City on a hill

Tuesday I was going about my housework when I heard a knock at the door. I opened it there were two well dressed young men standing there smiling at me. My first thought was, "What are you trying to sell me?" They started talking but I was still trying to figure things out when I noticed their name tags. They were Mormons. I knew now what was going on. I told them "No thanks" and closed the door. In that moment I was interrupted from my normal daily routine safe inside my home. As I looked out the window at the young men going to my neighbors houses I wanted to be angry at them for being false representatives of my Lord and Savior but something inside me gently reminded me our battle is not with them. They themselves may be victims entangled in the lie the enemy has fed them. “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

Then another thought occurred to me. "What are you doing to spread the Gospel?" What a great thought. At first I wanted to get defensive but when I thought about it I realized I was doing some things yet I know I fall very short of doing as good as I could. What are we doing? We are the ones that have the Spirit of the Living God inside of us. How are we sharing that? Are we willing to get the door shut on us twenty times before we get one person who will actually listen to us or are we so concerned we will step on toes that we tiptoe around the subject and justify it by saying they can see our walk through the way we live and that is enough. We must speak it! We must not be afraid to speak out for the One who has touched us so deeply! Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Romans 10:14

On Sunday's my Pastor is going through the book of John. We are on chapter 18 where Peter denies Christ. My Pastor pointed out that John, the writer of this gospel, was also there. He didn't deny Christ as Peter did, yet John remained silent and did not speak up for Jesus. Silence is as much of a sin as denial. He explained how Peter was warming himself by the fire, as were the people who hated Jesus, hoping they didn't bring up the subject of Jesus. Are we like that, warming ourselves with the companionship of the world, hoping they don't bring up Jesus, causing the boat to get rocked and possibly interrupt our comfort? We need to be careful whose counsel we are taking and who we are confiding in. “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. ” Psalm 1:1

I'm not saying we need to knock door to door. Although if you feel God leading you to do that, by all means go ahead. What I am saying is it was good for me to have my day interrupted and remember we are in a battle. To remember there is a broken, dying world out there. To remember the enemy never sleeps. He is patient and diligent. To remember well intentions are not good enough. We must have action behind our devotion for the Lord. “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about the physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is on God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder....As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:14-19, 26

I have some brothers and sisters in Christ who are doing a wonderful job of spreading God's Word, showing God's love. Kudos to you! Keep up the good work!

It is good to evaluate yourself and ask God to show you how He thinks you're doing. Within the comfort of my own home sometimes it's easy to forget about the world outside my door. By that evening I had out set aside the thoughts of the morning but they were quickly brought up again when I heard on the radio there was a shooting at a mall in Oregon. My heart sank. Then only a few days later the tragic shooting at the elementary school in Connecticut. What do we even do with that one? My husband and I try to make sense of it all but there is none to be found. We live in an evil world. I cried for those lost. I cried and prayed, and continue to pray for those who witnessed the events and those who's lives have been forever changed. I hugged and kissed all my children and made sure they know I love them.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4 Have you ever played with shadows? It's fun to see the different shapes and animals you can make or even have a shadow show. The illusion you get from shadows can be so far from the truth but it looks so real. Things look bigger or scarier then they really are. When you turn on the light you see plainly what was causing the shadow and your fears are calmed. As I was pondering the tragedy at the elementary school the Lord was showing me not to let this evil thing overshadow His beauty. I will try to explain what I mean by that but in no way am I trying to put a Christian band-aid on these events. Grieve, mourn, and pray with and for these families. “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” I Corinthians 12:26 I was brought some comfort by the thought that God has overcome the evil in this world and what we see can sometimes be a shadow of evil made to look huge, like a the shadow of a mouse in a nightlight, but we know God is with us and because of that we are not consumed, the world is not hopeless. We, those of us who are believers in Christ, are that light for the world. We have the hope the world is seeking. What must shine our light like a city on a hill. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on it's stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

Let me encourage fellow believers to purposefully shine your light and speak of God's saving grace at every opportunity. For those who are not believers, consider the reason why Christians are so excited to celebrate this Christmas season. It's not about presents. It's about the one who came to save us from all this junk we see in the world. Yes, the bad things are still there but there is more life and joy and love in Christ then the world can possibly show you. This is a great season to take a closer look at hope that is in Christ.

When troubles seem like impossible walls

Our troubles can sometimes look so overwhelming, so impossible that whenever we look around all we can see are walls.  We feel like we're trapped.  Like this situation cannot be overcome.  For those of us who cast our cares on the Lord and trust Him we do just that.  Except let's face it, often we try to control the situation ourselves and even though we know we need to give those things over to the Lord, we sometimes take back the troubles we've given Him.  As if He can't handle them on His own or maybe we think our way is better. 

Have you ever seen a picture or documentary on TV about termites?  They make HUGE homes that are well over six to thirty feet tall and as hard as concrete.  God has enabled these creatures to make a solution that when mixed with dirt becomes very hard.  Seemingly impenetrable. 

Have you ever felt about as big as ant or termite in comparison to a situation you are dealing with in life?  Your problem is as big as a termite home.  To a little critter like that, six to thirty feet has to be amazingly high.  In our minds the walls of our situation are so impossible that sometimes even those of us with faith want to try and "help" God fix it.  We get anxious if we can't see or think of a solution to our situation. 

Now let's take another perspective.  First of all, as humans we look at that termite mound and are impressed with the determination and creation of these critters and though the mound is large, it isn't HUGE in comparison to the size of a person.  It is hard as concrete but man has made tools that can break apart concrete with ease.  We know this mound is not impenetrable. 

 Let's go one step more.  God, Our Father, Savior, Redeemer, Healer, Comforter, Restored of my soul, ….Creator.  Just a few names of my awesome Lord and Savior.  Think about all those names and what that entails.  No one can save the soul.  That's impossible for man but possible for God.  Not only possible but completed because salvation is for all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." Acts 16:31  There's only one Savior.  He is also the Creator.  How awesome are His creations.  From the small termite that can make huge mounds to the depths of the oceans.  So deep that some areas can not be explored by man, to the awesome ends of the universe.  I love the grandeur of the universe.  How wonderful are the stars and the planets and the harmony which they move.  I am left in awe and wonder time and time again as I think about how precisely God placed our planet so we wouldn't burn up, freeze, or fly off the planet.  Such precision and genius in nature.  What a magnificent God we serve!

Now, what was that about your problem again?  How impossible does that wall look?  You may be like a termite in your situation but to God your wall looks like a molecule.  He sees all of time and space.  He IS the very breath of life you breathe.  If you are a child of God you better believe He's got your back!  That does not guarantee that things will go exactly as you planned or hoped but if you allow God it will go exactly as He desires and THAT will give Him all the glory.

 May nothing in my life be done in vain.  May no storm or valley I walk through be done for nothing but may everything, EVERY fiber of my soul, every breath I breathe be for God's glory.  So that others can see Christ shine and grow closer to God because of it.  This is my prayer as I, like many of you, wonder about a life situation, a "wall" that faces me.  What, my friend, will you ever face that God can not handle?  Is there anything Jesus won't face for you?  No precious child of God, there is nothing God will not face for you.  Are you willing to do what Jesus wants you to do?  Let go of your fear and trust Him.  The one who holds the galaxies in His hands also holds you.