Electricity and Predestination

"An electric field is created by a charged body in the space that surrounds it, and results in a force exerted on any other charges placed within the field. The electric field acts between two charges in a similar manner to the way that the gravitational field acts between two masses, and like it, extends towards infinity..." (Wikipedia).

God gave us life, and He gave us free-will. With our free-will we made choices of good (love, forgiveness, giving, etc.), but we also made choices of evil (hate, envy, selfishness, etc.). Our ungodly choices caused sin to enter the world, and God's perfect creation was corrupted. But along with free-will, God gave us Jesus Christ, thereby redeeming what He knew we would mess up. Free-will is our Keys to the Kingdom; we can use these Keys to add more corruption or more redemption to God's creation (Matthew 16.19).

The flow of the Holy Spirit is dependent on our movements. God has a purpose for our lives and He promises to be with us every inch of the way, but because of free-will, we have to make the first move. We take leaps of faith into God's divine plan, and the Holy Spirit guides our every step. The Holy Spirit cannot force God's children into submission, and that is why obedience to inspired promptings and trust in God's will are vital to living out God's best.

I believe God has His best in mind for all His children. I do not believe that God predestined a rare few to be called to His best. That concept goes directly against free-will and our ability to choose. If there wasn't free-will, there wouldn't be sin in this world and the negative aspects that come along with it (pain, sorrow and death). I do believe, though, that God is timeless and eternal. He is past, present and future; and He is not limited to our understanding of time and space. He knows everything, but even with this knowledge, He still has given us the Keys.

"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified" (Romans 8.29-30 NIV).

I imagine that when God created life, His anointing went out like a Charged Body and extended into our world, the Electric Field, stopping at anyone who would receive it. He sent out a call for His children choose to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. Automatically when God sent out this call, He could see the end result of those who accepted the call because He is not limited to time. Those people were the Charges, allowing themselves to be filled with the electricity of the Holy Spirit.

Because God "foreknew" who would accept His call, He was able to "predestine" them, but that doesn't change the fact that all of us still have the opportunity to accept the anointing. God wants all His children to conform to the image of Christ. The fact that He knows the end result, doesn't negate the free-will we have to respond. In the Bible God gave His children many chances through the prophets to repent and accept His amazing plan, even when He knew they would repeatedly reject those invitations.

God's anointing is like electricity, flowing throughout this world. He is all around us, and His call to be "predestined" for His greatness is every where. He wants the best for US ALL, but we need to use our free-will to accept His call. If we accept it, we will be like Chargers, lighting the darkness with His presence and glory -- predestined for His greatness.

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him" (2 Chronicles 16.9a NIV).

Internet Cafe: Toss Me!

Gimli: Oh come on, we can take ‘em.
Aragorn: It’s a long way.
Gimli: Toss me.
Aragorn: What?
Gimli: I cannot jump the distance; you’ll have to toss me.
[pauses, looks up at Aragorn]
Gimli: Don’t tell the elf.
Aragorn: Not a word.

- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Watch video clip here. (39 seconds)

In the above dialogue from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Gimli is ready to fight. He sees his destiny before him, but he discovers that there is no way he can get there without help. In a moment of decision, he swallows his pride and asks for a favor. Aragorn agrees to assist Gimli and tosses him into battle. Gimli wastes no time and begins to fight the forces of evil. (Cue the sound of swords clanging.)

Many times God designs our steps so that we will need other people. We will not be able to get where God wants us to go if we are not willing to make “asks” of ourselves. I found this out in my early 20′s when God called me on a mission trip and then told me to ask others to help pay my way. I thought since God wanted me to go, He would supernaturally provide the funds. Well, he did….through the pocketbooks of my family and friends. God criss-crosses our paths with others in order to develop us into His image and to teach His children to work together.

However, we cannot simply ask people to help us if we have not prepared ourselves for the “toss.” Gimli could ask for help from his king, Aragorn, because he has invested into a future favor.

1. Gimli has already developed a friendship with Aragorn. When you ask something of others, you need to have a solid relationship with them that fosters mutual loyalty, respect and trust.

2. Gimli has proven himself in battle. If you want someone to “toss” you into your destiny, you need to show that you are able to handle the new level of combat. It would be heartbreaking to “toss” someone into battle only to watch him/her fall.

3. Gimli has shown other strengths that balance out his weaknesses. When Gimli asks for help, he is admitting to a weakness (he can’t jump); but he has already demonstrated other strengths (excellent fighter, loyalty, perseverance) that prove he is battle-ready. People need to know that their help will empower you, not indulge you.

4. Gimli has selflessly sacrificed for others. People will not help you if your thoughts are only about yourself. There is a battle of good vs. evil, and we all need to band together to win our predestined victories. Selfishness is an inward battle we need to defeat every day before we can accomplish the great plans that God has for us.

So my advice to anyone who knows that one day she will need to be “tossed” into the next level of her destiny would be to continue the fight. Don’t think about what you need; God will take care of you. You just keep seeking God, serving others, developing your skills and fighting the small battles that God has prepared for you. One day you will hit a brick wall, and your destiny will be raging on the other side of it. You will look over your shoulder and someone will be there to “toss” you. Just swallow your pride and prepare to be catapulted into your future.

Questions: Was there ever a time that you had to make an “ask” of yourself? How have others helped you accomplish God’s will for your life?

“The king said to me, ‘What is it you want?’ Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, ‘If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it’” (Nehemiah 2.4-5 NIV).

You can also read this article over at the Internet Cafe!

Flask or Horn?

Comparing the lives and actions of King Saul and King David teaches us how to handle the vision/promise God gives us. We all have our "kingdom" that God has prepared for us. We all have our designated territory that we have dominion over. Both King Saul and King David were given the same promise: they were both kings of Israel. However, they each treated this promise very differently. The distinction that occurred in their leadership can be traced to their anointing.

Both Saul and David were unexpectedly anointed king by the same prophet, Samuel. Saul was looking for his father's donkeys (1 Samuel 9.3) and David was tending his father's sheep (1 Samuel 16.11).

Saul's family somehow lost their donkeys. Donkeys are highly intelligent animals that are very affectionate. In ancient times they were symbolic of wealth (especially by the Jews) and were used by the rich for transportation. The fact that Saul had several donkeys suggests affluence. The carelessness of caring for the donkeys indicates a great lack of concern as their guardian. Donkeys are pretty laid-back animals that are easy to care for. They can last long periods of time without food or water. Usually only a predator can make donkeys run, and Saul did not take adequate measures to ensure their protection. Saul looked through many territories to find them, but his inattentiveness caused him to wander.

David obviously cared for his father's sheep. Even when a famed prophet arrived at his home, he didn't leave them until his father summoned him. Shepherding was considered a lowly job. Servants did the shepherding or many times the last born son, like David. Sheep are extremely helpless animals. Some people have said that without human intervention, they would already be extinct. They have trouble finding food and water, and they lack any ability to protect themselves from predators. In ancient times sheep were allowed to roam pasture land, so the shepherd had to stay alert and attentive. The shepherd needed to gain the trust of the sheep, so they would closely follow him. Shepherding was also a solitary job that garnered no prestige or acclaim from society.

