Beauty Marks

I am a person who is covered head to toe in freckles (or if you wanna get real scientific, moles). As a little girl, I was a little self-conscious about these marks on my body. One day I asked my father what all of these marks were, and he told me they were called “Beauty Marks”. How could something I considered ugly be called a thing of beauty?

Many of us carry other marks on our bodies…Scars. Most of the time we consider scars to be ugly, but they usually have a story behind them..right? Is it possible that even scars could be considered a thing of beauty?

The prophet Isaiah wrote:
He was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed. (Isa. 53:5)

Scars mark the wounds that were inflicted on Jesus - His hands, His feet, His side, His head.
If you know anything about Jesus’ crucifixion then you probably know that He was beat head to toe. Likely covering Him in scars, but the more obvious scars were on His hands and His feet. But much like us, His scars were not merely physical. He had soul scars. His friends betrayed Him. His family abandoned Him. He was forgotten. Forsaken. Falsely accused. Despised and Rejected.

Yet when Jesus appeared to His followers after dying on the cross and rising from the dead, one of the first things He did was to show them His scars. Isn’t that interesting? He didn’t try to hide them. In fact, it’s as if Jesus was announcing, “You know it’s Me because of these scars!” when He said, “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself !” (Luke 24:39).

Now, I really have had to stop and wonder…. Why does Jesus still have scars? He is God Almighty in a resurrected, glorified body! I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping to get rid of any of my scars when I get my new body in heaven. Though I don’t know exactly what glorified bodies will look like, I do know that Jesus has all power and authority and I don’t think He had to keep His scars. I think He chose to. His scars are evidence that He was wounded for us. His wounds heal our wounds. His scars are proof that we can be healed! There is VICTORY in his scars!! They are statements of His unending love for us.

Jesus’ scars became Beauty Marks. His suffering was transformed into purpose when He brought salvation to the world. And His scars tell a story. Death could not stop Him. Sin could not keep Him in the grave. He kept the scars to prove that because He was victorious, we can be too!

And so Jesus is telling us that we don’t have to hide our scars. Because if we have been healed by His wounds, our scars tell a story too. One of victory. Redemption. Transformation. The power and beauty of God’s amazing ability to bring supernatural healing to painful wounds.

Jesus chose not to erase, minimize, or hide his scars. He left them to remind you that every time you doubt, every time you fear, every time you hurt, you can be healed. And every time we display our scars to the world it is evidence that He WILL heal.

Blood Transfusion

This Sunday we celebrate the greatest sacrifice the world has known. We celebrate that because of one man's love, we can be saved. Have you ever loved something so much, you would die for it? Not figuratively, but intentionally. There is a story from a book called Written in Blood, by Robert Coleman about a young boy and his sister.

It tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. The doctor explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from two years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor. "Would you give your blood to Mary?" the doctor asked. Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, "Sure, for my sister." Soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room; Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned.

As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny's smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube. With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence. "Doctor, when do I die?' Only then did the doctor realize why Johnny had hesitated, why his lip had trembled when he'd agreed to donate his blood. He thought giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life. In that brief moment, he'd made his great decision. Johnny, fortunately, didn't have to die to save his sister. Each of us, however, has a condition more serious than Mary's, and it required Jesus to give not just His blood but His life.

We all have a terminal disease called sin. Only one rare blood type could cure us of the disease. It took every drop of His blood to give us life. Through immense pain and torture, as His lip trembled with every lash of the whip, His love was poured out on humanity, as every drop of His life bringing blood hit the ground. Through those agonizing hours, He paid the price that none of us could. He made the decision to not just save the ones that loved Him, like Johnny did for his sister, but for those that were inflicting the punishment upon Him. How could we possibly say no and spit in the face of that type of love?

 Romans 8:38-39 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. No sin, no bad choice, no sickness, not even death itself will separate us from His love. Nothing we can do will stop that love. How amazing is that!

Little Philip, born with Down's syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday School class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences. But because of a creative teacher, they began to care about Philip and accept him as part of the group, though not fully. The Sunday after Easter the teacher brought Leggs pantyhose containers, the kind that look like large eggs. Each receiving one, the children were told to go outside on that lovely spring day, find some symbol for new life, and put it in the egg-like container. Back in the classroom, they would share their new-life symbols, opening the containers one by one in surprise fashion. After running about the church property in wild confusion, the students returned to the classroom and placed the containers on the table. Surrounded by the children, the teacher began to open them one by one. After each one, whether flower, butterfly, or leaf, the class would ooh and ahh. Then one was opened, revealing nothing inside. The children exclaimed, "That's stupid. That's not fair. Somebody didn't do their assignment."
Philip spoke up, "That's mine." "Philip, you don't ever do things right!" the student retorted. "There's nothing there!" "I did so do it," Philip insisted. "I did do it. It's empty. The tomb was empty!"

Silence followed. From then on Philip became a full member of the class. He died not long afterward from an infection most normal children would have shrugged off. At the funeral this class of eight-year-olds marched up to the altar not with flowers, but with their Sunday school teacher, each to lay on it an empty pantyhose egg. His blood was the sacrifice. The cross was the completion of salvation. The empty tomb was victory over death. It was a symbol of new life. A new life only available through the loving sacrifice of His blood. Is someone you know in need of salvation? Their disease requires a transfusion. A transfusion that can only be found in the sacrificial love of Christ.

Why Did Jesus Fold The Napkin?

I believed I had seen this somewhere before, but I wanted to do some research on it beforehand. Why did Jesus fold the napkin that covered his face in the tomb? How could something so insignificant, have a profound meaning? There is a whole verse dedicated to stating that the napkin was folded, but the burial shroud was wadded up and tossed to the side.

In John 20:1-7 it says: Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.

So what was the significance of the linen cloths wadded up but the napkin folded? To understand the significance you must know about Jewish customs during this time. Especially in the terms of Master and servant. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master was finished. Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. In those days, the wadded napkin meant, "I'm done,"
But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the folded napkin meant, "I'm coming back!"

Wow right! So Jesus sent two profound messages for the disciples to see in the tomb. The wadded linen cloths signified that his work was done and completed on the cross. While the folded napkin said that He would return. The harvest was not complete. The dinner of the bride and groom would still commence.

Colossians 2:14 By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Hebrews 9:28 So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

He sent them this message in their time of sorrow to give them comfort in knowing he would return!
A faith that can only exist in the light of victory and certainty is one which really affirms the self while pretending to affirm Christ, for it only follows Jesus in the belief that Jesus conquered death. Yet a faith that can look at the horror of the cross and still say 'Yes' is one that says 'No' to the self in saying Yes to Christ.

