Taste and See

Once in a while we have that special moment when we get to experience the many blessings of God.  Events where we get to see those blessings unfold are the birth of our child, their graduation from High School, and eventually their wedding day.

This couple that I know well are excited to enter the journey of marriage.  Their meeting one another was by chance a few years ago.  However their relationship began less than a year ago.

As their story unfolded, they dated and soon determined that they were to be married. The couple attended pre-marital classes at church and at a culminating event the future bride and groom's parents met for the first time.  Both sets of parents shared how they had been praying for their children's future partner.  And both shared how wonderful it was that God had answered their prayers.  The sweetest story of the day was told by the bride's father.  He shared the moments leading up to the groom asking for his daughters hand in marriage.  The father explained that he had a dream in which he heard God's voice tell him to Taste and See that the Lord is good.  Later that day the groom asked if for permission to marry his daughter.  He knew instantly that this was good and gave his blessing.

On January 30, 2016 this wonderful couple will be married.  I wish Mark and Sarah many blessings and a life filled with HIM.

Taste and See January 28

Psalm 34:8 Oh taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man that trusts in Him”.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid...One thing have I asked of the Lord; that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and inquire in His temple. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock…I will sing and make melody to the Lord…The Lord is my strength and my shield.” From Psalm 27.

According to Matthew 5, those who hunger and thirst after God will be filled.  It is God’s desire to commune with His people, to show His mighty power, love, grace, mercy, and righteousness. Being made in His image, the moment He quickens (makes alive) our spirit we sense the kinship of God and our spirit leaps with joy in recognition.  He makes us, by a touch, hungry for more and creates an insatiable thirst for water from the fountain of Life.

The spiritual world is all around us, enclosing and embracing us altogether.  It is within the reach of our inner selves waiting for us to recognize it.  God is waiting for us to recognize His presence and walk in the sweetness of His unending love and dwell in the shadow of His wings while He heals our wounds and prepares us for all of life’s troubles and triumphs.

The scripture tells us that if we seek Him with our whole heart He will be found by us, He will make Himself known to us in ways that we will only understand as we move beyond the veil of our natural minds and into His presence by the Spirit.

Taste and See Shane and Shane Video

Consumer or Consume Me

You all know that person that is totally consumed by work, school, or in the worst case scenario, themselves.  Regardless of what consumes them, they are all in!  This can be healthy if it's the right thing.  But totally unhealthy if it causes them to lose balance in your life. 

But for those who achieve that balance and are totally consumed put all of their energy and resources into their passion.  Malcom Galdwell, the author of the book "Outliers", details the activities and actions of those who put everything into their passion and came out ahead.  Their total consumption with their passion got them to the next level.  Not just the next level, the top level.  He details the journey of the brightest, most successful people in the world.  These people were so consumed that they were and many still are the most successful people of our time. 

Pastor Joyce shares what being consumed means in the Christian faith.  Let them consume you!



Consumer or Consume Me January 27

In our culture we have perfected the consumer mentality which always asks the question, “What’s in it for me?” The consumer is more concerned with being fed than being led into a deeper relationship with the one who is the bread of Life.  The Bible says in Mark 10:43-45 “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Even though Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords He came to earth to use a towel, not a throne. When He knelt to wash feet, He was exalted to the highest place at the right hand of God.  The towel will always precede the throne or a crown. 

The Consume me mentality always asks,” what can I do to help the growth of my church or the spiritual growth of my neighbor?”  They become more and more selfless and give themselves away for the needs of others.  This isn’t just waiting on someone hand and foot…it is about attending, participating, and encouraging others by praying, giving and being involved in services and events other than Sunday morning.  Those who grow the fastest spiritually are those who are attending Bible Study groups and offer their insight into the teaching.

God will swing the doors wide open in order to consume the gifts He has designed in us if we are willing to be consumed by Him.  He intends for His gifts to be used for helping others attain their destiny.   For the perfecting of the saints, equipping the church for ministry, and speaking His word to the lost. It’s time to dig ditches!

Blessing and Cursing

Have you ever heard the saying, " Karma's a B...."?  Well you know what it says.  There are several other sayings that mean the same thing, " what goes around comes around", "you get what you give","you reap what you sow" and so on.  

I can't count the number of times I've heard these phrases in my life.  Each time they are uttered it's because someone has acted like a jerk.  One time one of my nephews was talking about a man who was abusive and often acted stupidly.  He said, "and he got Karma'd"  I chuckled at the saying.  I hadn't heard that before.  But isn't it true.  Eventually life returns to reward us with whatever it is we have coming to us.  

Have you ever wondered about how your words impact others?  I will be honest and say that I have given very little thought to the words from my mouth other than swearing (cussing if your from the South), yelling, or being abusive.  Since these are not extreme concerns regarding my speech, I never considered anything else to be of issue. 

Then, dun, dun, dun, I read Pastor Joyce's word for the day.  She provides a little bit of insight into how our words impact others.  Enjoy as you read blessing and cursing through a new pair of lenses. 

Blessing and Cursing

As born again believers we must realize that we are one with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, existent in two worlds; the physical world and the spiritual world.  Our spiritual man came to life when we believed the Gospel message and took it into our being. Jesus took back the authority the enemy had in our life and we were born of the Spirit.

Everything we do is indicative of what we believe to be true, and the most telling evidence is what comes out of our mouth.  In chapter three verses 8-10 James says, “No one can tame the tongue; it is restless and evil and full of deadly poison.  Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.  And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely brothers and sisters this is not right.”

