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A Walk of Faith

6/30/2017

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."--2 Corinthians 5:7(NKJV)

There is a wonderful farm near our home that is always a nice to visit, but our favorite time to go there is in the Fall. It's so much fun! There are hayrides, pumpkin and apple picking, hot apple cider, apple cider donuts, music, and of course--a corn maze! It amazes me how people willingly pay money to feel confused and even get lost in a corn maze! In my humble opinion, not knowing where you are going and meandering sheepishly along is not a very pleasant feeling. But, it's interesting how in the case of a corn maze, we sacrifice a little uneasiness for sport. And no doubt, this is a staple of Fall outdoor entertainment.

Yet, in "real life" we typically do not want the maze. Most of us are not entertained by puzzles, confusion, and paths of uncertainty. We want clear directions, we want to know and see where we are going, and we want an ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival). We don't like detours, setbacks, retracing our footsteps because we are lost, delays, or any challenges to our well constructed, laid out plans. But life is full of these things! This is why faith in the true and living God is vital to us getting through the proverbial mazes of life. If we did not run into challenges and if things did not seem impossibly difficult--we would never need faith. The reality is, walking by faith is in our contract. God requires this of us.

Here's the good news: God is with us in the maze, and we have a personal guide onboard as we journey--the Holy Spirit. He brings comfort, help, guidance, and reassurance to settle our fretful hearts (John 14). No, we will not always get the memo or be privy to the fine details of life, but when we come to a place of confidence and resolve in our hearts that we have a good Father who loves and cares for us more than we could ever imagine we can get through the maze successfully.

Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank you for the truth of your word. Thank you that you never leave us alone. We thank you for your Holy Spirit, our paraclete, who comes along side us and offers help, direction, guidance, and support. Sensitize our hearts to his unction. Help us to be more aware of his presence. We pray for discerning hearts that are in tune with the sound of heaven. Amen and so be it according to your word.

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Get the Bugs Out!

6/23/2017

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"God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”--Luke 4:18(MSG)

*** Spoiler Alert ***
If you are squeamish, proceed with caution before you read any further...

Years ago I was an in-home child and family therapist. I worked with "at-risk" families in which the children in the home were at imminent of risk of placement due to abuse or neglect. Needless to say, I observed many different home environments and family dynamics. There was little that would surprise me--until I visited one home in particular...

This home was full of vermin (bugs). They were everywhere! And I do mean everywhere. Even the walls seemed to be moving. The bugs were coming out of cabinets, the toaster, and dropping from the ceiling. I was startled by the family's indifference. They family were unabashed. I had never witnessed bugs on this level. As far as I could see, there was not one place in the home where there was not movement.  I was taken aback by the family's adjustment to such an unsafe and unhealthy environment. I remember saying to the parent with heart-felt empathy, "You. Deserve. Better. You and your family are entitled to better. We will work to get an exterminator to come out to your home immediately."

The family had gotten so use to sharing their home with bugs, it took an outsider (me) to say, "Hey...this is not okay. This is not good for you. You do not have to live like this."

This may seem like an extreme account, but how many of us are dealing with vermin on a soul level? How many have adjusted and adapted to things plaguing our souls that we have been given the authority, power, and ability to "spiritually exterminate"?(Acts 1:8)

If this sharing resonates with you, that's a good thing! It means God is bringing an awareness because he wants you free indeed (John 8:36).  God desires that we live a life of satisfaction, abundant joy, and peace (John 10:10). God wants us to prosper, succeed, and be well in our souls (3 John 2). He wants us to be liberated and free; this is why Jesus died on the cross for our sins. The shed blood of Jesus brings salvation, redemption, healing, wholeness, and wellness. We are reconciled with the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18). We are children of the Most High God (Psalm 82:6). We are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9). Living a life of acceptance that is self-abasing is not God's desire for any of his children.

This is not a motivational speech--although I pray you are motivated by the Word of God, which is alive and powerful enough to bring radical change to our lives (Hebrews 4:12). Perhaps you have been in a place of soul stagnation and "spiritual infestation" for so long, you have come to a place of accepting, adjusting, or even ignoring the "bugs" simply to survive. Good News!  We do not have to accept low-level living, thinking, and behaviors that bring detriment to our souls. All we have to do is believe by faith that God has enabled us to get the spiritual bugs out of our lives.

***A special thanks to Flickr.com/photos and www.insightpestsolutions.com
   for the use this image***

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Honoring Dads!

6/17/2017

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"Honor your father and mother." This is the first commandment with a promise..."--Ephesians 6:2(NLT)

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The Eyes of Understanding

6/9/2017

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"...the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints."--Ephesians 1:18(NKJV)

Did you know that your understanding has eyes? It's true! Please allow me to illustrate this biblical truth.

Recently, my husband dropped a "heavy revy" (revelation) on me. He said, "Sometimes, the only thing you can change about your situation is your perspective." Wow, right? His words resonated with me as I thought about all the serious things in our lives that are problematic, worrisome, upsetting, etc.--yet we are unable to change them. When we are in distress and overwhelmed with present realities; you know, when things really look bad--a child has become prodigal, a loved one is in medical crisis, a job is being shut-down, or a family member is struggling with an opioid addiction. What do we do in those moments?

It's vital to remember that we have an anchor in the word of God. This is not to minimize the severity of any given situation or the magnitude of stress that it can bring to our souls, but in our most difficult moments it's good to remind ourselves that God has endowed us with supernatural grace, goodness, and mercy to overcome adversity. However, in order to fully embrace these truths, we need to change our perspective and put our faith to work. In so doing, we will experience the peace(Philippians 4:7) and comfort of God (Psalm 23), renewed hope and strength (Isaiah 40:31), divine empowerment (Philippians 4:13), and angelic help (Psalm 103:20).

What you choose to look at will determine the success of your outcome. Will you arise victorious or succumb to defeat? It's all about perspective.

Greek Word Study of Ephesians 1:18

eyes--G3788 opthalmos: eye, sight, the eyes of the mind, faculty of knowing

understanding--G1271 dianoia: mind, understanding, imagination, way of thinking, feeling, desiring, thoughts--either good or bad

enlightened--G5457 photizo: to give light, illuminate, give understanding, make to see

know--G1492 eido: to see, perceive, discern, discover, pay attention

hope--G1680 elpis: hope, expect good, joyful, confidence of eternal salvation

calling--G2821 klesis: divine invitation to embrace salvation or God

***Greek word study from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance***

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A Walk of Faith

Get the Bugs Out!

Honoring Dads!

The Eyes of Understanding

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