They were anointed with the same oil, which comes from the Hebrew word shemen. Oil is symbolic for God's Spirit or Holy Spirit. Saul (1 Samuel 11.6) and David (1 Samuel 16.13) each received God's Spirit. Although they received the same oil, the container that held their oil was vastly different.

Samuel put Saul's anointing oil into a flask, which comes from the Hebrew word pak. This flask was man-made, and many times created from a fine mineral called alabaster. Samuel was prepared to anoint a king because God told him the day before. Not only did he have a flask of oil ready, he had a dinner with thirty prestigious guest arranged, a seat of honor prepared and the choicest slice of meat waiting! Samuel made a grand show of anointing Saul.

On the other hand, God told Samuel to put David's anointing oil into a horn, which comes from the Hebrew word qeren. Samuel was scared to anoint David because King Saul was still ruling, so God told Samuel to say that he was offering a sacrifice to God and anoint the new king in secret (1 Samuel 16.2). I think God chose the horn for two reasons: First, the horn would hide Samuel's intention of anointing David. Second, the horn is not man-made and represents power and strength.

I believe the container of the oil signifies the main difference between Saul's and David's kingship. Saul was the human desire for a king. He was a tall man, anointed in prestige. Shortly after Saul was anointed, he was made king before the nation. There was barely in lag time between events. Saul would not submit to the Holy Spirit and become a king after God's own heart. He lived out most of his kingship in the flesh and not in the Spirit. All throughout his life, he lived to please man, not God. Saul was a flask.

David was God's desire of a king. He was forgotten, anointed in secret. He was in his teens when he was anointed, yet he didn't become king until he was thirty (2 Samuel 5.4). During the many years David hid in caves and commanded his growing army, God was able to transform David into a man after His own heart. David's sole desire was to be with God (Psalm 27.4). He lived out most of his kingship in the Spirit. All throughout his life, he lived to please God, not man. David was a horn.

God needs our willingness if He is to transform us into people after His own heart. We need to put His desires above the desires of ourselves and others. He also needs time to change us from the inside out. He wants us to victoriously lead in our designated territories, but we need to be willing to submit to the process. God wants to make our "prestigious" man-made flasks into Horns of Salvation -- the likeness of Christ.

When Saul was declared king, he hid (1 Samuel 10.22). When David was declared king and finally brought the Ark of the Lord back home, he danced (2 Samuel 6.16). God wants us to dance in the promises that He's given us. Let us be horns for God, so He will lift us up on high and we can declare His glory and salvation to the world.

"I love you, LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

- Psalm 18.1-2 (emphasis added)

Moving Mountains

“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them'" (Mark 11.23 NIV).

Like any great writer or orator, Jesus chose His words carefully. He paints an awesome picture of faith in the above promise, but I think we miss so much when we don't explore why Jesus would choose the metaphor "mountain." If a mountain were to fall into the sea, it would be a natural disaster of monstrous proportions, destroying everything in its wake. Since I don't think that Jesus really wanted Christians calling mountains into the sea, I have to believe that He chose this word for a specific reason. As we dig for understanding in His Word, so much treasure comes up that it's hard to take it all in.

The symbol of a mountain is used many times in the Old and New Testament. God's glory appears on the mountain and people experience supernatural phenomena; but I've noticed that most of the time, the people have to climb up the mountain to be a part of what God is doing.

Abraham climbed a mountain to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22.2). Moses saw a burning bush (Exodus 3.1), received God's laws (Exodus 24.12), and saw God Himself (Exodus 33.21-22) on a mountain. Elijah heard the voice of God on a mountain (1 Kings 19). Isaiah and Micah both promise that the Lord's Temple will be established on a mountain and God's people will make their way to it (Isaiah 2 1-5) (Micah 4.1-5). Jesus led Peter, James and John up a mountain and transfigured (Matthew 17.1-11).

So many times we want God to move our mountain, but from reading Scripture, I think God wants us to climb it first. I quickly researched the process of climbing a mountain, and it is not easy. Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. In order to ascend it, you must sacrifice a lot of money and time, find guides who are knowledgeable and go through a strenuous and lengthy acclimation process.

Mount Everest is 8,848 meters above sea level, and anything above 8,000 meters is called the "death zone," because one cannot survive for more than two or three days in it. Complete oxygen saturation in the body is impossible, even when taking three times as many breaths. Most people bring portable oxygen to ease the stress on the body. The wind, weather, freezing temperature and slick ice all add to the implausibility of reaching the top.

When climbers start out, they must move slowly so that their bodies can assimilate to the ascension. At sea level our bodies have 98% - 99% oxygen saturation. At the base camp of Mount Everest (5,380 meters) the oxygen saturation is already at around 85% and there is still a mountain left to climb! In order to acclimate to the altitude, climbers will "climb high, sleep low." I find this interesting because it sounds like wasted time, but the climbers push their bodies during the day and retreat to lower altitudes during the night to help their bodies get used to the height.

When we imagine mountains in our spiritual lives, we think of Exodus 15.17: "You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance—the place, LORD, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established." God plants our inheritance or His promises on the mountaintops. Often times we beg God to fulfill His promises to us; yet if He did, we would surely die. We will NEVER get acclimated to His anointing for our lives if we don't climb up the mountain--the climb is what prepares us for the summit!

Many people wonder why God would put His promises on mountaintops if mountains are so difficult to climb. Why wouldn't He make it easier on us and simply lay our promises at our feet? The one human condition that robs us of serving God is serving self. If the promises were strewn at our feet, we would stay in our self-idolatry state. Instead, God plants His promises on His mountain at His feet (Psalm 132.7-8), so we can have an encounter with Him. This earth, our souls and life in general were created to know Him; because in forming a personal relationship with our Creator, we find our purpose, our joy and our true love.

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

- Isaiah 52.7 NIV

When we finally reach the mountaintop, our own feet become beautiful because we have finally discovered the meaning of our existence. We are to proclaim God's peace and salvation to the world. We are to use His promises for our lives to tell the world about Christ--any other reason would be idolatrous. We are to yell from the mountaintops that God created us because of His glory, Jesus sacrificed Himself for our sins so we can commune with a perfect God, and the Holy Spirit lives in each of us, guiding us through the mountains and valleys of our lives.

The climb to the top changes us. We sacrifice all we have and are then filled with God's glory because now our emptied selves have room for Him. And when we finally make it to the pinnacle, our faith causes the mountain to fall into the sea! Jesus gives us a beautiful promise: the highest point of that mountain -- a place where we can't survive on our own -- supernaturally becomes sea level. We can now function at 99% oxygen saturation on a mountaintop that we could never have survived before we started our journey up.

But don't get too comfortable on that sea-level mountain for long. God will place another mountain in your horizon. Don't worry, though, I'm sure He'll let you rest before He expects you to gather your climbing gear. And just remember, "climb high, sleep low." God will give you rest on the mountain, and He'll never push you beyond what you are capable of doing.

The climb may take years, but Jesus never mentioned a timetable when He promised the mountain would be moved. Take a good look at the mountaintop before you start your ascension; you won't be able to see it until you make it to the "death zone," and God supernaturally throws the summit into sea level for you. You'll have to press forward by faith, knowing that God gave you a vision of the mountaintop and planted your inheritance at His feet.

* Mountain research from Team Everest 03 and Wikepedia.