We must understand the power of blessing and cursing.  A curse of intimidation comes from words spoken over us, they may come from an innocent remark by a person meaning no harm but they wound our spirit because we have become expert in refusing the blessing given by God, or God’s spokesman toward us.  The enemy’s forces then use the words to rob us from the destiny of God’s plan.

The words from our mouth make a declaration in the heavenliest and either angels or demons are dispatched to bring into existence that which was spoken forth into the atmosphere.  So be careful what you say about yourself or others.  And take authority over the curses spoken over you or by you. Authority can reverse any curse by saying a prayer like this. “In the name of Jesus I renounce all curses I have put on myself or others, my family, my body, my business, or your kingdom and I thank you for setting me free.” Say it again and again until it sinks into your spirit.cC

He Will Direct you Steps

January 25, 1967 the sun rose and shone brightly through the beautiful ice crystals that hung from the trees.  The winter was one of many ice storms across the country.  The ice was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.  As she looked out the window and admired the glistening branches, she held her future in her hands as she was reflected on the last 12 hours.

 Shortly before midnight labor had begun and her baby would soon be born.  There would be complications and the possibility that the baby would not live. She and her husband waited for the doctor to arrive.  He was on call but could not get to the hospital because of the treacherous roads.  An intern with came to assist and explained that he would be helping to deliver the baby that evening.  However what happened next was horrifying.  The nurses began to administer anesthesia, which was common in those days.  Because her doctor was unavailable, the nurses were unaware of the adverse reaction she had to anestehsia.  As they began to cover her face with the mask she swung her arms and knocked the nurses down in the process.  The nurses strapped her down and continued to administer anesthesia.  Which caused a delay in the baby's birth and further complications. 

Joyce was unable to think in order to deliver the baby.  The contractions delayed and she was having a difficult time staying focused.  The intern quickly entered the waiting room to tell Juan that the baby may not make it, and if they do not take the baby by cesarean section both Joyce and the baby may not live.  The medical staff quickly prepped Joyce for the cesarean section.  She was in and out of consciousness from the anesthesia but she understood what was going on.  She tried one last time to push, and instead of a cesearan section, the baby was born naturally at 7: 18 am.  At first everyone sat with baited breath.  The baby was blue, she wasn't breathing.  The intern smacked her on the bottom and rubbed her back and she began to cry.  Joyce was relieved and her first child was born.  

There was clearly a destiny for Joyce.  She would go on to have 2 more children.  As a mother and wife she would go on to follow her passion and teach everyone she could about the love of Christ.  Today as you read her words, let God direct you toward the path he has chosen for you.  

He Will Direct Your Steps January 25

Every person ever created was filled with a passion that defines their purpose and ultimate destiny.  Everyone is unique and designed with God’s plan written inside of their DNA.  Too often life takes us on a journey where we lose sight of our true passion and find ourselves settling for less than God’s best. This then becomes an existence without life.

When we travel down the wrong path, even though it is good and seems to fulfill us, deep inside there is a yearning toward something more.  Things that should completely satisfy us leave us empty and we inadvertently find ourselves drifting along with the status quo.  We force ourselves to become content in the world and lose our expectation for the greatness created within us. 

That is not God’s original intent; He built in us a desire to know Him and to do His will, to make a difference in the world around us and take dominion over our own life. When we seek Him, He will be found, and by His Holy Spirit He will direct us in the way that we should go.

The only way we can impact our world for righteousness is to become totally submitted to God.  When we yield to Him in every way we will begin doing what we love and love what we do.  The Lord’s greatest pleasure is to bless His children with every good and perfect gift.  Psalm 145 says, “The Lord upholds all that fall, and raises up all that are bowed down…He opens His hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing. The Lord is near to all who call upon him and He will fulfill their desires.”

The beautiful thing about developing a relationship with the Lord is that it is never too late to get on the right track. Proverbs 5-6 states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will direct your steps” …and your latter days will be made to be greater than the former. 

Speak to Yourself

Muscle memory has been used synonymously with motor learning, which is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition (wikipedia). When we practice we need to practice correctly or we make errors in our form.  There are other things that can cause us to have incorrect form such as injury.  

An injured runner will favor the injured leg or ankle and, if done too long, over time will change their stride.  This change in stride can cause further injury.  If you have ever had a coach work with you when you are injured, he/she would tell you to rest and strengthen so that you don't further injure yourself. Sometimes we ignore what our coaches say resulting in the "look" followed by an "I told you so".  When this happens, we have no one to blame but ourselves.  

On the other hand a runner with a perfect stride will run an excellent race.  Every runner seeks that flawless race, earning them their personal best.  Or better yet, they run so well that they are the overall winner.  Today's piece by Pastor Joyce has very wise words for us when it comes to keeping that perfect stride.  And in the end.... WE are the victor!

Speak to Yourself January 23

In order to live a victorious life we must align ourselves with the will of God.  We become aligned through warfare against external forces that tempt us to succumb to fear and doubt.  But another enemy we face comes from within.  This enemy is our emotions; when we allow our emotions to control our words and actions we quickly get out of alignment.

Physically if the body is out of alignment it becomes susceptible to injury.  The same is true of the emotions.  If our desires, which are triggered by our emotions are not in sync with the desire of God for our life, we become wounded leading us into fear, depression, anger, self-pity or an array of other abnormalities.  All of these become faith robbers.

The only way to truly be filled with faith is by the Word of God; Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God”. There is an interesting study that has been done on the brain that explains how the brain can be reprogrammed (renewed).  It is accomplished by speaking something other than that which is currently encoded.  It doesn’t happen by someone else speaking because the internal mechanism responsible for the systems encrypting only responds to the brain’s own voice.

