Tag: Transformation (Page 6 of 8)

Tag, Your It.

May 29, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” –Acts 10:34-35.

Everything was about to be upended for Peter—yet again. By this point in his walk with the Lord, I have to wonder if Peter had begun to figure out that the only thing that will ever remain the same for as long as he walks with the Lord, the only thing guaranteed to stay the same, is the Lord, Himself?

If biblical chronology is correct, some seven or eight months had passed since the Lord ascended back to the Father. Six or seven months since the Holy Spirit had been poured out on those gathered together in the Upper Room and since Peter had preached his first sermon and Christ’s Church was born. We can read all about these things in the Book of Acts, Chapters One through Five.

By this point in Peter’s walk, by the time Peter meets Cornelius in Acts Chapter 10 that is, God has already commissioned Peter as a leader over his brothers and sisters and His Church. He’s also been told to elect another to fill Judas Iscariot’s place among them. God has used Peter to heal a man who’d been lame since birth; and along with the Apostle John, Peter has also been taken into custody and forbidden by the Sadducees to teach using the name of Jesus. And, Peter has confronted Ananias and Saphira about their lying to the Holy Spirit, which resulted in their deaths. He and John were sent to Samaria to spread and teach God’s Word. Additionally, in Acts nine, Peter visits fellow believers in Lydda. The Lord uses him there to heal Aeneas, who’d been bedridden for eight years due to paralysis, and raise a young girl named Dorcas; some say, Tabitha, from the dead. You can read each of these accounts in the following Scriptures: Acts 1:16-26; 2:14-36; 3:6-8; 4:3-18; 5:3-9;8:14;9:32-40.

We catch up with Peter in Acts 10. We’ll find him in Joppa, a seaport town about 40 some miles south of Caesarea, at the home of Simon, the tanner. Being a devout Jew, I found it noteworthy that Peter would have chosen to stay with someone who would have been considered unclean, due to his chosen profession. After all, in a minute, we’ll read how Peter decries God’s instruction to kill and eat what the law teaches is unclean. A law Peter had painstakingly followed his entire life! “Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” –Acts 10:9-15.

So to find Peter staying in the home of someone who handles dead animal carcasses, a person another devout Jew would shun Peter for even associating with, is nothing short of unconscionable for this out-front, chosen leader of the Way. “The carcass of any animal which divides the foot, but is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches it shall be unclean. And whatever goes on its paws, among all kinds of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening. Whoever carries any such carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. It is unclean to you” –Leviticus 11:26-28. But God was on the move. And everything was about to change—forever.

As I said earlier, everything in Peter’s life was about to be upended, yet again. Very soon, Peter would face having to choose to place the full weight of the knowledge, faith, and trust he had on his Lord’s leading, regardless of it being unconventional, controversial, and undoubtedly unorthodox. Or, he’d have to turn away from His Master’s prompting, clinging instead to the law and teachings that had guided him since his youth. Because in a short twenty-four hours, all those traditions and rules, the religious rites and rituals that Peter had clung to so fiercely would all be upended.

Peter’s unraveling had begun on the rooftop of a tanner in Joppa, and it would reach its climax inside the home of yet another unlikely soul in Caesarea. Now, as Peter was in prayer on the rooftop of Simon’s house, the Lord, as only He can, broke through time and space with a message that challenged Peter to his very core. God needed Peter to shift, to move with Him and His plan for the future of His Church and all His people. There are times God will use the unorthodox, the unconventional, the new, and different to shake up the religiosity that has taken hold of us. All the “familiar” that we’ve allowed to enshroud us, blind us, stunting our growth. Stopping us from remembering that we can not, must not ever, put God in a box or attach some succinct, precise formula to how He will or does move or decide to show up. Jesus Himself is our most perfect example of this Truth.

“The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth” –Acts 10:9-11. On this great sheet was every kind of unclean animal. Peter saw all those repugnant animals that the law forbade and was instantly repelled by them. So when the Lord commands him to kill and eat, Peter barks back and tells God no. “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean” –Acts10:14.

Saying no to God is never a good idea. He is God, and we are not. And, as we’ll see, God had His way with Peter in the end.

Scripture indeed points towards Peter’s staying in the house of an unclean, gentile tanner to be no mere accident; more, it appears to be a herald, a preparation of sorts for Peter. Because soon, three men would appear and ask him to follow them. One commentary sums things up this way: The Jews already considered gentiles to be unclean. By drawing Peter into the home of a gentile tanner – the dirtiest of the dirty – God was breaking down barriers and preparing Peter as a vessel to pour out His blessing onto the gentiles.

Enter Cornelious.

While Peter was still atop Simon’s roof trying to sort out what he was to glean from God’s dropping that sheet before him, three men sent by a Roman Centurion named Cornelius to locate Peter show up to escort him to Caesarea. They’d been dispatched to accompany him to the home of yet another gentile. “Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate” –Acts 10:17.

Skipping ahead for time’s sake, these men tell Peter who they are and why they’ve come. “And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him” –Acts 10:22-23. Yet their news was only confirmation for Peter as the Holy Spirit had already revealed to him that He wanted Peter to go with these men when they arrived. “While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” –Acts 10:19-20.

Again, skipping ahead, Cornelius has assembled his close friends and family in anticipation of Peter’s arrival. Before leaving Joppa, the men sent to accompany him tell Peter that an angel had visited Cornelius and told him to send for him. Upon arriving in Caesarea, Peter goes into Cornelius’ house, but not before making him aware that it is against the law for a Jew to be doing what he is doing. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?” –Acts 10:28-29.

One last skip, I promise, and we’ll arrive at our destination:

In answer to Peter’s question, Cornelius outlines all that the angel had shared with him: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us” Acts 10:30-33.

And in that nanosecond, by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, Peter gets it. The Light has shone inside of him, illuminating Truth and God’s glorious plan for His Church. A Truth and plan Peter never would have been able to grasp, outside of God doing something so unconventional. “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” –Acts 10:34.

Tag. Your It! And just like that, we, each gentile believer, from Cornelius and those gathered in his household, were grafted into the Body of Christ. Jew and Gentile now, one in Messiah. As Peter shared the Gospel message with this group of gentiles, salvation became there’s! Yet this plan for the grafting in of the gentiles isn’t new, however. We caught our first glimpse of it back in the garden. It’s just now being unfolded, revealed afresh to Peter that he might ensure that God’s intended plan for His Church be carried out to the letter. But more on that next week. Remember, friends; God has set precise times and seasons for all things.

The Apostle Paul’s teaching on why this has occurred ought to lead us towards living our lives with great humility and boldness for the Lord. And for the things of the Lord, yet tenderly and with reverence for the grace and mercy shown us by such a loving Father. “Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you” –Romans 11:13-18.

Brothers and sisters, I encourage you in the Lord to seek Him afresh in this season, to purify your hearts. Shaking off any spiritual slumber that has hampered you, all fear, and any confusion that has troubled the Body of Christ over this past year, instead, seek the Lord for what it is He’ll have you do now, while it is still day. “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” –Isaiah 55:6-9.

And dear friend, if you have yet to meet our unconventional and Loving Lord, Jesus the Christ, I hope that you’ll pause wherever you are right now and ask Him to make Himself as real and tangible to you as He did for Peter as he prayed on Simons rooftop.

Be sure to return next week for the conclusion of “Tag. You’re It…”

We Have A Great High Priest…

April 24, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people” –Hebrews 2:17.

This morning has been pain-filled—my heart is heavy. Truth be told, this has been a very trying season. Some seasons are just like that. And when we’re walking through our pain—at least when I am, it’s easy to fall into despair. To forget for a time that, even though what we’re experiencing is real, we shouldn’t be surprised that it’s happening—or that it hurts as bad as it does. Jesus assured us that as long as we’re on this earth, things like this will happen. But how easy it is to forget that sometimes. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” –John 14:27.