Internet Cafe: Beautiful Lack

I finally purged my closet.

It felt so good. I can’t believe the piles of clothes, shoes and accessories that came out of that small space. At the end of my four hour purge, I had three piles of trash and four piles of giveaway stuff. I looked at the mess in my room, and I knew all that unnecessary stuff had made getting dressed difficult and confusing every morning.

I got rid of old college t-shirts, clothes I bought on sale but never wore, shoes that were trendy but hurt my feet, belts and scarves that haven’t been touched in years, and work clothes that I no longer needed. Every time I held an item in my hand and thought, “Well, maybe someday I’ll wear it,” I would throw it in a pile. If I’m not wearing it now, I will never wear it!

Once I cleaned out my closet, I discovered several nice pieces that I had forgotten about. They were pressed between clothes I usually ignored, so I never saw them. Also, there was now a ton of space in my closet, and it felt good to know that I was gaining control over my wardrobe. Style has never been my forte, but I’m beginning to learn that a few “perfect” items are better than a truck-load of “okay” items.

With all that empty space, I began to get excited. Yes, I had very few clothes now, but I didn’t see it as a lack – I saw it as an opportunity! I was determined to slowly fill the emptiness with clothes that fit my body type, lifestyle and personal taste. No longer would I cram stuff into my closet that obviously didn’t belong there.

As I stared at my completed work, God said, “Isn’t lack beautiful?”

I instantly knew what God was referring to. He had purged my life of everything that was “okay.” I can remember every instance when He told me to throw something out or give something over to someone else. I felt insecure because I feared people’s opinions of me. Would they think I was being lazy? Would they think I wasn’t doing enough for God? Would they somehow think I was living in rebellion?

First of all, I know that I shouldn’t put other people’s opinions over God’s because that is idolatry. Second of all, I finally discovered what God was doing when He cleaned out my life. He was getting rid of everything unnecessary because He was about to fill my life with perfectly tailored pieces of my destiny. I was in a beautiful lack, and I became excited about what God was about to do.

Have you ever been in a beautiful lack? Does God want to purge your life of all the distractions that pull you away from your purpose? Will you allow God to trash all the “okay” things that confuse your calling? Don’t worry about what other people think about the purge – they’ll understand when they see you walking out in an amazing wardrobe tailored to your life. Hopefully, they’ll learn from your example and do a little life-cleaning themselves.

You can also read this devotional over at Internet Cafe!

Where's the Sugar?

I made a sugar free apple cobbler for my kids. Even the whipped cream on top was sugar free. I was so excited because it looked beautiful, and it tasted pretty good. My three year old sugar connoisseur son was so excited. I put the dessert in front of him, and his eyes bulged. He took his spoon and started taking big bites. After a few mouthfuls, he put the spoon down and looked up at me.

“What’s wrong?” I said. “You don’t like it?”

He pushed the bowl away and said, “It needs sugar.”

I couldn’t believe it. I looked at my husband, and he shrugged. How did he know there was no sugar?

The same concept goes with ministry. A ministry leader can make sure that everything is perfect and looks great, but there is only one way to ensure that God’s sweetness (Holy Spirit) is present. Unless the leadership is sensitive and broken to the will of God, the Holy Spirit cannot freely move through the ministry like it should.

Before we had kids, God moved my husband and me to Dallas. I saw a commercial for a local Christian school, and I knew that God wanted me to teach there. The position paid very little, so I taught college at night. The year was challenging for me, and I couldn’t wait until summer so I could get outside the classroom.

I started applying to other positions, but I had an uneasy feeling that I was supposed to teach one more year. I got offered an amazing job located downtown Dallas, creating English software to help kids with standardized testing. I was ecstatic because this job paid twice the amount of my two current positions combined, and I could sit behind a computer and analyze grammar and syntax all day.

For five days, I wrestled with God. I knew He didn’t want me to take the job. I remember jogging on my treadmill, and I jumped so hard out of anger that I broke it. I stomped around my living room and finally fell against the wall crying. I cried until there was nothing left. My family and friends didn’t understand. Why would I not go for such an amazing opportunity? All I could say was, "God says so."

During the last day of school, I finally resolved to be obedient, but I still felt very abandoned by God. I went to my desk and opened the Bible. I read Jeremiah 29.11: “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’” (NLT). I decided that I would learn everything God wanted to teach me the following year, so, hopefully, he would allow me to leave the classroom.

My last year teaching, I taught seven subjects, including seventh and eighth grade Physical Education. For one of the six weeks, I felt God wanted me to teach them a Christian song in sign language. I didn’t know anything about music, but two of my students were daughters of the choir teacher. I didn’t have a plan, so we just worked each day at putting together a performance. I taught the girls some “choreography” and the sisters helped with the chorus. We finally finished it, and the girls had created something special.

I saw the principal in the hall, and I asked if she wouldn’t mind just taking a quick look at what the girls had created. She said sure, and sat down in an empty auditorium. After the principal saw it, she demanded that they perform in front of the school at the next pep rally. The girls were thrilled, and I was happy that they were able to show the school how hard they worked.

The girls performed in front of the entire school, and the teachers and students were amazed. People were crying, and I didn’t understand what was going on. The choir director came up to me with tears in her eyes and said, “Now that's what it's all about.” Till this day I value the fact that she didn’t thank me. It was obvious that I did nothing except allow myself to be broken by God and stay obedient to His will.

God’s spirit is unleashed through the brokenness of the ministry leader. Leaders are called into dry areas, so Living Water can flow through them, saturating everything with God’s presence. However, the ministry leaders must be broken so that the Holy Spirit in them can move freely. Leaders are responsible for having a broken self-nature and an obedient heart; the rest is up to God.

God’s glory comes in all shapes and forms and through all types of ministries, but it is obvious when the Holy Spirit is present….you can taste His sweetness. God needs our brokenness, so the Holy Spirit in us has free reign. How is God breaking you today? Do you receive it or become callus? How would your ministry (family, marriage, career, relationships, etc.) be different if God's Spirit was in control?

"Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies" (1 Corinthians 15.43-44 NLT).

Striving Laundry: Guest Post for Writer's Manna

I'm doing a guest post over at Writer's Manna, authored by Heather Spiva! I hope it encourages you today!


I have been anxiously striving to finish edits on my first book. My mind has been consumed with writing, and I’m constantly telling myself to get to work. I feel the pressure of a deadline, and I told God one afternoon, “I can’t wait until I’m done.”

I could sense God smile and say, “Then you’ll start your second book.”

I stopped in my tracks. I realized that I will never be finished. When I’m done climbing this mountain, God will have another one for me in the distance. While I’m alive on this earth, God will always place promises for my life in the horizon.

God places promises beyond each of us; and as we move closer to them, God is able to mold us into the likeness of His son. Promises are in the core of Jesus; they pull us toward Him like gravity and slowly perfect us into our original design.

At that moment, I had a reality check. Obviously my perspective was wrong because God would not want me to be anxious about anything (Philippians 4.6).

How do we strive towards God’s promises without becoming overwhelmed? How do we find balance and joy in a life that will always be pulled toward higher goals and greater accomplishments?

I would like to answer this profound question with one simple word: Laundry.

