Divine Connections

My son and I were engaged in a very interesting conversation which led us in discussing the different facets of life. In our conversation he quoted, “Life is like painting a picture. You must have a visual composition of what you want your life to be; then it’s your choice to make it happen.”  

It wasn’t until later that I realized that this very statement was food for thought. I then referred to Proverbs 23:7, which states, “Whatsoever a man thinketh in his heart so is he.” However, our perceptions are the driving forces for our everyday living. Whatever we hold in our hearts, and whatever we think, has great impact on what our lives will look like in the future.

In Genesis 12:2, God speaks to Abram; “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. [Genesis 17:5] "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations." The promises of God did not manifest in Abraham’s life right away. We are told that he did not lose confidence, nor did he waiver at God’s promises, instead he painted a picture of what his life would look like in the future based upon the things which were spoken to him by Almighty God.

What kind of portrait are you painting for your future? If you haven’t done so already, begin thinking the best for your life based upon what His word says. You have unlimited choices to become anything you want to become. After all, God thinks the very best of you and He has already drawn the picture of your destiny on the canvas of your heart, then He allows you the opportunity to add the appropriate colors. You can paint it dark and drab or you can paint it with colors that are filled with His promises.

Be encouraged to know that you are God’s creative artwork. Therefore, no one else can live out your destiny except you. He created you for His Glory in order for you to be a blessing to others.
As you continue to rely upon His promises, your negative will develop into one of the most beautiful pictures in the world. 

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” [Matthew 5:14-15]

The other day I shared with my Discipleship Training class, an interesting story about candles.  You will find that candles come in many shapes, sizes and colors, but they are all designed to bring light to a dark place.  

We too as Christians are created differently, but we are all created to be visible in a dark world.

I have always been a fan of candles.  I love the fragrance that each one sets off, but most of all I love the beauty of the light that it gives. As I was entering my home one afternoon, there lay a taper candle on my doorsteps.  Unfortunately, I accidentally stepped on the candle and broke it. Although the candle was broken, it was still usable. The candle laid there for several days until I realized that it was not serving its purpose by laying on the steps of the doorway.
Maybe you have been broken. The good news is, God can pick up the broken pieces and put you back together again. He will never leave you unattended, nor will he leave you in a place where you are not able serve your purpose.

The greatest demonstration of God’s love throughout scriptures is how He salvaged broken lives and went on to use these people in many great ways. God still salvage broken lives. David reminds us in Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Brokenness is a stepping stone, it is another opportunity to allow God to show himself powerful in you and the challenges you are facing. Do not give in or give up, but stand tall like the taper candle and let your light shine.  Someone needs to see your light today.

I gave my dog Linus a bath yesterday. If you don't know my dog you may not realize what a monumental thing this is. He's not exactly obedient. Don't get me wrong. He's completely lovable and sweet and makes me laugh, but obedient he is not. Also, he is not a small dog and I am not a big person. So on my own, I end up with more soap and water on me than on him. It is definitely a two person job.

To give you an idea of my misery, I'll share some past experiences:

Linus has only been in a car to come home and go to the vet - he likes the attention at the vet’s office, but is not a fan of the car. So it was much to my surprise when he jumped in my car freely when we were moving. Taken by surprise, I took advantage of the moment. I hurriedly put the cat and carrier in the front seat and jumped in. For the first half of the twenty mile drive Linus lay in the back seat and whined. I was perfectly happy with this. Then he caught the spirit of the drive and he was excited. He leaped over the seats, his back half on the cat carrier and the front half on the driver's side dash. This was the point at which the drive turned to chaos. First of all, the cat carrier began collapsing, and this severely distressed my poor cat. The other thing, of course, is that I could no longer see, and try as I might, couldn't shove him back to the backseat. So, I began slowing down to pull over, and inspiration hit. I should crack the back window. All dogs like to sniff the wind, right? It worked. He leaped in the back and I began speeding back up. And Linus leaped out. Apparently it was more than a crack. Being that I was still going slow, he was not injured… But mostly because he was too smart to let me catch him after a stunt like that. The chase through the surrounding neighborhood ended with my husband coming to rescue me. I informed Dusty that he ran into the woods across the road. "Then who is that behind you?" he asked. Yep. Linus had circled around me and I wonder how long he’d been sitting right behind me, pretending to be a good dog. I was ready to strangle him.