Reckless Love

I am a huge music lover. I can’t sing and I cant play an instrument but I love to listen to music. I have commented on here a few times about how we must listen for that “little voice” that may be God trying to get our attention. I feel that He uses music to reach out and speak to me. With that being said, a lot of my blogs will probably be music based.

I got into my vehicle on Monday to travel somewhere, and Cory Asbury’s Reckless Love came on the radio. I traveled to my destination and when I got back into my car to leave, that very song was playing on the radio. Long story short, everywhere that I went in my vehicle this week, that song played on the radio.

Fast forward to Sunday; I left work that morning to go to my second job and the song played again. I listened to my church's sermon on Facebook live, because I wasn’t able to attend due to work, and the last worship song was Reckless Love.
I was packing my vehicle to go home this morning when the song came on again. I reached out to my brother the day before to ask him what he thought about what this whole weeks events meant. Without giving him the time to answer, I told him I would look up the meaning to the song.
I found the meaning from Cory himself:

“He is utterly unconcerned with the consequences of his actions with regards to his own safety, comfort, and well-being. His love bankrupted heaven for you. His love doesn’t consider himself first, and it isn’t selfish or self-serving. He doesn’t wonder what he’ll gain or lose by putting himself out there. He simply gives himself away on the off-chance that one of us might look back at him and offer ourselves in return.” “His love leaves the ninety-nine, to find the one, every time. What if he loses the ninety-nine trying to find that one lost sheep? What if, finding that one lost sheep
is, and will always be, supremely important?”

After reading his explanation, I knew immediately what God was trying to say to me. I have been having an issue, not with showing my faith in God, but showing my love for God. Just like He has reckless love for us, and just like Cory says, “He hopes that we will offer ourselves in return”. I should have reckless love for Him. Don’t worry about what could happen to us by loving him, but what HE gets out of US loving him. That even though I mess up, when I reach out to him, he will leave the ninety-nine to find the one. WE (everyone in this world) are the one that he will leave the ninety-nine to find. We are that one lost sheep that he wants to return home.

You see to our Heavenly Father, each and everyone of us, no matter what we've done or where we've been, mean everything to Him. He doesn't wish for anyone to stay lost, and He will go to the ends of the Earth to retrieve just one; that one is you.

Luke 15: 4-7 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety- nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has
found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

What Are We Marching For?

Sitting here watching The March for our Lives protest, and I feel overwhelmed with a desire to speak.
What are we marching for? Does anyone really know? You want safety in our schools. I'm with you there. You want guns to not be allowed in school. Well they already aren't and that did not stop any of these people from committing these atrocities. Then we have the other side fighting for their rights to have weapons. I understand where this side is coming from. But out of all the weapons available to you, is one that resembles and fires like an assault rifle necessary? I understand your worries of this being a slippery slope to the rest of your weapons being taken away.

But what are we marching for? Every person that commits an atrocity has deep issues in their life. People need help. People need guidance. Nothing you march for will change the soul of an individual.  Thousands of people march for their right for an abortion. Do any of them stop to think that they were born? Their mothers gave birth to them so they could grow up and decide to deny what they call a right to those that are unborn. Once people realize that we are all hypocrites and lost and in need of salvation, society may make a turn. Unfortunately I don't see this happening in this life. The daily stream of hate and blindness brings great heartache to me.

And that's truly the best way to explain it: Blindness. People are blinded to all their surroundings. Blinded to what's right and wrong. Blinded to the value of their lives and those around them. Blinded to those that are hurting. Blinded to everything that doesn't include their momentarily existence. I'm sorry for being so blunt, but I'm not sorry. Someone needs to say it. It's not a gun issues, or a safety issue, or a life issue, or any other reason. It is absolutely a heart issue. Now yes I will say that the mental illness is a huge contributing factor. But where does the resolve in that issue stem from? A lack of heart. A lack of care, and a lack of love toward our fellow man. Why is there not a march for that? Because it doesn't create controversy!

No matter what the march is for, it's designed to create controversy. One side is always pitted against the other. No common ground is given for resolve, only issues to escalate the hate. Romans 12:9-16 “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.”

Believe in God or not, take that verse to heart. If we all could follow the life of Christ there would be no hate for those around us. Why is it so hard to see that? Because the world is blind. Because the world is self-centered. Because the world is about self and do what's right and feels good for you. Take a deep look at the advertisements next time you see them. The overwhelming pull is for self. We are a society driven for self. We have self indulgence shoved down our throats in ads, tv, movies, music, and all forms of media. Do what feels right for you.

I did see an article that showed a school taking a different course of action. Instead of walking out in protest, they told the kids to be friendly to the kid no one talked to. Have lunch with the kid that always sits alone. Now while this is noble, it's also flawed. One of two things will happen with this gesture. After the hype had settled down, those kids will be back to being alone. Or they will feel as though they are a charity case that's being singled out from everyone else. Which in both cases will send them further into their darkness. So what do you do? Take it from someone that was bullied in school on numerous occasions. One of those cases came when I was in a wheelchair in high school. Not because of any handicap, just from an ATV accident. But yet I was ridiculed for it. The feeling of loneliness consumes you. I truly feel for the kids that endure this. But however I don't condone resorting to violence to resolve the issue. So how can we fix it?

A march won't do it. A new law won't change it. And as absurd as it sounds, I read an article where an elementary school is arming the kids by giving them each a bucket of rocks to throw at a intruder. This most definitely won't fix the problem. And not even the momentary change of heart in that one school to be friendly to the lonely, will fix the problem. A change of heart is not the cure; only a complete heart transplant can fix the problem. Only a change of our outlook on our fellow man will avert these tragedies. Replacing our worldly hearts with a heart of love. Love towards the kid who doesn't have friends. Love towards getting the people that need treatment for mental illness. A love that can resolve an issue without violence. We don't need more bureaucracy. We don't need more exploiting of these kids. Most of the children I saw on video were to young to truly know why they were even there. Stop pitting two sides against each other and focus on the one side that keeps being neglected.

The children and young people who desperately need love. Desperately just want to fit in somewhere. Desperately want their pain to be heard before it's too late. It's time to replace our worldly hearts of hate and indifference, to one of love and acceptance. Parents teach your children to love and be friendly to any child. Schools must pay more attention to those issues of bullying. And to those who have been ridiculed, or are still going through it: It may look like there is no light at the end of the tunnel of your despair, but from one that has suffered this tunnel before, there is a light standing right next to you; just cry out to Him, He won't forsake you.

