Author Archives

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Readers Without Borders

It’s been a year since this little blog of mine obtained its .com domain name. In the internet world, that supposedly helped it gain a bit of exposure, at least more than it would have had with only a wordpress.com or blogspot.com address. Still, I never imagined the extent of your readership. In one year, you and your fellow readers have logged on from 93 nations on six continents. Check out my stats map below — you’re on there, in color!

We are a global bunch, a modern-day community. Because you are reading, I will keep writing, and we’ll see where this goes.

Happy 1-year anniversary to you, Readers Without Borders!

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When Confounded Is Good

Sometimes our beliefs fail us. Sometimes that’s a good thing.

If we consider all our current views or theologies solid but God disagrees, it’s an improvement to be confounded. When our old patterns of thinking are disrupted, it’s an opportunity for God to show us his thoughts. While we’re grappling with uncertainty, our understanding can be corrected.

The Apostle Paul wrote: Romans 12: 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

When we become flustered by life; when we are confused, agitated, and wish we could feel solid again, let God be the one to solidify those rattled foundations. Rather than return to the old, allow his Holy Spirit and Word to instruct instead.

What if we still don’t get it? — We try but can’t land on solid understanding of God’s will and ways? God cares more that we want to please and obey him, than if we know how to do it. The wanting is of the will. If we don’t want him, what can he do? He won’t overcome our wills. As long as we are willing, he will add his power to accomplish what we can’t.

David’s selection by Samuel to become Israel’s first king over his more respected brothers, is a good example. God led Samuel to choose David because David’s will was with and not against God. All the essential extras that were required for David to take his seat on the throne would come over the years, as God taught him in the classroom of life. In time, David became the man for the throne.

So stay willing before God. Don’t fret about inadequacies and limitations. The want to is there — the rest will happen as we each work out our own salvations.

Paul also wrote in his letter to the Philippians 2: 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Many of us are incredibly busy, and it seems difficult to “work at” God things also. But maybe it shouldn’t feel like work at all. Maybe it could be a relationship we value and prioritize, not because we have to, but because we want to.

I pray God becomes irresistible to each of us, so instead of work, it is a great joy to communicate with him about the big and small details of our daily lives.

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Come Alive Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37 

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

“Come Alive (Dry Bones)” featuring Lauren Daigle 

written by Lauren Daigle and Michael Farren
recorded at the CentricWorship Retreat
BUY ON ITUNES: http://bit.ly/comealiveep

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The Time For Power

There is a God-appointed time when a person is ready to reign in his life’s call, and God chooses to supply His power, leadership and support. At that time, old or new enemies part and even flee in fear.

Prior to the appointed time, David lacked the full authority, leadership, wisdom and skills to gain and maintain power. While evading Saul, he was developing all that. Once his abilities were adequate for the job, he was positioned by God to remove the remaining opposition. Finally, the fullness of David’s ability to reign had its appointed time. When it was the time for David to take the throne that Saul had occupied, God was with him to successfully manage the kingdom. He became King in place of Saul. He put his skills to use and God was with him. Nations that were accustomed to superior might became powerless to overthrow David.

What happened to the enemy kingdoms’ capacity to overpower David? What was with David that caused his enemies to scatter? What caused the collapse of previous strongholds?

It was the time for the manifestation of God’s prophecies and promises, the time that God supplied His power to the unfolding events on earth.

What can stand against a plan that God unfolds? What insufficiencies that resist correction in a person, for example, can continue in unrighteousness when caught up in the path of God’s power?

Nothing can stand in opposition to God. Like an avalanche, He pushes aside opposition, scattering the unrighteous and picking up those destined to cooperate with Him, even if they aren’t yet yielded to God. He transports them.

We try to move on God’s path to the best of our abilities, but we can do only so much. We are often too slow, or too delayed in development for the timing of His plan. Rather than miss out then, He scoops us up into something beyond us, something much more powerful than ourselves, and moves within us to the completion He’s after, while simultaneously moving our changing selves along His mission. Much like an aircraft could be built while it’s being transported via ship, so that when it lands across the ocean, its construction is completed at the moment it’s unloaded and ready for use.