Why did this happen to me? Why am I dealing with such painful issues; or what have I done to deserve this?

Have you ever asked these questions? If so, you do not have to feel condemned or think any less of yourself, or even feel embarrassed.  The truth of the matter is, God knows your heart and He knows better than anyone that it is only natural to struggle with such thoughts when we are experiencing difficult seasons in our lives.

Even the Lord Jesus Christ who was perfect and without sin, yet suffered and died a terrible death on the cross, cried out: “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” [Matthew 27:46]

Job, blameless and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil, yet he suffered more than anyone, even he could not understand why.
Our thoughts do not measure up to God’s thoughts, therefore, we do not have full clarity of our situation and then we are tempted to ask why. However, instead of asking God why, we must turn to Him and allow His word to bring us to a place of consolation. We can trust Him in everything and every event that happens in our lives we should count it all joy. He can cause good to come out of every bad situation. Romans 8:28 boldly states, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.   Though we may not always understand, we must know that He has mapped out every detail of our situation and He is working it out for our good.

No matter what has befallen you, whether it is a problem with your child, your finances; maybe your marriage is falling apart, you may have lost your job, sickness in your body, or even experienced the loss of a loved one. Remember God is able to restore and renew your strength. He will give you the strength to press beyond what you are going through. His everlasting grace is sufficient  and His strength is made perfect in your weakness.

When you are challenged to ask why, release your situation to him and walk in His perfect peace, then trust Him for a good outcome.

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.  Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. [Psalm 27:1-5]

The Psalmist David encourages us to rejoice in the Lord when we are facing troubling times. Although his enemies sought to destroy him, he never lost his hope and confidence in God. However, he took pleasure in the Lord when he made his personal confession; “the Lord is my light, my salvation, and my strength.” No wonder David was known as a man after God’s own heart.  

I don’t know what crisis you are facing right now, but this one thing I do know; God will not leave you there. You have no reason to fear or be afraid.  When you walk through the darkest valley He will be your light. When you are surrounded by the troubles of life, he will be the God of your salvation.   Strength you shall find in Him during the weakest moments of your trial.    Please hold on and stay strong in the Lord!

David also encourages us in Psalm 18:2, “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  Psalm 1:3        
There is a season for everything, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
Spring, summer, fall and winter are the seasons that we experience throughout the year. As each season transitions from one to the other, each will bring about a different meaning and purpose. When the spring season rolls around we can see the rebirth and growth of the herbs and trees, while the summer months bring forth fruition and fulfillment.  The fall season is a time for harvesting and gathering as the winter months slip in with the bitter coldness and barrenness. When we focus on each season, we are able to see the beauty of God’s creation as well as appreciating his divine order and purpose.
Our lives are much the same as the seasons of nature. We go through seasonal changes, and with each change come transition. The Apostle Paul speaks to us in Ephesians 4 about stripping away the old nature of man and taking on the new.  As we expect elevation in Christ, a season of change must come.
However, you may be experiencing a season of rest, a season of barrenness or maybe the time has come for you to harvest.  Whatever season you are in right now, be encouraged to know that God is with you. When the dry season comes, He will allow you to  draw from the living water, and your roots will run deep and  grow strong.  In the dead of winter, He will renew your spirit and bring life back to your soul. He will now allow you to grow weary while you are laboring, for He will give you the strength to endure.
Be reminded of His incredible promise recorded in Psalm 128: 2, “You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours in everything that you set your hands out to do.”
As you step into the next season of your life, prepare yourself for the best and receive all that He has for you.  May His everlasting love and peace be with you forevermore.

Gideon was in the winepress secretly threshing wheat in order to hide it from the Midianites.  The angel of the Lord  appeared unto him and said, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” [Judges 6:12]    

Gideon must have thought that the angel had mistaken him for someone else.   

