For those of you who took the previous admonition seriously, Praise God!

Your reward is that you now, (hopefully) have a better perspective of “self,” sin,  and God!

We all need to come to the place where we have an accurate view of our own heart’s disposition to self-deceive, in order to learn how to take every thought captive before the obedience of Jesus Christ! (2 Cor 10:5)

Some of us have a disconnect between trusting Jesus for our eternal life, but don’t consult Him much for the temporal life we are still living! This is where the disconnect comes in to play…

We believe we are “saved” from Hell, but still live and feel defeated in the here and now. That is bondage…not freedom!

For those of you that felt you had neither time nor patience for such an in depth soul searching and would rather have someone else tell you what the bible means in specific definition and practicalities…   I ask you respectfully to reconsider. You may want to scroll down to the previous entry and read again the danger of such a casual attitude towards the things of faith.

Although we are centering our focus here on the Titus and Timothy verses…it is the whole counsel of God that should becoming clear. God seeks those who love Him and obey Him out of gratitude and devoted agreement to His ways. He is not interested in forced obedience, or manipulated offerings with personal agenda attached.

Although obedience does bring blessing and favor…it does not always arrive wrapped in pleasant packages! if we are seeking what feels good and what is easy, we will certainly miss the purpose of His plan.

I will never be able to overstate the importance of Grace through faith…

Grace is not only the attribute of God’s character that enables us to receive salvation, (which we do not deserve,) it is also the same attribute that enables us to live  (and desire to live) according to the statutes of God’s righteous holiness. We cannot walk in victorious faith without grace.

It could only be viewed as a distorted understanding of grace, that would allow us to believe that we could use the Spirit and power we have received for salvation as an entitlement to continue in the practice of sin.

Why am I focusing so much on grace?

…because the power to walk out these principles of godly womanhood rest entirely upon grace. 

Not partially, not,  ”You try REALLY REALLY hard, and God will get you over the hard hurdles.” NO! Without grace, you have no faith, without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb 11:6)

Now this is not to say that no work is required of you, on the contrary! Grace reveals the work and gives you the power to choose to obey…you still have to choose to obey! And below that choice must be the “disposition” or desire to walk God’s way…regardless of the specific outcome or benefit for you. (James 2:14-26)

I emphasize this because the walk of faith requires a continuing process of self examination, as well as self-sacrifice. We are not taught this in our mainstream churches, but the scriptures make it clear that if we do not make self examination (alongside the study of God’s Word) a lifestyle practice, we will be in danger of deception and falling away from our walk in faith. (2 Cor 11:28, 2 Tim 3:10-17)

This understanding is necessary for where I would like us to focus on for this weeks meditation. I want us to look carefully at our friendship relationships. In particular, those woman we allow influence and to whom we are looking up to in some way.

Practically speaking, think about a woman you know who chose to divorce her husband without biblical cause, or someone who lives the lifestyle of the “party girl.”

Who are their friends?

Now think of a woman in your church that openly disrespects her husband, or gossips unashamedly, or dismisses her obligations of her own family by devoting herself to her career and personal pursuits…who are her friends?

Think carefully.

Who are your friends?

Who are you looking up to…and more importantly, why?

Who is looking up to you?

Some of us are attracted to women who seem to have it all put together…(are we really looking for order in our lives?)

Some of us are attracted to women who seem brave… (are we feeling diminished?)

Some of us are attracted to women who seem in control…( are we feeling unsafe, and insecure?)

Do you see the connection?

The underlying fear, or desire, will cause us to be drawn towards women whom we believe have somehow accomplished what we are lacking..or,  hope to possess.

Or on a more destructive level…those we feel good with when we are walking in sin.

The truth is, as we invite people in…we also invite whatever spirit they are of! (Lk 9:55)

Everyone we open up to, is also bringing with them a ”spiritual” influence. We are told in 1 John 1-6 to “test the spirits”

The Spirit of God is LOVE…FORGIVENNESS…PATIENCE…PERSERVERENCE…COMPASSION…KINDNESS… His Spirit builds up, edifies…

In essence brings us  closer to God… Helps us to become more and more like Him.

On the other hand,

People who are not walking in the spirit of God are ANGRY…UNFORGIVING…IMPATIENT…HARSH…SELFISH…

They tear down… ( often in the name of God, yet in the spirit of  Self righteousness)

They gossip… (often in the name of prayer)

They are critical, but not helpful

They are wounded and wound others

They are fearful, not faithful

They follow personalities, rather than God

This may unfortunately describe where some of us still are! But we do NOT have to stay here!

The Spirit of God will convict us of  sin, righteousness and judgement. (Jn 16:8-11)

Praise God for His great grace!

We may need to change some of our relationships…on the other hand, we may need to repent of the wrong influence we have been to someone else!

Stepping into holiness is a commitment unlike any other!  We cannot accomplish this apart from Gods grace…and yet the Word tells us that without holiness…no one will see the LORD! (Heb 12;14-15)

With all of this in mind, let us yield to the Potters hand as we carefully look to our next attribute…

Titus 2:3“…not slanderers…”

SLANDER: defamation (or unjustified injury to another’s reputation), unashamed of speaking falsehood,backbiting, cattiness, bitchiness (no kidding girls! I got this straight out of Roget’s Thesaurus!) stab in the back, backbite, speak ill behind ones back

What conviction in one tiny word!

I am convicted…

My sisters, if your heart is convicted by this message, make this your prayer as well…

Father,

It is hard to look into the mirror of Your holiness…

Nevertheless, I am challenged by your statutes to be changed by Your grace!