I’m sure it’s because of just how pain-filled these recent times have been for me that the Holy Spirit came as only He can in His gentle, loving way, and reminded me of something this morning that I needed to be reminded of. Something I’d recently heard the character who portrays Jesus in the series, The Chosen, say. A statement He made in response to a question posed to Him by the hostess of a dinner party He was attending.

The hostess asked, “When I was a little girl, my father told me the Messiah would bring an end to pain and suffering. If you are who people are saying you are, when will you do that?” And the character that portrays Jesus responded: “I’m here to preach the Good News of the Kingdom of heaven, a Kingdom that is not of this world, a Kingdom that is coming soon, so yes, sorrow and sighing will flee away. I make a way for people to access that Kingdom but, in this world, bones will still break, hearts will still break. But in the end, Light will overcome darkness.” I needed to be re-minded of that today. And I thank the Holy Spirit, not only for what He deposits within me but equally, for what He re-minds me of when I need reminding. And so I’m here to re-mind you, as well. Because perhaps like me, you may need reminding right now.

But first, notice Jesus’ response to this woman. He pointed her towards the Good News—towards God’s Kingdom, towards The Truth. And then He addressed her concerns. So today, as I share with you what God has placed on my heart, I pray it points you towards God. Towards His Kingdom, and His Word—made flesh. Towards the Truth; towards Jesus and His great Love for you.

Over these past several months, I’ve lost four dear friends. I take great comfort in knowing that I will see them again one day soon as each of them knew Jesus. But it still hurts that they’re no longer with me now. In addition, I’m currently typing this message in an entirely different state, as in location. I’m here because the enemy has attacked my family, and the Lord suddenly sent me here, for now, to help. Also, before I began typing this teaching this morning, I was—I have been, praying with my brothers and sisters back home for a dear brother in Christ who is undergoing surgery today to remove a cancerous tumor from his body. Updates continue to come in via text of complications the doctors have encountered. Suffice it to say that my heart hurts this morning—it’s heavy. Yet, at the same time, by God’s grace, I have great peace.

As I was sitting here praying, pouring my heart out to the Lord, the Holy Spirit, my precious Comforter, came. And, doing what only He can, He began ministering to my broken heart.

He reminded me, as I had just reminded my friend’s wife via a text message, that we have a Great High Priest who has tasted everything—every emotion and situation we can imagine. So, He knows—can personally relate to, exactly what we’re feeling and thinking. He is not a God who is far off. He is close to us—to my friend in surgery and me right now, to his wife and his family as well. He’s close in the hour of our deep need. He’s close to my son and your son or daughter in their moment of need. Closer even than we can fathom. And I, for one, am so grateful for that fact right now because I need what only Jesus can give me—His peace and strength. “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint” –Isiah 40:30-31.

I am grateful for the assurance that He will never leave me nor forsake me—no matter the circumstances—no matter what every demon springing up around me may be screaming at me right now!

I know God is with me –I trust Him. And He sent me here to you today not only to share my testimony but also to remind you that as surely as God is with me, so too is He with you. If you are His child, then His Spirit at work in us reminds us that we are to walk by faith, not by sight, not according to how we feel. Feelings change; Truth doesn’t. His Spirit in us reminds us to trust Him. Especially now, when so much of what is going on around us makes absolutely no sense. In these trying and uncertain seasons of my life—these dark and challenging valleys, I am so thankful that I don’t have to walk by sight. That I can trust Jesus to lead and guide me instead. Otherwise, I don’t know if I would make it out of this present pain-filled valley in one piece, to experience the mountaintop, once again, that faith and my relationship with Jesus have taught me are waiting for me on the other side of this. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” –Hebrews 4:15-16.

I’m also reminded this morning that no matter how painful this valley may be, I’m not walking through it blindly. This pain will not overtake me because Jesus made sure to forewarn me that people will get cancer in this fallen and sin-riddled world—yet He is with them, still. They’ll die what seems like way too early, in my mind at least. Divorce will happen, and we’ll be forced to stand by and watch those we love walk through the pain it brings while not being able to do one thing to stop it from happening. Our children will become addicted—or maybe our parents. They’ll make lifestyle choices that, as Christians, we cannot and do not agree with—and yet we’ll love them despite their choices. Just as Jesus loved us—and still does. Despite those sinful choices we continue to make. “Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” –Hebrews 2:18.

We may never understand—or know why God allows certain things to happen to us or to those we love, this side of heaven that is. But if we have a relationship with Jesus, this much we do know about Him now, today, for certain: He’s a loving Father. A Good God. And because we know this, know Him—because we’ve tasted and seen for ourselves that He alone is Good, we can confidently say as Job did: “…What? Shall we receive only pleasant things from the hand of God and never anything unpleasant?” –Job 2:10. In fact, right before Jesus was about to be betrayed—about to willingly take up His Cross. Before His sinless Body was about to be ripped open by the Roman whip, well before thorns were viciously pressed into His forehead and scalp, and before spikes were savagely driven through His wrists and feet and a spear jabbed into His side, Jesus assured His disciples—comforted them really, us too, me right now, with these Words: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” –John 16:33.

All you and I can do is comfort and pray for each other, friends—be Jesus’ hands and feet, honestly, compassionately, and tangibly.

Because whatever valley I may find myself in, whatever my sister and her husband will face once he’s out of surgery today, whatever valley my son or your son or daughter, your parent or parents may be walking through at this very moment. By God’s grace alone, we must remember, as we pass through it, that we have not endured the ultimate betrayal, the pain—physical or emotional, that Jesus suffered for us—for me, lest I ever forget His pain was personal. It was and still is personal for you, too.

So, if like me, and so many others today, you find yourself in the valley of despair—walking through pain so heavy it’s taking all you have to just put one foot in front of the other, please friend, know you are not alone right now. Even as I type, I am still praying—for you this time. I’m praying and take authority over whatever has your heart in its vice-like grip this day, in Jesus’ name. I’m praying you will follow my lead and cry out to the One who knows us better than we know ourselves—the One who sees the end of your situation from its beginning, despite your pain.

Cry out to the One who saw it all coming and will, no matter how it looks to you right now, no matter how hard it is for you to believe you’re going to get through this, more, believe that you’ll eventually smile and thrive and grow and love and heal and forgive and reach out, again. And why? Because we have this Great High Priest who not only felt and experienced everything we have, He will also empower us to overcome this. This same Jesus assures us in His Word that: “I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me” –Jeremiah 32:27.

So If you’re reading this and have said to yourself, “wait, this is me! This is how I’ve been feeling, too! I’m walking in a valley of my own right now. Then won’t you cry out to Jesus for help? And, if you’ve yet to ask this Jesus into your life and heart as Lord, what better time than while you’re in a pain-filled valley? Why? Because He’s just waiting for you to ask for His help, waiting to help you walk through it. He’ll come and forgive and restore, renew, and heal you, right where you are. Yes, friend, even there in the thick of that sin you think is so unforgivable. Just repent of your sins today and ask Jesus into your heart. Why go it alone when you can do it with Jesus? “He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and misguided, since he himself is beset by weakness” –Hebrews 5:2.

The Heart Of Judas.

March 20, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“…Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me” –John 13:21.

Within the human heart lives a propensity to sin, our fleshly nature at work in us, as it was in Judas. And apart from God’s saving grace—His Holy Spirit alive in us, preserving us from the bent of our fleshly nature, again, like Judas, we are powerless to overcome it. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it” –Romans 7:15-20.

The Gospels inform us of Jesus calling each of His disciples. To some extent, they give us a snapshot of the apostles’ lives. Of whom they were before they began to follow Jesus. It also provides us with a glimpse of the settings in which he called them to follow him—except that is, for Judas Iscariot. Exactly how and why Judas was called to follow Jesus is not fully known. Some scholarly texts suggest Judas had been one of John the Baptist’s disciples. That he came to resent Jesus for not saving John from Herod’s executioner, and that this resentment took root in his heart and was a contributing factor in his subsequent betrayal of Jesus. However, we learn from Scripture that Jesus chose Judas to become His disciple—part of His inner circle. “When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles: And Judas son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who became the betrayer” –Luke 6:13;16.