We will believe all the negative stuff that comes out of our mouth until we change our vocabulary and begin speaking the Word of God to ourselves; then we will understand what Paul writes in Romans 12:2, “…Be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable will of God.”  And in Ephesians 5:19 he says, “Speak to yourselves in psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart.”  Speak the Psalms out loud to yourself every day and watch your faith rise.

Language

Have you ever been around a group of non-English speakers and taken the time to listen to them.  It feels rather like you've eavesdropped on them, but really didn't understand what they were saying.  Sometimes the words being exchanged have the most beautiful tones and nuances.  One might say their language is absolutely beautiful.  Other times the language of other countries sound angry and terse.  Regardless of how it sounds, deep down inside you just want to understand for a minute what they are saying. 

Maybe you have studied another language in high school.  You may have been around other non-English speakers and been able to understand some of what the people were saying.  I personally studied Spanish for 4 years.  I am far from fluent, but I understand enough to be slightly dangerous. I kid.  But if I were immersed in a country that spoke only Spanish, I would likely be able to survive and revive my own ability to speak and understand.  It would be absolutely clear however, that I am not a native speaker.   One of the things I remember most about learning Spanish is that the placement of adjectives and nouns was much different than in English.  

Another language that I studied briefly in order to speak with one of my students was sign language.  I did not take 4 years to study sign language and thus I am the equivalent of a non-native English speaker.  I have a friend with whom I speak when we run.  My sign is so bad that I often make errors when I am trying to communicate.  I think he is amused by my errors.  But in the event I say the wrong thing I could really mess up the meaning. 

Language is such an awesome thing to study.  Even the language of the bible.  To date many of the things we read in the bible are completely non-translatable from the original language.  Pastor Joyce has chosen a word that is very much confused.  She discusses the word "violent" as we see it in scripture.  

Let’s get Violent

Matthew 11:12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” This talks about the kingdom of heaven suffering violence and then says the violent take it by force.  Violence actually is not an accurate meaning in the context of original text.  Words spoken in Hebrew, written in Greek, translated to Elizabethan English and read in American tend to lose their intended impact.  Thank God who by the Spirit can reveal, to the seeking mind, what was meant in His words and sayings! 

Perhaps for such a time as this God allowed those things written in His Word to be so easily be miss read and miss interpreted.  It certainly makes us search for meaning from the only one that can give it to us straight.  Deuteronomy 29:29 states, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed to us and to our children forever…”

In deep search and study then, the possible meaning of Matthew 11:12 (don’t take my word for it, seek it for yourself also) may be; in the days leading up to the arrival of John the Baptist the Kingdom of Heaven was overpowered by the soul (man’s will and self-appointed explanation).  But NOW the alive, energetic and enthusiastic ones move in stealthily to take back all power, authority and dominion.

We cannot passively sit back and allow the enemy to deceive us into thinking there is not some action required to march into possession.  All the promises of scripture are ours to possess but they are not automatically laid upon us, we have to put on the full armor of God and develop a powerful offense in order to take back and restore what the enemy has stolen from us.

This is War

I imagine you read the title of today's post and wondered about it.  Maybe you were thinking this would be a post regarding the war on ISIS.  NOPE! Though I have political opinions, this blog is not a political blog and is not intended to be one.  The one political statement I will make is that Christianity and politics are not friends.  You can be a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian (yes I said Libertarian), or even a completely non-partisan person and still be a Christian.  The beautiful thing about Christianity is that it is a "no political affiliation" religion.

Speaking of that, did you know that Christianity is one of the few world religions that is not a theocracy?  There's a word.... Theocracy: A form of government in which God (or a deity) is recognized as the king or immediate ruler, and his laws are taken as the statute-book of the kingdom, these laws being usually administered by a priestly order as his ministers and agents; hence (loosely) a system of government by a sacerdotal order, claiming a divine commission; also, a state so governed. Christianity is actually about relationship.  Simply put, it is not about power, prestige, or fame.  The entire faith is based on Jesus Christ's merciful loving grace.  Your entire responsibility is to serve him by loving your neighbor, providing for the poor, having mercy on the incarcerated,  serving your fellow man, and worshiping the Prince of Peace.

We so often hear about Christianity as a religion of hate or intolerance in the media.  But I will argue that those who make the news are hardly followers of Christ.  To really know Christ is to study him, his word, and his life, and to make a commitment to let him be your Commander in Chief.  Pastor Joyce explains the battlefield of the Christian. 

This is War January 22

Paul said he fought a good fight and told Timothy in chapter two, verse four, “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.” Jesus made the statement in Matthew 11:12, “From the days of John the Baptist, until now the Kingdom of God has suffered violence and the violent take it by force.” Another statement of Jesus is in Matthew 10:34 saying “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Yet, He is the Prince of Peace.

We all want peace but the terms in the statements above sounds a lot like war.  These seemingly contradictory assertions indicate that in order to have peace we will have to win the war by doing violent battle.  Without dissecting every term let’s think about the battlefield where our greatest victories must be won.

Every path leading to an advance in our life begins in the mind.  If we do not control our minds and conquer our brain’s focus we will surely become defeated.  We are instructed to take every thought captive (another war term), and be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We can only obtain and maintain peace when our mind is fixed on Him.

Fixing our mind on God is a continuous battle but one that can and will be won in the Spirit.  When our will is submitted to the control of God’s Spirit the soul man falls into its rightful place and the will of  God manifests itself in victorious procession.

Think about what thoughts now control your course, are they bringing you joy, understanding, and an overflowing abundant life?  If not gird up your loins, stand up like a man, and prepare yourself for war.