In no way did it seem like God was with him, neither did it seem like he was a mighty man of valor.    

However, Gideon struggled with the fact that he thought of himself as a nobody. He was from the smallest clan in his tribe, and he also considered himself the least in his own family.

In spite of his weakness, God still used him to accomplish His plans that He had for the Israelites. He took Gideon’s small army of 300 warriors and gave them victory over the Midianites, which consisted of more than 100,000.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 admonishes that, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”  

Gideon and his 300 men went down to the edge of the Midianites’ camp. They did all that they were instructed to do by the Lord. And, as a result of their obedience, the battle was won.  

Just like Gideon, God’s purpose and plans can be accomplished through us when we trust and obey Him.  

No matter what task we are called to do, we must always look to Him for our help, realizing that He is our main focus and our eyes must remain fixed on Him.  
I want to remind you: you are a mighty person of valor, and God has called you to do great things for His Kingdom. Please be certain that He is with you. And when He is with you, He is more than the whole world against you.

You may feel small and insignificant, but He can take your life and demonstrate His presence and His power.  

You don’t have to be the biggest and the strongest to win the battle; you just have to trust and obey. 

The famous songwriter Andréa Crouch composed a song some years ago entitled, “Through it All.”  In this song he relays a message to his listeners that, through all the challenges he encountered in life, this is where he learned to trust God.

Often we have a hard time trusting God with our every day challenges.   But He encourages us in His word to trust in Him with all of heart, and lean not to our own understanding.     

It was during the diagnoses of cancer with my husband when my faith was truly tested.

I can recall experiencing, overwhelming fear and dread with each doctor visit. I came to realize that my fears not only showed I didn’t trust God, but I was also giving the enemy ground to strip me of my peace and joy.  Isaiah 26:3-4 boldly states, “Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:  because he trusted in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength: It was through prayer that I was reminded that God was in control and I had to trust Him to work it out.

You may be having a hard time trusting God, because your life is going in a direction that you did not expect. Perhaps you are dealing with unexpected disappointments.  You may be discouraged and wondering if God has forgotten you. Though you may not see a trace of Him, be certain He is near.   His work is done behind the scenes before He makes His appearance in your situation.   

I know it’s been tough for you to make it. I realize that you almost gave up.  You are probably asking, “why me?” I want to encourage you to rise up and trust God. You are an over-comer, you are victorious, you are mighty and great in the Lord, and the plans He has for you are soon to come to pass.  However, this is your opportunity to lay all your concerns at His feet and trust Him to work them out.

The Psalmist David, his confidence was in the Lord when he said, “In you, O Lord, I put my trust.”   Therefore, “through it all” we must depend fully upon God alone.

“So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, 'Let me go, for it is daybreak. But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Genesis 32:24-26)

Jacob the second twin of Isaac, was characterized as living a life of a con artist, a liar and was well known for manipulating people and circumstances to his advantage.  With a deceitful heart, this cunning man later became a fugitive who was on the run for his life.  However, Jacob was in a solitary place when he became engaged in a wrestling match with an angel of the Lord which lasted all night long.

We are told that the angel battled and endured with Jacob until Jacob lost his strength. I believe it was at this point the angel touched Jacob’s hip knocking it out of joint. Jacob was unwilling to let go of the angel until he received God’s blessing.   

A.W.  Tozer quotes, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”

While seeing great potential in Jacob, God knew He could make something greater of him.  Therefore, He used this experience to work on the heart of Jacob, bringing him to a place that he had no other choice but to depend on Him.  God has a way of bringing us to a point of being broken in order to live a new and transformed life.

 Perhaps there has been a time in your life when you wrestled with God through the loneliness of night.  And through this encounter you may have been left broken.  However, you may have to walk with a limp for the rest of your life, but don’t let your limp hold you back.  What initially appears to be a handicap can actually reposition you for a new season of life that is more rewarding than what you might have experienced otherwise.

As you remain faithful to God, hold on to Him in every circumstance.  Then you can take joy in knowing that at the breaking of the day His blessing will come.

