The King’s Gate

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“But Mordecai went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. “(Esther 4:2)

 
Mordecai was among the first to hear of the horrifying royal decree by the King… that all Mordecai’s people were to be brutally attacked and killed, that not one person was to be left alive. Imagine the horror, an entire people group wiped from the face of the earth. Mordecai’s grief was overwhelming. He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. He wailed aloud in the city right up to the “King’s gate”. However, not allowed to enter the gate in his present state, dressed in his garb of woe, he remained outside. No one was allowed to give the king any occasion of grief or trouble. Nothing and no one was allowed to dampen the pleasure of the king.

Thankfully, we serve a king who doesn’t care what we’re wearing or how discomforting our wailing cries; we can always enter the gate to Him. Today I am praying and crying out for my Syrian friends and their families in Aleppo, who are literally being wiped out by war and destruction! May they enter His gate.

 
Jesus is the approachable king, ready and willing to heal our wounds and mend the broken-hearted. He is an ever-present and loving Father. Look to Jesus. Trusting in Kings or men will inevitably leave you standing at the gate.

Forgive And Live

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“Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to kill all Mordecai’s people, throughout the whole kingdom.”(Esther 3:6)

Anger is quick to become a stronghold in our life and, like Haman, if left unchecked, will grow well beyond it’s beginnings.Haman’s hatred grew beyond his desire to kill one man, to a brutal desire to destroy an entire race of people! Anger and unforgiveness had become a stronghold in Haman’s life. His unforgiveness, like a deadly poison, was consuming him.

There is so much talk of hate and unforgiveness in our world today. We hate this, we hate that, we hate readily and freely, not thinking much of the consequences or the power of such a remark. Yet, people need loving the most, when they deserve it the least. If Jesus had waited until His enemies repented He’d never have prayed on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). Sure, it’s easier to forgive when others acknowledge their offense. But if that’s a prerequisite, you may never experience victory! Forgiveness, is God’s way OF life and God’s way TO life. So for your own sake, forgive, take back your life, and begin walking in the blessing of the Lord. If we close our hearts to forgiveness, then we close our hearts to God!

When Hope Seems Hopeless

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It’s always a blessing to return home and embrace the love and comfort of friends and family. Yet today my heart is turned toward those we recently visited in Turkey and on the Syrian border; those who have lost their homes, their spouses, their sons, their daughters and all that they know. Shattered by the chaos of war and blinded by the pain and fear that encircles them, their hearts and minds are full of unanswered questions as they cry out in desperation to God.
 Sometimes in the midst of so much pain and suffering , it may seem difficult to know just where to begin or how to pray. And yet we soon recognize a deep ache in our hearts that cries out for God’s mercy, and a longing to see him heal His people and to gather the nations of the earth to himself. God is faithful no matter how we feel or how much confusion and chaos swirls around us in many of the nations today. 
May we stand together and pray for God to heal the nations, and strengthen His people. May we pray for all those in authority. May we pray for blind eyes to be opened, for many to see the power of our Lord as never before. IMG_0026

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For times when it is difficult to know what to pray, we can trust these words as a place to begin, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26
) We are never left alone fending for ourselves, wrestling in worry, consumed with fear, or tempted towards hate. He continually reminds us that He is always with us. He reminds us that He will help us. He reminds us that He has not lost control, but has a plan, and that His purposes will prevail.
He hears our prayers and knows our needs. There’s great power in uniting together, turning our hearts towards our Lord, and praying on behalf of one another.IMG_0801

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Remembering today this powerful truth that God is where our real hope is found, not in our leaders, not in our economy, not in the condition of the nations today, or any other day. “…my hope comes from Him.” Psalm 62:5

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May that same hope fill the hearts of the people of Turkey and Syria.

May that same hope fill the hearts of all people, of all nations, of all the earth.