Judas is ignominiously known as being a traitor. For having betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver—ultimately leading to Jesus’ arrest and His death on the cross. The Gospel tells it this way: “Then one of the Twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over” –Matthew 26: 14-16. It continues by saying, “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders” –Matthew 27:3. And Scripture also informs us that Judas, realizing what he had done, was filled with remorse and committed suicide: “And he went away and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5.

That led me to think about the condition of Judas’ heart? —and what of our own? After all, the Son of God had handpicked Judas to follow him. So, are we prone to fall away also? Betray the very God who called us?

Judas had witnessed the miracles Jesus had performed; he’d been in the boat when Jesus calmed the storm—Matthew 8:23-27. Judas was there when Jesus performed His first miracle, converting water into wine at the wedding in Cana —John 2:1-11. He’d witnessed Jesus feed the 5000 with five loaves and two fish—Matthew 14:15-21. And Judas was a witness to the miracles God performed. He’d also heard Jesus deliver the Sermon on the Mount –Matthew 5:1-48. He’d listened to Jesus’ parables and was present to hear Peter answer the question Jesus posed to each of His disciples—the very same question each one of us must answer for ourselves:” Who do you say that I am? Peter responded by saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”— Matthew 16:16. And, finally, Jesus had also given Judas power and authority to perform miracles: “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” –Matthew 10:1. Judas had been given the privilege and honor of walking beside Jesus daily, knowing the Son of God personally. Yet, still, the devil-possessed Judas, causing him to betray Jesus. “After [Judas had taken] the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly [without delay]” –John 13:27. How could this happen then? Hadn’t Jesus chosen Judas?

Again, all of this led me to contemplate the condition of Judas’ nefarious heart, asking myself then: Is there a little Judas in all of us?

Many of us profess to walk closely with Christ—just as Judas did. We share our witness—talking freely about what God has done in and through our lives—of the grace He’s poured into them. We talk about the miracles, signs, or wonders we’ve heard of or witnessed firsthand. Yet none of that exempts us from walking away from Jesus—from betraying Him, just like Judas did.

Seemingly, only Jesus was aware of Judas’ impending betrayal that fateful night—everyone else at the table appeared unsuspecting. “When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me. They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, ‘Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?'” –Matthew 26:20-22. Not a single person, besides Jesus, pointed to Judas as being the traitor. And yet, long before this fateful night, there were signs of fissures in Judas’ heart—signs of his double-mindedness. John’s Gospel says this concerning this very issue: “Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it” –John 12: 1-6.

Judas treasured money more than Jesus, and what he stole, he stole from God—not man. He knew that Jesus taught, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” –Mathew 6:21. Yet, the pull to possess the things of this world, his sinful desire for money, and perhaps, past resentment became an overarching factor that contributed to Judas’ betraying Jesus. Knowing this then, it is essential for those who profess Jesus to check their hearts continually—asking God to examine them because simply acknowledging Jesus doesn’t equate to His truly being the Lord of your life.

To that end, you may find asking yourself the following questions helpful:

“What’ treasure(s)’ of this world have you allowed to dethrone the Son of God from your heart?”

“What daily habits are you entertaining that serve the lust of the flesh rather than foster a desire for the things of God’s and His kingdom?”

“And What are the “temporary pleasures of this world” that pull you away from God? Those things that trouble and grieve God’s heart?”

“Is it money? Is it lust? Is it a drug? Popularity? Possessions? Is it greed?”

If you profess to be a child of God, your heart’s greatest desire must be firmly rooted in pleasing and seeking after God and His Kingdom—and not being consumed by the “temporary gains” in this world.

After reading about some of the sin issues found in Judas’ heart, his greed, and double-mindedness, the possible root of bitterness that had taken root. His attachment to the things of this world. His being a liar and thief and his ability to betray Jesus, shouldn’t that awaken the resounding question in our hearts to be: “What can I learn from this?”

I know for me, I learned proximity to God is not an indicator that we abide in Christ, that our proximity to God does not exempt us from the enemy’s influences. I learned that those who refuse to fully yield their lives to Jesus Christ (their will, all that they are and have been given) could, sadly, be enticed away from serving Him, serving the lusts of their flesh instead. Judas walked with Jesus, was fed, and taught by Jesus, was prayed over by Jesus, healed individuals by the authority given him in Jesus, was a friend to Jesus. Judas spoke and acted like a disciple. Yet, his heart was far away from God. Judas knew all about religion, not about a relationship. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? ‘Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’–Matthew 7:22-23. And this same religious spirit we witness in Judas is still alive today in those who, like him, are merely going through the motions in their walk with Jesus Christ. Those who perhaps attend church faithfully, follow all the rules, and offer their tithes—yet they lack a personal connection or genuine commitment to Jesus.

Judas was “in,” and yet he was still able to betray Jesus. Judas was “in,” yet the devil possessed him. The more religious we are, the more like Judas our hearts may become.

And again, that forced me to look at myself and ask: “If Jesus wasn’t in my life, who might I be now?

I pray this same question drives you never to forget that forsaking God for the “temporary pleasures” of this world will always leave you feeling morally bankrupt.

That it reminds you that for all of Judas may have gained in this world, it never quenched his overwhelming feeling of remorse—that guilt and shame that drove him to hang himself. Neither will the things of this world ever assuage our guilt and shame. The enemy of our soul will make sure of that—just as he did with Judas. Satan always exacts a price far dearer than anyone thought they’d have to pay for the temporary pleasures he offers them. Ultimately, though, Scripture was fulfilled—and whatever the enemy had intended for evil, the Lord turned it around for His good purpose.

Judas’ desire was not for God, to advance His Kingdom – I pray that it is for you. I pray that the kingdom of God is your ultimate treasure and not the things of this world. I sincerely pray that you invite the Spirit of God to search your heart daily—revealing any wrong way within you. I pray that your profession that Jesus is Lord of your life matches your walk. I pray that if you’ve yet to ask God into your heart as Lord, you’ll do it today. I pray that you serve God as your Master. May the motives of your heart continuously be to glorify God. I pray that you’re a Peter, and not a Judas—because Peter died for the One he loved, while Judas followed Jesus yet, in the end, chose Satan over our Savior! “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6: 24).

The Simple Truth.

March 13, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth” –Revelation 3:15-16.

The days of lukewarm Christianity are quickly coming to an end. For some time now, pockets within the western Church have become image-driven; their performance, the standard of excellence they strive to meet—the smoke, lights, and the number of people walking through the doors week after week, their measure. The Gospel of Jesus Christ seemingly no longer reigning supreme; instead, it has been asked to take a seat right beside the world’s point of view—that ideology found within the hearts of unregenerate man.

Once driven primarily by Biblical principles, the western Church has dimmed the lights on what should be the ever-illuminating Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, making way instead for the counterfeit freedom that comes, supposedly, by following our feelings. It has forgotten what the word of God warns concerning those feelings: “The heart is deceitful above all things” –Jeremiah 17:9. It has instead taken man’s words as gospel in relinquishing God’s Word as its final authority. Somehow, the progressive thinker has taken the child-like simplicity of the Gospel message and contorted it into some complex ideology of their creation. And by their own doing, they’ve made communion with their Maker so inaccessible that the mere thought of knowing Him has become as far-fetched for them as some fairytale.

Yet the Truth is, while it most certainly is not always easy, following God is simple.

In Proverbs, the book of wisdom, the writer gives us a valuable key to opening our understanding of God. It gives us clear instructions on how to know God, yet this simple principle has been lost in the name of enlightenment. “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:2-5.

If you’re anything like me, you know what it’s like to have a loud mind. While coming up with ideas is easy, follow-through proves to be a more challenging feat. Typically, my carrying out an idea requires the know-how that isn’t always inherent in me. For example, if I want to do a house project, I will be more successful if I watch videos or get around someone knowledgeable in the subject. While on the flip side, I tend to give up rather quickly when tackling projects on my own.