Carolyn Crow, WOFCC
crowcjo@gmail.com

As Jesus entered into the town of Capernaum and preaching the word of God, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are forgiven. Arise, take up your mat and walk.”  [Mark 2:3-5]

Although, the crowd was overwhelming, these men were determined to bring this suffering man to Jesus. We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 13 that, “love never gives up.” They did not give up, even when they could not get their friend to Jesus through the door. Their love for him and their bold and persistent faith were demonstrated as they went the extra mile by tearing a hole in the roof. The man was not able to move himself about, and day after day as he lay upon his bed he became weaker and weaker. He was no doubt helpless and could not do anything to help himself. It was their “faith” showing itself in action, believing that only Jesus could help him. The word of God boldly states, “You can never please God without faith.  Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that he is God, and that He rewards those that diligently look for him.”

 To what extent are you willing to go for a friend, family member or neighbor? Are you willing to lose your own life for a moment, in order to help someone else that is in need? You may be challenged to stretch beyond your comfort zone in order to reach to a higher level of faith.  owever, your challenge may be another person’s opportunity to meet Jesus.

Don’t let the packed doorway stop you, nor do you let the crowd turn you around, but instead persevere. Someone is depending on you to get them to Jesus. 

The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. (Exodus 3:2 NASB)

Running for his life, some 40 years later, Moses ended up on the backside of the desert tending sheep for his father-in-law, Jethro.  On just an ordinary day in the desert he noticed something unusual. He just wasn’t getting it.  He simply could not understand what was going on. He thought to himself, “Why isn’t this bush burning up?” We must admit that this occurrence must have been a remarkable sight to behold.

However, the burning bush captivated Moses’ attention so that he had to explore further to see what was happening. As he began to move closer, the voice of God emitted from the bush commanding him to not come any closer. At this point, I can imagine Moses being a bit scared and confused, but he soon realized that this experience was an encounter with God.  This encounter however, was preparation for Moses to be taken to the next phase of his life.

Perhaps your journey has taken you to the backside of the desert. Do not become discouraged.  The key is to remember that desert experiences are a part of life. You may not have chosen to take the desert route, but it may be through this experience that God reveals his divine purpose for your life.

I have learned that some of life’s hard-earned lessons can come out of a place of desolation and isolation. It is most likely during these times He is able to capture our attention. He doesn’t just get our attention and leave us wandering, but he gets our attention so we can be led into greater and higher plains.

Like Moses, God can use you to do great and mighty things for His Kingdom.  No distance or time can keep you away from Him.  When you have been chosen by God and when He gets ready to use you for His purpose, He will find you wherever you are.

We are reminded in (Proverbs 5:21 NKJV) “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He ponders all his paths.

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people,  God’s instruments to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the night and day difference He made for you - from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. [1 Peter 2:9-10]

Have you been searching deep down trying to discover what your purpose is in life, or even what you were put on this planet to do? Do you find fulfillment and peace with the direction that your life is taking? Believe it or not, most Christians struggle with defining their God-given purpose.

You may be wondering, “where do I start.” It all starts with God. It is only in Him that you discover who you are and what your purpose is. You were made by Him and for Him. However, His purpose is always revealed through mankind.

We are told that God had great purpose for the children of Israel to lead them out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Some scholars say what was meant to be an 11 day journey turned into 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. This generation of Israelites did not make it to their destiny. They did not live out their purpose that God had divinely set for them.

It is God’s desire that you walk in your destiny and enjoy the purpose of your creation. Jeremiah 1:5 states,  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” He created you because He appointed you for something special. When you were conceived, He was there, when you were born, He was there, and it pleased Him that His will was done. You were not an afterthought, nor were you a mistake. God does not make mistakes; Everything He made, He made it intentionally.

However, God wants to take you out of the wandering zone and place you on the path to your destiny.  As you walk in God’s plan for your life, you will become passionate for what you do for Him; you will become great at what you do for Him. Most of all, you will please Him and make Him proud that you are a part of His creation.  

