My Healer, My Redeemer

“Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will exalt you.” James 4:10, HCSB*

Wednesday night at church our pastor spoke on the topic, “The Requirements for Healing” using 2 Chronicles 7 as the scripture reference, verse 14 as the focal verse. As God’s children we must humble ourselves, seek God’s face and repent. IF we do this, God will hear our pray, forgive, and provide healing.

The promise of the blessing, healing, is conditional upon, humility, seeking God, and repentance. We must not expect the fulfillment of the promise if the conditions of the promise are not met. And yet, many times, pridefully, we do, and then we obstinately wonder, what went wrong. However, genuine humility, heartfelt repentance, and total surrender, and thus obedience to God’s will and way in our lives are absolutely essential to our daily walk of faith.

In humbling ourselves before God there must be a stripping away of all that which is not useful—that which we have stubbornly clung to in pride. Pride is the enemy that attempts to elevate humanity to the level of God; but instead it is the cause of the disastrous and ruinous fall of man, (Isaiah 14:12-15). Pride, the best tool in Satan’s bag of tricks, (followed closely by doubt) has been used from the beginning to cause mankind to stumble.

Recall the serpent’s words to Eve, “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1) and further, “Your eyes will be opened and you will be like God,” (v. 5). Hence, pride is a snare for us and will continue to be so this side of eternity.

Luke 9:23, Jesus speaking, says, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. To me, this says the stripping away of our personal pride must be a daily act of obedience. This is Christ’s call to us as Christians for total surrender in following Him.

Friends do not be discouraged; no matter how big our pride may be, God’s grace is always bigger! Praise God for His infinite, all-sufficient grace. James tells us in chapter 4, verses 6 and 7, that God “gives greater grace...God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, submit to God.” Further, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you…Purify your hearts,” v. 8; and finally, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you,” v. 10.

In closing, I’ll leave you with these words penned by Julia H. Johnston, in the early 1900’s:

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord; Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace; freely bestowed on all who believe!

God Bless!

*HCSB used unless otherwise stated.

Once a Prodigal, Now Home

(Alternate title: Why I Love Operation Christmas Child)*

When I came back home five years ago I was bruised, beaten-up and broken. I had never intended to come back to Red River Parish nor did I intend to come back to Martin Baptist Church. But God had a different plan. His plan for me was one of reconciliation, healing, renewal, and recommitment.

I came back with a heart filled with bitterness. Even I didn’t realize the extent of my bitterness. I had spent years building walls between myself and whatever I found unpleasant and I had become an expert at doing so.

As I began to get back into church, the Holy Spirit began tugging at my heart and softening the hardened places within me. One Wednesday night Piper Welch was leading a women’s Bible study and the subject of bitterness came up. Piper said that bitterness was akin to hatred. I knew I was somewhat bitter, but hatred? I was a Christian; how could I possibly have hatred in my heart?

I went home that night enlightened; a blazing light burning in my mind…and in my heart. With great clarity I realized that for years I had been giving lip-service to the act of forgiving others. Years of unforgiveness had built-up inside my heart and had turned into a rock-hard bitterness.

Only when I repented of this un-confessed sin in my life was I able to truly forgive others, forget how I had been injured and enjoy the forgiveness I so desperately needed. The healing process began.

I recommitted my life to Christ and began to pray daily that I fully surrender to His leadership; to His will and His way. I prayed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. My speech changed; my taste in music and other forms of entertainment changed. I began to read my Bible again and for the first time ever, I read the Bible from cover to cover.

Today I find myself longing for God. I have discovered for myself what James meant when he wrote, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8a, HCSB

The more I learn about our great and awesome God, the more I want to learn. I believe it is a craving that will not be satisfied this side of eternity. I believe it is the spiritual craving of the redeemed for the Redeemer; I believe the spiritual soul seeks nourishment just as a newborn creature seeks nourishment from it mother.