Laundry is never done. Whenever I go from room to room with arms filled with dirty clothes, I like to sing the theme song to the 1984 movie The NeverEnding Story. If that story were written by a woman, I am sure it would have been about laundry.

I’ve learned to do a little bit of laundry every day. I don’t even think about it anymore. When I wake up, I’ll notice that the hamper is getting full, so I’ll grab the clothes and start a load. That afternoon after I put the kids down for a nap, I’ll put the clothes into the dryer and forget about them. While the kids are playing before bed, I’ll take the load out, fold it and put it away. Never once was I anxious.

I used to let the laundry build up, but I noticed that I always became anxious. The lack of clean clothes would begin to affect my life, and my mind would send me distracting signals to “get to work.” Laundry would become a big deal, when, in reality, it is such a small part of my life. If I would simply give laundry a fraction of my attention every day, it would be manageable.

This concept is the same for God’s promises. God doesn’t want His promises to become anxiety builders in our lives. His promises are supposed to draw us closer in relationship with Him. The imbalance comes when we stop daily focusing on God, and we let our relationship with Him build up, unused in the hamper.

If we hungrily seek God everyday and align our lives in His will, He would ensure that we have just enough time every day to work on His promises. As we seek God, He will groom our lives of everything unnecessary, and we will have perfect amount of time to complete His will. Also, when we focus on God, He will fill us with joy and peace that will filter through every aspect of our lives, dispersing our anxiety, worry and procrastination.

The purpose of life is to glorify God. If we are not doing that in our daily life, we probably need to ask God for a healthy dose of perspective. I decided to give up on striving; instead, I’m keeping my eyes on God and allowing His grace to move me toward His best for me.

"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46.10 NASB).

You can also check out this article here!

Foot Promise

Instead of dividing time by years, I try to envision all existence as one beautiful gift. Life is a single, intricate creation, bound together by a name that we tend to whisper about –Jesus, Messiah, Christ, Lord. Jesus was at God’s side during our world’s inception, He hung on the cross at its redemption and, finally, He’ll break through the skies at its completion.

Jesus stands firmly in the center of creation, watching as His divine purpose comes to fruition. He takes small but amazing pieces of His will and places them at His feet. They are called His promises. Then He puts the desire for those promises in each of us.

The promises are beyond our abilities, but we are drawn to them like a magnet to metal. The world tries to sidetrack us with tantalizing distractions that urge us to wander. As we seek Jesus, though, He compels us forward by faith.

We struggle onward in a life that isn’t easy. We learn to rely on the joy, peace and hope found in the core of God’s spirit in us as Christians. We slowly loosen our grip on the world, and we walk into the unknown, holding onto the only truth that we can rely on: We are loved. Though our bodies, minds and hearts grow weary, our souls attain eternal rest in Him.

When we finally arrive at our promises, we realize that they were only the lures. We walked by faith to the feet of Jesus, and He skimmed off our sin in the process. We now understand the purpose of our pain and the significance of our struggle. We look up at the face of Jesus and hand Him the weight of our promises, and He pulls us up into the power, the majesty and the beauty of His glory.

Promise verses: Proverbs 19.21, Jeremiah 29.11, Romans 8.28, 2 Thessalonians 1.11, Hebrews 6.17 & Revelation 17.17.

Not King of Slaves

Jesus is the King of Kings, not the King of Slaves. We are children of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8.17). We are called to be Kings of an inheritance created for us before the world began. Yet, many Christians live as slaves. We are slaves to the world, instead of free by His truth (John 8.32).

We each have a passion to lead, but our preconceived and corrupted beliefs prevent us from knowing the truth about who we are in Christ. We fill our mind with the lies of the world and the promises of God stay locked up in our unread Bibles and godless thoughts.

The only way to discover our royal heritage is to leave the yoke of slavery and head towards the promise land (Ephesians 1.11). However, many Christians fear the wilderness that they must pass through in order to reach freedom. We stay content in our honey-like pleasures and trapped in our mediocre mind sets. We are kings living as slaves by choice.

Why must we pass through the wilderness in order to reach the promise land? The wilderness teaches us how to be kings. The wilderness helps us to shed our chains and embrace the passion and purpose that God placed in each one of us. Most of all, however, the wilderness teaches us the true definition of kingship.

Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, and He came to this earth to serve. The inheritance that God has for you -- the kingdom that He has created for you -- is your ultimate gift of service to this world. You were built to serve humankind in a specific area. The more you are able to serve, the bigger your kingdom will grow (Mark 9.35).

It is God-like to serve the needs of others. It is slave-like to be served. If you feel like your are not fulfilling your purpose in life, you may have not found your current niche in which you have power to serve. If you feel like your kingdom is not growing, you may not be fully embracing the privilege of serving others.

God has a plan for your life. When you find your gift of service, God will give your grace and power to multiply your efforts beyond what you can humanly manufacture. Our life is short and there are distractions around every corner. God has placed in your soul a desire for your life to have meaning and for you to live out a purpose. Seek His will. Discover your destiny. You will find passion that you didn't know was in you. You'll wake each day with a confidence that you can't explain and a fire that the world can't smother.

"They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers" (Revelation 17.14 NIV).

Kingdom Idol

I was reading about the first division of God's Chosen people in the promise land. After Solomon died, the kingdom was split in two. Jerusalem was given to Solomon's son, Rehoboam. And Israel appointed their own king, Jeroboam.

The House of God (temple) was in Jerusalem, and Jeroboam feared that his people would start to pledge loyalty back to the line of David. So Jeroboam decided to construct two false idols in Israel. He erected two golden calves so his people wouldn't have to go to the House of God in Jerusalem to worship. Jeroboam wanted something that was granted to Rehoboam, so instead of seeking his own style of kingship, he created false idols (1 Kings 12.27-28).

My fear for Christians is that we see the Kingdom Purposes that God has given to others, and we start constructing Kingdom idols to match theirs. We don't seek our own kingship of the purpose God has planned for us because we fear that ours will not be good enough. But if we could weed out the lies blocking our view, we would realize that each Kingdom Purpose is equal in beauty and influence.

I believe that we can be deceived in two ways.

1) We look through the lens of our current culture. Our culture has a list of what is considered worthy and great. If something is not popular, famous and beautiful, then it is not worth our time. If a person or ministry does not appear on TV, in several books or on the Yahoo information page, then forget it. It is no good! However, we can not judge a life by what the world says is worthy. We have to rise above popular opinion and find the value in what God has planted in each of us.

2) We look through the lens of our selfish flesh. It is a struggle not to see life through our self-centered perspectives. It is amazing how many times I made plans in the past, claiming they were for God; but in actuality, they were based on selfish motives. We all have a great gift of denial and justification when it comes to getting what we desperately want. God has revealed many selfish motives in my life that I wasn't even aware of because I was seeing through my eyes instead of His. I built idols for a kingdom that God was not giving me, and I suffered for it.

What I'm beginning to learn is that each of us -- whether we influence millions or just a few -- has equal Kingdom Influence Ability. Some Christians are called to front-porch evangelism. Some Christians are called to small group discipleship. Some Christians are called to a national Gospel movement. And some Christians are called to a world-wide ministry. We are each designed to work in a certain sphere. Of course, we can jump to different spheres on occasion when the Holy Spirit leads; nevertheless, we still will find more grace and power in the sphere we were designed for.

