Life often is hard and unforgiving. I watch and read the news and wonder, why? Why so much pain and suffering? How can people be so cruel? I wonder, though I do not like to admit it, God why so much pain? Then I think of my own pain. The struggles, the everyday fight with in, and fight to be all I can be. I question, if I can be completely transparent, wonder the same about my life. God how is this right? How can this God loving woman question? I do, and sometimes it's because life seem to be just to much. More betrayal then I thought a person could or should for that matter experience. Stress and unmet expectation of life that cause me pain and actual sores in my mouth from worry. Then I question and dare to ask a sovereign God why. Why is all of this happening? Haven't I gave you all of me? Haven't I sacrificed my husband so he can serve you? Have I not given all of me to others who give me nothing in return? Lord, why? Why pain? Why hardship? God is this another lesson I need to learn in life? Its hard. I know the answers to these questions. He is sovereign, and He does know what is best for me, and he does have a plan for my life, but it hurts. So, I study, I pray, I lift my hands and worship, but no relief. I was losing hope. Hope is powerful it keeps us going, but I was losing mine and then as if lighting struck in my very home my hope was restored.
It was 5:30am and I was all snuggled up in the recliner. My coffee sat smoking on the end table as I tuck my knees up underneath me and pulled the blanket up tight. I drug my tongue across the inside of my cheek and was reminded of the painful sores in my mouth. The sores that came from all the worry of the days before. Bad news, heart breaking stories of friends lives turned upside down accompanied by uncertainty in the work place. I sat in that chair and took a deep breath laid my hands on my Bible and whispered softy, " Lord, please, I need you. I need your breath from heaven breathing on and in my life, please. I know you, I know you are faithful and true. I am broken and in need of you, please." I opened my Bible and began to read from Romans. I came across a familiar verse and then lighting. Complete revelation. I called on the Lord he heard my cry and answered me.
Romans 1:16-17
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will LIVE by faith." (emphasis added)
My heart sored and I did a little dance right there in my living room. My soul leapt at the words of God that are so alive. Yes, I believe God came for all. Yes, I know righteousness is found in God alone. However, I had not been LIVING in faith!
Maybe my lack of faith was because the lenses that I view life out of were muddy. Life was pouring, I mean a thunderstorm with the ability to flood all in its way. I had the wrong perspective. I had allowed the storm off life to build up like mud on my glasses and therefore cause me to stumble and fall. I sat there like a two year old kicking and screaming for someone to come and get me. When all I had to do was run. Run to the one that I knew was there. Run to the voice that was calling me, run to the one that has ALWAYS been true. The one and only God who has never left me. The God who loves me just as I am and always forgives. But no, it was much more comfortable to sit there and scream and shake my fist and say where are you? I couldn't see. I couldn't see past the mud and gunk of life.
What if I would be brave? If I were brave, I would take off the glasses and run! No! If I were truly brave I would leave the muddy glasses on and RUN! Run straight to Jesus with the glasses on because it doesn't matter if I can see. It doesn't matter what life has handed me because we live by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) I run because his arms are wide open always ready. Arms that are Almighty and Everlasting.
Lord, I want to be brave! I want to be brave in this situation. No, I want to be brave in ALL situations. The small things and the big things. Forgive me for sitting down in the mud and screaming. Make me brave and run to you in all things. I want to be brave and say like Paul,
I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstance. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret to being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13
I want to be brave! I want to be brave! He is calling me out of the boat and I want to be brave! I want to have true faith. Unquestioning faith that carries me passed every situation and carries me straight to Jesus. So as life still storms I am looking through different glasses. Looking to the one that is with me in the storm. Allowing the storm to bring about living water in my life that reaches to all the pain and bears good fruit. Fruit that will last and bring Him glory.
Are you looking at life through the right glasses? Are the muddied up from life? Run! Be Brave and Run to the one that is calling you out of that place. LIVE in your faith. Trust him for He is good. Be brave!