Similarly, our desire to know more of God, about Him, His ways, and thoughts, must be cultivated. It’s great to want to know God, but if we’re not putting ourselves in an atmosphere conducive to finding Him, getting to know Him, we may never get there. God draws near to those who seek Him. So, seeking Him through reading His word, spending time with Him in prayer, asking Him for understanding, fellowshipping with other believers, and reading Christian books are just the beginning of our developing our personal relationship with Him. In our search for God, we quickly learn that there is no end to discovering His vast beauty. As we pick up the Bible and find His voice within its pages, He becomes the compass that continually points us towards His Truth.

Let me ask you this: what guides you? Whose voice are you giving ear to? Whose words do you accept as Truth? To what are you applying your heart?

I guarantee that if you fill your mind with the world’s ideologies over the Truth found in God’s Word, having a relationship with Him may end up feeling impossible and become far more complicated than it was ever meant to be. The promise in Proverbs 2 is that you will find the knowledge of God through storing His word in your heart. You will find the knowledge of God when you turn your ear to (in other words: soften your heart towards) Seeking after Godly wisdom, rather than pridefully rejecting it. You will understand the fear of God when you cry out to Him (or pray) for understanding. The simple Truth is this: if you seek Him, you will find Him. God promises this: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.” -Jeremiah 29:13.

God wants your heart, to have a relationship with you—that’s the simplicity of the Gospel message. Not what some western Churches have turned it into, the smoke, lights, and numbers, the celebrity preachers. Not some cleverly-crafted theology that has nothing to do with Him—a theology filled with thoughts and notions that are so complex and far removed from God’s heart that one would need a Ph.D. to follow along! God never said, “you might find me when you try to seek me.” No. The promise is that when you earnestly seek Him, you will find Him. Our pure longing for more of God becomes often corrupted by our striving—by what we’ve turned God into—some false idea that “more is required of us.” When the Truth is, Jesus has already done what we never could! “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18

From the outside, Christianity, following Jesus, can look complicated. It may seem like it requires so much effort on your part. It may seem as though the standards set in the Bible are unattainable to you. Yet here’s the part that’s only realized as you surrender to God—as you fill your mind with the things of God and apply your heart to understanding His commands: your natural response becomes obedience. Standards you once thought impossible, become natural. And, the more you get to know God, the more you realize that He is your everything. “[Jesus is] the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” –Revelation 22:13. God is the giver of joy, the giver of peace, the giver of hope, and the giver of Life itself. The simple Truth is this: as we spend time getting to know God through His word, True-Life opens within us, and the secrets of His kingdom begin to take root in our hearts.

Our place in creation becoming clear as His presence becomes our home.

You see, God knew that salvation had to be simple. His desire is for us to be with Him both now and for all eternity, hence Jesus’ sacrifice—His Life, death, and resurrection. He knew that outside of His power at work in us, if we had to jump through hoops on our own to get to know Him, chances are we’d be damned to a life of constant striving and insecurity—never knowing, with absolute certainty, if we were indeed His. So, in His mercy and lovingkindness, God made it so that the Cross of Christ is our security, His promise to us, that can never be revoked. “God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek” –Hebrews 6:18-20, Message Bible.

If you haven’t already done so, I invite you to search for God with your whole heart. Pick up a Bible and ask Him to make Himself known to you as you humbly seek His Truth. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” –Matthew 7:7-11.

Previews…

March 6, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David” –1 Samuel 16:12-13.

The Word of God is full of these—previews, I mean. Of God allowing His chosen to catch some small sliver of a glimpse of the destiny, they’ve been set apart to fulfill…

One minute a young David is out in the field tending his father’s sheep, and the next, his father’s servant is calling out to him. “David, come quickly; the prophet Samuel is asking after you!” And right there, in the presence of his slack-jawed family, in one life-changing, whirlwind of a moment, David, a young shepherd boy, is anointed Israel’s new King. “Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance” –1 Samuel 16: 10-12. And although it took only a few short minutes for Samuel to seal the destiny of this newly appointed boy-King, it would take David’s “preview” some 15 plus years and beyond to bear mature fruit. And Scripture is littered with examples like David’s. Of the destinies of God’s chosen suddenly being shifted on a dime. Of the so-big plans of God being carried out by His finite creations. Examples of men and women who were changed in an instant, yet it took years for them to grow into the fullness of their calling. A calling God had deposited within them in less time than it takes us to blink! One such example that comes to mind is Joseph, Jacob’s youngest son…

I have to wonder how many times Joseph thought, “Lord, why all this lag time,” as he watched and waited for his preview to come to pass? (Lag time: that period, however short or long, God uses to prepare us for the destiny He’s allowed us to catch some glimpse of). Remember, Joseph was about 17 years old when God gave him a glimpse of his future via a dream. Then, shortly after sharing that dream with his family, he was violently ripped away from his beloved father and sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. After which, Potiphar’s wife unjustly accused him, and he was imprisoned. While there, he was betrayed by those he had worked to free. Then, finally, some 13 years later, at the approximate age of 30, Joseph entered Pharaoh’s service, becoming the second most powerful man in all of Egypt. And soon after that, the dream given him by God when he was 17 was finally fulfilled when those who had sold him into slavery came and bowed down before Joseph. You can read all about Joseph’s extraordinary life in Genesis, Chapters 37- 50.

My apology; we were talking about David.

Some scholars suggest David was somewhere between 12 to 15 years old when he was anointed King by the Prophet Samuel; you can read about this in 1 Samuel, Chapter 16. And yet, David would not ascend to his throne for another 15 plus years. Sound familiar? Didn’t we just read of something similar happening to Joseph? We’ll need to jump over to 2 Samuel 5 and beyond in order to read the account of David’s ascension and reign. And then, moving on from David, let’s look at others throughout the Scriptures who’d caught a preview of their destinies as well.

We’ll start with a young Galilean girl from Nazareth named Mary. She had been given a glimpse of God’s calling on her life—and so had her fiancé, Joseph. Apocryphal accounts say Mary was between 12 to 15 years old when she became betrothed to Joseph. Yet before they could marry, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary—changing the course of her life forever—Joseph’s too. “In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you”—Luke 1:26-28. Verses 30-31 goes on to tell us that Gabriel told Mary, this newly engaged virgin, not to be afraid, that she was going to have God’s baby—and she was to name Him Jesus, listen: “Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.” And then there’s John the Baptist, Elizabeth’s son. And Father Abraham. God called him to leave behind his family and country, all that was familiar to him—to set off towards a destiny that would rival even that of a Hollywood blockbuster! And the list goes on and on. There’s also a young Samuel, woken up one night out of a sound sleep by God’s preview on his life. –1 Samuel 3. And then Moses, who went from a babe being drawn from the Nile in a pitch-sealed basket to a mighty prince of Egypt, turned wilderness shepherd before finally being used by God to free His people from the tyrannical grip of Pharaoh –Exodus, Chapters 2-5. And We haven’t even touched on the Apostles Peter, John, and Paul; each of these men and women hand-chosen by God—and all of them given a “preview” of sorts.

So why the lag time between their being called and that call being fulfilled? Why, since God had chosen them, didn’t He just use them right away? Why so long for David to finally take the throne? Or for Joseph or Abraham to see the call on their life fulfilled? Why did Moses have to experience so many tests and trials? And why will you and I have to endure lag time as well?

The answer is “simple—yet not.”

First, the simple: It’s about election and preparation. The simpler part of it, well, simple for God at least, is election—being chosen in Him: God’s initial call on their lives bubbled up from a deep place within them in an instant—it was effortless. But the preparation part, well, that took some time. That required God to prepare them for the preview He had given them. Preparation then is the “yet not” piece of, “simple, yet not.”

Their preparation would involve God having to strengthen and refine their trust in Him—in His ways and timing as they faced the many challenges and trials that answering His call brought with it. He was teaching them to walk out the “how” of His call on their life—that stepping out in faith part. That, faith over feelings—regardless of what it looks like, part. Think Paul here in Acts 9. Think of the reshaping that God did in Him, the breaking down, and the rebuilding that took place deep within him as he spent three days and nights in that room on Straight Street, having been blinded after seeing God. “He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink” –Acts 9:9.

