A Great Return...

Greetings, My Dear Friends!

For those of you visiting I say welcome!

I post every Wednesday and the purpose of this blog is twofold: To encourage you to a deeper life in Christ that it may translate to a powerful life on earth!

I believe it was Oswald Chambers who said, "The greatest enemy of the best, is the good."

How do we know if what we are doing is the best thing or just simply a good thing?

Well, for me, as I've read Scripture, I've come to understand the call to give Christ a great return on His investment in me.

Over and over again I read passages that illustrate my need to give God my highest and best.

In the book of Matthew, chapter 25, we read a parable of a master who gave gifts or talents to his servants and then went on a long journey. When he returned, he was intent on finding out what each had done with what they'de been given. The Kingdom of Heaven is being illustrated here.

In the book of John, chapter 15, we read Jesus' words telling us that we are appointed to bear much fruit, fruit that will stand the test of time (fruit that lasts long after we are gone), and Jesus goes on to say that the only way we can bear a lot of fruit is to stay deeply connected to Him, the Source of Life.

Read Matthew 13 - the whole chapter. Reflect on the truth that seeds (the message of the Kingdom which is accompanied by all of the blessings of Heaven to develop and carry out the divine call on our lives) have been sprinkled on us all. We've all had varying responses to what's been deposited in us.

Seeds on the path = apathy in our understanding...Some of us have neglected to press in and pursue a divine understanding of what's at stake if the Kingdom of God is not allowed to increase in us and through us.

Seeds on the rocky places = shallowness in our character...Some of us get very excited when we hear a great message or read a great book, but as soon as opposition presents itself or things heat up in life, we focus more on our cares than we do our call, and what's been deposited soon blows away with the wind.

Seeds among the thorns = seduced by the world...Some of us are so caught up in the pursuits of this world that we quickly lose sight of the greater good, the greater impact, and the power of God to make a divine difference in and through us.

Seeds in the good soil = a life continually cultivated by intimacy with God...Some of us take the time in our prayer rooms to let the Holy Spirit convict us, call us higher and give us faith for great things. And when the seeds of the Kingdom are sprinkled over our lives, life happens, growth happens, and our world is impacted for the better. In fact, when our life's soil is cultivated by our intimacy with God, the Bible says we produce a GREAT return on His investment. Read the verse, it says we produce thirty, or sixty, or sometimes one hundred times what was planted!

Imagine.

May we all be careful to spend our time doing things that will last so that we will be ready to give report to our Master upon His great return...

Bless the day, my friends!

Until next Wednesday...

Be Free!

Happy Wednesday, Dear Friends!

As I announced to you last week, I will be posting every Wednesday from now on.

My goal for this blog it twofold:

To encourage you in your walk of faith, and to hear what God is teaching you as well.

Yesterday morning during an especially sweet time of prayer, I stumbled across this passage:

And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:7)

And it got me thinking...am I an example of the wealth of His favor and kindness? Yes, He has offered it to me at a great cost to Himself, but to what extent have I allowed "the power that raised Christ from the dead" to be at work in my life?

Dear friends, it is both our privilege and our responsibility to walk in the freedom Christ has secured for us!

Think about certain areas in your life where things are a little bumpy, or inconsistent. Think about areas where nerves are still exposed or anger easily flares. These are the areas to go after with God!

Instead of biding our time or walking with a limp, let us come boldly into God's presence and truly expect that His mercy will forgive, His grace will make room, and His power will redeem.

Back when I taught aerobics, I had a boss who was an amazing decorator. Her home looked like a page out of a magazine. Whenever her builder had a perspective buyer he would use her home as an example of his handiwork.

She was blessed with a nice structure of a home. But she took it to the next level by filling every room with warm colors, pictures of memorable moments, and furniture that made you want to sit down and read a good book.

Many people have been blessed with a nice home only to allow the cares and chaos of life to take it over and make every room a crowded mess. Obviously, a builder wouldn't be quick to point to their home and say, "Just look at what I have created!"

In the Old Testament we are told of a time when God looked down on mankind and saw such evil and selfishness in their hearts, He became sorry He ever made them.