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
More than Enough
It was a week day morning and things started out the way they always do. I crawl out of bed, wonder to the coffee pot hoping not to stub my toes on the table as I walk there. Turn the coffee on and settle in my chair. I open my Bible take a deep breath of coffee and smile as I get to spend some sweet time with Jesus. Thirty minutes go by and I am at such peace just me and my Savior. As soon as I get up from that chair things just go south. I begin the normal routine of waking up 3 children and getting everyone ready for school. I should just get a bull horn and shout let the chaos begin because somehow that's what happens. There are teeth to be brushed, that lets just face it I have to force my 7 year old son to do, hair to be brushed and put together and its not mine. In all this where is that sweet wonderful husband of mine? Well he is getting himself ready while my 4 year old is screaming she doesn't want the crust on her poptart today! How was I supposed to know that because just yesterday she yelled at me for taking it off! So here comes my man, oblivious to the chaos and ready and relaxed to start his day. He not one time notices the kids are running around like wild animals and the dog is peeing on the floor!
My time with Jesus seems like something that happened 10 years ago and not just 30 minutes ago. Then like lightning a switch goes off inside me. Instead of acting like a beautiful woman of God out comes Malifacent! I mean full blown fire breathing dragon. I yell and scream and pout and say things I really don't mean. I pull myself together and with fire still on my lips and black scales on my skin I kiss those sweet kids good bye and hug my husband and send them off to work and school. The door closes behind them and I wait and then find myself sitting on the floor crying. Then the accusations come "Your crazy who acts like that to there family?" "You are worthless and will never be good enough for them." " You are such a disappointment, they will never love you like that." "Everything you do fails."
It was a familiar place for me. I have been on that floor telling myself those lies many times. Satan has been hissing those lies in my ears for years. I believed them too. Believed every single one and believed I truly deserved to be on that floor crying. Something happened one day that changed everything. As I sat believing the lies I heard a loud sweet voice. "STOP, Melissa it doesn't have to be this way, STOP." It wasn't hateful or demeaning it was sweet and tender. I sat bewildered, I knew that voice. I have heard it before but never when I was on the floor completely hating myself. I heard it again in my ear a small whisper "No more, this is enough." I knew it was Jesus there coming to my rescue. The one and only healer of my heart coming to my side. "No more, you have lived like this for far to log. Get up read my word, its true, its promises are true. Deal with this head on with me and your sword (Bible). I love you and this is not my plan for you."
So I pulled myself up, got back in that chair and opened my Bible. I was tired, tired of being in that place. So I opened my Bible and turned to the concordance and found tired it lead me to Isaiah 40:30 but I decided to start in verse 28.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youth grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31
I sat there and cried. It was that good cry, a cry of relief. The Lord my God is everlasting. He will give us strength and even though we may fall apart we can soar on wings like eagles. You see I figured out that day it would be a tough journey but God's plan for my life, your life, is to not just survive but to soar! To fly. Fly above the way you see yourself and to begin to see yourself as the beautiful treasure you are to Jesus. Fly to a place where the love of God and the love he has for you erases every doubt, and fear. A place where disappointment doesn't rule you and lies no longer command you. He alone will give you the strength in each and every circumstance that may come. You may grow tired but have you not heard? He NEVER grows tired. He is always fighting for you.
So let's get up off that floor and run to the one who has his arms wide open waiting for you. He wants you to Fly.
My time with Jesus seems like something that happened 10 years ago and not just 30 minutes ago. Then like lightning a switch goes off inside me. Instead of acting like a beautiful woman of God out comes Malifacent! I mean full blown fire breathing dragon. I yell and scream and pout and say things I really don't mean. I pull myself together and with fire still on my lips and black scales on my skin I kiss those sweet kids good bye and hug my husband and send them off to work and school. The door closes behind them and I wait and then find myself sitting on the floor crying. Then the accusations come "Your crazy who acts like that to there family?" "You are worthless and will never be good enough for them." " You are such a disappointment, they will never love you like that." "Everything you do fails."
It was a familiar place for me. I have been on that floor telling myself those lies many times. Satan has been hissing those lies in my ears for years. I believed them too. Believed every single one and believed I truly deserved to be on that floor crying. Something happened one day that changed everything. As I sat believing the lies I heard a loud sweet voice. "STOP, Melissa it doesn't have to be this way, STOP." It wasn't hateful or demeaning it was sweet and tender. I sat bewildered, I knew that voice. I have heard it before but never when I was on the floor completely hating myself. I heard it again in my ear a small whisper "No more, this is enough." I knew it was Jesus there coming to my rescue. The one and only healer of my heart coming to my side. "No more, you have lived like this for far to log. Get up read my word, its true, its promises are true. Deal with this head on with me and your sword (Bible). I love you and this is not my plan for you."