Times of preparation allowed each of the above mentioned to grow into God’s unique call on their life. They afforded them both the circumstances and the opportunities to learn about accepting heartache and loss. To grow in love, they discovered new levels of sacrifice and how to be stretched to the point of breaking yet trusting God that they wouldn’t be. But that’s only after passing their first test, that of answering God’s call on their life. Then, and only then could they start putting one foot in front of the other and, over time, through adversity and times of great confusion or suffering, learn to follow God wherever He led them. And through all of this, they became awoken to what some may say is the hardest of all God’s lessons—trusting His timing. It’s Scripturally sound to say that of the many things God will use to test our calling, His use of time is undoubtedly one of His biggest. “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day “–2 Peter 3:8.

So, let me ask you, has God shown you a preview? Has He allowed you to catch some small sliver of a glimpse of His call on your life?

Are you heading off to Bible College? Is God calling you into your first pastoral position? Or, maybe, He’s calling you to head up the worship team or become an evangelist or missionary? Perhaps He’s just calling you to get up out of your pew and join in? Does God want to use you somewhere in the board room, city council, or the Nation’s Capital instead of in the pulpit? As a mom instead of a worship leader, or maybe you’ll be both? Wherever that “bubbling up” from your depths inevitably takes you, of this one thing be assured, friend: there will be times of preparation ahead. But oh, the joy they’ll bring with them! The surpassing peace and unplumbed Love of God you’ll experience by stepping out in faith and learning to trust His mysterious ways and timing, learning to accept heartache and loss, love, and sacrifice—the ever-changing-same-ness of God. The fixed fluidness of following Him. And the learning to be stretched to the point of breaking yet trusting God that you won’t be. Learning, as Mary Fairchild so aptly put it: We can pour out our honest desires to God, even when we know they conflict with his, even when we wish with all of our body and soul that God’s will could be done in some other way.

Learning, like Mary, David, Joseph, and Peter did, as Jesus did, to say: “Father, not my will but Thy will be done” –Luke 22:44.

Friend, I hope you know this God who both calls and prepares us for the previews He allows us to catch. But know this: if you don’t yet, you can today. Know that God’s Word brings salvation. Won’t you ask Him into your life as Lord and Savior right now? “But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved” –Romans 10:8-10.

What’s in Your Hand?

February 14, 2021 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

Somewhere on the far side of the wilderness, there’s a heaven-meets-earth moment waiting for you. It’s just past the whirlwind of insecurity that can leave you feeling the sting of defeat. It’s beyond the doubts that tell you that there is nothing about you that could ever make a difference in this life because you’re just an average person.

But what if? What if I told you that the Creator of the universe wholeheartedly disagrees with you? What if He could take your most common attribute and make it extraordinary? God is not afraid of your inabilities; instead, He sees abilities in you—you never even knew existed. And so, it was with an unlikely character we encounter at the beginning of the Old Testament. His story a remarkable one, filled with redemption. Moses, a Hebrew turned Egyptian Prince born during a very hostile and oppressive time in Egypt’s history.

Follow me as I paraphrase Moses’ story. I believe historical context is important:

…During Joseph’s reign in Egypt, he was second in command of all Egypt. Scripture tells us the Israelites prospered and multiplied while under his care. “…the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them”—Exodus 1:7. So much so that even after his death, they continued to thrive and flourish because Joseph had been so highly revered and regarded. The Bible informs us that the Israelites did far more than merely exist in this new land; they fully occupied it.

Now, fast forward 400 years. Joseph is long dead, and a new Pharaoh has been appointed. One who found Joseph’s legacy irrelevant, and the Israelites’ success in their small Egypt corner a threat to his rule. His response then—enslave them all. It’s extreme, I know. And, sadly, it only gets worse from there. To decrease the Hebrew population, Pharaoh ordered all the male babies be killed at birth.

Meanwhile, a humble yet audacious Hebrew woman gives birth to a son. And in her desire to save him from Pharaoh’s death decree, she sends him floating down the Nile river in a pitch-protected basket. And Pharaoh’s daughter was just a way downstream, bathing. Her handmaids were with her; they saw the basket and brought it to her. She was delighted, believing this was a gift from the gods! Little did she know that he would one day become the Hebrew God, Yahweh’s gift to His own people. She sends for a Hebrew slave to come and nurse the child, but the slave who comes ends up being the child’s mother.

Even amid oppression, God still showed kindness to his people.

After the child was weaned, he was sent back to Pharaoh’s daughter. She gave him the name Moses, and he grew up in Pharaoh’s palace. As you read in Exodus, skipping ahead, after a series of destiny-shaping events, Moses ran away from the palace to Midian, today’s Saudi Arabia. There he met his wife, worked as a shepherd, and started his family. All of that could have been his happily ever after, but God had other plans for Moses’s life. One day, this Egyptian prince-turned-shepherd led his sheep to the “far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God” –Exodus 3:1. In the perfect position for a heaven-touches-earth moment, Moses was all alone on the mountain, and he got that exact moment! We know that God manifested as fire burning within a bush, yet the bush wasn’t burning up—this mystified Moses. God had preserved Moses, allowing him to be rescued from the Nile by Pharaoh’s daughter, to now stand before this burning bush. And the same God that saved Him was now commissioning him to go and free His enslaved people, the Israelites, just as He had promised Moses’ great-great-grandfather He would do hundreds of years before. God says to Moses, “the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” –Exodus 3:9-10.

Let’s pause here for a moment and figure out where we fit into this story.

From Joseph to Moses, the above events didn’t happen in a day, a week, a month, or even over a year’s time. Over the years and lifetimes, these events occurred by God having placed these men strategically into positions where He would equip them to lead His people out of the places and circumstances that oppressed them and led to their suffering. And so, He might do this same thing for you, too. Perhaps that’s where you fit into this story? You may feel like you’re on the “far side of the wilderness,” but God has not forgotten you there. Even as you read this, you’re just moving along, living your everyday life. And yet, right in the middle of your daily life, God might show up in a sudden, all-consuming, “burning bush moment” that will forever rearrange the trajectory of your entire life, turning your ‘just daily living’ into something extra-ordinary. Or maybe you may feel so content with your everyday life that you’re missing those burning bush moments that are right in front of you?

Back to the story, Moses is in front of the burning bush and is so confused about why God would ask him of all people to lead His people out of Egypt. He’s just an average shepherd, and remember, he had that series of unfortunate circumstances back in Egypt? He wasn’t sure how he would do any of what God asked of him without getting himself killed? Little did Moses know, something extraordinary was about to happen to him. Yet in that pivotal moment, the Lord asked the most seemingly random question: “The Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A staff,’ he replied. The Lord said, ‘Throw it on the ground.’ Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.’ So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. Then the Lord said, ‘Put your hand inside your cloak.’ So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous[a]—it had become as white as snow. ‘Now put it back into your cloak,’ he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.” –Exodus 4:2-4; 6-7).

God used what Moses had. Moses didn’t need special equipment, a theology degree, or a select title. All he needed was obedience and loyalty to God. As you read on, Moses was not a fan of this idea of being used by God. He made excuse after excuse. He even asked God to send someone else. Yet in the end, Moses obeyed God; and his obedience led to an entire people’s freedom. It also led him to experience the glory of God in ways he never knew were possible. His obedience to the Lord led to his being used by God to transcribe God’s law for the people. Moses became one of the Old Testament’s most prominent leaders because of his obedience to God’s call.

Hebrews 11 tells us: “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt,not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.”

We often want to see remarkable things in our lives, yet we aren’t willing to act in simple obedience. We admire the faith of people who can keep their relationships with God even through the craziness of life. Those who can be joyful amid trials. Those who can still pray for the house seemingly beyond their means or for the job they didn’t think they’d ever get. Those who pray for healing and see it happen. Those who have a powerful walk with the Lord. We admire that faith, and we even want it. Let me remind you, “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” –Hebrews 11:1-2. Faith is not something to be attained; it is a lifestyle. As you obey the word of God, you grow in faith—your faith increasing as your obedience gets bolder.