I understand what David meant when he wrote:

“God, You are my God; I eagerly seek You. I thirst for You; my body faints for You ...” Psalm 63:1, HCSB

God brought me back home; back to my roots. He healed my brokenness and opened my eyes anew and afresh to His love and mercy and grace. He has opened doors of service for me that I never expected in areas I never expected or even thought possible.

Because of His love, mercy, and grace I am no longer content to sit still. I want to be a part of God’s call to action. God never intended for us to sit on the sidelines and be spectators. As believers, we are called to active service; we are to worship God and work for His Kingdom. Exactly how we execute those two responsibilities depends upon the spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities with which God has blessed us as individuals.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8, HCSB

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20, HCSB

"But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it it written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things." Romans 10:14-15, HCSB

It’s time to be passionate about God’s plan of action. It’s time to beg Him for an outpouring of His Holy Spirit, anointing us; enabling us; empowering us to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth.  Our highest calling is to share the Good News with others. Charles Stanley writes, “Loving God involves not just having a personal relationship with Jesus but also sharing Him with others.”

Consider this: nobody ever receives a really great gift and then tells no one. We tell our family; we tell our friends.

My life is not just about me. It’s about taking the Gospel to the corners of the earth. It’s about making disciples. It’s about being obedient to the command of Christ. It’s about looking and acting like love; it’s about looking and acting like faith. It’s about bringing honor and glory to God; in the Name of Jesus; in the power of the Holy Spirit.

*(I love the ministry of Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse, because it allows you the opportunity to participate in foreign missions; it allows you the opportunity to help in sharing the Gospel with children and their families throughout the world. Get involved! For more information visit online at: Operation Christmas Child.)

God Bless!

You Lift Me Up

 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and will be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:2-3, NLT

A few years ago I worked for the Centers of Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. I held two different positions during my tenure there—Administrative Support Specialist and Management and Program Analyst. The major portion of my duties as a Management and Program Analyst were as Project Officer over one major contract and then also over a couple of less significant contracts.

I was so proud (yes, proud as in prideful) when I got that last job. It was a great promotion for me—more money, more responsibility, more prestige; did I mention more money? It was, if you will, the pinnacle of my success as a federal civil servant.

It was also a disaster! No, not the job—I did good work; my supervisor and the other higher-ups were pleased with my work. The disaster was from within me—that time was a spiritual desert for me. I felt as though the spiritual rug had been pulled out from under my feet. Why, had God turned His back on me? No, I had strayed. I had become prideful and me-centric. I discovered that what I thought I wanted so badly was not what I wanted at all.

May I just tell you how grateful I am that we serve a loving God? He is the ultimate Father who looks for us when we’ve gone astray; who runs out to greet us when we finally return home, broken and defeated, (Luke 15); who lifts us out of the mud and the muck; the One who is faithful to forgive us and to set our feet once again upon solid ground and steadies us as we begin to walk again with Him, anew and afresh, (Psalm 40:2). (Thank-you dear Lord for Your mercy; Your grace; Your love; Your forgiveness!)

My life is so completely different now. I have recommitted my life to Christ. I want to serve Him; to work for Him and His Kingdom.

My definition of success is no longer me-centered. In fact, something my pastor shared with us Sunday night has refined my personal definition of success even further. He told us that when he was in seminary someone asked a professor for his definition of a successful church. The answer:  a church that works for the glory of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Wow! I thought that was a great answer. I’m no longer working for myself. I’m working for the honor and glory of Almighty God, in the name of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. You can’t beat the job security and the rewards are out of this world! Won’t you join me?

God bless!

God's Word

The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. Psalm 19:7, HCSB

I love God’s word and I have made a habit of reading through the Bible each year. I’ve been doing this for the last few years and I find the more I read and learn about our great and awesome God the more I want to know. Falling in love with the word of God has made such a difference in my daily life and my faith-walk that I like to encourage others to spend more time in the Bible and learn to treasure God’s word in their heart, Psalm 119:11.

Of course, the number one reason for reading the Bible is that it is God’s word! “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right”, 2 Timothy 3:16, NLT.

The Bible is one book that is always relevant because God is unchanging, Malachi 3:6. The Bible contains a library of books that are just as relevant today as they were the day they were written. Few, if any other book can make that claim.