May my life better represent You in this matter.

I am undone!

I have spoken without regard about those souls whom your precious Son died to save!

I am repentant! 

 May we learn to love and respect, and carry each other’s reputation with great care!

In Jesus Name,

 Amen!

Dear Reader…

Much time has lapsed since my last post. Great joys, and great sorrows have filled our lives. Yet this remains…

God is faithful.

                    His Word is timeless…

                                                         perfect…

                                                                       true…

I left you with the promise of studying Titus principles of Womanhood and Homemaking, and we certainly shall! Yet, I believe that God in His infinite wisdom prevented me from writing an incomplete truth that might have led some of you into a bondage of “behaviour modification,” rather than persuading the heart of it’s need of  internal transformation.

So now is the time to start at the foundation…

At the bottom of every soul decision, is the “desire” of the heart. (James 1:14-15)

This desire is the reason, or…the validation, or…the excuse as to “why” we do what we do, and say what we say. This is true whether we are aware of it or not. To try and accomplish principles without understanding the perspective of our own heart’s desire could very well end in deep frustration and ultimate failure.

I have a better hope concerning you my beloved sisters!

If our hearts desire is on ANYTHING less than on God Himself, we will deceive ourselves into doing “right” things…for wrong reasons. Let me explain…

If a woman wants something from her husband, she may “do” things for him in order to please him…but not that he might be pleased, but rather that she may gain from him what her heart desires. this is called manipulation and it is sin even in its smallest measure.

We do this easily in our relationship with God, until we learn of our true hearts condition. Even “good” desires can lead us astray if those desires conflict with God’ will, way and timing in our lives. This is what Paul speaks of, throughout his letter to the Romans; becoming aware of both the law of sin and the gift of grace…we are now able to crucify the lusts of the flesh as we receive power of the Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to the Lord.

All of this to say that without authentic salvation, there is no way we will be able to sustain the principles of godly womanhood, because eventually, the desire to self- protect, or self -provide will surface into our behaviour! there is no other way to live the Christian life experience without the authentic power of regeneration happening from the inside out!

Authentic Salvation breathes eternal life into our –SPIRIT (immediately)

that salvation produces sanctification which refines and redeems the contents of our–SOUL (throughout our lifetime)

Which upon death or the coming of the LORD will grant us the fullness of this promise by glorifying our mortal–BODIES (eternally) (Rom 8:29-30)

I beg you then, to search your own heart and know if you truly be in Christ Jesus. If you have not truly been born again by His Spirit, this study,(nor any other) will not bring the fruitfulness you hope for in your life, or marriage. God resists the proud…but gives grace to the humble, therefore, humble yourself now…empty yourself now…that He may fill you with His desire.

Let us begin…

As we look at our passage, let us begin with an understanding of our admonition…

“…Older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things…” Titus 2:3

Older woman…who is this? Is it any woman older than us? No. By the definition of admonition, we must look for a mentor who is first, reverent…

REVERANT: character revealing respect; One who stands in awe and fear of God; the outward manifestation of this through behavior; Humble; respects others…

Do we know someone like this? If not, do we settle for less than this in a mentor? Do we strive for friendship at the expense of this instruction?

Is a “churchy” mentor a good enough replacement for “godly” one?

I will say infatically NO!

Proverbs 12:26 says, ” the righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.”

A mentor is simply a “friend with influence” someone we have given authority to invest in us, to motivate,and inspire us.

It is better to walk alone with the counsel of the Lord and His word, rather than be molded into the image of a woman who does not fear the Lord.

Think about the attribute of reverence…

Search it out…

What does it look like…sound  like?

Ask the Lord to reveal your own hearts disposition…

Remember, your actual self, at your deepest core is seen by God. your presented self, is what you hope others see in you…and your percieved self is what others actually see.

When you are completely genuine, and your true hearts disposition is what you present and what others actually perceive, you will have become a woman of transparent integrity! that is the goal of a Titus woman!

Meditate on these thoughts until we meet again!

Father God,

We ask You to make known to us our deepest need for You first and foremost. Please awaken Your desire within us… to move us to live, believing and behaving as woman in whom You are well pleased!

In Jesus Name

Amen

This blog has been a great diffuser for my soul. But I confess, I have become quite indulgent.

I have written out my understanding of theology, the applications of faith, and my emotional battles that I cannot seem to express in any other way. However this forum has not yet accomplished the purpose for which it is written, indeed, I have found myself distracted from the task in almost every entry.

This, my dear reader, is my attempt to course correct the ministry that God has so graciously entrusted.

I am a woman. An older woman now it seems. The grandchild that lay in my daughters arms as well as the invading grey hairs throughout my lustrous locks reminds me daily. My time, it seems, is racing forward at an alarming speed.

My grandmother, God bless her soul, used to tell me often that I should pay more attention to what was in front of me right now. She was right.  Even as I ponder this last year, I am amazed at the moments I bulldozed right through, not aware of the precious opportunities I passed up, or passed by without notice.

Although I have no idea who may be reading this, I feel I have neglected my obligation to those of you who do…

 So here’s me trying to capture the value of this moment. To saver and respond to what I know to be true…

As a woman, especially as an older woman, my priority is to love my husband, (and to agree with God on what that really means) to love my children, (and grandchildren) in the way that glorifies God. To be effective and influential as a homemaker, hospitable as a neighbor and friend. and do this without grumbling and with a quiet and gentle spirit!  (Titus 2:3-5, 1Peter 3:1-5)

To accomplish this, and then to teach other women to do so, (without forsaking the responsiblity to continue walking it out ourselves,) is the ministry of a godly women. 