Satan's Most Powerful Tool

We all get discouraged from time to time. I had become truly discouraged in the path I was on, and the results from my efforts. But as He has before, He gave an answer. We were unable to attend church this past weekend due to sick children. But God laid my prayers on three different people. One of those was truly a surprise and I knew it was God telling me to listen. All three said that I needed to listen to the sermon from this week. What was the sermon on you might ask? Discouragement. And not just discouragement, but those called being discouraged in their work for God.

The sermon was about the prophet Elijah. Elijah had just went up against 400 of Baal's prophets. They all were testing Elijah to prove their God was more powerful than the God of Israel. No matter how much they prayed, hurt themselves, or what sacrifice they made; they were unable to bring fire down from heaven. Elijah prayed to God and all that was before them was consumed by fire. After this magnificent showing of God's power, he returned back to Jerusalem. Queen Jezebel was furious of the defeat of the prophets. So she sent word to Elijah that she was going to kill him. So Elijah flees to the wilderness. Elijah had just defeated four-hundred of Baal's prophets, yet was scared of one woman.

In the wilderness God came to Elijah. Elijah was so distraught from the words of the queen that he asks God if he can just die. God told him to get some rest and had food brought to him. It seems almost impossible that someone who sees all of God's power first hand could still be discouraged. After awhile of rest, God returned to Elijah and basically said, "Ok you've had time to rest and eat now get back out there." And I feel this was what He was saying to me as well. I put it to a brother of mine as God giving a Godly suck-it up buttercup. In other words, there is no need to be discouraged "I got this."

Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, we tend to forget what God has already done for us. We complain about what He's not giving us, but forget how He has already provided so much. But like Moses I want more of God's glory. We all should. We should yearn to see God move in our lives and the lives of those around us. When you get discouraged just know that what God is giving you requires preparation, focus, commitment and patience. Discouragement is the enemies favorite tool to use against you. He knows there is greatness inside of you. Kick the devil in the teeth. Don't give up.

Did you ever notice that when the Lord told the discouraged fishermen to cast their nets again, it was right in the same old place where they had caught nothing? If we could only get off to some new place when we get discouraged, trying again would be an easier thing. If we could be somebody else, or go somewhere else, or do something else, it might not be so hard to have fresh faith and courage; but it is the same old net in the same old pond for most of us. The old temptations are to be overcome, the old faults are to be conquered, the old trials and discouragements before which we failed yesterday to be faced again today. We must win success where we are, if we win it at all, and it is the Master Himself, who, after all these toilful, disheartening failures, bids us `try again.'

I found this old story that shows how harmful discouragement can be. It was announced that the devil was going out of business and would offer all tools for sale to whoever would pay his price. On the night of the sale they were all attractively displayed,—and a bad looking lot they were: Malice, Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Sensuality, Deceit and all the other implements of evil were spread out each marked with its price. Apart from the rest lay a harmless looking wedge-shaped tool, much worn and priced higher than any of the others. Someone asked the devil what it was.
"That's Discouragement," was the reply.
"Why do you have it priced so high?"
"Because," replied Satan, "it is more useful to me than any of the others. I can pry open and get inside a man's consciousness with that when I could not get near him with any of the other tools. When once inside I can use him in whatever way suits me best. It is so much worn because I use it with nearly everybody, as very few people yet know it belongs to me."
It hardly need be added that the devil's price for discouragement was so high that it was never sold. He is still using it.

Just remember, though Satan may try to drive a wedge into your life, and possibly succeed in doing it, know that through it all God is saying, "I GOT THIS!"

Are You Prepared?

The time has changed, Spring is here, and that means Summer is just around the corner. With the summer months here people will be planning vacations; or what I like to call, watching your kids in another state. No just kidding they are big bundles of joy. But most people will plan and prepare all year for that vacation. Our lives revolve around the preparations for work, school, what we will eat, what we wear, and so on and so on. Most everyone even prepares for a time many years down the road when we will no longer work. We have no idea how long we will be here, but we spend great amounts of time and money to prepare for an unknown future.

But how much have we prepared for the time we aren't here? Have we done everything to make sure our children are prepared for then? Are we taking time to make sure our loved ones are ready? What about our enemies? How much time are we spending to ensure those we love, and those who might not love us, are prepared for eternity?

In this day an age where evil is rampant, and shootings have become a common occurrence; we must be sure we and our loved ones are prepared. These articles were found on just one site, and all from just this week, and it's only Wednesday:
1.Son Accused of Killing Parents After Dad’s Chilling Warning: 'If You Don’t Hear From Me, Call 911'
2.Bedridden Obese Woman Found Decomposing While Still Alive
3.Suspected MS-13 killers charged in Virginia murder smile for mugshots
4.Stoneman Douglas students arrested for bringing weapons to school
5.An Elementary School Teacher Left a 4-Year-Old Alone So She Could Buy Marijuana
6.Florida teacher arrested after she threatened to 'blow everyone up' at school

2 Timothy 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

I'd say that was a pretty good description of the state of society. You can't have your head buried in the sand and be preparing. People are hurting all around us. People are screaming in the darkness searching for light. Will you be the one to help them? I read a story about children in Southern Sudan. There is an elementary school in Yei County. Like most areas in Sudan, this school is barely able to function for lack of supplies and qualified teachers. This particular school is in an area regularly bombed by the Islamic government of Sudan. These children have dug more than twenty foxholes by hand around their schoolyard in preparations for future bombings. When they hear the engines of the bombers, they run for the holes, watching out for flying shrapnel. Not all make it to safety.

No plan is foolproof. There is no way to be completely safe in this world. My dad used to say he could eat healthy all the time and work out every day, then step off a curb and get hit by a bus. You just never know. We tend to float through life and unless there is a health scare or we are stuck in some form of natural disaster, our mortality is a second thought. We know we won't live forever, but we tend to not think about it. We feel as though if it's out of sight out of mind, then it might not happen anytime soon. But it will happen to all of us; "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."(Romans 6:23)

The children in Sudan are prepared to enter earthly battle. More importantly, they are prepared to one day enter heaven's gates. They have secured protection within the earth from fly-by raids from enemy camps. Yet their faith in Christ has secured eternal protection within the arms of God. Perhaps, like the Sudanese children playing near an un-diffused bomb, you have learned by now that life often takes place a step away from disaster. You may have taken steps to pad and protect your life on earth, hoping for the best amidst uncertain times. However, have you also followed their example of being prepared for life in the hereafter? Are you prepared for eternal life through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Are your loved ones prepared? One day we will look upon Christ in all His glory. Whether it be when He returns, or before in death. Make sure you and your loved ones are prepared.