Restoration of Time

Do you ever have that moment that you just simply wish you could go back and change something?  You know what I am talking about.  Remember the time you got into a horrible argument with your spouse or best friend?  Or maybe the time you yelled at your kids for something they did, but in reality their actions were not the real reason you yelled.  Maybe it was something little like skipping that work-out one too many times and then realizing you are overweight.  
Regardless of what we've done the "fix" always takes much more time than the action that caused it in the first place.  I remember a time as a teacher when one of my students lied to me.  Now I understand that everyone has had someone lie to them at least once in their life.  But for me and this student the lie broke my heart.  I remember talking to him and letting him know how important he was to me and how much I cared about him.  I also had to let him know that he stole something from me.  He hadn't stolen anything tangible, but he had stolen my trust.  
In our conversation, I explained that when I have to trust him, I am not so sure I can.  And that it pained me so greatly that we were now in such a position.  He assured me it wouldn't happen again.  To my knowledge it never did.  But it took  a long time for us to come to a place where we regained full trust.  
Isn't it wonderful that we have been given a model grace and mercy through our own heavenly father?  I love this piece written by Pastor Joyce.  It is a wonderful reminder of his restoration. 


Restoration of Time January 21

It would be such a rush if every decision and destination was exactly the right choice and everything in our life lined up perfectly with the will of God. Unfortunately that is not a reality in anyone’s life that I know.  Fortunately, God is merciful and watches over us even when we are sidetracked.  He constantly nudges us by the Spirit to get us back on track, and then shows us how to get into His flow.

I love the promise in Joel chapter 2; after the children turn to God with their whole heart He says in verse 25-27, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be put to shame.  Then you shall know that I AM in the midst of you, and that I AM the Lord your God and there is no other.  My people shall never be put to shame.”

You may have been in a season of wandering through a dry spell, the enemy may have seen your vulnerability and taken advantage of you, even beaten you up with plagues and pestilence but when you turn again to God He will restore the days, months and even years that you were out there on your own.

This is a day of restoration where the latter days will be greater than the former days bringing victory and great joy to the house of God.  We will dance before the Lord with intense praise bringing His presence into our midst.  Turn to the Lord with your whole heart and watch God show up and show out!

Underlying Principles

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., today's piece is about understanding  underlying principles.  While I am no expert on Dr. Martin Luther Jr., I am able to deduce the character of the man who gave us all the dream to treat all men and women of all races equally.  His speech was so powerful that it created a momentum that continues today. 

One of the things I noticed in his speech was the faith with which he gave it.  He had faith that mankind could come together for a greater purpose.  His faith was rooted in biblical principal. And that principal is what drove him.  In the United States we have focused on his dream.  We have set our trajectory on his speech.  But what we've forgotten is his underlying principals.  You see, Dr. King was a believer in Christ.  His message was filled with biblical principles. Principles that lead him to have faith, not just in others, but in the future of what could be. 

The most important thing is that what Dr. King relied on, wasn't himself.  He relied on the King of Kings in doing what he believed was God's will.   When Dr. King stated that the crooked places would be made straight he was quoting Isiah 45:2.  He believed that we would work together, pray together, and struggle together.  Dr. King was God's resource.  But God was the ultimate source of forgiveness, love, and justice.

What does all of this mean?  It means that when we look to a resource for the answers we sometimes miss a bit of the message.  Dr. King was the ultimate resource to bring our world together in love an unity.  But his source was the author of all he believed in.  That source held the underlying principles of God.

 Pastor Joyce tells us what this word entails.

Underlying Principles

Reading the Bible is essential for every citizen of the kingdom of God if they expect to be used by God, and to mature in their spiritual walk. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for teaching, for evidence of conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect (come to full maturity) thoroughly furnished unto all good (useful) works. “ (2 Timothy 2:16-17) The opposite is true for those that do not allow the word of God to enter into their hearts as well as their minds.  They will not be taught, corrected, convicted or instructed in righteous nor be equipped for kingdom work.

A casual reading of the word will provide for great stories of adventure, betrayal, broken covenants and healed hearts, but beyond the surface is everything we need to become mature saints. While reading through the stories ask the Spirit how the word relates to you in your current situation, regardless of how good or bad it may seem.  There is always something the Spirit is trying to get across to the children of God.

Without the word penetrating the depths of our flesh we will be tossed to and fro by every wind of teaching that comes from the heart of man rather than the Spirit of the Living God.  We are His workmanship and it is His desire that all of His children mature into the full stature of Jesus Christ. This maturity has nothing to do with how others judge us or how well we appear on the surface; it has everything to do with how we are changed on the inside.

Let the word of God teach you in all the things; let it sink deep as you ponder the underlying principles for it will bring an inner change that reflects the Glory of God, as a light to the whole world!

Let's Dance

There are so many things in this world to enjoy.  And one of those many things is dancing. Have you ever watched young children when music begins to play?  Naturally they begin to move with and to that music.  It is a natural for our bodies to move with rhythm.  As a matter of fact, science tells us that music may in fact trigger sensory neuro centers in your brain causing you to have the desire to move as you anticipate the music.  


Growing up in the church I learned a list of things that I was not allowed to do because it was a sin.  And dancing was one of them.  Now I may offend some of you, but here's the deal.  The list of items that were considered sinful were not necessarily listed as biblical sins.  Instead they were sins that were equated with the particular denomination of Christian church I attended.  In other words, these were man-made rules.  Now before you get excited and think that possibly your church doesn't or hasn't created man-made rules I challenge you to look at the rules of your church. 