So I am taking this moment to stand on this proverbial “wall.” I am sounding a trumpet. This is a call to battle and a shout of warning to those who do not heed. I cry out to those women who will listen. I beseech them not to listen to my voice…but to listen to the One who has already called out to them by name.

My sisters,

Does it not grieve your soul to know that the “world” has devalued the sanctity of human life, and degraded the importance of the family unit into a ridiculed satire on sitcom television?

Then why do you still choose to listen to the world to teach you what it is to be a woman? What you should eat, what you should wear, what you should buy and where you should live? This consumerism and marketing mindset has so permeated the churches, that even here it seems no different than a comfortable suburban country club to which we hand over the teaching of our children, the expectation of our value and worth, as well as our expectation on the “safe, and positive” entertainment for which we seem so hungry for.

My Sisters, this ought not be so!

I am not advocating political activism, deeper social awareness, or even cultural change. The Word of God tells us these things must take place before the return of our Lord. But there are things that are our responsibility. They are clear and understandable to the yielded and submitted heart. We are to be about our Father’s business…not business as usual according to our culture…even the culture of “church.”

Living in the presence of the Lord is an eternal mindset that is not subject to the surrounding culture. In fact, when we are confident and obedient to the indwelling Holy Spirit, our lives should have an impact on everything around us. This is true for every nation, in every age throughout all time.

Every “ministry” can be distorted by flesh and maintained by selfish ambition. One way to avoid deception in this area is to understand what ministry is from God’s perspective.

The home and family is God’s ordained epicenter. The church was intended to be a corporate gathering of individuals who believed God’s Word, and had become a part of His family. Because of this,they took seriously the relational responsibility that they had with one another. They understood the priority of walking in faith by representing true ministry in their homes first…and then they could bring the reality of their testimony to equip and encourage others from the wisdom of seeing God display His transformation power in the family unit, (even in all of it’s challenges and daily needs). This was in fact the criteria for choosing leadership within that church structure…only those who could walk out the principles of faith in their homes with a good reputation, were considered worthy then to deal with the issues of the household of faith.

If the church is ever to represent God rightly…it must become a better accountability to the truth of God’s heart and purpose for the family.

I call out to you, my sisters in Christ. Go silently to your prayer closets. Read Titus and Timothy. Know that although we consider these to be the doctrine of the churches, they expound upon the heart of the family. May you see your role as both powerful and influential as a godly woman in the home.

In the next entry, we will open up the Titus verses concerning us as women. My hope is that we will be able to disengage ourselves from everything that would distract us from living a life that pleases God.

The world statistics concerning healthy family relationships are deplorable…unfortunately the statistics for families within the church culture often fair no better. But I have better hopes concerning you! Take God at His word and watch your home and family become the epicenter within your world of His redeeming grace!

May it be So!

Walking alongside

Laura

I’ve never done this before, but I must write a short disclaimer to add to this unusually long blog post.

Some of you may know that I am currently working on a new book. This content of this blog posting will be central to what I am writing…however, I felt that this was too precious to keep to myself until that manuscript is finished!

With this in mind, I submit this “very big idea” for your thoughts and consideration. I suggest reading and meditating on the scriptures noted, as well as any others that the Lord may lead you to

Happy Discovery!

Laura

The Epiphany of “One”

Have you ever wondered why God said in Genesis 1:27 that He made man in His own image,  (Male and female) and then later in Genesis 2:7, He said that He brought forth man, (Adam) from the dust of the earth? Did it seem strange to you that God would say this out of order?

Shouldn’t He have said He made man…then, that He made them male and female?

If you are like me, you know that God does everything with intention and precise order. This isn’t just a glitch in the text…the order here is important.

I have also come to understand that unless the Lord Himself gives revelation about His Word, it will remain a mystery. We are at the mercy of His divine will and timing in such matters.  We must resist the temptation to explain what we do not understand with our own sense of logic and human reasoning. If we do not, we will end up filling the gaps of eternal truth with fleshy theology.

As I have been writing about the divine purpose of man and woman in marriage, this seemingly “out of order” portion of Scripture nagged at the back of my mind. I was even hesitant about quoting it within my manuscript for fear I would misrepresent what I did not fully understand.

One night, while listening to a sermon on the need for absolute and “literal” interpretation of Genesis, The Lord whispered to my heart, “Laura…do you want to know why I wrote the order that way?? Yes…it is intentional. When I Created man in My image I created all that mankind contains, (male and female.) When I formed Adam, he was complete…but alone. Then I took the rib from Adam and separated the woman from him, in order that I could fashion her for him. In marriage they become ‘one’ again, recognizing that their completion is in one another.”

Eve was not a response to Adams loneliness. In fact, God allowed Adam to feel solitude precisely so that he would desire and appreciate the helpmate fashioned for him!

This is not the greatest mystery, however.

Scripture also reveals that man and woman in this way represented the picture of the union of the Godhead. (Eph 6:22-33)    Jesus, who was with God and who was God in the beginning, (John 1:1) was Himself also separated from the Father in the sacrifice of the atonement before the foundation of the world. (Rev 13:8)This was not an afterthought, but occurred in the heart of God long before the actual crucifixion was manifested in history.

As Jesus was again reunited with the Father in the ascension, the Love of God was literally opened and displayed throughout the universe! The glory of this reunion brings continued worship to the Lord that is magnified throughout all of eternity. This is true, because in the place made during that separation, those who are chosen before the foundation of the world, (Eph 1:4) are born again and are grafted into that place of unity.

