, knew the exact time the bridegroom would arrive to claim his bride. All any of them did know—was that his coming was indisputable. And as 21^st-century believers, that’s what we know regarding Jesus, our Bridegroom’s return as well—it’s indisputable.

Before we dig into part two of this teaching centered around Paul’s charge to Timothy—2 Timothy 4:2, I’d encourage you to stop here and go back instead to last week’s teaching, “Living Prepared,” and begin reading there. Why? For continuity’s sake. You won’t want to miss out on having a firm grasp of the genesis of this two-part teaching inspired by a Rhema Word from God. Then, come back, please, and finish up strong!

And for those who may not be familiar with the term Rhema, allow me to explain:

Within many Christian denominations, The Word of God is often referred to as Logos, the infallible, inerrant, written Word of God, given us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit via the Holy Bible. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” –Hebrews 4:12. Or, it’s referred to as Rhema. A “right now” spoken Word from God, one typically given to someone regarding a particular season, a calling into ministry, to accomplish God’s good purpose, or offering His Church direction and guidance, naming just a few. There are many examples throughout the Bible, both Old and New Testament, where God speaks a Rhema Word to a prophet, priest, an apostle—or someone He’s calling to Himself. In Genesis 12:1-3, we read that Father Abraham received such a Word, so did Saul of Tarsus. “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do” –Acts 9:3-6.

And in Acts 9:10-12, Ananias, the man God used to heal, commission, and baptize Saul, received a Rhema Word from God as well. “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

Yet of this fact, be sure: A true Rhema Word will never contradict God’s written Word—His inerrant Logos Word. God is not a man that He can lie, and He is not the author of confusion. So if someone speaks a Word over you or says that God shared a Word with them concerning you, starting with the one I’ve shared here, and that Word doesn’t line up with God’s written Word, spit it out quickly, lest you get poisoned!

In Paul’s final ministry command to a young preacher named Timothy, his son in the faith, Paul lands a lasting and unflinching charge that stretches far beyond young Timothy. A charge that reaches and rests squarely at the feet of every minister of the Gospel today. If Jesus is Lord of your life, Paul’s charge is meant to spur you on as well. Encouraging you to remain faithful to the Truth found in God’s Word—His commands and leading, to “Be Ready,” come what may. “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” –2 Timothy 4:2. And to those who will say,” but I’m a Christian, not a pastor!” or “I don’t know how to talk to people about Jesus.” know this: you are by no means exempt from spreading the Gospel, the Good News of salvation, to everyone you know. There’s no such thing as, “I’m not a pastor!” or “I don’t know how to talk to people about Jesus.”

Being prepared “in season and out of season” means, in part, sharing the Truth of the Good News of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection, whether you’re comfortable sharing it or not. Whether you’ve had time to prepare or not. Feel called, or not. To “Be Ready” means genuinely trusting God, having your lamp filled to overflowing with oil from time spent at His precious feet, and not living according to how you feel or by what you witness going on all around you. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” –Proverbs 3:5-6.

And though I’m not big on definitives when speaking about another believer’s walk, certain aspects of our collective walk as believers are and must be unalterable. One of those being, the only way a believer can ever truly “Be Ready” for whatever comes their way: from sharing Jesus’ love with that one the Lord has placed in right in front of you in line at the market—to walking through the dark valley of losing a child, spouse, a mother, father, sibling, or beloved friend. Shambling through a divorce or some horrific, life-changing event or diagnosis is if we are firmly rooted and grounded in Christ Jesus. If Christ alone is the Chief Cornerstone of our faith, our sure foundation. If we are a doer of God’s Word and not hearers only. If we genuinely put legs beneath everything, we profess to believe concerning God and His Word—walking it out by faith, come what may.

Even if that means pain-filled moments spent tearfully crying out to God for the strength needed to take one laboring, agonizing step forward —think Gethsemane here. “And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire” –Matthew 26:39.

By His grace alone, I continue to learn to work out this level of obedience in my walk with the Lord. Pray for me, please.

So that is the crux of the message I received from the Lord regarding: “Be Ready.” The Logos confirming God’s Rhema Word as I read each of the Scriptures He’d dropped in my spirit, Matthew 25:1-13 & 2 Timothy 4:2. Friends, we are living in the last of the last minutes of human history as we’ve known them. The very next event to take place on God’s prophetic calendar is the rapture of His Church. When Jesus, our Bridegroom, comes, at last, to take us, His Bride, to the place He has gone ahead to prepare. A place where, face to face with Him at long last, we’ll spend eternity basking in His presence—soaking in all of Him, spilling over in eternal praise for the only one worthy to have redeemed our sin-soaked lives: restoring us, pure white and gleaming, back to our God.

Are you ready to meet Jesus face to face, friend? Is Jesus the Lord of your life? The cornerstone of your faith? I’m not talking about religion; I’m talking about a relationship with the one who knit you together in your mother’s womb. If you don’t have that, you can have it now, if you’ll but ask Him to come into your life and repent of your sins. “As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” –Hebrews 3:15.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” –Matthew 24: 42-44.

Tag: Salvation (Page 11 of 17)

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