Perhaps you will find a rule that says you must pay penance for your sin.  That penance will come at various prices depending on the severity of the sin.  Maybe you will find a verse that says- you shall not dance.  Or the verse that says- instruments are not allowed. Is there a rule that says communion is reserved only for once per year, or once per month, or even every week? The bigger question here is, "what does the bible say?"  Maybe you'll find a rule that says any music that is not Christian music is demonic.  "Absurd!" you say. But oh so true.  

Now don't get excited.  I am not calling out any one denomination.  And I am not going to say that any one of the denominations has it all right. Christianity has spent a lot of time limiting the beautiful gifts given to us by God. But that's not what he called us to do.  He called us to use those gifts to worship him and to spread his message to all the world.  Check out what Pastor Joyce has to say about the dance. 

Let’s Dance

Life is like a dance which is learned as you begin to feel the rhythm and move to the beat. If it becomes a list that instructs every move we would all be like robots; going through the motions and never evolving into the unique pattern of Heaven’s Harmony. 

We have each been programmed with unique abilities, and personalities that cannot be duplicated.  When we attempt to be like someone else and do what they do, we will fail to capture the true energy of the Spirit that dwells in us.

The beat of your drummer may be different than mine, yet the same principles of rhythm are incorporated in the movement and the expression will be distinctively diverse.  When we move to the sound of Heaven for our life we will become one with those whom we share space; in our home, church, city and nation.

The scripture clarifies this in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.  To one person the Spirit give the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.  The same Spirit gives great faith to another and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.  He gives one person the power to perform miracles and another ability to prophesy.  He gives one the ability to discern whether a message is from God or from another spirit.  Still another is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.  It is the one Spirit who distributes all these gifts.  He alone decides which gift each person should have.”

The body of Christ functions perfectly when each member glorifies God with the use of their gifts.  It becomes a dance of Worship before our King…Let’s dance!

Curious about those other non-biblical practices?  Check here: Got Questions?

The Garment of Praise

Happy Friday!  It's that day.  The end of the week.  The moment when you sing your George Jones song, "It's finally Friday..."  Your ready to enjoy that wonderful weekend because it's been one of those crazy hard weeks.  Sometimes those weeks are so heavy, that we're just happy for Friday because the week is finally over.  Then we begin thinking about Monday. 

I actually love Mondays... yep, I'm one of those odd folks who sees the week anew with new opportunities to make change.  But some of us dread Monday.  We dread it so much so that our weekend is miserable.  We dread what is coming so much that we lose sight of the fact  we could truly enjoy our time off.  I am blessed to have a boss whose motto is "Work hard, Play hard".  She truly believes that when we are at home, we need to be at home and enjoy every minute of the time we have with our family, friends, and our personal hobbies.  She does not believe in us working so hard that we never regenerate. 

So what does this mean?  It means enjoy life.  Enjoy what we have been provided.  Take time to set aside the heaviness that brings us down, and just enjoy all the blessings we have.  In the words of my friend Steve... "Live is Good".  No matter how hard life is, he always ends his day with "Life is Good".  As you read Pastor Joyce's word for the day, take inventory of all that is good in your life and thank God for his goodness. 

The Garment of Praise January 15

A spirit of heaviness creates weariness of the soul, causes vision to become clouded and hope to be deferred, making the heart sick.  Falling prey to this spirit makes one doubt the goodness and care of God often robbing joy.  There is little strength where joy is lacking consequently many will give up the fight necessary to go in and possess the promises of God for their life.

A major part of Christ’s mission on earth besides bringing salvation was to bind up the broken hearted and heal their wounds.  He came with such an anointing that the enemy departs at the mere mention of His name.  According to Isaiah 61:3 His anointing carried the power, “ to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

Christ in us is our hope of glory, we simply can’t allow the spirit of heaviness to drag us down and defeat us in pursuing our destiny.  We were created for greatness and can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Stop and listen to the trees clap their hands, and join in their chorus of praise then ask God to give you a strategy for breaking through to victory over the enemy.  There is a gift in all of us stamped with a specific assignment from God to change our world.  Listen carefully to what the spirit is saying while you ponder and chew on the Word of God.  Get direction for your life.

Change Your Diet

I recently read a facebook post that said, " All I got for Christmas was fat, really fat!"  I honestly cracked up!  Isn't that what happens to most of us?  Christmas is that special time that no matter you socio-economic status you have special things.  We get to go to celebration after celebration where we get to EAT!  And honestly who doesn't love to eat.  

It doesn't take a research scientist to know that too much food makes you fat.  And if you are a consumer of research regarding diet and exercise you know that it's not the calories you eat, but the quality of calories you eat.  For instance, if you eat a lot of protien you consume 4 calories per gram.  Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, and fat contains 9 calories per gram.  So what would you eat more of?  If it were me, and I didn't know what I know, I'd choose protein and/or carbohydrates.  But... that's not the whole story is it?

We can certainly eat the recommended 2000 calories per day.  But 2000 calories of candy isn't going to feed our bodies like 2000 calories of a balanced diet made up of the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.  We can't possibly eat just one thing.  Even the food guide pyramid recommends we eat a variety of foods.  And if we don't we become deficient in the essential nutrients required to keep us healthy.  

Today's reading from Pastor Joyce talks about our diet.  Her teaching today is not about the food that fuels our physical body.  Instead, she teaches about the diet that feeds our soul. If you call yourself a Christian, I challenge you to change your diet.  Even if just for one month.  Happy dieting!

Change Your Diet January 14

Milk is predigested food; it is acquired from another being after it has been received and then processed through that body.  1 Peter 2:2 states that as new born babes we should, “desire the sincere milk of the word that we may grow from it.”  In another verse believers were admonished for their failure to advance beyond their baby state.  It is found in Hebrews 5:12, “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others.  Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.  You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.  Someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to use the word.”