I will ask you the same thing God asked Moses…

“What’s in your hand? What do you already have that God can use?” Ask God to help you to see the burning bush even within the ordinary. He is faithful to meet you right where you are, just as He did with Moses. God will introduce Himself to you. And, as you discover Him, I promise you’ll find that you have far more in your hand than you ever realized you had. God will use you in ways you never thought possible. And, if you’re here today and have never asked this God into your life, please, do it now. Let Him use what you have sitting right there in your hand…

Victory, in Pursuit…

November 7, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

Here we are in November 2020, suspended in thin air hoping for release, at any moment. The joy of freely gathering with our beloved friends and family, the privilege of returning to work, the gift of peace of mind. It appears time has decided to just stop without a care in the world about its effects on our human experience. Yet as I sit here asking God how I can share a spark of hope, I am reminded of all the times that God has met me with supernatural strength to fight my way through the muddy seasons of life. I’m not talking about physically, but more so mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It feels reminiscent of the story of Gideon. It’s one of great courage and redemption which seems like a timely message for this moment.

God tends to catch us off guard by finding us right in the place of obscurity where we thought we were invisible. Let me give you a tiny snippet of Gideon’s situation before we dive into the good stuff.

When we find Gideon in Judges 6, Israel (God’s chosen people) had been under the oppression of Midian for 7 years after they had “done evil in the sight of God”. At this point, much of Israel had adopted the pagan gods of their oppressors. In this case that god was Baal. Now, let’s meet the man of the hour. While Gideon is thought to be one of the greatest judges of the Old Testament, his valor did not come naturally. At our introduction to Gideon, we find that he was timid (although I’d say timid is an understatement). He was NOT the kind of guy I’d pick to lead me into battle. We meet him while he was threshing wheat in secret. Threshing is the process by which the edible portion of wheat (the kernel) is separated from the stalk, a laborious task that I can’t imagine was very subtle. But in this case, he was literally preparing his food in secret out of fear of his oppressors. He feared they would steal the bounty of his demanding work. Yet it is in this secret place that the Bible tells us, “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior” —Judges 6:12.

The Lord is with you, mighty warrior?

Those words echo so loudly in the caverns of my soul. Perhaps that’s because I’ve found myself in a fearful place where hearing the words “mighty warrior” would have been too overwhelming to bear. I don’t know that I would have believed anyone who would call me a “mighty warrior”. Honestly, I’m not 100% convinced that Gideon bought it either. But I don’t think the angel of the Lord cared whether Gideon believed it, because the angel was speaking to who he knew Gideon was created to be, not to who Gideon thought he was. See, our perceptions of ourselves don’t always reflect God’s intentions for our purpose. He sees the warrior in you long before you can ever even think you’re capable of being strong.

The first thing we learn in this story is that although he was insecure and filled with doubt, God STILL chose Gideon. Instead of being confident in this identity, he came back with skepticism, listing reasons the angel was wrong according to what Gideon could see, God wasn’t doing signs and wonders anymore; God had abandoned them—and his clan was the weakest of all the clans, and, he’s the weakest in his family. These are all declarations devoid of hope. Yet, when hope is all but gone, God can restore your purpose in a moment! The response was remarkable. The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” Judges 6: 14;16. God’s responses are always brilliant. He speaks to the root of the problem and not just the symptoms. Gideon is giving all these excuses as to 1) why God is absent and 2) why he’s not qualified, but it’s almost as if the Lord said, “yeah, and?” In a lot of ways, He does the same with us. Just stick with Him and He will lead you out of the hands of your oppressor! Whether that oppressor is someone, something, or even anxiety, depression, or insecurity. He is faithful to lead you into victory.

The next thing we see about Gideon is how fearful he was. This angel had just given him a divine revelation of who he was, but Gideon was skeptical; he needed proof. So, the angel gave him a sign that he was from the Lord, and then Gideon was *kind of* comfortable following his lead. The first thing the Lord commands Gideon to do is to tear down the altar to Baal. Now, instead of making a scene in broad daylight, Gideon is terrified. He agreed, but he did it at night when no one could see. Let’s stop here and observe something. How often do we get caught up trying to make ourselves good enough to live for God or even do something as simple as going to church? Right here, in this humble story, we learn something about God the Father, He’s not afraid of your fear. Gideon was afraid, but he obeyed while afraid. God knows our fear, but he’s looking for our obedience. He alone will give us the courage to obey His Word in the face of our greatest fears!

Are you getting the gist of Gideon’s personality yet? I hope so!

Let’s fast forward a bit. Now, Gideon is getting used to fearful obedience (which ultimately turns him into that mighty warrior God knew he was). God leads Gideon to fight a battle with Midian (remember, these were the oppressors). Now, the Midianites were a large army; the Israelites were not. But that’s JUST how God wanted it. In fact, as small as the Israelite army was, God wanted it smaller still. God’s power shines brightest in the face of the impossible. So, Gideon chose 300 of the most unlikely men to be in his army, and off they went to war.

Now, if you’ve made it this far, here’s where I REALLY want you to pay attention!

Gideon and his three hundred men exhausted, yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. –Judges 8:4. The text makes it clear these warriors were exhausted. But they KEPT. ON. FIGHTING. How many times have you been so exhausted and wanted to throw in the towel? I for one have oft found myself too tired to keep moving forward, maintaining joy amid crisis, keeping faith when I felt incredibly let down, finding hope when it felt like I was drowning. I’m sure you can relate in some way? But be of good courage, because if you walk with God, He promises to be with you! He will give you strength. He’ll give you what it takes to keep up the pursuit! Victory is often just around the bend, yet how often we miss it because we quit too soon. Keep fighting. Keep moving. God is on your side!

You may find yourself in the same place Gideon was—just living your life when bam! your all of a sudden moment comes, and you get that sense that there must be more to life than this. We can be doing the most normal thing when God moves us to action, and it’s up to us whether to respond with obedience or complacency. As we think about this time we are living in, may I remind you that God has created you and me for such a time as this, to surrender to Him, be His righteous ones, live with the kind of obedience that “does it afraid”, and fight until the battle your in is won. I know these are trying times, but remember, God’s power shines brightest in the face of the impossible. “His power is made perfect in your weakness” 2 Cor 12:9.

Are you afraid, tired, hopeless, doubtful, lonely, anxious? God sees you. He knows your short-comings, yet He still calls you by name- the name HE gave you. It’s up to you to respond. With God by your side, victory is yours! I invite you to turn to Jesus, repent of anything in your life that may not be pleasing to Him, and ask Him to walk with you, giving you courage and strength to live to your fullest potential.

The Best Thing?

October 31, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.” –John 16:7.

It is beyond most of us to understand fully why God would ask us to give something up. Especially when we don’t understand the reason why. When we don’t see the benefit or purpose in letting it go—of taking our hands off that—relationship, beloved friend, that job or home, city, or state we love. Deeper still, in being asked to give up some part of ourselves—a child or spouse, a beloved mentor, some long-standing belief, things we’ve come to love, rely upon, trust in, or appreciate about ourselves or others. Now, if you have any knowledge of who God is, His character, you may have already picked up on what is amiss with some of what I’ve just said? Go ahead, go back and reread it. Did you catch it? The “things we have come to love, rely upon, trust in, appreciate about ourselves or others” part?

Allow me to clarify.

In no way am I saying that we should not love people—that would be a deliberate contradiction to the great commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” –Matthew 22:37-40.

Neither am I saying that we should not enjoy our professions or homes, those relationships we have been blessed with, invested our love, time, and care into. Rather, what I am saying is this: Nothing, no thing, no one, must ever take primacy over God. Ever. Not even the best of things—the greatest of His gifts. Not our spouses, not our children or parents, job, or ministry, not where we live nor any-thing we have been allowed to have or use. Truth be told, most of us are still learning how to apply this Truth to our lives—I know I am. I’m much better at holding on than I am at letting go. And because of this, I am so very thankful that God is patient and merciful with me. He knows the weakness of my frame yet loves me still. I am thankful that He lends me His strength for the heavy lifting!