This thought hit home for me when I read Dr. David Cho's book, The Fourth Dimension. Dr. Cho is an influential Christian leader who pastors one of the largest Christian churches in the world. He has brought multitudes to Christ through his ministry. But he didn't become a Christian until he was dying at age 19 from tuberculosis, and he realized none of his local gods could help him.

A young Christian girl (Cho can't remember her name) came to visit him daily and talked to him about Jesus. She would go over the Scriptures with Cho until he was completely irritated with her. She prayed that he would receive Jesus as his savior and finally -- after much effort -- he did. Cho was healed out of death's bed, and he began to direct his life to full-service for God.

This young girl went to a dying teenager's house every day. She didn't care about changing a nation; she just wanted to change one man. She worked in the Kingdom Purpose God had given her and look at the results. If Cho had not become a Christian, countless other wouldn't have found Christ. This young girl is responsible for thousands of souls going to heaven. She might be a nameless nobody in our current culture, but God has established her name and obedience in the records of eternity. With her seemingly insignificant ministry, she has greatly expanded God's Kingdom.

Are you striving with grace and power in the ministry that God has called you to? Are you embracing the Kingdom Purpose given you, or have you been unknowingly building Kingdom idols? Have you been deceived by cultural trends or your own desires?

"There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us" (1 Corinthians 12.4-6 NLT).

Kingdom Faith

I already wrote about how the Kingdom is Here, but now I want to explore how to access the Kingdom in each of us. I would like to stress that the word "kingdom" denotes a King -- The King, The Creator, The God. In order to have the fulfillment of God's Kingdom (His purpose) in our lives, we need to first have a relationship with the King. The only way we can have a relationship with King is through His Son, Jesus. Once we have a relationship with Jesus, we receive God's Spirit (Holy Spirit) to guide us. God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit are three separate components of God, but they are all God.

Jesus' life was foretold by the prophets (Isaiah 53.3-5 NIV) in the Old Testament and was fulfilled and documented in the New Testament (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23 & John 19). During His ministry on earth, Jesus taught us to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 4.17 NIV). There is an overall Kingdom fulfillment for this world that Jesus foreshadows in Luke 21; however, I believe that God has planted in each of us a Kingdom fulfillment.

I find it interesting that Jesus compared the Kingdom of Heaven to yeast. Yeast is dormant until it is placed in bread dough. (I believe that each of us have a Kingdom fulfillment, yet it will stay dormant until we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.) The yeast works on individual particles in the dough and transforms them. The end result is a sweet, yummy loaf of bread (John 6.51 NIV).

This Kingdom image leads me to believe that we all have a kingdom purpose to fulfill, which will be a part of the Kingdom purpose of all existence. God's Kingdom fulfillment has already been established. His Kingdom will come whether we participate or not. It will be a shame, though, to see Jesus coming down from the skies riding a flying horse and realizing that we snoozed through this life and never fulfilled our purpose (Revelation 19.11 NIV).

Humans have two parts: We are flesh and spirit. Genesis 2.7 explains that "the LORD God formed the man from the dust [flesh] of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life [Spirit], and the man became a living being" (NIV). When we ask Jesus into our hearts, God plants His Kingdom purpose into our spirits. The only way we can fulfill our purpose is if we live in the spirit. The problem is that it is so much easier to live in the flesh. To live in the spirit takes A LOT of faith. The flesh and the spirit are always struggling for dominion. A person can not live divided. Either she is walking in the spirit or in the flesh. There is no middle ground.

So what do we do? How can we ensure we live in the spirit, so that we can fulfill our Kingdom purpose? The answer is easy, but it may not seem pleasing at first.... hardships.

God allows hardships in our lives for two main reason: First, they kill our flesh. As Christians, we need to desire the death of our flesh because, otherwise, we will never fulfill our Kingdom purpose. Since our flesh and spirit are constantly warring for control, God does us an absolute favor when He sends hardships our way to take out the flesh (Galatians 5.24, Romans 6.2, Romans 8.13). We will always be drawn to live in the flesh because it is just easier. If we allow God to beat down our flesh, we will more likely embrace the spirit.

Second, hardships build our faith. Faith is the key. According to our faith, will our Kingdom purpose be done (Matthew 17.20). I think it is interesting that we embrace physical exercise because we know it's going to build our bodies, yet we don't embrace hardships, which will build our faith. Every time we endure hardships and continue to believe God for His promises to us, our faith becomes stronger. We must have stellar faith in order to live in the spirit.

Faith is essential to fulfilling our Kingdom purpose. God is going to do something in us that will go against all odds (Matthew 19.26). We will need lots of faith to believe that He will work His beautiful plan through our messed-up lives (Philippians 1.6). The main way we build faith is through hardships. Hardships come in many forms, but we can claim victory to overcome them through Jesus Christ (1 John 5.3-5). When the sin of this world increases, God's grace increases (Romans 5.20). And we can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4.13).

I'm determined not to give-up when hardships come my way because I know that when my flesh is weak, my spirit will become strong (2 Corinthians 12.10). There is a battle between my flesh and spirit, and I want my spirit to win. It is only when we go through hardships, we can ensure that we fulfill the Kingdom purpose God has for us: "where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God" (Acts 14.22 NLT).

Therefore, let us face our hardships with determined victory because they bring to completion God's Kingdom fulfillment in our lives: "But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4.13 NIV) and "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory" (Romans 8.17 NIV).

What storms are you currently finding yourself in? How can you walk by faith and claim God's victory?

Kingdom Purpose Movement

I wrote in my Shutter Island Moment that compared to God's perfection we are all monsters. However, I want to emphasize that all Christians are called to a life of perfection through a friendship with Christ. We are suppose to be different from the world, and our lives should reflect God's glory. There is a large gap between just being forgiven by Christ and being perfected in Christ. Christians should be on the path to perfection, headed toward Christlikeness.

Many Christians receive salvation through Christ, but they don't pursue a relationship with Him; therefore, their lives blend in with the cultural norm. Other Christians receive salvation and pursue good-works rather than relationship with Christ. Good works become idols instead of an outward product of an inward fellowship.

As Christ's disciples, we are called to become like Him. We can not become like Jesus from our own effort. It must be the Holy Spirit working in us (Philippians 1.6 and 2.13). When Christians passionately pursue an intimate relationship with Jesus, their lives will be sanctified (set-apart) and will produce God-centered good works (Ephesians 2.10 and John 17.19).

The question is, "How do we move from being Monsters (selfish nature) towards Perfection (Christlikeness)?"

My first inclination is to say love. If we love Christ enough, we will automatically begin to take on His likeness. However, we could love Jesus in heaven. We don't need to have this earth and this temporal life to love Jesus. If love would get us from point A to point B, why wouldn't God just call us all to heaven now?

There has to be a reason Jesus walked this earth and we walk this earth. This creation must serve His purpose in perfecting us.

I write a lot about our Kingdom Purpose. I believe God has an awesome, powerful Kingdom Purpose for each of us. God taught me a lot about His overall Kingdom Purpose and our individual Kingdom Purposes when I did my 7-day fast. If you haven't read my meditation on what I learned, you can find it at Fast to Feast. During this fast, God gave me one of Jesus' parables to meditate on, and it was about His Kingdom. Did you know that God's Kingdom is one of the topics that Jesus discussed most? Why so much emphasis about our Kingdom Purpose?