Is It Even Worth It?

I have been really dragged down these last couple of days. If I was being honest with myself, it has probably been coming on for some time. The feeling of what I do, doesn't accomplish anything. The feeling that once again that brass ring was in my sight, but the door is slammed in my face for reasons I don't understand. The feeling of whether or not this is even worth it anymore. Have you ever had an overwhelming passion to do something that made you truly happy? Yet it always seems just out of your grasp. That even though a simple piece of paper means nothing, that is all society will look at.

Regardless of your efforts, all you see around you is prosperity in the area you want to be in, but those holding the key don't share that passion. I refuse to be defeated! I refuse to give up! These battle calls are harder for me to get behind, when I feel my efforts are for nothing. However I have a handful of those around me who will shout those words for me when I no longer can't. In my despair I was led to Psalm 73. It is a Psalm by Asaph. In it he describes his inner struggle with seeing those around him prosper, even though they don't have God's Spirit in them.

When I got to verse 2 it made me drop to my knees. "But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;  I had nearly lost my foothold." Here he was also at the end of his rope. Unable to deal with what he saw around him. He was so close to the cliff, and about to lose his foothold that he could see and feel the gravel rocks careening over the side. He wanted to give up on his calling. But then we see in verse 3 the reasoning and I feel the realization of why we are both on the cliff.
Psalm 73:3 "For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."Envy! We both let envy creep into our hearts. We didn't realize it. We didn't set out on this course. It was just a by-product of our own passion to do His will. But it was our un-realization of how that Will should transpire.

He used a metaphor describing his heart compared to theirs: "My feet." Or in other words his own walk with God. He has almost lost confidence in God. He was right on the edge when he realized, it was his own walk, his own envy, his own lack of confidence. Not God, but HIM! Often when the perceptions of our heart are wrong, our feet are soon to follow our folly. Like walking on a sheet of ice, our attitudes can run away from us.

Have you ever wondered why some prosper in this world but have no respect for God our His ways? Has it ever grated on you that those who are trying to be obedient to God and do His will seem to not prosper compared to the world? Have you ever been passed over for promotions or job opportunities because of your convictions, or based solely on the type of personality you have and not your qualifications? Be careful, because envy will creep in very easily and will destroy you from the inside. Both Asaph and our eyes were fixed too much on one thing. We look at the present and forget the future.

Psalm 73:22-24 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. That is the future we should be focused on. This is the spiritual truth of this psalm: Envy left unchecked within our hearts leads to bitterness. He states a beautiful picture that only a poet can. He had almost fallen, and yet God always upheld him.

So I will continue on. I won't give up. But you have to remember to always look up, because looking side to side will always send you toward the cliff.

Unlikely Heroes: Called To Touch The Enemy

What if you were called to do something unbelievable? What if the thing you were called to do was highly dangerous? Just say you were going about your daily routine, and then God spoke to you. "I need you to go to the Middle East and lay your hand on Osama Bin Laden." "Can you say that again Lord?" "Go forth my disciple and lay your hand on Bin Laden."

Now at this point one of two scenarios will happen: There is either a good chance he will kill you, or something really amazing will happen. This is exactly what happened to a disciple named Ananias. There are only eight verses concerning the life and mission of Ananias. But his role in carrying out God's plan would reach farther than he could imagine. God spoke to him and told him to go to Damascus and see Saul. The same Saul who had persecuted and killed hundreds of Christians. The same Saul who had just stoned the disciple Stephen to death. Ananias was called to help the Bin Laden of his time.

Can you imagine the fear he experienced about what he was called to do. In Acts 9:13 Ananias responds to God by saying, "Uh Lord you do know who this guy is right?" "I've heard of all the terrible things he has done, and how he has the authority to hunt Christians down." Can you blame him for being afraid? How many of us would not argue, or much less go if this was asked of us? God tells him that Saul will be used to reach the Gentiles and kings and children of Israel. So Ananias goes. His faith resides in the fact that no matter what happens, he knows God is in control.

God does not get offended or remove Ananias from the plan when he asked questions, he knew it was going to be a stretch, but he also knew Ananias’ willingness to go forward, even at risk to himself. So what is happening with these two times God is getting into people’s lives? There is a realization that happens, and it is a lesson I think everyone needs to learn and it starts with something very simple. Are you ready for it? There is a God, and it is not you.

This is the realization that comes every time that someone has a meeting with God, and God tends to do a few things through it, but the first thing that has to happen is we have to stop putting ourselves in that position. You see, we all have ambitions and desires in life, and we all are trying to figure out how to reach our full potential, and we make all these plans and work so hard at it, and we get more and more frustrated and angry and so we push harder. This is the story of Saul, who worked so hard to maximize his potential and was so full of anger and not as successful as he thought he was. That is to one degree or another all of us.

When we come face to face with God, part of who we were, the old us, has to be destroyed in order for things to change. In order to change, God also calls someone else to be a part of it all. We often talk about how we wish we could have a face to face with God, we could come into his presence, but the truth is, coming into the presence of God has some big effects, ones we can see in what it did to Saul. It destroyed something, it humbled him, it changed his plans, changed what he knew of himself and how he interacted with God. Another thing that we talk about is how God is in our midst when we gather together. If that is the case, and we are seeking to meet with him, are we ready and willing to have this happen? Because that is God’s agenda, and being open, as Ananias was, to the action of God, can have some pretty powerful repercussions, both for our own lives and what God is doing throughout the world. Another question we must ask ourselves is, are we willing to be that one that is called into uncomfortable circumstances to bring someone else to the identity and mission God has for them?


So why did God send Ananias? Other than these few sentences nothing is known of this disciple. Why not send Peter? He was the main disciple that Saul was after. Why not use this as a sign for both? You see, God had a much deeper meaning for sending Ananias; one that Saul would fully understand. Ananias in Hebrew means, "the grace of God." So the first thing Saul saw, and the vessel used to bring Saul's sight back, was The Grace Of God!

Unlikely Heroes: Up Against The World

Can you begin to imagine that you are called to do something, and everyone in your small sphere of existence was against it? Now imagine that same scenario but change it to the entire known world. This is the story of Noah. Noah was called to do something so grand in proportions, for something that was unseen and yet to come.