But the Redeemer has come! And with the power of His ressurection comes the access we need to live life to the fullest.

Ephesians 1 tells us that we have everything we need because we've been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heaven...because we belong to Christ.

Determine to be free. Go after your freedom until you get it! Take hold of all that's been offered you because of the unfathomable love and kindness of Christ.

May your life be one where Jesus and the angels happily point to YOU as an evidence of God's great handiwork. May it please them to raise you up as an example of His redeeming work. May your life be holy and sanctified so that others feel at home in your presence. And may you always nurture and care for the precious gifts God has deposited within you.

Peace to you, my friends.

Let me hear from you..

I'll be back next Wednesday.

Until then, live by faith, and be free.

Victory this Winter!

Happy 2007, Everyone!

I trust that your holiday season was a blessed one.

As many of you know, Monday has typically been my "Blogging Day."

But with new schedule demands, I need to move that day to Wednesday. So starting next week, I will post on Wednesday. Please consider subscribing to this Blog's feed so that you will recieve notification when I post.

Now, on to today's topic...

I don't know about you, but the winter season is typically my toughest season. Because of the residual effects of Lyme Disease, my bones and joints tend to be especially sore during this season. I feel my best when I am out in the warm weather, biking in the sun, and working up a sweat!

Everybody is different. For some of you, winter may be your best time of year. Either way, I think we all relate to having a less-than-favorite time of year.

A while back I was praying about this winter season, asking God for a special grace to get through it. The Lord "one-up'd" me by saying, "You will not only 'get through' this winter, you will walk victoriously through it! LOOK for my ressurection power this season and you will find it!"

I was instantly struck by the stark (but all-too-familiar) contrast between my perspective and God's.

Since that morning in prayer, I've been constantly nudged by the Holy Spirit to "look up."

The other day I pulled into my driveway and got out of my car. As I walked toward the house, I heard a bird sing. I stopped in my tracks and turned around.

We were enjoying an unusually warm winter day. The snow was melting, the sky was blue, and a bird was singing!

I looked up at the strong oak tree in our front yard and sure enough, a tiny little bird had its eyes toward heaven and was singing a beautiful song. For a brief moment, I thought it was springtime. I inhaled the fresh air, looked up at the sky once more and thanked God for a visual reminder of a heavenly promise.

His promises are true all of the time. We may celebrate Easter in the spring, but the power of Christ's ressurection is available all year long.

The next morning during my prayer time, I listened to a few songs one typically hears at Easter time. Easter is my favorite holiday because it surrounds me with reminders of God's intimate love and His power to make all things new.

Just because I've yet to put away all of my Christmas decorations, doesn't mean I can't "take out" my Easter decor.

I'm going to walk in victory this winter by fixing my eyes on the Promise we celebrate in the spring. When the sky is blue I am going to walk outside, lift my eyes and take it in. When the clouds move in, I'm going to play the songs that remind me, that above the clouds, the blue sky is still very much in place.

Some of you may not be able to relate to my "winter struggle" but you have gray days and seasons of your own.

The Bible says that God surrounds us with His tender mercies. The Bible also says that blessings chase the righteous, and they overtake us!

Look to the Lord and His strength today. Seek His face always.

Amidst this winter season, look for signs of springtime. Be reminded of the promise of renewal. Even in the winter, the promises of renewal and replenishment have been made available to you today.

Bless you, dear friends!

Defining Your Journey...

Every "Eve of Christmas Eve" we sit down for a candlelight family dinner. With the exception of the Christmas tree lights and the flickering flame of the candles on the table, every other light in the house is turned off. A classical Christmas piano CD plays in the background giving the whole night a sense of atmosphere.

The boys each sit in their regular places. Kevin and I take our places at the opposite ends of the table. We look around and smile. A few goofy statements are made, causing everyong to laugh. We hold hands, bow our heads, and pray. And then we begin our discussion. One we have every year...

Every Eve of Christmas Eve, we gather around the table for two reasons: to talk about what God has done and to anticipate what He will do the following year.

Years ago we began every "Eve of Eve" dinner with these two questions:

What has God done in and through you this year?

What do you sense He wants to do in this upcoming year?