(Revelation 5:13) Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!”IMG_0978

I Am Who He Is

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Lots of fear, worry, anxiety and other issues in this life…When life seems to press in on all sides, frequently the black mold of our heart surfaces. What do I mean by black mold ?
Things like insecurity, fear, anxiety, worry, to name a few.
At times like these we can become moody, withdraw, complain and become critical. Or maybe we just keep our mouths shut and stuff it like the good little Christians we sometimes mask ourselves to be. When things get too much for us we cry out to God and blubber questions like, “Where are you God? Do you love me? Am I enough? Will You get me out of this mess? Do I have worth and value? Do I matter?” After we’ve laid it all out before Him, whenever we take time to listen, in His mercy, God’s still small voice begins speaking to us about our identity and who we are in Him. Identity is an incredibly complex mix of culture, generation, career, country, religion, and more. As Christians, our identity overrides this complexity because it is firmly and permanently rooted in Christ. We simply stand on His promises and believe what they tell us about ourselves.

• I am loved by God.
• I am chosen and adopted by God.
• I am perfectly and wonderfully made by God.
• I am a child of God.

As we begin to declare those promises, a wave of truth slams us, and quickly silences our moldy thoughts.

When God told Moses at the burning bush, “I Am who I Am” (Exodus 3:14).

Think about what that means. It means…

“God is the only One whose identity is not rooted in any other.”

Imagine that! He is His own root. And thankfully, our identity is rooted in Him! We are His image bearers. Our roots are in Him.

He is love. He is peace. He is truth. He is our rock – our firm, unshakable foundation in which we place our identity. Jesus, fully man and fully God, lived his 33 years on earth with perfect knowledge and understanding of his identity and an unwavering purpose of why he was here. He faced betrayal from his closest friends, hatred from the religious leaders, and shame from the public to rescue his people and to declare His glory to the world.
Therefore… we turn our gaze to the One from whom our identity stems.
We rest in the conviction that we are loved because the One who loves us “is” Love and He “Cannot” lie and He “Is” unchanging.
He is …

“I Am who I Am”

The Good News….

Rooted in Him so are WE!

                                                                    …praying for you all my friends

 (Was doing some reading today and decided to do a rewrite of my readings with a few excerpts)

The Power Of One

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In the 14th year of Hezekiah,  Sennacharib, the great and terrible King of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. Jerusalem was left isolated against hundreds of thousands of armed Assyrian soldiers. The scene in Jerusalem … a frightened people, a prophet named Isaiah, and a praying king.

First King Hezekiah, trembling with fear, sent word to Isaiah to intercede and pray for the people. Even so, eventually the threat continued. Then Hezekiah went straight to God himself, pleading, and crying out before him.

This is the response the Lord gave Hezekiah:

“Because you have prayed to me …I will defend this city to save it, for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David” (Isaiah 37).

Now the tremendously important point of this story is seen in the words of Isaiah 37:21-22, “Because you have prayed to Me concerning Sennacharib, King of Assyria.…”

Because you have prayed!

Because you have prayed, 185,000 enemy soldiers lie dead on the plains of Judah.

Just think of it!

Hezekiah, because you have prayed, the strongest king in the known world is gone—off the scene of history. Hezekiah, because you have prayed, the witness of My covenant love and My zeal for My name has spread throughout the nations.

All because one man prayed!

 

My friends just think of the power we have through God’s Spirit…

Because one man prays!

Because one woman prays!

Because one child prays!

Such power!

How To Treat Refugees?

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 How To Treat Refugees?

Immigration continues to be one of the most politically polarizing issues in America. The topic of immigration policy has been a staple of recent presidential debates, and has even divided some members of the Church.

After recent terrorist attacks, new debates have arisen about how America and other wealthy nations should accept refugees from the war-ravaged nation of Syria.

The issue of immigration reform is nuanced, and policies are often legislatively complex. But the wisdom of the Bible is both simple and timeless.

Here are 12 passages that discuss how Christians should treat immigrants, refugees and those in need of help.