What I would like to suggest is that God's Kingdom Purpose is what moves us from Monster to Perfection, from sinful nature to Christlikeness. Let me explain why.

God created this earth and gave us dominion over it (Genesis 1.26 and Psalm 115.16). Jesus uses the Parable of the Talents to illustrate that we will each be given a portion of His Kingdom (Matthew 25.21). Therefore, God obviously has given us a portion of control over this earth for a reason. He wants us to have territory and use our authority to expand it (1 Chronicles 4.10 NIV).

What I'm realizing through researching the Scriptures is that our Kingdom Purpose is essential to our lives on this earth. It draws us closer to God and shapes us into the image of Christ. Sadly, though, many Christians are hopelessly kingdomless. They have no idea why they are on this earth and, therefore, become easy prey for the Enemy. We lose our focus if we haven't got a focal point.

I'm learning that the more God gives me a clearer vision of my own Kingdom Purpose, the more I draw closer to Him. Because I know that there is absolutely no way that I could achieve my Kingdom Purpose alone. I must keep in step with the Spirit. And this is why the Kingdom Purpose moves us towards Christlikeness -- it forces us to commune with God. If you are serving a purpose and it seems easy enough to do alone, I don't think you've reached the height of what God wants to do through you.

I believe that besides ignorance and apathy, the number one hindrance preventing us from achieving our Kingdom Purpose is covetness. The world has it's own degrees of what is meaningful and what is not; however, this hierarchy does not fit in with God's vision. We get into trouble when we start idolizing a particular Kingdom Purpose instead of fulfilling our own. Whether we are front-porch disciple makers or TV evangelist, we all have equal freedom to multiply our Talents and further God's Kingdom.

We each have God's glory waiting in us in the form of our Kingdom Purpose. We just have to obediently unleash it. This power is the greatest force that will shape us into Christlikeness. Our Kingdom Purpose can only be accomplished if we lean on God, obey His commands and desire Him more than anything. I think that is why in the Bible God many times claims beauty over the ugliness of His children. He knows what they could be if only they strive to accomplish the purpose that He has created them to serve.

What about you? Have you asked God specifically what is your Kingdom Purpose? Has God carved out a territory for you that makes you cling to Him? Do you think it is important for individuals to know that their lives have meaning?

"In accord with his original intent, the heavenly Father has in fact prepared an individualized kingdom for every person, from the outset of creation. That may seem impossible for us. But we do have a very weak imagination toward God, and we are confused by our own desires and fears, as well as by gross misinformation. It is a small thing for him." - Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy

Internet Cafe: Using our Filters

When my husband and I were first married, we lived in a tiny apartment. I could vacuum the entire house using one plug for the cord. My mom came to visit for a few days. She didn’t mind sleeping on the couch, but she did mind the lack of coffee supplies. She quickly went out to buy us a coffee pot, filters and coffee.

After my mom left, she sweetly left us the coffee pot for future visits. After a year in the tiny apartment, we upgraded to a bigger one. I brought the coffee pot and the filters along with us. We made coffee on rare occasions, and I was happy we were prepared.
When my husband and I finished schooling, we moved to another city for further training. As I packed the house for the move, I broke the coffee pot and decided to throw it away. However, I kept the coffee filters. There were a bunch of them, and I didn’t want to waste a perfectly usable product. So I put the filters in a plastic bag and packed them.

My husband and I moved into our first home. We were excited about the change and the new possibilities that came with it. Most of all, we were thrilled that we lived right next to a local coffee shop. I didn’t need to buy a coffee pot; and as the years went by, I completely forgot about the filters.

We moved one more time back to our hometown where my husband and I first met. As I was unpacking, I found the coffee filters. My husband must have tossed them into the box. I thought it was interesting that the filters had made it from our first home to our current home almost eight years later.

“What am I going to do with these filters?” I thought.

I kept them mainly for nostalgia’s sake. The filters were a sweet reminder of my marriage’s beginning. Finally back in our hometown, we joined a church and began to raise our growing family. A year later we started a church home group. My friend bought me a coffee pot for Christmas, and I started serving the much wanted coffee for my friends. I finally had a use for my coffee filters.

What I’ve come to understand is that God many times gives us coffee filters. He puts a desire, talent, promise or dream into our hearts way before we will ever use them. They just sit on the back burner, and we wonder why God ever gave us the passion in the first place.

But slowly, without us even realizing it, a need will come and we’ll finally get to do what God has called us to do. I don’t know why God places these dreams in our hearts so early, but I do know that we will greatly enjoy dedicating ourselves to those dreams when the time arrives…. I was excited to finally use my filters.

What about you? Has God given you a talent, dream, passion or promise that you haven’t been able to fulfill? Or have you finally been able to accomplish something that God anointed you for years in advance? Share your story with us, so we can be encouraged that God does finally let us use our filters.

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1.20 NIV).

You can also read it here Internet Cafe!

Kingdom is Here

As I was studying the Scriptures tonight about what I feel the Holy Spirit is calling me to write, God humbled and enlightened me. I wanted to write about the criminal on the cross who hung next to Jesus. Out of everyone who was with Jesus during His ministry, this man was the only one who got it.

Jesus' disciples, the religious leaders and the current culture of the time were waiting for a new King David to free the Jewish people of their oppression. They were looking for a warrior king to establish their earthly kingdom. They didn't realize that Jesus was establishing an eternal kingdom (Matthew 25.34 NIV), which came straight from the paradise of God (Revelation 2.7 NIV). This kingdom is far greater than the kingdom the people fervently desired. They just couldn't see it...but the criminal did.

The criminal reached out to Jesus in the shortest salvation prayer that I've ever heard:

"Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23.42 NIV)

Jesus is so amazing because this man took one tiny step of faith toward Him, and Jesus made up the difference. Jesus confirmed this man's timid request with a mighty promise:

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23.43 NIV).

I was going to write tonight that the reason this criminal hanging on his cross next to Jesus was able to get it -- why He was able to understand that the new kingdom was not of this earth -- was because he was on his deathbed. Nothing gives us more clarity about eternity then when we are about to enter it. However, the Holy Spirit told me otherwise.

For us to believe that we will enter the Kingdom of Heaven only after we die is extremely egocentric. It would be like saying the Kingdom of Heaven's existence is dependent on us. But it is not. God gave Jesus the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, and Jesus already opened it with His death and resurrection. The criminal on the cross knew the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand not because he was about to die, but because Jesus was about to die.

The Kingdom of Heaven was established and is in existence now. We are walking in it, breathing in it and living in it. We received our place in this kingdom when we prayed for Jesus to come into our hearts and forgive us of our sins. Since our sinful flesh prohibits us from entering this kingdom physically, God placed the kingdom into all Christians (Luke 17.21). Our souls are redeemed by Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, and they are now resting on a hammock on the shores of Paradise.

What does this mean for us? How do we conduct ourselves knowing that our souls are already dwelling in the Kingdom of Heaven? The following verse gave me some clairty.

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16.19 AMP).

