IN THE DARK

The other night I went to go pick up my oldest daughter from dance class. It was a typical dark southern night. It just seems to get darker here than anywhere else I have ever lived before. The air was still moist and humid from a rainstorm we had earlier that day. The ground had not yet absorbed all the moisture from the heavy rain so there were puddles everywhere. We live in a housing subdivision that is on the edge of the woods and the darkness is filled with all kinds of buzzing, chirping and hissing noises that after 13 years in this part of the United States I have finally gotten used to.

We chit chatted as we drove home and then I pulled into our drive way and parked the van near the garage. It was late, had been a long day and my pillow was calling my name, so I was anxious to get inside the house and go to bed. We got out of the van and made our way up the side walk towards our dimly lit front porch. I was wearing flip flops and my feet were getting wet. I didn't mind as the temperature is still fairly warm. It was then that I felt something jump on my foot! I couldn't make out what it was in dark, but it felt slimy, wet and was climbing on me. Yikes!! I screamed and kicked it off my foot. Whatever it was, it must have been determined because it came in for a second assault! By this time I was jumping, hollering and dancing on the sidewalk like a mad woman! If my neighbors had taken a look outside they might have thought I had lost my mind or I was having some sort of spiritual experience. I finally made it into the light to see that it was just a tiny brown frog. I was embarrassed and relieved at the same time. My frightened and confused daughter said, "Mom, I thought you were have some kind of seizure or something!" In those moments my mind had quickly imagined a copperhead or water moccasin snake climbing up my leg during the incident, which are both common to our area and are very poisonous. The snake in my mind thankfully was just a tiny brown frog trying to find higher ground on my top of my bare foot.

In the dark everything seems bigger, threatening and more frightening. In the light most things turn out to be pretty small compared to the image our minds can create. Darkness distorts things! Some things and even some people have seemed huge to me in my mind! They seem powerful, controlling, intimidating and even dangerous. However, in the light of God's word and in His wisdom they are very small like that little brown frog on the dark, wet sidewalk. The light removes their power, might and strength because it reveals truth! When we remove our focus from the obstacle in the darkness and place it squarely on the Lord and on the light of His Word everything in comparison seems very small, insignificant and not threatening. His light chases away the darkness and just like that porch light reveals the truth.

John 8:12:12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

We are living in an age when so many things can seem overpowering to us. What we must remember is that in the eternal scheme of things and in God's economy things are not often what they seem. He sees the big picture and encompasses all time, while we live in the here and now and exist in our own man made boxes of understanding. Only through following Him will we be able walk in the light that leads to life.

Lord please help us to continually follow You and not walk after the darkness or any of it's distorted attributes. Help us to maintain our focus on You and the light of your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen!

More Than A Conqueror

Identification Please....

I was walking on my treadmill earlier this week and listening to a well known teacher whom I am a great fan of. She said something that really struck a cord with me. She was speaking about the temptation of Christ in the wilderness. She referenced the following passage:

Matthew 4
1Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The point she made, that really hit home with me, was the If and the It is written part. Satan made the statement "If you are the Son of God". The first thing Satan attempted to do to Jesus was to make Him doubt who He was. I have read this verse countless times over the years and I never noticed the "if" before!

The first thing Satan will most often do when we are in the wilderness is to try to cause us to doubt who God says we are. Wow, talk about mind blowing! Do you have or have you had thoughts like: "you must not be a christian if you do/say that", "you couldn't possibly be God's child and behave like that" or "you are just not good enough to be a christian". The possibilities and scenarios are endless. The point is that our adversary, the devil, seeks to devour your perception of the truth. He seeks to get you to doubt your identity in Christ.

The Bible is very clear about who the believer is. The Bible is your sword and it was the sword Jesus used to defeat Satan in that moment. Read verse 4 again.

4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Jesus didn't argue with Satan, nor did he try to explain to Satan who He was. He basically said, "look Satan, it doesn't matter what you say, because IT IS WRITTEN and all that matters is what God says." This passage was about much more than just being hungry in the wilderness folks!