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Faith is Not based on what WE want, but on What God Wants. There is a whole movement today that says IF you have enough faith, that you’ll be able to ask for whatever you want. I’ve actually heard preachers on television say that if you BELIEVE that God would give you a better house, and nicer car, and more fashionable clothing. Faith is based on what God wants and wanting that for ourselves.
What Hebrews says is that FAITH is confident obedience to God’s Word. in spite of our circumstances and consequences. It may not look possible, but God is able.

ALMOST every time God calls you to step out in faith, it’s going to go against YOUR plans. It’s Going to go against YOUR Logic. It’s going to go against YOUR timing. But Faith is saying, "God, even though I don’t fully understand it, I’m going to trust that you know what you’re doing."What do we know about Noah…Noah’s Ark. It’s one of the favorite children’s stories but the REAL story goes so much deeper.

In Genesis 6:8-9, we get a picture of the man that Noah was. He found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Basically, God had decided to destroy the earth and everything in it because of the wickedness of the people. God grieved over the heart condition of the people he had created. But there was one who was different. Noah made God smile. He was literally the only one on earth in his generation that was living a Godly life. Noah was a righteous man. Righteousness means that Noah had a pure heart before God. It means that his heart was in tune with the heart of God There is nothing you can do to make yourself righteous. You can’t do it by going to church or reading the Bible, or helping the poor. You and I have no righteousness of our own. Righteousness is not something you can earn. Righteousness is God’s, and the only way to receive righteousness is to give ourselves to him completely.

 I think as churches we tend to separate ourselves from the world to the degree that we isolate ourselves from ever making a difference.(1 Peter 2:12) Here is what I believe is God’s vision for the Church. He wants us to be “in the world not of the world” (John 17). Our priority is to cross circles. To create opportunities for the church circles and the community circles to meet and work together.
 And Hear this! The lives of God’s people can show others what God is really like. People think that God is arrogant, condemning, and judgmental, because that is the picture the church often portrays.
We need to be IN THE WORLD because the world needs to know that God is a God of love, and grace, and compassion.

God warned Noah of the impending flood. Noah heard God and listened. People of faith can discern what God is telling them, while others are not able to see.(1 Corinthians 2:14) This is why that even though Noah had never see a flood, he had faith in what God said and built the Ark. Can you imagine the ridicule he must of endured building this giant boat on dry land.  If you decide to live your life for Christ, there will be times when you feel like you are the only one who cares anything about God and his purpose in the world. There will be times when you will need to stand up against a crowd that would like nothing more than for you to be quiet and fail. But that’s the nature of God’s faithful people. The entire book of Acts is about people who fearlessly obeyed God and stood up to severe persecution because of it.

I don’t know what God has called you to. I don’t know what kind of task he has put before you, but know this, You can’t do it alone. God’s got an Ark he wants you to build, and he’s committed to guiding you through the entire process. He’s got a purpose he wants to accomplish through you, but it takes submitting yourself 100% to Him, Listening when he speaks, and Obeying His will. God is calling you today to make that first step. There is a question that I read that is a powerful measuring stick of where you are in Christ. If it became illegal to be a Christian in this country, and you were accused of that crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Unlikely Heroes: Faith Of A Prostitute

Most heroes are just ordinary people, who in the time of trouble, get courageous in a big way. There was a woman who believed God enough, that she stood up against her entire city. Rahab is one of two women mentioned in Hebrews 11. As the writer of Hebrews chronicled the history of faith, and gave praise to the people of faith, most of those people were men. With the exception of Sarah, the wife of Abraham and Rahab, the only other woman mentioned.

Hebrews 11:31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. What is faith? Faith is the assurance of God's promises. She was persuaded by truth. She was assured that what she believed was true. Just as it is said of Abraham in  Romans 4:20-21 - Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. She had dependence on God. She believed that God could provide for her what she needed; Salvation. It’s a question we all ask, "Can I really trust God?" In order to be a person of faith, you have to come to grips with that question.

Faith is a commitment. It’s not a onetime assumption, it’s a lifelong consistancy in following God.
People say, "I need to be more committed". The problem is not your commitment, it’s your faith. If you really believed, if you were really depending on God for all of your needs…you could not be anything else but committed! The question to ask is "What is keeping me from Believing?" It could be a lack of knowledge (Romans 10:17). It’s like the man who saw on television that there was a car driving the wrong direction down the interstate. He knew his wife was traveling that road so he called to warn her. “Honey, there is a car driving the wrong direction on the interstate” – she says “ONE CAR! NO THERE ARE HUNDREDS!” Some people just don’t realize they are going the wrong way. God’s Truth is revealed in His Word. It could be a lack of understanding. You’ve heard about faith, but you don’t understand what it means to be a believer.(2 Corinthians 5:17)

Joshua 2:1 brings us to the last stage of life in the desert for the Israelites. Moses led the people through the 40 years of wilderness wandering…a whole generation. His replacement…is Joshua. Joshua had trained under Moses most of his life and God told him to choose him as his successor. Moses Led the people out of Egypt, it was Joshua’s task to take the people into Canaan, the Promised land. But in order for the Israelites to gain access to the land they had been promised, they would need to fight for it. Jericho was a large city that was built inside these walls. Inside the wall were people’s houses and the roofs were flat and they could walk out onto the roof and peer either into the city or outside the walls. Rahab’s house was inside those walls.

Joshua 6:1-5 is the directions given by God on how the Israelites would defeat Jericho. And it happened just as he said, and in that wall was Rahab. Here house is part of the city wall. She is a "working girl" so to speak. She’s a member of a profession that profits from selling herself for money. But yet, right there in the middle of Hebrews 11, the faith hall of fame…is her name. I want to preface all this with the statement: "Nobody is perfect when they take their first step of faith." As a matter of fact…we’re really not perfect until we are at home in Heaven with Christ where there is no sin. So you might be surprised to see a prostitute in the same Hall of Fame as the likes of Abraham, Moses, and David. We don't see God tell Abraham to go Egypt, but basically God had promised to take care of him, but when faced with adversity (a drought) he took his wife to Egypt, where he knew there would be food. Even though David is considered the most faithful king of Israel, he committed adultery with another man’s wife and then had the husband murdered. What Abraham experienced, what David experienced, what Rahab experienced was God’s GRACE and forgiveness.