I vividly remember the conversation my husband had with our son and daughter just several months before his passing.  He quoted, “I am very proud of everything you guys have accomplished, but the greatest thing I can be proud of as a father is that the both of you are saved.”  

Their sobbing hearts rejoiced during a brief moment of silence while processing the most priceless and liberating words that have ever been spoken in their lives.       

We often set goals and objectives and may even compile a bucket list of things that we would like to accomplish before reaching the conclusion of our existence.  However, it is important to experience life to its fullest, but what's most important is to know Christ above all.

The Apostle Paul makes his declaration in Philippians 3:7-8.  But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.       

We have to endeavor to make sure that our goals and accomplishments are kept in proper prospective, while making Jesus Christ number one.  And as we grow and mature in our Christian walk, we realize that all the worldly substances cannot stand in competition with our salvation in Christ.  Let's consider Matthew 16:26, a very familiar saying of Jesus.  “For what does it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

My son, Trey, later explained, “I breathed a sigh of relief while losing my fight against tears.”   He said, “For once in my life I felt like a hero, not from what I have achieved through worldly possessions, but by making one simple and right choice.”     

If we are able to make our earthly father proud, then how much more pleasing we are to our Heavenly Father when we come into the knowledge of knowing his son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  

What a glorious future we have to look forward to!  

Putting forth every effort to look forward, I still find myself looking through the rearview mirror, staring at glimpses of my past, that I cannot let go.     

Like most people, we tend to struggle with letting go with what we are familiar with because the past is what we know.   Although God understands our struggles, but He desires for us to move forward and embrace the new.   Isaiah 43:18-19 tells us to, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past---it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.”

If you are running in a race, it is almost impossible to look behind you and continue running, looking forward with the same pace and momentum.   Likewise, it’s impossible for us to move forward in life when we are constantly dwelling on our past experiences.  Our past hinders our progress and it keeps us from reaching our full potential.  It can be a delay and a distraction to our future promises.

In Philippians 3:13, the Apostle Paul boldly declares, “I am not all I should be but I am bringing all my energies to bear this one thing; I am forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize of God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus.”

Since our goal is in Christ Jesus, we can let go of our past and look forward to what God will help us achieve and become.
If you are in a place where you’re not able to see a future for yourself, then there is a good chance you are locked in the past.  My dear friend, you must turn your focus on the road ahead, because the past you cannot change. You cannot relive it; you cannot replay it.  Therefore, you must accept the change and start moving toward the new assignment that God has prepared for you.

However, you may be hurting at this very moment, you may be weak and struggling, but your past will not defeat you.  God’s grace will enable you to rise up and move forward, way beyond what you can ever imagine. 

The next time you are tempted to look through your rearview mirror, remind yourself that God has greater things waiting for you ahead.

Gideon was in the winepress secretly threshing wheat in order to hide it from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” [Judges 6:12] Gideon must have thought that the angel had mistaken him for someone else.  In no way did it seem like God was with him, neither did it seem he was a mighty man of valor.   

However, Gideon struggled with the fact that he thought of himself as a nobody. He was from the smallest clan in his tribe, and he also considered himself the least in his own family.  In spite of his weakness, God used him to accomplish His plans that He had for the Israelites. He took Gideon’s small army of 300 warriors and gave them victory over the   Midianites which consisted of more than 100,000.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 admonishes that, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”

Gideon and his 300 men went down to the edge of the Midianites’ camp.  They did all that they were instructed to do by the Lord. As a result of their obedience the battle was won. Just like Gideon, God’s purpose and plans can be accomplished through us when we trust and obey Him.

 No matter what task we are called to do, we must always look to Him for our help,  realizing that He is our main focus and our eyes must remain fixed on Him.

I want to remind you; you are a mighty person of valor, and God has called you to do great things for His Kingdom.  Please be certain that He is with you.  And when He is with you, He is more than the whole world against you. You may feel small and insignificant, but He can take your life and demonstrate His presence and His power. You don’t have to be the biggest and the strongest to win the battle; you just have to trust and obey.