This is the theology of the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Cor 5:17-18)

 (Side note…) Theology is a big term. But what it really means is the study of God. Interpreting the Scriptures with Scripture is the only means of absolute reliability. Otherwise, what we believe to be true about God, ourselves, sin and eternity, could very easily be misguided and insecure.

Every believer has some sort of “Theology.” The authenticity of our faith is determined by how true the anchor…never by how strongly we feel about a matter. What we believe is either tied securely to the Rock of Christ or tossed to and fro by the waves of various doctrines of men.     

What I am attempting to explain here is an incredible revelation that is the pinnacle of much of what scripture teaches. If we do not understand the “epiphany of One,” we will distort both the foundation of “natural” life here on planet Earth…as well as the “spiritual” life that stretches on into Eternity.

(A good sub-study here would be to look up every time the word, “foundation” is used in Scripture…It is eye opening!)

This is true because everything is built on a foundation…

One day, through the power of the Holy Spirit, all that has been made from God will be fashioned for God (in the redemption process) in order to be reconciled with Him in a kind of oneness we can’t even comprehend.

Jesus’ prayer will finally be answered. “…May they be one…as you and I are one…that they be one with us.” (John 17)  All who belong to the Lord will be unified with Him at the great marriage supper of the Lamb. At that time, this great mystery will be made known. We will be with Him and we will be like Him.(1Jn 3:2)

This kind of intimacy is a holy thing. As human marriage is sacred, so much more is the unity of the Bride as she becomes one with the Lord of Glory.

This does not just “happen” some day in eternity…it is a continuing and growing reality now and forevermore.

God has hard-wired the desire for genuine intimacy as a compass for our soul. It is the one thing we long for most of all.

While we long for unity…everything in our world either strives against it, or counterfeits it. Life is unfair, hard and hurtful. People ask the question at sometime in their life…why?

 The answer is simple and complete…Genesis 3

Everything was separated at the fall of creation. Intimacy itself is the holy gift offered to this broken and fallen world. It is out of place and undeserved. Yet it is an eternal impartation; a spiritual invitation of a reality we can only partially comprehend. It is the first glimpse of grace.

This grace is the evidence that the Spirit of God is moving over the face of the earth drawing all men to Himself.

When we respond in drawing close to Him, we find ourselves also drawn to those who bear His likeness. We cannot truly love God without loving the others He is drawing to Himself. (1Jn 4:20)

Regardless of our current spiritual condition, in our flesh, we can touch, taste, see, hear and smell. We are given these sensations to intrigue and invite us; to awaken within us the desire to go deeper…want more…settle for nothing less than to be completely satisfied.

So we explore our world…

We fashion new worlds in books and movies…

We pursue relationships… 

We investigate and imagine possibilities…

Trying all the while to connect the dots to the bigger picture of what is important.

But without the Holy Spirit, we pollute, or pervert the longings. Only the Oneness of Christ will bring genuine freedom and perfect fulfillment.

We live in a culture of diversity and division. The majority cries out for personal satisfaction and individual accomplishment. To truly learn what it means to experience relational intimacy, we must learn what it means to “Trust God.”

Not trust God for something…but to trust Him for Himself. If He is good, and He wants to become one with us, we must learn to trust His means of accomplishing the union. When we do this, we allow the life of God to be “grafted in” to the gaping hole of our unmet needs and desires. In this way, we allow God to fill us up in our empty places.

 When we are not afraid to be vulnerable, we become available to healing in real ways that bring the true definition of what wholeness means.

For me, this revelation brought a relevancy to the scripture that was exhilarating!  So many verses seemed to connect to everyday life and make sense to me. I gained perspective into the bigger picture and I saw a glimpse of what it will look like when all things are once and for all reconciled to Christ.

This epiphany will affect everything… 

How we Yield to the will of God… 

What our understanding of marriage is…

What our responsibility is with other people…

How we view what is broken…and what we do to bring about reconciliation.

This realization that the “desire to connect” effects everything in creation caused me to look at movies like, “Avatar” in a brand new way. Although biblically incompatible, this underlying story is still able to stir up that longing for relational oneness.

Within that imaginary landscape is what I call a “beautiful distortion” of what is indeed God’s desire; genuine worship of Him from a completed unity with everything and everyone in His creation.  The part that is beautiful is the longing that invites us into a deeper connection with life itself. The distortion in this particular story line is that the source of life is not Christ, but something less; like nature or pantheism.

In maturity, we can appreciate the underlying longing for life and meaning, without condoning the wrong answer to it. Instead, we should be able to use that longing to extend the invitation of grace through faith.

We must learn to bridge the gap between the genuine longing of the human heart…and the truth that frees that heart to worship the One True God!

The reason people love stories like Avatar, Narnia, Lord of the Rings and other Utopian quests, is that underneath the imagination of man’s creativity is the longing for redemption that God has already provided.  

There is only one story…we either tell it in partiality, or we pollute it altogether. Some of these stories tell the truth in allegory form…and some distort the purpose altogether. No one can create something that has not already existed in some form of truth within the mind of Almighty God.

And because of that, we can trust Him to reveal Himself in and through anything He chooses. Even if it is not a “Christian production”…it can be used as a God orchestrated encounter with Him nonetheless!

There really can be no conclusion to this epiphany.

True oneness is either gathered…or scattered. (Matt 12:3)

True truth is like a magnet to the heart of the believer. It draws us deeper into the unity of God’s heart. It prepares us for what will one day be an eternal reality!

Equally, truth is also a repellent to those who do not believe.

In the end of all things there are only two paths.

Complete unity in love…or absolute separation in eternal isolation.