You see Rahab showed faith against insurmountable odds. She believed what God would do to the city. And she took a stand against her city in faith, by helping Joshua's spies, and garnering salvation.  Max Lucado once said that one of the most difficult things he ever learned about God was when he had heard that Jeffrey Dauhmer, who was convicted of some of the most gruesome, heartless murders you could ever image, had made a commitment to follow Christ while he was in prison. We look at a person like that, and we WANT them to suffer. We WANT them to get what they deserve! Sometimes we as pompous Christians look at people like that and say "He’s going to have to answer for that some day"…and that’s true. But this all shows you the difference between GOD’s heart and our hearts! God has the power to carry out justice any way that he wants to, but when a person turns to him, no matter where they’ve been or what they’ve done, he accepts them and calls them HIS CHILDREN! And you know what he tells us to do? Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Forgive those who trespass against you in the same way I have forgiven your trespasses! It’s God that has a heart that big!

And do you know that this former prostitute came to faith, married a godly man named Salmon, gave birth to a son who became a Godly man named Boaz, who was the Grandfather of King David, from whose family line would come our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You see, it doesn't matter where you came from or what you've done. God can use  you for mighty things, through Faith in Christ.

Unlikely Heroes: Facing Your Giants

There is not a more inspiring and unlikely hero story than that of David. Keep in mind that this is an Army…and what is the purpose of an Army? They fight battles…but this is an army that is letting the enemy get an upper hand. Basically they are lined up against the Philistines and instead of charging into battle as was normal, the Philistines sent out a “champion named Goliath”.
1 Samuel 17:4-7 - A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.

There was a means of settling a dispute by sending one man from each army to settle the dispute for the entire group. And that’s what the Philistines are attempting. The thing is, they’ve got this Giant on their team. This guy would clean up in the WWE! He’d be a beast on the court in the NBA even today. HE was 9’9”. His armor alone weighed 156 pounds. The tip of his spear weighed 18 pounds alone. This guy was scary, and the fear showed throughout the army of Israel. 1Samuel 17:8-9 - 8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us."  Basically, The Israelites were given one choice. Don’t line up for battle, let’s settle this Man to Man…Hand to Hand. Let’s spare all the bloodshed and let’s make this to where only one man dies.

Goliath would come out every morning for 40 days and make this same proclamation. And every day Saul and the Israelites would cower in fear because they had no one that could stand up to him. The Israelites had forgotten that the same God who was with them when they crossed the Red sea, who was with them when they defeated Jericho, who was with them time and time and time again, is the same God who is with them now. Then on the 40th day here comes David. He is a mere Shepard, and his only job was to bring rations out to his brothers that were soldiers. David looks fear in the eyes and sees something different than the rest of the tribe. He sees a greater purpose more than his personal safety. David comes in as an outsider and sees things a little more clearly than those who were standing there.

David tells the soldiers, "have you guys forgotten what we are really fighting for? Have you forgotten that God said he would never leave our side? Goliath is not defying you as an army, he’s defying God himself! He then tells King Saul that he will fight Goliath. The King tells him there is no way you can fight him, your just a boy and he has been fighting since his youth. Have you ever had someone tell you that you wouldn't be able to accomplish something? Did you respond like David? David said, Oh really, you don't think I can do this? I've killed a lion and a bear with my own hands. See David realized what all the rest of the soldiers didn't: that he could do anything, because God was in his corner.

So the King puts armor on him and gives him a sword. But all of those things were cumbersome and he throws them off. He took his sling and five stones with him to battle this Giant. He knew the battle had been won before he ever stepped foot onto the field. So in 1 Samuel 17:41-47, David steps out onto the field. Goliath and the Philistine army laugh as though this is a joke. He tells David he will cut him down with his sword and curses God. David filled with the strength of Christ simply tells him, "Ha good story Bro." Not really but you get the point. He says with the power of God behind me I will easily defeat you and cut off your head. And just like that, with one stone in between Goliath's eyes, the Giant is defeated.

I Samuel 17 is a true zero to hero story where the little guy gets the victory because he stepped up with the courage and faith that God provided. A truly unlikely hero. How do we face the Giants in our lives?
1: Rely on God’s Power, Not Your Own.( Ephesians 6:10-11)
2: Be Sure You are fighting for the right reasons( Ephesians 6:12)
3: Prepare Yourself For Battle( Ephesians 6:13-18).
What does Fear do to us? It paralyzes us…Keeps us from moving. What are your Giants? What are the things that cause you to reel in fear and forget that God is with you? Remember, the command "Fear Not" is stated 366 times in scripture! God is serious about that because he knows what it does to us. He gives us a daily reminder, even one for the leap years. God is with you, don't fear, he will defeat all your Giants!

Extreme Smuggler

Watchman Nee, the Chinese church leader, had only six hours. He must lead the guard in front of his prison cell to Christ so that his letter of encouragement to Christians outside the prison could be delivered.

Chairman Mao’s government was infuriated by the spread of this “foreign cult,” they had forced out or killed all foreign missionaries and had sent thousands of Chinese church leaders to prison or to “re-education through labor” camps. But the church still grew.

When the police discovered that Nee’s beautiful, powerful letters of encouragement were making their way out of the prison and into the hands of Christians, they doubled the number of guards and never allowed a guard to stand outside Nee’s cell more than once. They shortened shifts to six hours, hoping Nee would not have time to convert the guard.

Nee told the guard about the Father’s love and willingness to give up his own flesh and blood so the guard could live forever in heaven. “Communism cannot get you to heaven,” he said. “Only the blood of Jesus Christ can do that.”

Five hours into the sermon, with tears streaming from his eyes, the guard accepted Christ. Yet another soul was won for the kingdom, and yet another of Watchman Nee’s letters would be safely delivered.

If Christian martyrs teach us anything, it is that we must use creative energy in order to promote the gospel. Their ingenuity, courage, and even craftiness ought to awaken our own spirit for spreading the Good News. While not everyone has the opportunity to smuggle Scriptures into restricted areas, we can still be willing servants for the kingdom. It might mean having a cookout in the driveway for neighbors. It may mean signing up for golf lessons or another community class in order to meet un-believers. A new method of witness always risks consequences. But we should always be willing to take the risk instead of settling for mediocrity. Which describes your evangelistic life today? Mundane and mediocre? Or creatively energetic for Christ?

Extreme Wings

"I spent many years in Soviet gulags," began the handwritten letter. The text was neat, yet evidenced a small shake in the hand-a reminder of old age and years in prison.