When we ignore the Bible; God’s very words to us, it is to our own detriment. The Bible is more than a book for reading, but it is a book to be studied and applied to our daily lives. It is our guidebook for life. No Christian can fully comprehend God’s will for their life without the benefit of God’s word. No Christian can fully grow and develop to maturity, becoming the person God intends for them to be, without study and application of His word.

We are to delight and hope in God’s word and these sentiments are eloquently expressed in Psalm 119, beginning with verse 11 which speaks of treasuring God’s word in our hearts. “Your word” is mentioned 23 times in Psalm 119 saying, in part, God’s word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven, (v. 89); it is sweeter than honey, (v. 103); it is a lamp and a light, (v. 105); it is completely pure, (v. 140); and the entirety of it is truth, (v. 160). Four of those 23 verses--74, 81, 114, and 147--specifically declare, “I put my hope in Your word”.

Our hope, should cause us to live intentionally and expectantly for we are not our own but have been bought with a price, (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We are to live our lives as a sacrifice to God, (Romans 12:1). Reading, studying, and applying God’s revelation of Himself specifically communicated to His people should be a daily part of that sacrifice of worship we offer to our Lord.

I have had the pleasure of reading several articles by Pastor Greg Laurie at http://www.BibleStudyTools.com and I want to close with this passage quoted from one of those articles:

“Let God's Word permeate your life and be at home inside of you. Let the Bible fill your life. After all, success or failure in the Christian life depends on how much of the Bible you get into your heart and mind on a daily basis and how obedient you are to it. If you have a deficiency of the Bible in your diet, then you will wither spiritually. If you have a regular diet of the Word of God, then you will be strong spiritually. Fall in love with the Bible, and you will never regret it.”

God bless!

Merry Christmas 2011!

For Unto Us A Child is Born

Create from the Heart: photo Christmas cards from Shutterfly .

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The Power of Forgiveness

“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:32, HCSB

When I first thought about writing a post on forgiveness I began to attempt to recall past hurts and disappointments that resulted in resentment and bitterness for me. As I tried to recall these things I realized I could only manage vague recollections of the events. Why? Because of the power of the Holy Spirit which enabled me to forgive fully and completely the heartaches and hurts of the past.

Until just a few years ago I was a person filled with repressed anger, bitterness and resentment. At that time I could give you a detailed litany of not only the wrongs I had endured but I could also list for you each person responsible and exactly what they had done that caused me pain. I was consumed and controlled by the pain of the past.

I told myself I was okay because I had forgiven everyone. After all, being a Christian for many years I was well acquainted with scripture concerning forgiveness. I could easily quote the Lord’s Prayer which includes the words, “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” Matthew 6:12, HCSB.

But if I had truly forgiven everyone, then why was it that just the mention of a past hurt would cause me to suddenly become angry and upset? I came to realize I had allowed bitterness to set-up housekeeping within my soul. It became obvious to me that I had merely given lip-service to the act of forgiveness.

Bitterness results when unforgiveness has been left to sit, soak and stew. I once read bitterness is akin to taking poison and hoping someone else will die. It steals your life by robbing you of peace, comfort and happiness. Bitterness is a consuming hatred.

My so-called forgiveness had not been genuine; it lacked authenticity. In order for an act to be genuine, it must be supported by the evidence. If bitterness continues to reside within your heart you are unable to exemplify those acts which would provide evidence to support true forgiveness.

Jesus says in Matthew 12:34, “The mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.” Again in Matthew 15:18 Jesus says, “What comes out of the mouth comes from the heart.”

It was only when I came to true repentance in my heart that I knew how it felt to feel genuine forgiveness toward others. Through the power of the Holy Spirit was I able to forgive completely. And through the work of the Holy Spirit I was able to learn about forgiveness—what it does and what it does not do.