Since Jesus' death on the cross already established the Kingdom of Heaven and that kingdom -- which comes from the core of God -- has already been placed in each of us, shouldn't we be living like it? I try to imagine that I'm always at the foot of the throne, even if I can't see it with my human eyes. There are no secrets from God. He sees everything. God desires to love us, and He's willing to pour out His grace on all of our mistakes so He can hold us near to Him. All we have to do is allow God to embrace us and not try to wiggle free from Him. When we draw close to God, we find ourselves in complete joy (Kingdom of Heaven), and we realize that the worldly happiness we begged God for was counterfeit (Earthly Kingdom).

My soul at this very moment exist in God's established Kingdom. I'm sitting on a swivel chair, typing on a computer smack-dab in the middle of Paradise. I just need to get my flesh to wake up to that fact. I want to yoke myself to Jesus every moment, so He will anchor my soul-awareness in His Kingdom. I don't want to wander off and realize that I've stumbled yet again into the Kingdom of this earth which is controlled by the Enemy.

I choose life. I choose joy. I choose paradise.

Because Jesus already gave them to me, I claim them now.

Swimming in Canals

I was jogging down one of my neighborhood main streets, which bridges over a canal. I felt God telling me to stop at a point on the sidewalk that looked over the middle of the water. I looked down and watched the canal curve and stretch before me. It was going in a different direction than my current path, and it lead into a part of the bay that I didn't quite know.

God said, "You're about to jump."

Of course, I knew God didn't mean for me to physically jump, but He was alluding to some kind of change in my life. A change that I was going to have to jump into. I was excited. I have several God-promises on the back burners just waiting to be served. I couldn't wait to find out what life circumstances God was going to shake up.

A day later, I read a book that has changed my life. As I read each chapter, it felt like a door was being opened in my mind -- a door that I had closed and forgotten about. While reading, I had to take little naps because the Holy Spirit was doing a lot of rewiring in my mind and spirit, and I was exhausted.

I didn't understand what was going on, but I knew it was special. My entire outlook on who I was in Christ and my relationship with Him began to focus with clarity, but this focus shot me into the depths of the unknown. After finishing the book, I realized that I had jumped from the bridge into the canal. I found myself flaying about in the water not knowing what to do next. I thought God was going to change my circumstances. I didn't know He was just going to change me.

What do you do when you jump into a canal? You swim. I'm determined to swim in this knew awareness that God has given me, and I know that it's part of my route to Jesus in Zion. I'm excited and intimidated about growing into this new stage of Christlikeness, but I'm ready for the challenge. I want to know God on a deeper level, and I'm willing to make the sacrifices to do so.

I'm realizing that this change is more important than any change in my circumstances. I know that God can and does use circumstances to change us, but I'm eager to try out a change that can't be seen with the human eye. I want a spiritual change; one that is initiated by my obedience.

I'm still learning, but I'm figuring out that Jesus is the core of all existence. He is the seed of life. If I can grow into my awareness of Him and into the fullness of who I am in Him, I believe that I'll be on the right path.

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1.16-20 NIV).

What about you? Have you ever experienced a book, conversation, a situation or a moment that changed your life? Were you able to take the plunge into the canal or did you keep jogging on your current path? How did this change effect who you are in Christ and your awareness about God's purpose for you?

Internet Cafe: Boats & Promises

My family and I went to what we call “Angel Island,” which is a small patch of dirt in the middle of the canals on North Padre Island. We like this little island because the kids can’t wander off, and we can watch the boats and the skiers as they jet on by. On the other side of the canal on this particular day were two dogs. Their owners landed their boat on the strip of land adjacent to us, and the dogs enjoyed running up and down the length of the shore.

Whenever a boat or jet skier would drive by, one of the dogs would chase it until he ran out of land. He would start at one end of the strip and run the distance of a football field to the other side. The boats were going about 35 mph, and this dog kept pace! I couldn’t believe how fast he ran and how excited he looked chasing these boats.

I felt kind of bad for the dog, though. He never caught the boats. The land would run out and the boats would zip on past him. The dog didn’t seem to mind because he would go back to where he started and wait for another boat to come. I think the dog loved the thrill of chasing the boats. He didn’t really need to catch them.

This made me think of God’s promises to us. I’ve realized that God always puts His promises to us way out in the distance. They are almost never within our immediate reach. In order to claim these promises, we have to get our running shoes on and chase them.

“Why do you make it so hard, God?” I asked Him.

God whispered into my heart: “Those promises mean very little to me, but you mean everything to me. I place those promises away from you so you can move from Point A (old selfish nature) to Point B (Christ-likeness). I want you close to me, so I place promises along the way to draw you near and to teach, encourage and bless you.”

Finally, after years of waiting on God to fulfill His promises to me, I understood what I was doing wrong. God’s promises are already fulfilled. If He gave them to me, they are recorded in history as completed and I shouldn’t worry about the timing. What I need to focus on is the chase. How am I running after my promises? Am I focused like that dog with a huge grin on my face and my tongue lolling out to one side? Or am I whining and complaining to God that He is taking too long and He is making it too hard?

I think God wants to us to enjoy the chase. He put promises around us to make life fun and rewarding. He didn’t put them there to make us miserable. My goal for myself now is to enjoy the chase. Chasing dreams is a privilege, and God has given me gifts, talents and the Holy Spirit to help me run to win.

Unlike the dog, if I run out of land, God will teach me to run on water so I can continue to chase my boat. And when I finally catch it, I want to be eager for another promise and another chase! Promises help me to cultivate a deeper relationship with God, so I want to chase after a bunch of them! I desire for Jesus to be my best friend before I meet Him face to face.

What promises has God given you? Are you chasing them with determination, clinging onto Him the entire way? How can you begin to enjoy the chase and feel secure in His love for you?

“I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise” (Psalm 119.58 NIV).

You can also read this at the Internet Cafe!

Sanctified Together Publication

Jumping In

I imagined myself standing next to Jesus, looking out at the world and watching the events of history unfold. I can't wait to jump into my life and shine the glory of God during my short years on earth. Jesus reminds me that I must stand strong in the world -- the roots of the Enemy are everywhere. He explains that I will learn all about faith and that I will no longer be completely surrounded by God's glory. However, I will feel His glory deep within my soul. It is a gift that God planted within me, but that gift is merely a seed. I wll have to cultivate it.

I don't under why Jesus is so emphatic. I won't forget! How could I forget? God is the Creator of the Universe! Jesus introduced us! How could I ever forget the millions of angels singing His praises or how the mountains and the skies cry out His glory or how I have knelt at His throne worshipping Him and filling myself with His love, peace and majesty? How could I forget heaven? Heaven is life; earth is merely a test, a sport, a challenge -- created to teach, strengthen and develop me. I'm playing to win. I want to come back to eterinity a champion!

Jesus gives me a smile. He sees my determination but knows that I have much to learn. He tells me that He will give me three things to help me win on earth and shine the glory of God. He gives me the Holy Spirit. I receive this when I accept Jesus as savior of my earthly and eternal life. The Holy Spirit will be the power of God in me, guiding me through the Enemy's weeds. He gives me the Bible. I must read this Book over and over again because my human heart is naturally sinful and eager to stray. The more I read the Scriptures, the more God's promises fill my heart and take root. And He gives me other people. Jesus said that I will be able to see Him through the lives of other Christians who are walking by faith. They will encourage, motivate and edify me. They will help me win my race, and I will help them win theirs; however, we must live in harmony.