"In the camp, I was forced to work under the ground in a mine. The labor was hard, and our guards were without sympathy or human decency. One day, in the mine, there was an accident. My back was injured, and since that day I have been a hunchback."

"One day," the letter continued, "there was a boy who would not stop staring at me. 'Mister,' he asked, 'what do you have on your back?'

"I was sure that some harsh joke at my expense was coming, but nevertheless I said, 'a hunchback?'
"The child smiled warmly. 'No,' he said, 'God is love. He gives no one deformities. That is not a hunchback you have; it is a box below your shoulders. Hiding inside the box are angels' wings. One day, the box will open, and you will fly to heaven with your angel wings.'

"I began to cry for joy. Even now," the letter concluded, "as I write to you, I am crying."
Many persecuted Christians bear the marks of their experience on their bodies. Sometimes God must remind them, even through the voice of an innocent child, of the hidden blessings beneath these scars.

There is only one reminder of earth in heaven. Jesus, even in his resurrected body of glory, still bears the scars of his own persecution. Jesus showed his scars to the disciples soon after his resurrection. Thomas touched the wound in his side and the scars on his hands. One day, his nail-scarred hands will embrace us, too, when we enter heaven. They will serve as a loving reminder of the blessings brought forth from his sufferings. However, the scars from our own difficult lives will be erased in our new, heavenly bodies.

Those who have endured sufferings, insults, and injustices for his sake will exchange their scars, one by one, for God's richest blessings.

(Exert from Voice of the Martyrs)

Testimony Of A Nobody

My testimony starts off like a lot of people, nothing to special. I was raised in church. If the doors were open we were there. I learned all the bible stories, and attended a private Christian school for four years. I was saved at a young age, and baptized. But the one thing I was never taught, or at least learned, was what it truly meant to be a Christian. As I graduated high school and started college I went the way of many of our young people. I was always an introvert; very socially awkward and didn't make friends very easily. And this has followed me my entire life.

I somewhat broke out of my shell in college. Which unfortunately led me to a life of partying. I tried marijuana, but never got hooked with it. It was always more of just an occasional social thing. But smoking and drinking all weekend would be something that stuck around for awhile. The partying lifestyle stopped shortly before my first child was born. This is also where my spiritual journey began. For many years I jumped from one theory to the next. Following more rabbit holes than I'd like to admit. I can look back now and know that I learned much about the inner meanings of the bible from this journey. But there was still a huge vacant space in my soul that ached constantly.

It was an ache that sent me down a very dark path. My depression and self worth were so low, I contemplated taking my life on numerous occasions. I had so much more than most do, yet I felt like I had nothing. I had a wonderful wife and kids. A great family structure that would help me through anything, but still I was lost. I had no purpose; or at least I felt I had no purpose. I felt as though if I just ended it then I could be home and away from the darkness of this world. I never considered if God would forgive me for doing it, I just knew that was an escape. I knew it would be devastating to my family, but in the state I was in, I felt they would be better off.

It wasn't until five years ago this September that a change would begin. On vacation at the beach with my family, I broke down one day and just cried out to God. "God I can't do this anymore. I need a purpose. Please show me what you want me to do."I was led to open the bible and turned straight to the story of Moses in the wilderness. I said, "Ok God, you need to take me through the wilderness first." But like most of humanity, we don't exactly like to wait for things. Fast forward three years and I was approaching my 40th birthday. In my mind the numbers forty and three were very symbolic and I thought they had meaning. Emphasis on I thought. Well the fortieth passed and no change was in sight.

Then the Friday, two weeks before Thanksgiving something happened. I was at work sitting in my office, once again reveling in my depressed mind. When I saw a very large man come to the front door on the security camera. He began to pound on the intercom button and I just said, "Please God I don't want to deal with this today!" Then the secretary called me and said the man had a meeting with the Pastor. So as I am walking to the door I'm on the phone with the campus pastor asking if he had a meeting today. As I open the door I ask the man who he is here to see. He replied that he just needed to talk with a Pastor. The whole time I am on the phone he continues to shake his head. Before I can tell him anything he says, "You know it's bad when you have to schedule a meeting to talk to a pastor." I agreed with him, but told him he was welcome to go to our other campus and someone could speak with him.

He said, "I just needed someone to pray with me, you can do that can't you?" Now folks with my social anxiety, even doing this in a one-on-one scenario was frightening. But I did it. He begins to tell me his story. He was a preacher from Texas, but had lost his way. He had lost his job, his family, and everything. But he had turned back to the Father and was getting back on his feet. He then asked for gas money. At this point my human nature kicked in, "Ok this is what he wanted all along, money. If I give him some than I can get back to my loathing." I reached into my pocket to get some money and he said,"I don't want to take your last ten dollars." Now that made me stop for a second because one: ten dollars is all I had in my pocket and two: It's all the money I had period. I said, "No don't worry about that," and handed it to him.

He continued to talk about his depression and at one point  I start to see similarities in our lives. I said that I feel the same way and am going through that to. He says, "Your not listening." And I continue to speak and he says it again, "Your not listening." At this point I'm wondering if I didn't hear something he had said. Then finally a third time, (there's that number again) he said, "You don't understand you're not listening." "Don't you know when your grandfathers passed away they passed the mantle to you to take the Father's message to the world?" So yeah, at this point I started to feel my knees go out and the emotions starting to build. But even with this overwhelming occurrence happening right before me, I still continued to debate. I said, "Yes but what I'm battling is in my head. It's forces unseen by others." He said,"Yes, don't you understand that's why the Father was with your sister that night she was battling these forces?"

Folks, I literally could not feel my body at this point. I didn't know if I was dreaming or if  what was happening was a reality. He continued to speak, "You aren't going to reach people here. You must go to the parks, steps of the courthouse, or stadiums and proclaim God's word. That's where you will reach them. And don't worry, we know you have a problem speaking in public. But when you begin to speak, it won't be you speaking; it will be the Father speaking through you." My mind was not able to comprehend much at this point. He said, "I'm glad the Father sent me a carpenter instead of a Pastor," and thanked me and began to walk off. I said, "I'm sorry I have always had a problem remembering names, did you tell me your name?" He said, "My name is Abel."