Love Refugees As Yourself

When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. (Leviticus 19:33-34)

Leave Food for the Poor and the Foreigner

When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. (Leviticus 19:9-10)

God Loves the Foreigner Residing Among You

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:18-19)

The Sin of Sodom: They Did Not Help the Poor and Needy

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. (Ezekiel 16:49)

Do Not Oppress a Foreigner

Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt. (Exodus 23:9)

Do Not Deprive Foreigners Among You of Justice

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:5)

Do Whatever the Foreigner Asks of You

“As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name. (1 Kings 8:41-44)

Leave Your Door Open to the Traveler

No stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler (Job, discussing his devotion to God) (Job 31:32)

Invite the Stranger In

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matthew 25:25-36)

We Were All Baptized By One Spirit

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14)

Have Mercy on Your Neighbor

He asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:29-37)

 

Father, May You pour out Your blessings on the refugees. May our hearts be broken for your people. May we love like You, Give like You, Serve like You, Sacrifice for others like You, Forgive like You and Work like You…for Your glory Lord …for Your glory…We pray these things in Your blessed name. Amen

Never Look For Justice In This World

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“Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it.” Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from single-minded devotion to God. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in discontent and self-pity, as if to say, “Why should I be treated like this?” “ Why are others treated like this?” If we are devoted to God, we understand that we are directed to treat others justly, but He alone justifies. This is one of God’s boundary markers for us. When we attempt to rescue others, or ourselves, we have taken on His battle to justify. Psalm 91:11 states; “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” If we try to guard ourselves, we put our common sense on the throne and then attach God’s name to it. Instead of “not” leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6), we “do” lean to our own understanding and, therefore, we are not trusting God. He is “the guard” and only He can justify. Although we are to war through prayer for others and ourselves, not our arm, but His “arm will bring justice to the nations.” (Isaiah 51:5)

 

Father, please forgive us for crossing Your boundaries for us. Lord may we surrender outcomes and results to You alone. May we focus on “doing” your will and on leaving the outcomes to You. May we not be diverted by thoughts of justice and injustice, fair and unfair. You alone will justify. May we fix our eyes on You. May we walk in obedience by “doing” all that You direct us to do. May the outcomes rest with You. For your glory and in your name we pray…Amen

 

 

 (a few key lines taken from writings by Oswald Chambers)

Robust Women Of Faith

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Today women long for a robust Christianity that not only challenges minds, but one that calls us to kingdom action! In these difficult times a mild spiritual diet will certainly not sustain us in the kinds of battles God is calling us to engage. 
Women want and need to know God in much deeper ways. We don’t want to play at our Christianity when the gospel calls us to arm ourselves and to stand firm against the Enemy. God doesn’t call his daughters to be spectators, but active participants in his mission for the world.

We want to hear about the Jesus who demanded loyalty, who commanded authority from storms, sinners and satanic forces, who said vexing and frustrating and wild things! We want to hear preaching that is not just faithful to His words but to His TONE: of comfort but also of rebuke, of welcome but also of warning. We want to hear His dares, His call to come and die, His challenge to make hard choices. We want the Jesus of the gospels who does not just meet our needs, but who calls us to bold and courageous adventure, to self-sacrifice, to taking risks.

We want to hear a true gospel that is not blinded in prosperity, racism, gender bias or inequity; not a gospel enslaved by culture, tradition, and antiquities. We want to hear the full gospel of Jesus that leaves us aching for His perfect will and burning with a passion to complete it.

We want the Jesus who promises huge rewards for huge sacrifices, who embraces feisty Peter and wayward Mary Magdalene in same.
We want the Jesus who welcomed the little children, but also the Jesus with eyes like a flame of fire, with feet of burnished bronze and a sharp two-edged sword coming out of his mouth. Whatever that wild imagery means, we want to grapple with it. We want the Jesus who inspires awe and calls forth our worship: a gospel from The Gospels. That’s the Jesus we want! That’s the Jesus we need: the one who is worthy of the honor, adoration and allegiance of all men and women in kind!