As I read and studied in preparation for this teaching, it became even more clear to me that we must be willing to continually position our hearts before God. Making room for, readying ourselves, for the ongoing refinement that takes place within them. Allowing all, any of those things that sully us still, to be removed, put away—that we might reflect more purely the One that has called us to Himself. After all, isn’t that a great part of the “why” God allows things to be taken? To refine us. I believe we are being asked to say yes to God, now, more than ever—before we even know or understand just what it is we are saying yes to. Out of love for Him—our deep-seated, abiding need for Him—in trust, we must say yes. Out of a profound desire to rid ourselves, our lives, of anything and anyone that we know God is putting His finger on, saying: Trust me on this, this person, this ministry, this home, job, relationship, this thought process, heart posture, this way your living, this expression, belief or ideal has outgrown its season—you must let go of it now. Left unattended, it will become a distraction that will blind you to where God is leading you next—and, possibly, to who. More, it is rebellion against God. It is saying you know better than He what’s best for you. “What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’” –Isaiah 45:9.

On our journey with the Lord, we must come to understand those things given to us by God must remain fluid in our hands. Seldom, outside of Christ Himself and the sure promises found in Him are His greatest gifts ever unchanging. This lesson, in part, is what Jesus was imparting to His disciples—to us, in today’s scripture.

They had eaten with Him, walked, talked, laughed, and cried with Him—slept by the fire beside Him. They were fed by His every Word, refreshed in His abiding love and compassion, His mercy. They were emboldened by His justice! They had witnessed miracles in His presence. The dead brought back to life, the blind given their sight, thousands were fed with 5 loaves and 2 small fish. Treacherous storms had been stilled, and the deepest of Truths were revealed with Words spoken so plainly, so frankly, that even the least of them within earshot were able to understand—and marvel. This band of brothers, these disciples, each heard Jesus calling them with such clarity and certainty, that, at His slightest behest, they left everyone and everything behind—and followed Him. Yet now, these few years later, after having done that, after having experienced all that they had by His side, after having become enmeshed with this Jesus in this most indescribable bond of oneness, this deepest mystery of love and loyalty this true “until death we do part” commitment—Jesus says He’s leaving them.

Stop and feel that for a minute before you read on.

Wait, what! Why? Why would you do this to us!! What have we done to deserve this betrayal? No way… No, you simply can’t leave us, not now! NO! NO! You simply can’t go. Not now! Things are just getting started! How will you restore the Kingdom if you leave us now? Why Jesus!

If you’re listening with your heart, you can hear their dazed, gutted cries. I can only imagine the thoughts whipping around in their heads—perhaps even spilling out of their mouths? For anyone who has ever suffered such a soul-crushing loss, who has ever stood in frozen disbelief, in utter powerlessness as you watched the center of your world go away, surely you have some small idea, some slight glimpse into what these men felt after hearing this news fall flat from the very lips of God Himself? These same lips that had smiled at them and called them His friends—His beloved. At that moment they had no idea of the profound love and purpose behind His leaving, His removing Himself from their physical presence—all they knew was this thick, deep grief. They didn’t know Golgotha’s Cross lay just around the bend—the birth of His Church either, they couldn’t get past the fact that He was leaving them. He was taking something they loved away from them.

And it’s no different from us, is it? When we’re told we must let go—give up something or someone—some-place or station in life, our health or husband, wife, or child—our parents or home.

Even after all the time they’d spent with Him, they still had no idea of who it was they had been doing life with these past three-plus years—not really. Truth is, neither do we. The enormity of God is unfathomable. He is so much more, so much bigger, and finer and far more Holy, Righteous, and far-seeing than a mere man can ever take in. Psalm 145:3 says it this way: “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.” His friends weren’t thinking about the fact that He stood over the dark void—seeing their beginning from their end. Seeing His plan unfolding from its end to its beginning. Knowing what is needed—and what isn’t, each step of the way. In each season and individual life—all at once. For as much as we believe we have come to know Him, there are whole worlds, universes chuck full of these deep mysteries pointing us towards just how much we don’t yet know, can’t know—at least not now, about this God we love. How can a spirit encased in this limited flesh fully take in the unplumed, boundless love of God? One who willingly offered Himself in our place that we might be afforded a way back to Him. “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.

We were not created to hang onto anything given us by God, save Jesus, and His Holy Spirit. God takes away what we perceive to be good that we may grow in our dependence in Him, and in the realization that He alone is good. —Barnes. Beloved, nothing. No—thing, no one, must ever take primacy over God. Ever. Not even the best of things—the greatest of His gifts. Won’t you posture your heart today—your very life, that He might refine you? Purify you as precious gold. Won’t you trust in Him when He asks you to return—let go of your understanding of what you think is best, in exchange for more of Him and His will for your life? “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete” –Luke 6: 46-49.

Friend, if you do not know this Jesus who died to ensure that you might be restored into a right relationship with God, then know this. This same God has led you here today that you might know His great love for you and accept the absolute best He has to offer me and you–His Only Son, Jesus. Won’t you accept His best by asking Him into your heart right now as your Lord and Savior? You’re not here by chance…

Necessary Endings.

October 24, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth”

Some may find it odd that God would speak of new beginnings amid His farewell address to His disciples. Why speak to them of some future hello in the middle of His saying goodbye? In part, Scripture points us toward the “new thing” on its way. A return to the upper room and all that would soon be birthed from it was awaiting them—they simply couldn’t see it yet. Be that as it may, Jesus assured them that He would not abandon them, leaving them like some poor orphans. Instead, He’d leave a blessing behind—He’d send the unfathomable gift of His Holy Spirit to them, to encourage, empower, and, to lead them into all Truth. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” –John 14:18. God knows the weakness of our frames, knows just how easily we lose hope—even as we’re standing in His very presence at times, hope may ebbing out of us. Peter understood this better than most the very second, he felt himself sinking. He had taken his eyes off Jesus, looking instead at the swirling, raging sea around him—but I digress. God is always re-directing us towards a new thing. I say re-directing because being the dumb, stubborn sheep we are at times, we stray off course far more often than we ought and must be put right. Pointed, yet again, towards what lay just ahead—just over that next horizon, around that next corner, just beyond our seeing—not behind us or backward mind, lest it’s part of God’s plan for our edification. God is forever speaking to us of new beginnings, new hope for our future—at the Cross, in birthing rooms, gardens and graveyards, or anywhere in-between. Today was no different in that respect. Jesus was about to re-direct His confused and heartbroken friends that they might soon be fully prepared to partner with Him in the birthing of His Church. They’re pain and confusion used as a springboard then, to propel them into this new Way. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” –John 14:16.

Save God, nothing and no one on earth remain with us forever. Life is a million little lessons of letting go —of holding loosely to what God has allowed our hands to touch at all.

Just about everyone loves Spring. We look forward to the promises it holds. Its new-ness. Green buds, life, color, and the scent of the not-so-distant summer teasing the air. Spring is like a fresh coat of paint over last year’s lackluster walls—everything seemingly made new again. We all love the sound of hello, its promise, and the hope that simple little word offers us —goodbyes, not so much. Yet they are necessary at times to make room for what’s about to come. That’s the crux of what Jesus was sharing with His friends concerning their need to experience this necessary ending. We must always remain obedient and open, no matter how painful, to receiving God’s best for our lives, marriages, ministry, careers, friendships, etc.—even when His best is born from some painful ending we wanted no part of. To do otherwise is saying we know what’s best for us—not God—making ourselves gods. And Scripture is clear about what becomes of the one who thinks too highly of himself. “Pride ends in humiliation” –Proverbs 29:23. From Genesis to Revelation, we witness necessary endings—fresh spaces being made for some new plan of Gods to take root in. Every-thing alive is cyclical—bringing with it new life, hope, provision, protection—springing forth from what appears to be dead and gone. Parents die and children are born. A leaf buds and falls to the ground only to return in the next season fresh and new. Joseph’s brothers fully understood this the day they stood before Him. “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute…” –Genesis 45:8-11.