The Word of God, the Spirit of God, and the world God created will one day be in perfect agreement! The word of God is certain. It will one day be accomplished in every realm…in every heart…in every way, and yes, even in every story!

Whether we are learning what it means to be a disciple of Christ or how to live faithfully in our relationships, may we all continue to gather together what God had joined to Himself. This is the great Epiphany of One…

Walking Alongside…                                                                                                                                                 Laura

I Will Praise Him

I have had a very hard…but good week.  Some will not understand what could be “good” about the sudden and unexpected death of a family member, but for those who know and are known by Christ, all things do work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes; yes… indeed, all things. (Romans 8:28)

I have often witnessed the God of Sovereign goodness as He orchestrates His will among the sin and suffering of this fallen world. Yet this reality permeates my very soul when the sin and suffering are my own, and He nonetheless still offers mercy and grace in my time of need.

The problem with how we sometimes view suffering, is that we do not believe we deserve it. We somehow think that we should be exempt if we are “good” people, or if God Himself is good towards us. But this is certainly a false theology and leads us to misinterpret our own wretched condition…as well as God’s infinite grace towards us. We do not know His heart when this is how we view His allowance of our pain.

It is pleasant to talk about the love of God in times of peace and blessing, but it is quite another to be lifted up in the grace of His presence when our circumstances are at their worst. To be able to trust and obey the call of His purposes when we cannot see much more than the step in front of us… That is a walk of faith.

Some say that faith is blind. But those who truly live by faith know and experience God through internal and eternal perspective. We may not “see” with our eyes, but we do see with the eyes of spiritual insight and understanding.

It should be enough to trust the Lord with what we do not understand. He alone is God. He does what pleases Him….not always what pleases us in our finite understanding of things.

This blog has been many things to and through me.

I have written in my frustration at the complacent church.

I have written in an attempt to address the selfish childish tantrums I have witnessed in those who claim Jesus as Lord.

But in the end, I write to express my gratitude and everlasting worship for The God who has revealed Himself in ways that personally take my breath away.

This week, I have stood at the gates of eternity and watched as someone I love passed through. I stood alongside some people who are fearful of that day coming for them… They experienced fear, horror, and great grief; unable to come to terms with the loss and separation they felt.

Yet I also stood alongside others who wait patiently for that day, for they know whom they have believed and are persuaded He is able to keep all that they have committed to their Lord against that day. (2Tim 1:12) They know where they are going and they are at peace with death. They know that day will bring unrestrained joy and absolute freedom. They believe that any suffering we experience now is worth it. I am one of those who believe such things.

Our God is a Universal Sovereign God…but He is very personal.

There is no individual truth…but His absolute truth affects each of us in intimate and individual experience.

Our own life is a vapor…but is still God-breathed. He alone knows the number of days we are permitted, and He tends to us each day with an expression of His mercy and the invitation to know Him and abide in the presence of His love.

When we finally come to that place of total surrender, we do not lose our free will, or our choice to sin as some would hope…

In mercy and in protection, our heart which has been sealed by the Holy Spirit is made raw with the sensitivity of our fallen nature; and yet increasingly we also become aware of His majestic grace which covers our every transgression.

It is the desire of the Lord for us to desire Him in return.

Heaven is not just a “place” where we receive reward and blessing, it is the eternal dwelling place of the presence of the Lord! All that is of Him and through Him and for Him will be “there.”

 In contrast, Hell is the absence of all that is God. There is no dwelling or peace or presence of God at all. It will be the most desolate aloneness that could be experienced for all of eternity. All that will remain is the tortured mind of “self” left to itself, in all of its sin and treason to be consumed and still live.

For some, this world will be the closest they ever come to Hell. Praise God! For the suffering that they experience will one day end!

For some, this is the closest to Heaven they will ever come. In delusion and deception they, eat, drink, and are merry. As they enjoy sunshine and family, they are unaware of the expiration date that the pleasures of this world have stamped upon them.

It was right for our beloved brother John to write:

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding. That we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” 

 (1 John 5:20)

The Scripture still seems a mystery to those who try and use it for their own purposes, or who reject God’s authority altogether. But for those who are yielded to obey the Word of God because they love Him, everything that is written becomes absolute truth and eternal life, now and forevermore!

This week was hard for me because I suffered loss. But it was also good because I know that God will allow no suffering to come into my life that will not ultimately be for my good and His glory. I can be absolutely certain, that even in these things, He is ever faithful.

I was amazed, that even though my heart felt torn, I actually “saw” God at work. It felt safe to both grieve, and minister comfort to others, because I could rely on the Lord’s sovereignty to be trustworthy. I am persuaded again and again that He orchestrates everything in our lives for the “greatest good” for His “greater glory”.

We will certainly praise Him in the end for His wise and wonderful ways even if we do not understand them now. It better for us if we can praise Him now…before we see all things from His perspective.

I have witnessed both tragedy and triumph. It is two sides of the same coin. God who is all wise has determined that through the contrast we might experience joy through sorrow, and purpose from pain. To Him be the Glory!

Amen

I have finally come to a sad and unfortunate understanding…

There are many who claim Christianity, but have no intention of following Christ.

They don’t have to. They have made up another Jesus! (Gal 1:6-10) This one suits their criteria much better.

This is my illustration of the false gospel of culture christianity…

He is a soft and gentler Jesus who never corrects… never holds his people accountable, and forgives every trespass without any repentance required!

This Jesus comes to live in the heart of the “believer” as somewhat of a genie or a butler. He serves and cleans and blesses the desires of the heart he lives in. He does not impose his righteousness, but he commiserates with the hurt and hardship of humanity.