So listen up! It doesn't matter what the world says, because IT IS WRITTEN. It doesn't matter what your enemies say, because IT IS WRITTEN. It doesn't matter what what anyone says about who you are, because who you are....IS WRITTEN!

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ and you have made him Lord and Savior of your life then you need to know who God says you are. It is truly foundational and an important part of defending yourself against the attacks of the enemy. Here is a sampling, but I encourage you to feast on the Word of God yourself.

Who I Am In Christ


I am accepted...

John 1:12
I am God's child.

John 15:15
As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1
I have been justified.

1 Corinthians 6:17
I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.

1 Corinthians 12:27
I am a member of Christ's body.

Ephesians 1:3-8
I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.

Colossians 1:13-14
I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.

Colossians 2:9-10
I am complete in Christ.

Hebrews 4:14-16
I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.


I am secure...

Romans 8:1-2
I am free from condemnation.

Romans 8:28
I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.

Romans 8:31-39
I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.

Colossians

3:1-4
I am hidden with Christ in God.

Philippians 1:6
I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.

Philippians 3:20
I am a citizen of heaven.

2 Timothy 1:7
I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.

1 John 5:18
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.



I am significant...

John 15:5
I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.

John 15:16
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.

1 Corinthians 3:16
I am God's temple.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21
I am a minister of reconciliation for God.

Ephesians 2:6
I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.

Ephesians 2:10
I am God's workmanship.

Ephesians 3:12
I may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Your friend, More Than A Conqueror.

P.S. If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ and want to be click here http://www.ficm.org/receivec.htm

God is not mad at you!!

Here I am again. I am so completely fed up with religion. Not my relationship with Jesus, just religion. Rules, laws, self imposed unreasonable expectation, control and manipulation....religion. Ok, my version of what that means. Don't get offended. Please don't get too caught up in semantics. You know what I mean. Whatever you want to call it, I can see how much it has injured people. I can see how much we injure one another and ourselves! That was never His intent. God doesn't love that way. God isn't waiting on the other side of that bush with a baseball bat ready to let you have it if you make a mistake. He really had to remind me of that again today. He has to remind me of that often. I can go there so easily. I tend to come before Him cowering and fearful ready for a good slap down. I tend to forget about my relationship with Him and go back to trying to "perform" to meet what I think are His expectations. I think I do that with others at times too. Both in expectation of them and of myself.

Do you want to please God? Love Him and love others, that is all. Really. Not rocket science. In loving him your motives will be altered. In loving Him it becomes about Him, not you. You will make mistakes but you won't want to do anything that would hurt Him or cause Him disappointment. He knows that heart and that is the heart that pleases His!

Does God get disappointed with us? Yes. Is He mad at times? Yes....not at His children, but at our behavior. We can make him downright furious. Do your kids actions make you mad sometimes? Mine do! Do I toss them away when they anger me? No, they are my kids! I may not like what they do, but I love them. Come boldly before the throne! Come like a child, not an enemy. Come expecting His love, grace, mercy and forgiveness!

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

If someone came before me with an attitude like, "I know you are a harsh person and not a loving individual so I really don't expect much from you, but would you get me out of this tight spot I am in?", how do you think I'd feel? How would you feel? How do you think the heart of God feels when we come to Him like that? I think He feels hurt and completely misunderstood. God is not mad at you! He is not mad at me. He may be hurt about some of the choices we make, but understand my friend that God deeply, deeply loves you.

Galatians 5

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

More Than A Conqueror

JOY!!!

When my oldest son was small I really wanted him to have a dog. (That is him in that picture above) There is something about a boy and a dog. It is a special thing and I wanted him to have that experience. I wasn't working at the time and our income was just enough for us to get by, so the number one requirement was that this dog was as close to free as possible. I was reading the local paper one morning and I saw an add for a small black puppy. The breed was "unknown" and all they wanted was $40 to cover the money spent for her shots. After my son was fast asleep that evening I left him at home with my husband and took a drive to the neighboring town to go see about the little black dog. I drove on roads unknown to me in the North Carolina darkness and arrived at the address the family who was caring for her had given me over the phone. What I saw was this tiny squirming ball of black fir. I paid the woman the $40 and tucked her in my jacket and proceeded to drive home. The drive was pretty eventful as I struggled to keep my eyes on the road and control the wiggly mass tucked in my jacket.