And Ruth may never have fully taken in the plan behind all the necessary endings she had endured while in Moab, the loss of her husband and friends, her childlessness, and Orpah’s choosing to stay behind—nevertheless, God redeemed every drop of her pain and loss. Though Ruth would have no idea that both King David and King Jesus were future descendants born from her God-ordained union with her kinsman-redeemer Boaz, still, God was faithful to give Ruth beauty for ashes, nevertheless. Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!” –Ruth 4:9-10.

It is not for us to always understand the why of God, rather, we’re simply to obey whatever it is He asks of us.

But back to Jesus and His broken-hearted disciples. Jesus had just washed their feet in this same upper room He’d soon send their Comforter to. The same room we witness them partaking in their very first Communion—and their very last Supper—here on earth that is. Flesh and Blood would soon be offered up that night that they may possess Spirit and Truth and wisdom, discernment and revelation, eternal life too—power from on High as well. How else could His Church withstand the barrage of attacks it was and will endure at satans hand? No mere man or group of men, no matter how loyal, could ever defend His Church alone—only the One who has been charged to stand guard over it is able to fully protect it. “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now restrains it will continue until he is taken out of the way” –2 Thessalonians 2:7.

We each are temporary stalwarts chosen to stand our post for the few brief minutes that is our life. We are chosen makers, gatekeepers who do not leave their post until their relief shows up—and it always shows up, remember, every-thing in life is cyclical. Forty days, the time Jesus spent being tempted and prepared in the desert for His ministry. Forty days after He defied death by walking out of His grave, Jesus said goodbye to His disciples—yet His goodbye was pregnant with hello’s promise. And, soon and very soon, we will reap the joyful reward of this necessary endings “new beginning”—when Jesus returns! It had been ordained for Him to leave the world that He might return to it in such a way that all men will see Him coming on the clouds—and we’ll be with Him, those once broken-hearted disciples of His too! So, friends, don’t hang on to what God is asking you to let go of. Remember, all life is cyclical, and God has a beautiful plan for the necessary ending He’s allowed to touch your life—even those you wanted no part of.

Friend, if you have yet to meet this Jesus, now is the time—today is the day. We never know when a moment may pass us by, never to return. Please, don’t let this be that moment. Scripture assures you that if you’ll simply and sincerely ask Jesus to come into your life, He will. Won’t you ask Him now? “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” –Romans 10:8-10.

Living in Awareness of His Presence…

September 5, 2020 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

Kendra Santilli

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you” –John 14:26.

When I was growing up it seemed as if I was always striving, looking forward to the next milestone. When I was a child, I dreamed of turning 16. Getting the job. The license. The sweet sixteen party. What was there not to love?! Then I turned 16 and all those things were great, but then what? If only I was 18! Then I could vote. I could get my own place. Make my own decisions. I would be an adult! Then 18 came and signing medical papers at the doctor’s office wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. I realized 18 is just a pseudo-adult. So, I thought- I just need to make it to 21. Then I’ll be a REAL adult. 21 came, not much changed, and then I thought- I still can’t rent a car. Then I turned 25 and could rent a car (which I have yet to do!), but now what?? What had I been striving for? I mean, of course in between I had many accomplishments, good friends and coworkers, good grades… life was good!

But at times I would think to myself, am I living on purpose?

Routines have a subtle, natural way of paving patterns in our behaviors that we do not necessarily always control. We begin to affix ourselves to these cycles- wake up, get ready, go to work, come home, get ready for bed, do it all over again. Day after day after day. If we are not careful, the business of life gets the best of us and by the end of the day, we have nothing left to give to the adventure of life. I would like to propose to you that routines in and of themselves are not the issue- losing sight of God amid the routine is the issue. Did you know that Jesus did not leave us helpless? He left the Holy Spirit as our helper! “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you” –John 14:26. For the believer, those reminders that come, or those inklings we get in the depths of our souls are, oftentimes the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Jesus came to restore us to the Father, in turn giving us purpose. Without the Holy Spirit, chasing after purpose is a dead-end street; with Him, there is clarity of vision and purpose.

In this passage, Jesus also defines the Holy Spirit as a teacher. “[The Holy Spirit] will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” Do you remember taking a test in school and saying a quick prayer to remember what you studied/learned? (I, for one, went to a Christian school so desperately praying for my tests was definitely part of my test-taking strategy!) Life throws us ALL KINDS of tests. We just need to be reminded to apply the principles we already know. I can just hear Jesus cheering me on saying I taught you those things! You KNOW this! This is where the Holy Spirit comes in. On our own, we can respond impulsively and irrationally. But inviting the Holy Spirit to be a part of our thought processes 1) teaches us to live rightly and 2) reminds us of those things that we were taught. Everything comes full circle.

Not too long ago I began this habit of inviting the Holy Spirit to help me to live in awareness of Him every day. It’s as simple as asking Him to open my eyes to opportunities for ministry that the day brings or inviting Him into my thoughts to help me redirect them when they become destructive. When we invite Him to occupy those spaces of our hearts, we begin to see transformation; we begin to see our purpose unfold right before our eyes.

There was a time when I was highly aggravated with someone because I felt as though she always blew me off. I would say hi but without paying any mind to anything around her, she would just keep on walking. Around that time, I had begun inviting the Holy Spirit to help me to love people with His love and see people with His eyes. I remember my FIRST thought when I saw this person one day after thinking about saying hello was, I do NOT want to say hi. She’ll just blow me off again and I will just end up upset. So, to try and prove myself right, I did say hi. To my not-so surprise, I got no response. NOTHING. Not even a look in my direction. But before I could even gloat in how right I was, the Holy Spirit stopped me. I heard, loud and clear in my mind’s ear, she cannot hear you. I remembered at that moment that she had a hearing problem in one of her ears. So, I instantly repented to the Lord in my heart and redirected my hello to her other ear and she said hello. The Holy Spirit was teaching me a new depth of His love and grace now. Had I not invited Him to teach me and lead me that day, I would have missed that opportunity to love and stayed instead, trapped in self-pity and pride. You see, God loves every person around you more than you ever could. God does not gossip. He is not going to wallow with you in thinking badly about a person that He created and loves. The truth is His purpose is to transform us into loving the way He does. This is the kind of love that moves us to compassion for even the worst of people. The kind of love that causes us to want them to know the Jesus that saved our very souls. The kind of love that initiates our first response to be prayerful and understanding rather than judgmental towards our brother. Prayer is the key to unlocking our purpose…

Through prayer, the Holy Spirit will lead us into understanding. “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out” –Prov 20:5. Your purpose is so far beyond anything you could ever imagine, yet if there’s no understanding, your purpose will remain unearthed beneath layers and layers of self. Get in the Word of God. Know it. Write it on your heart. It is by reading the word and discovering God’s intent and heart for humanity, that you will discover who you are. It is where you discover layers of identity that are so much deeper and more complex than you even realized. Through this discovery of our identity in Him, you begin to discover your purpose that is hidden in Him.

The discipline of discipleship strengthens us enough to know that, come what may, He will work everything out for our good and His purpose for those who believe (Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 1:11). The beauty of walking with Christ is that we have the gift of the Holy Spirit to help lead us into understanding these principles. Too often Christians forget about this power source that lives within them! The Holy Spirit is not a source of condemnation but understanding. We were not saved from sin so that our human nature would remain the same. Only by the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit are we able to change—living lives then, that are pleasing to God, and in turn, sweet for us as well. Living in awareness of His presence is where transformation takes place. Invite Him into your heart, your thoughts, and your vision. He is faithful to lead you and show you His heart. So in closing, here’s my prayer: firstly, if you don’t know Jesus, that you will come to know Him. That the reality of His presence is made known to you. And Second, that you live with the awareness that the ever-present Spirit of God is working in and through you always…

Tag: Transformation (Page 6 of 8)

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