Catch The Glory

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In the glory there is peace, understanding, and fullness of joy, may He catch you in the GLORY this day:

My Child whom I love, today I want to tell you…

“My Kingdom will prevail. It advances in spite of storms, winters, seasons of mourning, and seasons of love. Nothing will deflect it.

My kingdom advances both in the harvest and the famine, churning and shifting the ground below it and the sky above.

My kingdom alters the face of the earth and all that are enslaved within her.

Those within the kingdom are transformed anew.

Their bodies molded like clay into forms I had designed and declared before the creation of mankind and the earth.

Surrender is there in the making of them.

Surrender yields up the worn and the broken to the master who creates a new likeness,

likened to His own.

Emotions are set aback in the wave of My great love.”

“Yield yourself to my advancements,” He says to me.

“As the Kingdom grows, you too will grow.

As the Kingdom advances you too will advance by my Spirit.

The way is long and narrow, but all of your steps are marked by Me.

Though you are worn and weary, I will make peace your headdress.

I will wash you in the unspeakable joy of my love.

Await Me.”

 

“Father, Father,” I call out to You.

“I await.”

In the distance the shofar sounds.

I hear it.

Its echo lingers in the hope of You.

In the wake of it, the shofar sounds again.

I am with Him.

 

Father, May we all be caught up in the glory of You every moment of our lives.

Amen.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 

 

Fearless

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“The wise man in the storm prays
God, not for safety from danger,
but for deliverance from Fear “..Ralph Waldo Emerson
 

In light of the recent attacks against Paris and the people of France, we have seen fear escalate not only across peoples of this nation, but across the nations of the world. Fear is a powerful weapon and unless boldly confronted, in time, it will surely consume us.

Absolutely nothing good resides in fear. Fear inevitably paralyzes and destroys. Sadly, many people never fulfill the call on their lives, not because of lack of skill or ability, but because of fear. Many try to take steps forward, but, regrettably, fear stops and hinders them. Many fears challenge us…fear of terrorism, fear of disease, fear of flying, fear of being alone, fear of being different, fear of failure, fear of what others may say or think, and the list continues from there. Fear empties our lives and burdens us with worry and apprehension.

According to 1 John 4:18 fear brings torment. Enjoying life and being tormented at the same time by no means bears fruit for a fulfilling life.  How can we truly engage in the life we’ve been given while nibbling on a diet of fear. For most of us, fear of others, and what they think or believe about us, is the most common and debilitating fear. Many times we hesitate to share the truth of the gospel with others for fear of what they may say or think. Often times we hesitate to draw boundaries or to say “no” to things we know might offend others, even if we feel a nudge from the Spirit to share.Twice in his farewell address to the elders at Ephesus, Paul says, “I did not shrink back” or “I have not hesitated” (Acts 20:20,27). Paul was bold about communicating truth. He repeated this phrase twice because he knew that the people would continually be tempted to shrink back from dealing with issues that needed to be addressed. Whether it’s sharing the hard parts of Scripture or confronting hard relational issues, we must not shrink back.

Frequently, we don’t dare let others see us get “too” excited about Christ or evangelism, because often times we’re afraid of being singled out or being criticized as a “holy roller” a “Jesus freak”, or other names we deem offensive. How often has fear of criticism paralyzed us from speaking truth, taking risks, and breaking from the crowd, especially when we know the Lord is encouraging us to do so.

I love this quote from Teddy Roosevelt:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. “

May we be people who enter the “arena” every day of our lives.

May we never shrink back in fear.

May we never fear failure even if we stumble and fall.

May we speak the truth boldly and risk all for the benefit of Christ.

May our cause always be for you Lord, for your glory, for your kingdom…We give our lives.

Scriptures for Prayer: 

Isaiah 35:4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you,Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, “Fear not, I will help you.

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