His bible is a collection of keys and formulas to be learned in order to gain the prosperity and promise of a better life in this world.

This Jesus is mostly concerned with our personal happiness. He agrees with the complacent, that holiness is beyond the reach of mortal man.

This Jesus has a cross, but he would never ask us to carry one of our own.

This Jesus has power, but it only seems to work in church buildings or in the bubble of sub-culture developments. Real life hardships and relationships are somehow exempt from his authority.

What I have just described is the discipleship of emotionalism and uniformity. Where feeling good about oneself is the worship, and our “common union” is not centered on God, but on our own human frailties.

These are congregations filled with seeker friendly programs and comfort laden café’s. The only recognized authority is speaking what the people already want to hear. 

The pastors and teachers of this Jesus, speak pleasant words that affirm and encourage. Their sermons are light and comfortable, never condemning of sin or hard to understand.

The above parody would be laughable if it were not actually true! The biblical warning of false prophets and teachers is upon us! (1Tim 4:1-2)

I think many more of us would be alarmed if this had not been such a subtle and insidious transformation.

This could never happen in our church! Right??

You must be talking about some other church…right???

Right now…

            There are pastors and leaders teaching that the bible is not without error. That it is subject to our judgment of right and wrong. Their own sin and woundedness is reinterpreting Biblical Truth.

Right now…

            “Bible study” is rarely actually studying the Word of God, but some other book that teaches topically. These books may or may not be written from a clear biblical perspective.

            Some of the books being studied in small groups right now, actually claim that the book of Genesis is a poetic allegory and should not be taken literally.

Right now…

            More Christians are worried about pleasing people rather than pleasing God. In fact most of these people believe that there is no way of knowing what pleases God.

Right now…

            The least popular sermon to preach…is repentance.

To all those who are in Christ Jesus, the Son of the Living God, AWAKE! And RISE from your stupor!

We have been like a frog put in a pot of cold water, being unaware that the heat was turned up on high.

We didn’t notice as the water was getting warmer…

            Small compromises to the Word of Truth did not seem to hurt anything…

As the temperature rose, we grew uncomfortable…

          Why isn’t our “faith”… seem to be “working?”

            But really…Is it any of our business to say anything???

            Who are we to speak to our elders and leaders…don’t they know what to do???

As the water has begun to boil…many hearts have died or grown cold…

The truth is:

Many have strayed concerning the Scriptures.

Many are “using” the scriptures to fulfill the desires of the flesh.

Many are flocking to conferences and seminars which promise to improve their life, but are void of the Author of Life.

The Truth is:

We will only receive as much truth as we are willing to obey Him. 

This is because Truth is not an “it” but a Person; a person who is Creator Sustainer, Redeemer, Rewarder.

He is the LORD!

The Boiling water of apathy has deceived us!

Many of us now believe that we do not have to be obedient as long as we remain victims to our circumstances. If we can prove we are too wounded to obey God’s Word, we will be excused from our own responsibility.

This is a lie of great proportions!

The authentic Christian is both a Christ follower, and continually becoming Christ-like. If this is not happening it is because we have stopped surrendering to our Sovereign, Saving Lord.

The Word of God is TRUTH!

The Bible is without error; in its entirety! There is not a sentence written within its pages that is subject to our finite and feeble philosophies of right and wrong.

Regardless of whether or not we comprehend what is written, God said what He meant, and He means what He says. The revelation of truth will only be understood by those who are willing to obey it.

So how should we respond?

• The first and foremost response should be to self-examine our own life to see whether or not we are in Christ!!! (2 Cor 13:5)
• Repent! Be quick to agree with God concerning His Word. Wherever our life is in disobedience, we are in danger of being deceived. (Luke 13:2-5)
• Forgive the trespasses of those who have sinned against us. Do not hold on to grudges, anger, or injury. Allow the gift of grace to release any bondage of unforgiveness. Allow God to Judge the offense. (Rom 12:19-21)
• Read the Word of God with the heart of an obedient child. Do not approach the divine law as something to dissect for our own benefit. To look at God’s Holiness with that mindset is to be self-centered…not God centered. (John 5:37-45)
• Remember…The Word of God was not conceived solely for our benefit; It was, is and always will be truth from the mind of the supreme Creator. The world and all that is in it, (including humanity) was created for His glory. It is His to rule and redeem for His good pleasure. Although we do benefit from God’s love and everlasting kindness…we are still not the center of His universe—He is! (Col 1:16-20)
• Do not be afraid to speak the Truth to those who are in danger of deception!  We are our brother’s keeper. We will give an account to God for whatever evil we allow within the gates of our sphere of influence. If we see danger and send no warning, we most certainly will be held accountable. (Ez 33:2-9)
• Do not live in Fear…but in Faith! Allow God room to transform our experience of Him! He delights in our honest discovery of Who He really is! He is more magnificent in His reality, than any image of Him we could possibly create!

May we all know the One True God, and worship Him together…forever!

Amen!

I am having an interesting love/hate relationship with Facebook lately. On one hand, it is a great relational tool. You can be in contact with new friends and old friends from all across the country, even around the world.

 Yet, I am beginning to notice this increasingly dangerous habit emerging on the pages of those who participate. People are writing whatever pops into their little heads. Now, I do not intend to be judgmental about this, people are FREE to write whatever they want. I, myself write many words that I will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for…

 “WHAT?” you ask

“We are going to give an account for status messages? What about text messaging (yes those too) Hey! That seems a little over the top Laura! Come on! Those are just words to pass the idle time.”