So I pulled myself up, got back in that chair and opened my Bible. I was tired, tired of being in that place. So I opened my Bible and turned to the concordance and found tired it lead me to Isaiah 40:30 but I decided to start in verse 28.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youth grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31
I sat there and cried. It was that good cry, a cry of relief. The Lord my God is everlasting. He will give us strength and even though we may fall apart we can soar on wings like eagles. You see I figured out that day it would be a tough journey but God's plan for my life, your life, is to not just survive but to soar! To fly. Fly above the way you see yourself and to begin to see yourself as the beautiful treasure you are to Jesus. Fly to a place where the love of God and the love he has for you erases every doubt, and fear. A place where disappointment doesn't rule you and lies no longer command you. He alone will give you the strength in each and every circumstance that may come. You may grow tired but have you not heard? He NEVER grows tired. He is always fighting for you.
So let's get up off that floor and run to the one who has his arms wide open waiting for you. He wants you to Fly.
Monday, March 2, 2015
FREEDOM REIGNS
I love super heroes. I mean it is so bad that I am sure I will be at the theatre the day The Avengers: Age of Ultron opens. I have always been fascinated by the epic war of good verse evil. Throw in some super powers and web slinging, bow shooting, hammer throwing, flying, shield throwing, and great combat skills and I am like on adrenaline overloaded after the movie. I honestly want to fight for something good. Fight for the underdog, lonely, forgotten, abused and used. I admire our real life freedom fighters, our soldiers and police men and women who fight for our protection and freedom daily.
My love for this freedom fighting comes from feeling like the oppressed, the forgotten. I want and long to fight for them to be the one that runs in and saves the day at the last minute. Although, I will never be a soldier I do belong to the original freedom fighter. The one who came and saved the day for us all, Jesus. He came into this world to buy our freedom with His life. He bled, died, and rose again to free us from our sin and give us eternal life. Freedom reigns with Jesus.
Our freedom does not stop at salvation. Sure we are forgiven of past sin and now belong to the One and Only God of all creation but guess what? We still mess up and we still sin. We are human and we still fight against our flesh. Jesus is faithful and just and He forgives us when we confess and repent from our sins. However we do NOT have to be slaves to this life of sin.
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed form sin. Romans 6:6-7 (NIV)
Jesus came and died to set the captives free! You and I are captives to our sin but we can be free. Freedom reigns with Jesus.
A slave or a captive is someone who is one dominated by some influence. (Webster's New World Dictionary) We can all be free from these chains of influence. We do not have to be dominated by them. We have everything we need to be freed from them. We just have to use it. Freedom can and will reign in our lives when we surrender to the power of the WORD. Jesus teaches us in John 8:31-32 that the truth will set us free but first we must hold to his teachings.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of our heart. Hebrews 4:12
so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
God's word is alive and active and it accomplishes what it sets out to do. It can and will set us free if we hold to it with all that we have! Freedom reigns in our life when God's word reigns in our hearts. Scripture has the power to break every stronghold of
bitterness
envy
strife
grief
hatred
anger
unforgiveness
discontent
pride.
Whatever you struggle with God's word has the power to break the chains!
There is freedom in Jesus. We do not have to live in defeat. We do not have to live life in chains caused by sin and circumstance. We have power through scripture, prayer, and the Holy Spirit to demolish every stronghold. ( 2 Corinthians 10:3-5) We have power to walk in freedom and we must hold tight to the freedom we have in the truth. Jesus says "When the SON has set you free you are free indeed." John 8:36 Let us walk and live in that freedom. Freedom reigns in Jesus.
For me it is a daily struggle. Sometimes it is much easier to get up and put the chains back on because it is comfortable. Sure, I long to be free from them but the fear of not knowing what to do with them keeps me putting them back on. If I actually let go of them then what? If I let go of the unforgiveness that I have carried what will I do? If I let go of the anger then what? It is a daily, I will repeat myself, a daily fight. After all the struggling and fighting and finally surrender the victory is so sweet. The grace, mercy, peace and love that comes from Jesus is so sweet. It is always better than we can imagine. Jesus is worth every ounce of the fighting to rid myself of the chains. Freedom reigns in Jesus.