There are many Christians that go to church each Sunday and get fed milk.  That is the word of God that has been ingested by the leadership; it has been chewed, digested and applied to their life.  They in turn share their lessons with those in attendance.  According to the verse in Hebrews if this is the only food they are getting they will not advance nor will they grow to full maturity.

Solid food belongs to those that are mature and who exercise the word in and through their life in every situation.  They experience break through and victory and then teach others.  If you, after many years being a Christian have no victory, no direction toward your destiny, and fall into continuous discouragement; perhaps it is time to wean yourself of a pure milk diet and start studying to show yourself approved unto God; a workman that does not need to be ashamed.  You have the opportunity to become a powerful force against the powers of darkness.  You must get into the Word and exercise it by faith; then you will become more than a conqueror.

Believe for Victory

Have you ever faced a challenge that made you wonder if you should continue?  I can think of so many times I've started something and wanted to quit.  My favorite endeavor was completing my doctorate.  I honestly thought about quitting on several occaisions.  One day in the middle of that journey I started to cry.  Why? Well, I hadn't slept more than 8 in hours in 3 days, I was working full time, trying to help my son with babysitting, and my mother was dying. 

I truly wanted to quit.  Or at least hold off for a while.  You know what I mean.  I wanted to wait until the perfect moment.  That imaginary moment when there are no life stresses, no work or family commitments, and simply no extra pain.  And more, I became my own worst enemy by literally trying to talk myself out of it.  But then, I had this wonderful group of people who helped me see that I could do it.  That I would finish on time and they would be my support team.  What a blessing that was!  And because of Debi, Juan, Carol, Teresa, and My wonderful husband Mark- I did just that.  I finished on time, and in enough time for my mother to know I was officially Dr. Wilkens.  She died 1 week later. 

Now how could I have ever done such a thing if I let my own thoughts take me down.  Instead I had these awesome friends and family who helped be realize I was in a rut and that I would reach that mountain top.  I would see the victory of reaching the summit!  Sometimes we get in that rut when we are stepping out in faith.  Pastor Joyce gives us insight on how our faith walk can be derailed when we forget that no matter what, we have Victory in Jesus! And we can do anything he calls us to.  

 

Believe For Victory January 13

The enemy should not be our focus, yet we should be alert to his tactics and aware of the fact that he will attack when our guard is down and our shield (of faith) is not in position. The devil devises plans for your defeat and destruction. But God is the captain of the armies that you have authority to dispatch on behalf of others and yourself.

Throughout the scriptures we read of battle plans against God’s people yet every time they called upon the Lord, He delivered them from their destruction.  The Spirit of God has a strategy for every battle we face; a strategy for victory and not defeat.  David was a mighty warrior king who knew how to go against the enemy, and his first course of action was to ask the Lord what He should do.

In 2 Samuel Chapter 5 we read that right after victory the Philistine army came against David, he defeated them when directed by the Lord to face them head on in battle. Then the enemy army regrouped to make another attack.  This time the Lord told David, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. So it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly, for the Lord will go out before you and strike the camp of the Philistines.”

You may face the enemy head on one day and circle around him the next; the Lord is on your side and He will fight for you, but he seldom fights without your involvement which comes mainly through prayer.  Jesus said in Matthew 21:21-22 “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt...if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and cast in the sea,’ it will be done. All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing you will receive.” 

Build Yourself Up

Whenever we start a new commitment we want to make sure we know exactly what we are starting right?  For instance, we would never take on marathon training if we had never run a mile before.  We wouldn't buy that P90X workout without knowing the time and physical commitment it takes to accomplish it.  And certainly we wouldn't take on a diet without understanding and committing to the sacrifice that we will have to make to achieve the desired weight loss, or would we?

We've all seen those crazy adds- " Lose 30 lbs in 10 days guaranteed!", or "You can have a body like this in just 15 minutes a day!"  So, some of you right now are feeling a little silly because you fell for the sales.  Heck! So did I.  In an effort to lose weight for a special day, I have taken on some pretty crazy diets and even some workouts.  If you've read any of my former blogs you might be wondering how I could have possibly been taken by such quackery.  

Well, I will be honest. I just simply didn't take the time to research and learn the facts on weight loss.  In an essence I forgot to build up my knowledge base so I wouldn't be taken by false claims.  Now, to be even more honest, in the back of my mind I was skeptical, but in my laziness, I had let myself go long enough that I didn't have much time and was quite desperate to reach my goal without the hard work and in a very short time span.  And of course, anyone who has been alive for any amount of time knows that this is absolute against research, reason, and in many cases possibilities. 

When we don't do our research we can put ourselves in danger.  Quite possibly we can put our health in such danger as to do permanent damage.  Crash diets, workouts that are outside our skill-set, and even money making quick fixes end up going by the wayside at great cost to us.  Pastor Joyce encourages us to Build ourselves up spiritually as well.  

All too often we've seen someone follow some crazy teaching that draws us completely away from our faith.  As a matter of fact, so many Christians have left the church or even denied the faith because they have been "taken" by a false teacher or a false doctrine. There is only one way to really be safe from those whose who would want to take advantage of the unknowing.  Its building yourself up in the faith.  Pastor Joyce's words today hit right at the heart of it. 

Build Yourself Up January 12

In the short letter from Jude, he warns against false teachers.  These are not necessarily teachers who set out to present a false doctrine but have slipped from a walk of faith and dependence on the Spirit to relying on the flesh.  In so many words he calls these teachers nominal Christians; those who do not have the Spirit are false teachers and should be called to accountability.