 Matthew 12:36-37, says, “But I say to you that for every idle word that men may speak, they will give an account for it in the Day of Judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

 Here is my contention; I believe that as fellow Christians, we are commanded to walk alongside one another in love. Sometimes, that means we need to guard and guide each other along the pathway of this life. I believe if we do a good job of “shepherding” one another, and being our brother’s keeper, we will be much more ready for that day when we must all stand before the Lord.

 Not long ago, I was watching a program on TV, which was featuring the Web search engine Company, Google. Did you know that Google stores all searches that are typed from your computer?  There have been criminal cases that actually called up evidence that people carelessly typed into their computers. Even if they deleted the information from their personal computer, it still exists out in cyber-space; it is as if it has been eternally written. It will never go away.

 Think about that.

If Google can keep records of the words written on your PC, how much more do we think our heavenly Father will collect all of our words?

 It seems to have become quite popular to write little euphemisms on the status walls of all the social media’s. Twitter, Face book, My Space, all have little boxes that demand our freedom of expression. But the truth is, whatever we write…we are “speaking” to the world. If we are careless or thoughtless with our words, we are in danger of judgment.

 Here is one seemingly harmless phrase that provoked this article:

“If you can not trust God’s hands…at least trust His heart!”

What?????

Here is what this little harmless, cutesy statement is really saying:

God’s hands (what He gives, what He is doing in your life, what He is allowing to happen) may not always be good or trustworthy. But…His thoughts and intentions are for your good even if His actions are not.

 This statement separates God’s actions from His character. If His actions are not so good, at least His heart is good. It also implies that it is ok not to trust Gods Way for you as long as you trust His Will. That in and of itself is a paradox of impossibility! No wonder the church is confused!

 This little bumper sticker comment is not true and it actually confuses and distorts what is true about God! It can actually cause real harm to one who is still learning God’s character and is weak in his faith. The one who writes such frivolity is in reality…perpetuating a LIE!

 Dear reader…

Words are powerful. Right now I may have provoked you to either anger or fear….just by reading my words.

 Somehow, we are ok with framing our feelings about God with some truth and some experience. Even if what we actually end up saying doesn’t quite line up with Scripture. We should tremble with fear at that reality.

 As I said in the beginning, we are FREE to say whatever we want.  But as “professing” Christians…what are we professing????

Remember the phrase,

 “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me?”

It was a lie then, it is a lie now, and you never hear it anymore.

As a poet I would say,

 “Once upon a careless time,

 We were seduced to believe a rhyme!”

Names do hurt. Words do matter. People listen to them and they frame our thinking about God, life, and each other.

 We need to make sure that what we are writing isn’t just brilliant, catchy and cute. Anything that isn’t completely true is a deception.  I know that sounds legalistic and harsh. Believe me, I wrestle with the reality of my own limitations to articulate true truth, but never-the-less, it is Gods Holy Word that gives us the guidelines. Just a tiny bit tainted is un-truth, and can lead the weak and unstable astray.

 We must be careful with our words…the eyes of the world are reading them… the hearts of the world are processing them… And our Father in heaven is recording them all.

 So, next time you look at that little curser flashing at you to tell the world what you are doing…what you are thinking….what you are believing….

 Beware!

 “Take care my friend before you type,

            The seeds you sow one day are ripe

And those who eat the fruit Not True

            Will point the blame right back at you!”   (And me!)

Walking Alongside with fear and trembling

Laura

Author and founder of “Heart of God”  ministries, John Zumwalt, shares this story. 

“When I was in Sunday school, my teacher, (like many of yours) helped me to know the love of God by reciting the verse,  John 3:16 with my name inserted. As a child learning the truth of Salvation this was a wonderful way to bring it home.

“For God so loved (John)that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

But if I respond by believing in the Son, am I not taken out of the world, and placed in Christ? If this is true, why don’t we then reevaluate our position by changing the context to this:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave His one and only Son(Whom John is hidden within) that whomever believes in Him( through the testimony of John’s life that bears witness of Christ) shall not perish but have eternal life.

Do you see how dramatically the picture changes?

As I thought about this story, I found myself looking at all of Scripture differently.

It seems so many of us are stunted by Sunday School immaturity. We still want to sing Jesus Loves me, we still desire the comfort zone that continues to be “saved in the world” instead of out of it.

 We still see ourselves as the victims of our circumstances and want continual reassurance that Jesus Died for me… Jesus Loves Me …Salvation and security is for Me!  This is not Christianity, this is Me-Ology!

Once we are “saved” we are taken out of the world. (John 15:19) And we are placed by grace through faith into Christ (1Cor 1:30)

What would our churches look like if we were taught the truth of  Scripture with the above transformed perspective?

“And Jesus came and spoke to them (His disciples) saying,”All authority(power to accomplish His will). has been given to Me( and you in Me) in heaven and on earth Go (that means you!) therefore and make disciples of all the nations (every tribe, tongue and nation) baptizing them(new believers) in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them(those who have come to faith in Christ) to observe all things I have commanded you (all who are Mine) and lo; I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Doesn’t it seem to you that many of us are really grasping for the privilege of the “Lo, I am with you always..,”  part, but not really thrilled with the responsibility of the , “Go and make disciples..,” part?

What if the privilege of the continual abiding relationship that Jesus offers in Matthew 28, us is conditional to the command to Go? What if He meant it exactly as it is written? What if we looked at all the Scriptures like this? Would we see our role differently! would we lean to trust God even more?

I believe so.