I fight for the truth daily. As a soldier who puts on his uniform and gets ready for war, I daily get up and put on my armor because I know that our struggle is against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:10-18) I also pray for you daily, though I may not know you I truly long for you to be free in Jesus. I fight for you to know the sweet truth of Jesus that sets us all free. As a former slave myself who knows what it is like to wear chains of sin I tell you the truth that I have tasted of the Lord and he is so good! He is loving, faithful and true. He is kind and gentle and trustworthy. He is forgiving and just. He is so good. So I fight in the Spirit for your freedom daily. Fight today, wield your sword, choose to believe, call on the power of his name, surrender to the Holy Spirit and let freedom reign!
Freedom reigns in Jesus.
My love for this freedom fighting comes from feeling like the oppressed, the forgotten. I want and long to fight for them to be the one that runs in and saves the day at the last minute. Although, I will never be a soldier I do belong to the original freedom fighter. The one who came and saved the day for us all, Jesus. He came into this world to buy our freedom with His life. He bled, died, and rose again to free us from our sin and give us eternal life. Freedom reigns with Jesus.
Our freedom does not stop at salvation. Sure we are forgiven of past sin and now belong to the One and Only God of all creation but guess what? We still mess up and we still sin. We are human and we still fight against our flesh. Jesus is faithful and just and He forgives us when we confess and repent from our sins. However we do NOT have to be slaves to this life of sin.
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed form sin. Romans 6:6-7 (NIV)
Jesus came and died to set the captives free! You and I are captives to our sin but we can be free. Freedom reigns with Jesus.
A slave or a captive is someone who is one dominated by some influence. (Webster's New World Dictionary) We can all be free from these chains of influence. We do not have to be dominated by them. We have everything we need to be freed from them. We just have to use it. Freedom can and will reign in our lives when we surrender to the power of the WORD. Jesus teaches us in John 8:31-32 that the truth will set us free but first we must hold to his teachings.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of our heart. Hebrews 4:12
so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
God's word is alive and active and it accomplishes what it sets out to do. It can and will set us free if we hold to it with all that we have! Freedom reigns in our life when God's word reigns in our hearts. Scripture has the power to break every stronghold of
bitterness
envy
strife
grief
hatred
anger
unforgiveness
discontent
pride.
Whatever you struggle with God's word has the power to break the chains!
There is freedom in Jesus. We do not have to live in defeat. We do not have to live life in chains caused by sin and circumstance. We have power through scripture, prayer, and the Holy Spirit to demolish every stronghold. ( 2 Corinthians 10:3-5) We have power to walk in freedom and we must hold tight to the freedom we have in the truth. Jesus says "When the SON has set you free you are free indeed." John 8:36 Let us walk and live in that freedom. Freedom reigns in Jesus.
For me it is a daily struggle. Sometimes it is much easier to get up and put the chains back on because it is comfortable. Sure, I long to be free from them but the fear of not knowing what to do with them keeps me putting them back on. If I actually let go of them then what? If I let go of the unforgiveness that I have carried what will I do? If I let go of the anger then what? It is a daily, I will repeat myself, a daily fight. After all the struggling and fighting and finally surrender the victory is so sweet. The grace, mercy, peace and love that comes from Jesus is so sweet. It is always better than we can imagine. Jesus is worth every ounce of the fighting to rid myself of the chains. Freedom reigns in Jesus.
I fight for the truth daily. As a soldier who puts on his uniform and gets ready for war, I daily get up and put on my armor because I know that our struggle is against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:10-18) I also pray for you daily, though I may not know you I truly long for you to be free in Jesus. I fight for you to know the sweet truth of Jesus that sets us all free. As a former slave myself who knows what it is like to wear chains of sin I tell you the truth that I have tasted of the Lord and he is so good! He is loving, faithful and true. He is kind and gentle and trustworthy. He is forgiving and just. He is so good. So I fight in the Spirit for your freedom daily. Fight today, wield your sword, choose to believe, call on the power of his name, surrender to the Holy Spirit and let freedom reign!
Freedom reigns in Jesus.
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