The next morning we introduced my little boy to his new dog. He was thrilled and the puppy jumped all over him and drenched him with doggy kisses. It was a match made in heaven. We talked about names for his new puppy and just couldn't come up with one. One thing we noticed about her was that she was always wagging her tail. This dog was never unhappy and was terribly hyper. She just had so much love for everyone that she couldn't contain her joy. So, "Joy" it was. We named our hyper, happy and overly-loving new puppy, "Joy". She lived up to her name. My one year old little girl would shriek for us to pick her up when Joy would come running. She knew Joy would jump all over her and cover her in dog slobber!

I was thinking about Joy this morning and those memories made me smile. The memories also brought a verse to mind that I haven't thought about in a long time.

Nehemiah 8:10
The joy of the Lord is your strength

Lately I have been overwhelmed and tired. Trying to keep up with the demands of being a mom and working out side the home can cause me to feel pretty drained some days. I know that lots of moms experience the same feelings. I have been praying that the Lord would strengthen me. He reminded me, when I read that verse, that my strength comes from the joy that is found in my relationship with Him. Spending time in prayer, in His word and just involving Him in every moment brings an incredible joy that creates amazing strength in those who call Him Lord. So much of the time I get so busy I forget that He is with me and wonder why I am running out of steam. He never intended for me to power through this life without Him. He wants me to depend on Him and commune with Him at all times. He is so good!

Father God, I pray for Moms today and Dads too that give all they have and sometimes come up feeling a bit short on strength...and joy. I pray that you would remind us all where our "joy" and our "strength" comes from. Thank you Lord for your refreshing presence! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rain

Seems it never rains in Southern California

Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before

It never rains in California

But girl, don't they warn ya

It pours man it pours

If you are my age you probably remember that song. I never have been a big fan of rain. I don't know if it comes from being raised mostly in a very sunny place or what. In the past I have seen rain as dark, depressing and lonely. My association with it probably comes from one of the most difficult, yet amazing times of my life, spent in the Seattle area many years ago. It was a difficult time in my life, but also one of the most intimate times I have ever experienced with God. It rained for for almost two months solid when we moved there. It was drenched outside, and it seemed a cloud hung over me inside my home as well. It was a dark time and a dark place but God met me there. He showed me during that time that He would never leave me and our relationship transformed into something very personal and very real. He was in my every moment and I learned that the world can be falling apart around you and you can still have all you need....in Him. I learned a deep dependence on God that I had never known before. Those years were very difficult, but they were also a very glorious time in my life.

Eventually the sun came back. I had my doubts that it would at that time, but thankfully it did. It had been dark for so long and I had learned to function in that state. When the sun appeared I staggered back into the light and struggled to adjust my vision to the bright light. I eventually got the color back in my face and the bounce back in my step. I was grateful for the sun but even more grateful for the lessons I learned in the rain. I thought maybe that might be the last time that kind of rain came into my life. I hoped so anyway. As much as I enjoyed the close fellowship with God during that time it was a period of time that I did not want to repeat. However, we do live in an imperfect world and rain will come from time to time.

I think you can look at rain one of two ways. Rain does bring darkness, but it also brings refreshment. Rain can keep you inside alone and isolated or you can choose to go outside and dance in the rain anyway. Rain can make you sleepy and you will have to rest, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. When the rain comes you will get wet, but you will get clean too!

I recently have had a time of rain in my life. This one has lasted for a good while. I can see the sun starting to peek through the clouds. Again He has met me during this time. Even if sometimes it was so stormy that it was hard to see Him I could feel His presence. I know that I will look back on this season of rain and take away from it some good things.

Matthew 5:45:45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

Heavenly Father I lift up anyone who might be reading this that is hoping the rain will go away and I ask you to meet them there and help them to embrace the truths you will bring to them during this time. Put your arms around them and bring them comfort and strength and whisper hope into their ears like you have for me. I give you Praise for the rain. In Jesus name, Amen.

More Than A Conqueror