One year Luke answered the first question with these words,

"I learned that when you're thankful, life is so much better."



That same year Jake answered the second question this way:

"I sense that God wants me to understand all that's available to me because of Him. And I think He wants me to appropriate those things in my life."

Last year Jordan said something like this, "God cares about every detail of my life. I get the sense that He wants me to be more bold for Him so that others know how much He cares for them."

What a powerful thing it is to stop amidst the busy season and remember what God has done. When we talk about the faithfulness of God, our faith is encouraged and our expectation increases. Instead of being stressed by our long list of to-do's, we are blessed by the long list of ways God has come through for us. When we share the ways that God is stirring in us and wants to teach us, we are compelled to be more earnest in our pursuit of Him

We've shared this wonderful tradition for a number of years now. The questions no longer need to be asked but we ask them anyway; and then we share our answers over a nice Christmas meal.

I pray for moments of peace around your table this year. May you pause and recall the many ways God has come through for you. May you continue onward in your faith journey knowing that He will faithfully lead you. And may your heart overflow with thanks because you know that since Peace came to earth, Joy came to stay.

Proclaim His Power!

The enemy of our soul comes to steal, kill, and destroy all that's living and beautiful and good in our lives. But God intends for us to have life, and not just life, life abundantly, life to the fullest, life spilling over and all around us. When we walk in the fullness of all God has for us, we can't help but give away the freedom, and healing, and life which has been so freely given to us. So how do we overcome the enemy's plans for our demise? Revelations 12:11 tells us that we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. One drop of Jesus' perfect shed blood is enough to restore and renew your whole life. The blood of Christ forgives and heals us. One way to walk in the fullness of God is to know that though His blood was shed long ago, the power still works for you today. The power of His blood is not a "back when" He died, or "back when" He saved you sort of thing. Every single day you have access to the power of His blood, and you need it. When you blow it and need forgiveness, His power is there to cleanse you and make things new. When you trip and fall over your own inconsistencies, the power of His blood is there to stand you up, brush you off, and set you on the path again. When the enemy steals from you, or you hand something over because of your own ignorance or unbelief, the power of His blood gives you the authority to get it back again. One way to overcome the assaults of the enemy is to daily walk in the redeeming power offered you because of Jesus' shed blood. The other way to put that enemy under your feet...is the word of your testimony.

I recently spoke at an event with a number of other speakers. One of those speakers was Fern Nichols, president and founder of Moms In Touch International. I was blessed to share a meal with Fern and let me tell you, this is a Kingdom woman.

Our food sat neglected on the plate as we sat sideways on our chairs, leaned in close, and shared one God-story after another. Fern so sweetly asked about my journey to Jesus and I shared it with her. She was so engaged in my testimony that my own faith swelled as I shared.

As she chronicled her journey, I was inspired by the foundation of faith her parents had built beneath her. My soul was so nourished in that time with Fern that the meal itself was simply a side note.

At that conference I spoke to total of about a thousand women. I heard story after story of how God divinely spoke to each one. Many, many women approached my table with tears in their eyes and a story on their hearts - a testimony of how Jesus personally met them, encouraged them, and blessed them at this conference.

The telling and the hearing of our testimonies encourages faith, reminds us of His love, and challenges us to walk in the Power of the Living God.

The night before the conference, I opened up to a passage in Psalms. Here is my paraphrase, "Proclaim the power of God...He gives power and strength to His people (68:34-35).

Live in the power to which you have access! Walk in and count on the power of Christ's love to heal, renew and restore your life. Every day, embrace the forgiveness and healing that's been made available to you.

And I challenge you today, and tomorrow, and the next day, proclaim the power of God! Tell your story. Recount the ways God has faithfully led you and cared for you. Proclaim by faith that He will come through for you again (this is the testimony of faith). You will be empowered and strengthened as you do! Ask others to tell you what God has done in their lives. Listen intently and rejoice over thier victories. This will encourage their faith and challenge yours.

We overcome the enemy - the thief of all that is beautiful and good - we overcome him by the Power of the Blood and the Word of our Testimony.

Tell me, what is God doing in your life?