Psalm 147:5 – Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.

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Why Try?

Someone I know has had an agonizing time trying to get a family member out of a foreign country. The specifics must be withheld, for good reason. Just know it has been a grueling, potentially life-and-death ordeal based on politics and power.

It’s a case of individuals imploring national government, the small guys rebuffed by powers that be, living conditions prime for contracting diseases, a divide of thousands of miles, travel restrictions, and complicated laws. Add to that finite personal resources of time and finances, and it’s been two long years of herculean efforts going nowhere.

Meanwhile, life must go on, including caring for other family and responsibilities, and when able, attending the same vocation-related meeting I do. Yesterday we were mid-discussion when someone rounded the basement stairway to join us. We looked up to see our friend had arrived.

But it was not just one person standing there …

The wonderful, impossible, beautiful, astonishing, too-good-to-be-true TRUTH of it sank in slowly …

The aforementioned family member caught up in international politics was there, too. At our meeting. They were together. A two-year nightmare was over.

Every second of that realization was unforgettable — they were settled into the empty space next to me long before I absorbed it all. They were living (and touchable!) proof that situations appearing hopeless can change for the good in an instant. And when they do, unspeakable joy is the result. That joy is contagious, too — I sure caught it. I can attest that it is a privilege to know enough of the struggle to appreciate the victory.

Their reunion represented all things right in a world too often wrong. They were examples of why we should all cling to hope, fight for justice and life, ask for help in the difficult battles, and never give up.

Dramatic turnarounds do happen. I witnessed one yesterday, and oh, was it good.

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He Has Risen

Jesus Has Risen

Luke 24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.

9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

“Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty – Agnus Dei”, sung by Michael W. Smith

Youtube licensee Saji7hischild

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The Wondrous Cross

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhvXOIVsRv4

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” – Luke 23:34

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” – Luke 23:39

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” – Luke 23:40-42

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” – Luke 23:43

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. – Luke 23:46

jesus cross for blog

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“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

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“When I Survey (The Wondrous Cross)” sung by Kathryn Scott.

YouTube licensee: Kezla12

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Turn Your Eyes

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conqu’rors we are!

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Written by Helen Lemmel, 1922

Based on Hebrews 12:2 – Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

A Capella

Youtube license for this video – Anish Thankachan

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An Unknown Road

cindigale's avatarCindi Gale

“Life is difficult for those who have the daring to first set out on an unknown road. The avant-garde always has a bad time of it.” – Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, 1889

Those who trust enough to travel unknown roads sacrifice much. The road never-before-traveled is often isolating, desolate, and ensconced in darkness. Commitment to the road requires every ounce of available courage, perseverance, grit, restraint, fortitude, and faithfulness.

dark forest for blogOn the seemingly endless, trial-filled journey, depletion is inevitable. There comes a day when you find yourself flat on your face in the dirt, aware of the ruins of your life because of the road.

One more step is impossible. It’s then that you look up and see … light? aid? rest?

No, a mountain where the path had been level.

And always, always there comes from nowhere a reason to peel yourself off the hard, cold ground and begrudgingly, resentfully, tearfully…

View original post 119 more words

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Be Transformed

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)

 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

What does it look like to be transformed by God? A reader emailed this question, wanting specifics on how transformation applied to his life. I could only offer some of my personal experiences pertaining to the topic. He responded that my email to him “helped a lot”, so I am sharing it in hopes it might benefit others as well.

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Dear ____,

Not knowing you, I’m unable to personalize the transformative work of God to your life. But if you’re wondering about general things, maybe my experiences will be helpful to you.

I had to understand that God wants me to be the core person He made me to be, not who I’d unknowingly become over my lifetime. I realized that some of “me” has been constant my whole life; some of “me” didn’t really bother me, but it didn’t feel fully comfortable to me either; and some of” me” I thought was wrong, so I trumped her with being intentionally different than I was.