Now He had to go through Samaria.  So He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.  Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well.  It was about the sixth hour. W hen a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”              JOHN 4:4-7  

 Most of us are familiar with the story in which Jesus met the woman at the well. On a normal day Jesus would have made a detour around Samaria to get to the land of Galilee, but He was compelled to make this journey. He arrived in Samaria in the heat of the day, and He was soon joined by the Samaritan woman. He asked her for temporal water- and then He offered her living water which would last for eternity. Surprisingly, she did not know that Jesus would offer her what was most needed in her life. And in doing so, her life was changed forever.  

I don’t know where you are in your life, or what your needs are, but God wants to bring new life to your situation. He will meet you where you are and offer you what you need.

Perhaps you have been praying for a wayward child that has walked away from his teachings. Or maybe you are experiencing some financial difficulties that have taken a toll on your household. You may be ready to give up on a struggling marriage that you have been fighting for.  What about depression, has it taken up residence in your life?  Or maybe the stronghold of addiction has held you captive.

Whatever the case may be, your need is not too great for God. It is declared in His word, “My God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in Glory in Christ Jesus. “

Your time of need is just another opportunity for God to show Himself strong in your life as well as an opportunity for you to share His goodness with others. During these times you can experience the depths of God’s love in a whole new way. Therefore, be encouraged knowing that He will never fail you, for there is no failure in God.  

Have you ever walked in a room filled with people conversing with each other and as you entered the room, you discovered that their conversation came to a complete stop?  Suddenly you get this gut feeling that you were being talked about.  However, chances are you were the farthest thing from their minds. 

As Christians we must understand that we are in a spiritual war and our mind is Satan’s battlefield.   He wages war against our mind with doubt, fear and yes, even paranoia.  He is a master planner and his ultimate goal is to feed us false information and makes it appear as though it is real.

Beware of his evil tricks. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”    (Ephesians 6:12)  
 
 
 

What do you see when you look in the mirror?   Do you see failure and disappointment, or do you see success and satisfaction?

Many Christians tend to struggle with who they are and the way others may view them.   However, we are not defined by the world’s perspective, but we are who God says we are and we must start seeing ourselves through His eyes.

 Moses looked at himself a stammer with a speech impediment, but God saw a great leader.  Gideon saw himself as the least in the tribe of Manasseh, but God saw a mighty man of valor.  Jeremiah looked at himself young and slow in speech, but God saw a great prophet for the nations.   

God has fashioned you in His very own image.  When he created you and knitted you together inside your mother’s womb, He saw the best in you!

As Jesus entered into the town of Capernaum and preaching the word of God, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are forgiven. Arise, take up your mat and walk.”  [Mark 2:3-5]

Although, the crowd was overwhelming, these men were determined to bring this suffering man to Jesus.  We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 13 that, “love never gives up.” They did not give up, even when they could not get their friend to Jesus through the door.

Their love for him and their bold and persistent faith were demonstrated as they went the extra mile by tearing a hole in the roof.  The man was not able to move himself about, and day after day as he lay upon his bed he became weaker and weaker. He was no doubt helpless and could not do anything to help himself.  It was their “faith” showing itself in action, believing that only Jesus could help him. The word of God boldly states, “You can never please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that he is God, and that He rewards those who diligently look for him.”

To what extent are you willing to go for a friend, family member or neighbor? Are you willing to lose your own life for a moment in order to help someone else in need? You may be challenged to stretch beyond your comfort zone in order to reach to a higher level of faith.  However, your challenge may be another person’s opportunity to meet Jesus.

Don’t let the packed doorway stop you, and don’t let the crowd turn you around, instead persevere your way through.  Someone is depending on you to get them to Jesus.  world, even our faith.”   

Your world has been rocked and turned upside down. You have been blindsided by this catastrophic event and yet you don’t understand why.  

Ultimately we have imperfect views of our situation causing us to have puzzling and perplexing thoughts.   Unlike God, who has a distinct and clear view of our entire life in full detail. 

The Apostle Paul speaks to us in 1 Corinthians 13:12.  “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”

It is during these baffling times when you must put your absolute trust in God.  He will get you through, because He is able to see the big picture.