This is when I knew that what had happened was real. When he started walking off my human nature kicked back in. Or what I feel was Satan, realizing he was losing and told me to keep an eye on him. I wanted to see him get into a car, and see if the tag was from Texas. I saw him walk between two cars. Apparently I had not seen one of the preschool teachers come out. When the car backed up, the teacher was the one driving the car. Abel had literally disappeared. Trust me I know how this sounds. It was unbelievable then, and I still have difficulties now still believing. But God has a way of reminding me; just like He did three times after this, so that I knew it was his hand. The other teacher and the lady in the office saw me overcome with emotion; and all I could say was that, "I believe I just had a conversation with an Angel."

The first time God re-affirmed what had happened was the next day. We were at my mother's house. She had just sold one of my grandparent's houses. It hadn't sold for much because it was a very old house, but she felt we should have a part of it. She gave me a card, and inside was a check for one thousand dollars. You might be saying, "Well how was that affirmation of what happened the day before?" Matthew 13:23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” You see that 1,000 dollar check was exactly one hundred fold from what I gave Abel. I gave all I had, and He returned a hundred fold. Praise God!

If that wasn't enough to make me believe, He affirmed it again a second time, the very next day. I had to work on that Sunday. I was talking to the Children's Minister and relaying the story from the day before. When I was telling the story, I had remembered in talking about my depression with Abel, that I had said I was obviously well fed and that I should be thankful for that. Abel had said as he was touching his stomach,"Yeah, me too but I don't have to worry about that now." I didn't understand it at the time, but God showed the affirmation again. The children's minister told me a missionary she knew had just told her a week before, that one of the missionaries they had worked with, had passed away with his six year old boy. He was a Pastor from Texas, that had just recently became a missionary in Africa. He and his son had died from an infection in their stomachs. His name was Abel. Now I don't claim to know God's ways. I don't think this was actually that pastor that came to me that day. I feel He used that, to affirm to me about my time with His messenger.

The third and final time He affirmed it was again the very next day. In a conversation with my sister, and the things she went through when she was battling her forces; she told me of things she saw and heard, that were exactly the same things Abel had told me. I knew at this point, without a shadow of a doubt, that God had given me my marching orders. But I didn't know in what context. A verse started to weigh on me.
Matthew 25:34-40 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 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 took me into your home. I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then the people who have God’s approval will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.’

So I felt His calling was to help those society had left behind. But like so many of us, I didn't wait for direction. I ripped that verse out of the bible and began my Olympic 40 yard dash to make it a reality. All the while, God was patiently waiting at the starting line, for me to realize I needed Him. So when it failed, and it did, He gave the direction. Yes all the grandiose plans I had would come to fruition, but teaching is where He wanted me to start. So I started this blog based teaching site. Now I can't say results came overnight, because they didn't. Seven months in and the blog had ten followers. But you see I was more concerned with quantity instead of quality. I wanted to reach as many people as I possibly could. While that is a noble aspiration, I was relying on what I thought, not what He did. So I said, "Ok Lord, I will continue to teach if only one person reads and is reached for the kingdom. Let your will be done." So for three months,(wow, that number just won't stop coming up) I didn't pay attention to the quantity, just His quality.

After three months He laid a pressing on me to check the blog. In October there were over 700 followers in three countries. Praise God! Mediocre numbers by worldly status, but abundant numbers in the Kingdom of Christ. As the months have passed I have tried to keep my view on what His will is. As we are entering the third month of 2018, the blog now has 10,000 plus followers in over 25 countries. Nothing, and I mean Nothing is impossible with God.

You see, I have been a virtual nobody my entire life, but that is just what God wants. When someone with social anxiety can become a booming voice for Him, then His power is shown. All through the Bible, people with issues have been used for the Kingdom. Shy, stuttering, unknown sinful people have always been used for God's Kingdom. He didn't choose the self proclaimed spiritually righteous. He didn't choose the wealthy, conceited rulers. No He chose the ones who felt they were nothing; because through Him they are more than something. He has raised the lowest in the kingdom of this world, to be the highest in the Kingdom of Christ. Just know; it doesn't matter if you have social anxiety, it doesn't matter your race, it doesn't matter where you come from in life, and it doesn't matter how far you may have sunken in the darkness. All of you are loved, and all of you are made for something far greater than you could ever imagine. Christ only sees your heart, not your self perception. He sees what you were created to be.

Plan Of Salvation

Are you hungry? Not physically hungry, but do you have a hunger for something more in life? Is there something deep inside of you that never seems to be satisfied? If so, Jesus is the way! Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35).
Are you confused? Can you never seem to find a path or purpose in life? Does it seem like someone has turned out the lights and you cannot find the switch? If so, Jesus is the way of salvation! Jesus proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Do you ever feel like you are locked out of life? Have you tried so many doors, only to find that what is behind them is empty and meaningless? Are you looking for an entrance into a fulfilling life? If so, Jesus is the way of salvation! Jesus declared, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). 

Do other people always let you down? Have your relationships been shallow and empty? Does it seem like everyone is trying to take advantage of you? If so, Jesus is the way! Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (John 10:11, 14).

Do you wonder what happens after this life? Are you tired of living your life for things that only rot or rust? Do you sometimes doubt whether life has any meaning? Do you want to live after you die? If so, Jesus is the way of salvation! Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).

What is the way? What is the truth? What is the life? Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

The hunger that you feel is a spiritual hunger, and can only be filled by Jesus. Jesus is the only one who can lift the darkness. Jesus is the door to a satisfying life. Jesus is the friend and shepherd that you have been looking for. Jesus is the life—in this world and the next. Jesus is the way of salvation!

The reason you feel hungry, the reason you seem to be lost in darkness, the reason you cannot find meaning in life, is that you are separated from God. The Bible tells us that we have all sinned, and are therefore separated from God (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23). The void you feel in your heart is God missing from your life. We were created to have a relationship with God. Because of our sin, we are separated from that relationship. Even worse, our sin will cause us to be separated from God for all of eternity, in this life and the next (Romans 6:23; John 3:36).

How can this problem be solved? Jesus is the way of salvation! Jesus took our sin upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus died in our place (Romans 5:8), taking the punishment that we deserve. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, proving His victory over sin and death (Romans 6:4-5). Why did He do it? Jesus answered that question Himself: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus died so that we could live. If we place our faith in Jesus, trusting His death as the payment for our sins, all of our sins are forgiven and washed away. We will then have our spiritual hunger satisfied. The lights will be turned on. We will have access to a fulfilling life. We will know our true best friend and good shepherd. We will know that we will have life after we die—a resurrected life in heaven for eternity with Jesus!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Have you made a decision for Christ because of what you have read here? Or do you have any questions? Please contact us at truechangeministries@gmail.com, we would love to talk to you.