Jude warns what will happen to those who attempt to walk out their spiritual lives in unbelief citing instances from the Old Testament where God brought judgment on those who refused to place their trust in Him.

Jude gives the anecdote for the destructive nature of the flesh in the midst of ministry in verses 20-25, “But, you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.  And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.  Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,”

Jude admonishes us to keep it together with the love of God which covers a multitude of sin and sets the course of mercy to penetrate the lives of those who are caught up in themselves; trying to do the work of God without God.  When we are built up in the most holy faith we are well equipped to build others up and as Jude intimates in His letter, “Snatch them from the fire of judgment.”

Sometimes it is easy to get side tracked by the agenda that is set before us and forget the weightier measures we are called to – namely the equipping of the saints for ministry.

Be Strong In the Lord

When I read Pastor Joyce's word for the day I could not remove from my head the powerful song written and performed by the band Petra.  

The song More Power to ya speaks to our weakness.  It speaks to when we are down, when we need help to stand our ground, or simply when we need help to stay the course in the face of all odds.  My favorite of the lyrics are included here.

So be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might

Put on all His Armour and fight the good fight

Instead of all of our weakness He becomes so strong

He gives us the power and the strength to carry on

More power to ya, when you're standing on His word

When you're trusting with your whole heart

In the message you have heard

More power to ya, when we're all in one accord

They that wait upon the Lord they shall renew

They shall renew their strength

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrBy-F0EWTE

As I read Pastor Joyce's word for the day I noticed it did not include anything from Isiah 40:31 or Ephesians 6:10-11 which are the verses from which the song was written. Equally, she did not include the traditional Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".  Instead, she shared some of the many other biblical promises allowed us when we stand on his mighty power.  How cool is that?  If you are not a bible reader I encourage you to look up the passages she included as well as Isiah 40:31.  It's amazing to experience the might of God through the power of his words.   And now I leave you with Pastor Joyce's word. 

Be Strong in the Lord

Paul did not ignore the enemy, he resisted him and he gave the followers of Christ a strategy for winning every battle.  In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 he states, “For though we walk in the flesh we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (flesh) but mighty in God for the pulling down strongholds, casting down every argument against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

Attacks may come against us through people who are not submitted to the Spirit of God and attempt to stop our forward progress.  They are being led by the enemy of God and are out to destroy any work done through His people that would advance the Kingdom of God on earth.

The first line of attack is to discourage and intimidate believers by forcing a focus on weaknesses that leads to the point of saying, “I can’t”.  The enemy wants us to fixate on the impossibilities that stand before us until we cower in defeat.  BUT GOD! Says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

David declares in Psalm 18:32-34 “It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.  He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places.  He teaches my hands to make war.” In the previous verses he says, “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”

In 2 Chronicles 20,  when Jehoshaphat went to war against impossible odds he found his confidence for battle in knowing that the battle belonged to the Lord. His victory shows that God fights for those who trust in Him, He is our protector that leads us into battle and establishes our rear guard.  Strengthen yourself in Him and watch discouragement and intimidation flee from you.

The Just Shall Live By Faith

One of the greatest gifts ever given to me was learning to live by faith.  One might ask, just how does that work?  Growing up in my home, my mom modeled it daily.  She often encouraged us to pray, listen, and wait.  Many times when even the most impossible thing was suggested, she did not waiver.  I honestly cannot remember one time when we waited patiently in faith and did not see the glory of God's grace and mercy.  

In this century we too often dismiss miracles.  We think they cannot happen or laugh at those who so patiently wait for their miracle.  Today's post is a miracle experienced by our family.  I assure you that Pastor Joyce did not act expecting a miracle.  She simply walked by faith.  In addition, I want to assure you that I remember the day she and my sister returned from Africa.  I remember those questioning her parenting and remember her angst as my father accused her of being foolish and placing my sister's life in danger. But more, I remember her being questioned by him and her adamant answer,  "God told me to only get the shots required and I did what he said."  Today's piece came from a sermon she gave on walking in Faith.  

Enjoy !

The Just Shall Live by Faith

My fourteen year old daughter and I had no idea how many shots we would have to endure when we entered the clinic for our travel vaccinations.   Going through the door I clearly heard a voice speak to my nervous spirit, “Get only the shots required by law to enter the country.”

That was my precise instruction to the nurse administering the vaccines.  She seemed puzzled by my request and inquired, “Are you sure.”

Of course I was sure, shouldn’t I be?  I posed the question, “Why do you ask?”

She said, “Well, it’s not required by law, but we highly recommend that when traveling to that part of the world you take all precautions against malaria.” Then she began to explain how dangerous it was to enter the area without total immunization.  I didn’t hear all of her explanation because I had another conversation going on in my head. It started with, “What do I do now?”

The answer was firm, “Just what’s required by law.”

“But, you heard what she said”, I feebly argued.

Silence was all I heard but I knew what had been said previously and decided if I was going to walk by faith I better listen and obey.  We left the clinic and a low level of anxiety shook me inside but I resolved to fear nothing and continue with the trip to a remote area of Africa.

One month after our arrival and a busy ministry schedule, my daughter became very ill.  The natives told me she had “the fever” and I needed to get her to the hospital immediately.  I didn’t receive any instruction from the voice in my head but I was adamant about keeping my baby from having a needle stuck in her arm where AIDS was a prevalent threat.  I decided to get her home to the United States as soon as possible.

It is impossible to relate the bazillion questions swarming in my head and the doubts that threatened to topple my faith.  But I persevered, made arrangements, and proceed with the longest trip in the world as I attempted to nurse my child and tend to the many obstacles of travel.