For example, I thought I was required to be nice to everybody, especially the most difficult people to please. Somehow that niceness ended up with a hefty dose of passivity included. It allowed selfish manipulators to capitalize on it. I didn’t know when or how it started, and it never occurred to me that it needed to change. I’d expected God to address my irritability as a problem, not “niceness”!

In the process of transforming that habitual behavior, God challenged me to NOT automatically default to “nice”. Instead, I should trust in my instincts and attend to the Holy Spirit, facing situations as those two things led me. I did that, and found myself handling difficult people with increasing wisdom, confidence, and firmness. Some people didn’t like the change and said so. It took loads of faith to follow Him in this area of transformation. But after a few years of practice, I realized I was able to better interact with all people, even aggressors and manipulators. I’m not often treated like a doormat anymore. I learned my old idea of nice was a complication, not a solution.

Here’s another example: I used to measure myself by others’ reactions to me. Now I know they have to answer for themselves, just as I have to answer for myself. I am who I am, not who people determine me to be. They’re often wrong in their judgment, anyway.

Another example is my adoption of Christian teachings. I picked up the unspoken expectations and spoken rules of churches. I wanted to be pliable and open-minded, so I trusted and complied. I assumed they knew best. Often, they didn’t. I should have let God transform me instead of letting people do that.

Over ten years ago, God started “cleansing my palate” of the flavors I took on from two churches, in particular, that I’d attended. He expressed his disapproval of many of the beliefs and rules that had been imposed on me, including much self-righteousness integrated into their practices. Once God revealed His opinions, I developed a strong aversion to what He disliked. Eventually, I saw how a few assertive people within those churches had changed who I was. They had made me timid and scared of breaking their rules. My compliance with their self-righteousness forced me into a self-righteous plane, inconsistent with my own heart. Complying with people’s rules instead of God’s leading, resulted in isolating me from people with different beliefs.

I also was living superficially, morphing to the external factors of rules and expectations of others. God taught me to value internal factors also, including my own thoughts and characteristics. I learned to listen to others’ beliefs, actively process the ideas before agreeing, and to always await God’s thoughts about it. With God’s guidance over a few years, I slowly learned to be driven from within: by the Holy Spirit and my own thoughts, beliefs, and intuition.

Once I had God’s point of view, and I realized He had never demanded my conformity to peoples’ beliefs and rules, I felt such relief. I was myself for the first time I could remember. It was like “me” being introduced to “me”! And the best thing? — God approved of me, which made self-acceptance much easier.

Like a potter, God had restructured the shape of what people had made me. He kept the clay I was created to be, and reshaped me as He wanted.

Jeremiah 18 (NIV)

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” 3 So I went down tothe potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

This amazed me about God, my potter: He was never forceful; he did not smash my old clay pot to gain the new. He simply brought my attention to His opinions, and to overlooked qualities within me. I saw what I hadn’t before, only because He showed me. I changed the shape of my clay pot, not because he forced me to, but because he asked me to — I agreed with Him.

I hope those examples help. I don’t know your story. You may not have experienced much of your true, God-given identity yet. There may be talents, wisdom, or qualities within you that have yet to surface. Or maybe they have, but remained unnoticed — instead you mirrored what people expected of you. Maybe you have already expressed your transformed self, and it was met with disapproval by people.

Trust in what you hear from God about you. Look past those disapproving people at odds with truth, and don’t stop being you. If it is God directing your transformation, an abundance of people will ultimately approve you, too. Don’t forget you have the Holy Spirit’s help — you are not doing this alone.

Philippians 2: (NIV)

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Also, thank you for your kind words. I don’t always think with optimism and belief in people. But when God reveals His thoughts, I do love to share His attitude of restoration, possibilities and mercy. What a privilege to believe in a person and watch them become all that and more.