Beloved, It comes down to three basic phases of authentic Christianity

Salvation—–Sanctification—–and—– Glorification

Salvation is:   “For God so loved…(insert name here) that He gave His one and only Son…” (John 3:16)

What that means…

We are translated from the “world” to live in Christ

Sanctification is: “   But of Him you…(insert name here) are in Christ Jesus who became for us(insert name here)  the wisdom of God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption…” (1 Cor 13:30)

What this means…

Walking by faith the rest of our lives in Christ. Representing Christ to the world as we learn what it means to be about our Fathers business. As Jesus walked the earth, so now we walk by faith in Him.

Glorification is:   “Moreover, whom ( insert name here) He predestined, these (insert name here) He also called; whom(insert name here) He called, these (insert name here) He also justified; and whom(insert name here) these He also glorified…” (Romans 8:30)

What this means…

This life is a progression of relationship. One day we will be presented blameless before the throne of God. One day we will experience the fullness of our salvation in His presence. On that day in eternity we will understand what Glory really is.

So… where are you as you read Scripture?

I added the parentheses to give illustration to the point. (insert name here…) as you read the Word of God, ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are within the verses. You may be amazed at what He shows you!

Where you see yourself is important. It will determine how you think, speak and act.

Are you still in the world…or are you in Christ? If you are  in Christ, are you pleasing the Father as you walk your life in faith?

Are you still learning that you are loved, or are you ready to take that great love you have received, into the World that Jesus came to redeem?

May God so fill you with the confidence of His love, that you are zealous to GO! and take the truth of the good news of salvation wherever your feet may carry you!

Blessings!

Laura

Is it really that important to believe that God is Sovereign…and that He is Good?

I have come to the conclusion that it is imperative.

I have often traced back my own fumbling steps to the “original sin” to figure out why I fall so easily to the traps and temptations the enemy sets for me. ( Gen 3)

 I have discovered a few things I would like to share with you.

First, the strategy of the enemy has not changed… Satan has just had more practice throughout the years to perfect his technique.

Secondly, Eve was in a state of inner innocence and outer perfection when she fell. This means if perfect behavior is the only safe place from the temptation of sin…we are all in a lot of trouble! Because those of us who live in this millennium are far, far, from Eden!

And most importantly, we need to remember that the original sin was only a response. It was the original lie that exposed the root of what Eve truly believed about God. She had negotiated the value of His Word in her heart… and that is what truly sealed her fate.

Satan does not make us sin…he just creates an atmosphere of doubt. He causes us to question the faithfulness of God, and as soon as he has us in that mindset, he offers us an opportunity to “be like God,” and take matters into our own hands. (Gen 3:1-5)

Eve’s first sin was not that she took the fruit of the forbidden tree; it was when she changed her mind about God’s authority and goodness. As soon as she began to entertain doubts about His Word to her and the greatness of the love in His instruction, her heart was immediately turned towards the temptation to rebel.

This is the same tactic the enemy uses to this day…

It is the natural human condition to desire happiness, comfort and safety. (lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and the pride of life, 1John:15-17), But it is that same desire that can allow room for the enemy to suggest to us that God’s will for us is subject to our judgment. If what we believe about God shifts in that moment of temptation, we will always fall prey to the stronghold of our own desire to self-protect, or self initiate our own agenda.  

What we believe about God’s character at the core of our being really matters.

James 1:12-17, tells us that it is our own desires that lead us astray! If in that balance of our own soul we are not convinced of God’s sovereignty or His goodness, we will be led astray. We will not even know what hit us until after our desire has conceived its sin, and sin gives birth to death. And there we will be… sitting in the funeral of our own hopes and dreams!

How many of us cry out to God in that place? How many of us still soaked in the muck and mire of our own doing, still find the nerve to blame God for allowing our situation?  This, for many of us, becomes the evidence that God does not love us, or somehow is careless enough to let us down.

Worse than the mistake that stumbled us, is the lie that is now implanted in our heart convincing us that God cannot be trusted.

This was the true trespass of Eve, and this is still the only strategy that the enemy intends to sow in our heart today.

Gen 50:20 tells us that when we have the right perspective of Who God is, we can truly say, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” (Italics mine)

**********

So how do we stop ourselves from taking the bait of Satan and resist the urge to mistrust God’s intention towards us?

·        Learning what it really means to STOP and take our thoughts captive before the obedience of Christ Jesus (1 Cor 10:3-6)

Jesus is both Savior and Lord.

His love produced the sacrifice for our eternal life and well-being. While His absolute authority brings about perfect reconciliation for the Glory of His Name! We can have no better provision or protection in this world!

When we respond to our circumstances from an accurate perspective, we are more likely to obey with a God centered outcome! But, if we are more focused on our own desire, (what we want to get out of this…) we will not trust God’s means of accomplishing His way in us. In effect, alienating, or making an enemy of everything we do not agree with or understand.

Yet it is still true that God somehow works out our salvation through the process of redemption. In other words, we often can only learn truth experientially after falling for the lie. There is something incredibly powerful about a life that bears witness to the truth… because they have paid dearly to own it.

These two truths are worth the price we pay to own them. They are the anchors of a life hidden in the power of Christ!

God is Sovereign.

He can be nothing less.

He orchestrates, or allows every situation and circumstance for the ultimate accomplishment of His purposes.

Absolutely NOTHING happens apart from His plan

God is Good

He is Love

He is merciful to all He has made

He is faithful

There is no shadow or darkness or evil in His nature in any way

God can be trusted with any and every situation we find ourselves in. But it is in the grace of discovering that reality where we will finally be able to walk in authentic victory!

Amen!