Yes, I know, Jesus! I know! I'm ready to go. I want to be Your hands and feet. I want to show the whole world what they are missing when they reject God. I will be a leader of the Gospel! I will shine Your glory in every crevice of darkness I see!

Jesus' face becomes serious. He stares in my eyes and waits a second before giving me His last words of advice. He tells me that He will have to break me. He will have to beat down every aspect of my flesh, because only then will His glory shine through. He says this process hurts, and it continues until the day I see Him again in heaven. But, if I learn to seperate my spirit from my flesh, I will find great joy. Only when my flesh dies, will my spirit radiate the glory of God.

But I don't have flesh, yet. I do not understand pain, heartache or loss. I've never been without God, so I've never experienced sin. All I've ever known is love, joy and beauty. I start to feel a little homesick, and Jesus wraps His arms around me and strokes my face. He doesn't say these words out loud, but I feel them in my heart.

"When the pain becomes unbearable, and you have lost your way, just look to Me, dear daughter. I allowed my flesh to be dominated by the world, so that God's glory could pour forth. You must fill your life with that glory and shine it brightly. Draw close to me, and I will draw close to you."

Jesus tells me that it is time for me to go. The family, nation, culture and time He has chosen for me is ready for my arrival. I look at Jesus face to face one last time, and I can't help but say these words:

"I promise You, Jesus. I will return to You broken, tired and used up; but I will come back victorious. I will shine Your glory."

John 17.1-5 NIV:

"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: 'Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.'"

You can also read this article on the Sanctified Together Publication page: here.


The Sanctified Together Publication April Issue - Life as a Vapor is hot off the online presses! I hope you join me in reading all the wonderful writings!

Sitting with God: A 40 Day Meditation

Follow this link for your free copy of -
Sitting with God: A 40 Day Meditation
This ebook is my best Faith Imagined articles of 2009.

Proverbs 2.1-8 (NLT)

My Child, listen to what I say,
and treasure my commands.
Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.

If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and have asked Him into your heart, God has put His Holy Spirit within you (Acts 5.32). The Holy Spirit desires to give each of you godly insight, understanding and wisdom. God wants to teach you and guide you into a path of righteousness (Psalm 23.3).

But you might ask, “How can I gain this wisdom? How can I become a student of the Holy Spirit?” According to Proverbs 2.3-4 (NLT), all you have to do is ask and seek for it, and the Lord will grant your request!

Gaining wisdom and understanding can become a daily part of your everyday life. If you are open to the Holy Spirit’s teaching, He will provide “Holy Lessons” for you throughout your normal day. God is not tight-fisted with His insights; rather, He is generous to those who are faithful to Him: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1.5 NASB).

Sitting with God: A 40 Day Meditation is a compilation of Christian devotionals that seek to know God more intimately through a lifestyle of meditation on God’s Word. In this book, you will see the Holy Spirit using average experiences and circumstances to teach godly insights that are biblically rooted.

My prayer for this book is that it provides you with an example of how to “tune your ears to wisdom.” I am merely an imperfect Christian woman who yearns to “cry out for insight” about a perfect God. Please join me on my quest to find “hidden treasures” of God’s truth!

Feel free to share this ebook.

Tablet of My Heart

When I was sixteen-years old, I stopped having my period for about five months. I didn’t know what was going on. I had never been intimate with anyone; and instead of seeking guidance, I tucked away my problem and lived in fear. In my ignorance, I could only think of the Virgin Mary, and I became trapped in a warped, religious thought process that filled me with guilt and anxiety. I didn’t know much about the Bible, but what little I did know, I applied to my situation and came up with ridiculous conclusions.

When my period finally started again, it literally felt like the world was lifted from my teenage shoulders. The entire incident was tucked away into the pockets of my heart and forgotten about it.

Just recently, I was discussing jogging with a friend of mine who teaches kinesiology at our local university. She was training for a marathon and talked about some of the effects of training – one of which was loss of period. Finally, after fifteen years, I discovered why mine had disappeared for five months. I had been on the track team that semester. What a revelation! Something which had caused me so much grief as a teenager had such an easy explanation.
The story is laughable now, but it doesn’t erase the misery I lived in all those months. I realized that my ignorance had caused so much grief. If I had only sought counsel, I could have saved myself from immense confusion – confusion that involved the Bible.

Sometimes as Christians we take our limited exposure to the Bible and apply it to our situations or, worse yet, to our friends’ situations. If we are not reading and studying God’s Word on a regular basis, our ignorance can cause damage to ourselves and to others. Moreover, if we do not seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and surround ourselves with godly influences, we will be isolated in a confusing world of religious traditions and biblical fragments.

As Christians, we are commanded by God to write His Word on the tablets of our hearts (Proverbs 7:2-3 NIV). God doesn’t command this because He wants us to jump through religious hoops in order to be worthy of His favor; He commands this because He knows that only with His Word in our hearts will we be able to stand firm in our faith (Matthew 7:22-25 NIV).

When we write the Scriptures on our hearts, we are better able to overcome temptation, negative thoughts, low self-esteem, depression, and any other struggle we face. The Bible is our sword against the enemy whose only ambition is to destroy us (1 Peter 5:8 NIV). Also, if we are rooted in God’s Word, we can be a blessing to others. We can come along side our Christian brothers and sisters during their time of need and point them to Christ. The best way to bring someone closer to Christ is by using the anointed Word of God.

We become a more effective mouthpiece for God when we sit down with Him and study His Word. In the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, God reprimands the false prophets who led the people away from Him. God said that if only they would have spent time with Him, they would have proclaimed His Words and the people would have been saved (Jeremiah 23:22 NIV). We can’t be expected to help others align their lives to God’s will if we are not reading the Bible. We won’t even be able to help ourselves because our ignorance will keep us smothered in shame, confusion, and hopelessness.

The Bible is filled with amazing promises that are woven throughout every story. We need to diligently seek those promises so that we can claim them! King David compares God’s Word to honey (Psalm 119:102-104 NIV) and to silver and gold (Psalm 119:72 NIV). We need to cling to the Bible like it’s the most valuable thing we own because it is! Without it, we are lost in a world of darkness. And if we as Christians are lost, who will be the light that shines on the cross for those who are seeking a savior?

Will you make it your determined purpose to know God more (Philippians 3:10 AMP)? Will you join me at making an exerted effort to read your Bible regularly and allow God to teach you? It might seem confusing at first, but God will meet you right where you are. The Holy Spirit is the Supreme Teacher. God wants to fill you with His promises. He wants you to have abundant life (John 10:10 NKJV). He will teach you if you yield to His guidance.

Let us no longer be tied to our ignorance. We need to hunger for more than small pieces of Scripture wrapped around our limited human understanding. We want God to fill us with His holy understanding and share insights with us that will free us from confusion. If we study God’s Word, surround ourselves by godly influences, and stay obedient to God’s direction, our path will not be so hazy like it was for me when I was sixteen. Once the scriptures are written on the tablets of our hearts, the Lord will become our confidence, and He will protect us from the snares of the world.

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105 NIV).