Upon admission to the hospital in the United States the medical staff was anything but pleasant when they learned that I had taken a child into Africa without proper prevention against an obviously threatening disease.  

When I thought things couldn’t get any worse, authorities were called in to question me about my parental competency. In the midst of the nightmare I cried out to God asking why all this was happening to me.  He remained silent and in desperate determination I vowed to trust Him. After several sessions and many tears I was asked to visit with a medical professional whose specialty is the study and prevention of parasitic diseases.

I had no idea his nationality but he spoke to me with a thick accent asking, “Now can you tell me why you chose not to vaccinate your child against malaria?”

 I assumed he was siding with the child protective services trying to prove something and felt every defensive nerve in my body rise up to strike.  Instead I simply decided to give them all the ammunition they sought. With complete resignation I spoke, “Because God told me to get only what was required by law.” Then I waited for them to come and take me away.

The doctor smiled and said, “Well, your God saved your child’s life! The strain of malaria that she contracted is very rare and found only in two parts of the world.  If she had taken the recommended prevention medication it would have counteracted the anecdote and she would not be alive today!” He described what he was saying with disease charts and medical terms but I had heard all that I needed.

This was a pivotal moment in believing that the just shall walk by faith. God had saved my child’s life and instilled in me an assurance that our steps are ordered by Him.  That was enough to convince me that every struggle from beginning to end was worth it!

Expectations

Today is the 9th day of the new year.  It is likely that you have set a goal, attacked it with all your might, and are feeling like you may have made a mistake.  Right?!  Come on now, admit it, you either decided to go on a diet and you are starving. Or you have tried a new work out routine and your whole body hurts.  Yep- I'm guilty of that one.  Maybe you set the goal to be kind to others and every single person who could possibly get under your skin has tested your  "nice bone".  In any case you have hit the HARD part.  That intricate part on your journey that tests your perseverance and your tenacity.  The part where you have to decide will I press on, or will I give in?  Will I be the statistic, the 92% who never accomplish their resolution or their goal?

We all have a choice to make.  Those who persevere find a way to hang on even when the going gets tough.  Some meditate, some find an accountability partner, some join a support group, and others rely on religious faith.  If you have never read the bible, I encourage you to read the first half of Psalms.  It is all of the thoughts, dreams, fears, whining, praises, and victories of King David.  Pastor Joyce lays it out beautifully in her word for the day. 

Expectation is From Him

David, the King of Israel, an accomplished Psalm writer, and one who had a heart after God’s own heart talked to himself. He was the leader of a nation and I am sure he had many distractions in his life.  When he was depressed he asked himself, “Why are you cast down, oh my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?”  Then he told himself, “Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” (Psalm 42:5)

When things did not go the way his mind had imagined he said in Psalm 62:5, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation (hope) is from Him.”  The vision of conquering his enemy for the Kingdom of God was in him, and he clearly knew that the hope and expectation he had for executing such a feat against seemingly impossible odds was given to him by God.

The purpose and plan for your life is already in you it was written on your heart before you were ever born.  Therefore, you can accomplish all that God has given you to do.  He alone holds the blueprint for your life.  If you are having trouble reading the plans of the great architect of your life think! What do you enjoy doing more than anything else?  What makes you excited about getting up each day?  It doesn’t have to be some super spiritual plan contrived by your mind that gives you no pleasure. 

God’s expectation is yours, it’s in you and the only thing that makes it impossible for you to imagine it is a distorted view of who God wants you to be.  This skewed view is most likely inscribed on your mind by the expectations of others, past failures, disappointments, or a lack of knowledge.  Open your ears that you may hear the wonderful life God has planned for you personally.   You are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of an all-powerful God who loves you!

Fan into Flames

As I started writing this blog it was my intent to revive and publish Pastor Joyce's works.  Interestingly each of her teachings this month have been an inspirational post toward achieving one's goal.  

I personally love today's word for the day.  Fan into Flames.  We all have God given gifts and those gifts are given to us to make this world a better place.  We can use those gifts to the best of our ability or we can simply toss them aside and waste the potential that we have.  I recently read a great story about a woman who is 82 years old.  She is a triathlete and a nun! As a matter of fact Sister Madonna is the oldest person to ever compete in and complete a triathlon.  She did not begin her running or triathlon career until she was 48 years old.  The most interesting part of her story was not that she was a world record holder, or the oldest triathlete, but the fact that she found her gift to share with the world.  Sister Madonna said that when we find our gift, we need to share it with the world to bless others and to make it a better place.   Pastor Joyce encourages us to fan the fire of our gifts. I encourage you to not only find your gift but to also fan your fire! 

Fan into Flames January 8

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a dream fulfilled is the tree of life” Many people read this verse from Proverbs 13:12 and stop at the first half.  It is used as an explanation and excuse for the depression they are in.  Hope has been dashed through loss, discouragement, or just plain hard times.  The dream they have for their life seems to be a phantom fantasy of yesterday.

The second half of the verse shows that the fulfillment of God breathed life grows and bears fruit.  To see a dream fulfilled we must put everything we’ve got into it to keep it alive; we have to do battle in our minds against any thought that would rob us of the faith we once had in the expectancy of living in the purpose God has promised us in His Word.

Paul tells his student in 2 Timothy 1:6 “I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”  Everyone faces hardships that can lead us to a place of despondency and we may feel that life has passed us by. We see no point in striving for anything and we become content to drift on the seas of mediocrity.

Snap out of it and turn to God who promises to heal your broken heart and deliver you from all of your distresses.  We were not called to live a life that resounds with, “whatever happens, happens”.  We are created for greatness, a life of abundance, overflowing with victory, and high expectations that clearly reflect the glory of God.