Forgiveness does not correct or rewrite the past; it does not condone wrong-doing or otherwise unacceptable behavior. It does not change the person who wronged you. However, forgiveness does change you and because of the restorative power of forgiveness it rewrites your future. Through the act of forgiveness you will find you are not only able to love others fully but you are also able to love yourself. Authentic forgiveness destroys the bitterness, the resentment, and the anger that poisons and cripples.

Unforgiveness robs you of fellowship with God and extinguishes spiritual growth. Repentance brings forgiveness and forgiveness brings freedom, liberty, and peace in Christ Jesus. Isaiah 61:1, also known as the Messiah’s Jubilee says, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and freedom to the prisoners,” HCSB. Unforgiveness is a prodigious imprisoner and it gives Satan an advantage in our lives, (2 Corinthians 2:11)!

The Apostle Paul, in Colossians 3:12-14, says we are to put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another, just as Christ has forgiven us. And above all we are to put on love which is the perfect bond of unity.

My pastor, Dr. Richard Kaufman, says the following on a regular basis: “The biggest bottleneck to blessings and revival in the modern church is unforgiveness and the lack of repentance on the part of believers.” Further, he says everybody needs forgiveness; everybody wants it; and when you receive it, it changes everything!”

Is your life filled with the peace, power and liberty of the Holy Spirit or is your life consumed with hatred, bitterness, and anger? Make the choice today to forgive those who have wronged you, just as Christ has forgiven you. Then go to Him in prayer; He is waiting to hear from you. Remember, God does not want flowery speeches or fancy words from us but instead He desires heartfelt prayer, sincere worship and geniune devotion. Bring your offering of worship to Him today; don’t delay.

Dear Lord, I pray for clean hands and a pure heart that I may worship You in spirit and in truth. I earnestly pray You forgive me for the times I have withheld forgiveness from others—there is no excuse for withholding forgiveness. I sincerely pray that You forgive me my trespasses as I forgive those who have trespassed against me. I desire true fellowship with You O Lord. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

God Bless!

Heaven is Real and So is Hell

The Devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead; all were judged according to their works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:10, 13-15, HCSB

Then the One seated on the throne said, "Look! I am making everything new." He also said, "Write, because these words are faithful and true." And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give to the thirsty from the spring of living water as a gift. The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." Revelation 21:1-8, HCSB

Even though far more people readily acknowledge belief in heaven than hell, according to the Bible, both exist. And just as eternal life in heaven will be far better than we can imagine; eternal punishment in the lake of fire will be far worse than we can imagine.

While God is loving, merciful, and just—He is first and foremost righteous and holy (Leviticus 11:44, 45; 1 Peter 1:16). As such, He cannot tolerate sin. Habakkuk 1:13 says that God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil and that He cannot tolerate sin. Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and Romans 6:23 says the punishment for sin is death. Just as God is an infinite and eternal Being—the deserved punishment for our sin is eternal death.

The Good News is that God is love, (1 John 4:8), and as such has provided for us a way of escape; a way of redemption through faith in Jesus Christ His Son: For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life, John 3:16, HCSB.

Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? If not, do not delay in coming to know Him. Scripture tells us in Isaiah 55:6-7, HCSB, "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call to Him while He is near. Let the wicked one abandon his way and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so He may have compassion on him and to our God, for He will freely forgive". Second Corinthians 6:2, HCSB, says, "Now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation".

God will not wait forever for you to make a decision. The Bible teaches in Romans 1, verses 24, 26, and 28, that the Lord will eventually give people over to the hardness of their own hearts. There may come a point when God no longer draws you to Him, revealing your need for a Savior, (John 6:44).

Don’t delay. Today; right now; bow your head in prayer and admit to God you’re are a sinner; repent and turn from your sin. Believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that He came into the world to save everyone. Confess your faith in Jesus as Savior; as Lord of your life and choose to live your life for Him from this moment on.

God Bless!

NOTE: If you do know Jesus as Lord, don’t neglect to pray daily for those who are lost and dying in sin. Pray for those who minister to them; pray that as the Father draws them they have open minds and receptive hearts; and pray that you speak with complete boldness the Good News of Jesus Christ!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes. Romans 1:16, HCSB