Pruning Shears & Living Space

Allowing God to expose and extract sin is one of the most difficult yet rewarding procedures of the Christian life. I have found that this process is especially painful when the sin is deeply rooted in selfishness, pride and entitlement. The hardest sin for God to pull from me is the sin that I wasn't even aware I had. God would take hold of the ugly weed, and I'd wallow in a mire of denial, pity and shock. A spiritual tug-of-war would commence, and I'd struggle with allowing the sharp (but quick) pruning of God's hand.

The most recent weed uprooting took place just a few weeks ago. A situation compressed with just the right elements brought to the forefront an incognito, tightly fastened and fully entitled sin of mine. This particular sin only shows up when the atmosphere is drenched with my supposed suffering and misfortune, and I find myself working in defense mode. Instead of claiming my rights and holding onto my justifications this time, God brought me to my knees with reality. No matter where the division of blame lie, I had to claim the sin that sat in my corner.

I wanted to focus on all the other ingredients of the mess, but God sifted through the bowl and handed me my portion of blame. BLAH! I yelled to God, Why must I be the only one to claim responsibility? Why must I be the only one to humble myself? Why must I be the only one committed to Your correction? (None of those statements are true, but that is exactly how I felt at the time).

Finally, I prayed for God to help me, and I took that weed out and laid it at the cross. Instantly, I was filled with the most amazing peace and satisfaction, and I felt righteous before the eyes of my Creator. God's healing and love covered me, and the presence of the Holy Spirit filled me even more. The entire process from the time I started feeling the pressure of God's hand to the actual removal of my entrenched sin only took a single evening, but it was a miserable journey that, thankfully, ended in a pool of grace.

I used to wonder what it meant to be filled and led by the Holy Spirit, but now I know. The Spirit of God dwells only in the parts of our hearts that have been surrendered to Him. The more sin that God is able to extract, the more places the Holy Spirit can fill. A person who is filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit is a person who has had a lot of sin pulled. When God exposes the dark parts of our hearts, He's trying to secure more living space for His Spirit. So now when I feel God's pruning shears coming, I can be ready with the knowledge that the painful procedure will be over soon, and the tender area will be generously soaked in God's healing peace and presence.

"Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise" (Proverbs 15.31 NIV).

FILLED

In the Bible humans are compared to vessels (Roman 9.19-24). We are each beautifully made by the potter, and we all have unique purposes based on our design. However, a vessel's main function is to be filled. God created us to be overflowing with His glory and to pour that glory onto the nations. We can not be filled with God's glory unless we have the righteousness of Jesus covering us. God is 100% perfect, and He does not commune with anything imperfect. Without Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, we stand flawed and separated from God.

Because of God's grace and our faith, we are miraculously found perfect in God's eyes when we profess our sins, ask for God's forgiveness and receive Jesus in our hearts; and the Holy Spirit can fill us. Even so, God will not force His presence into a Christian's life. We have free-will and we can deny the inpouring of the Holy Spirit and keep parts of our heart away from Him. Many Christians refuse God's leading, and they ignorantly believe that they stand alone. They think that they are neutral and that they direct themselves. What they don't realize is that this is exactly what the Enemy wants them to believe.

We never stand alone. We are vessels; and if we are not filled with the Spirit of God, we will be filled by the spirit of the Enemy. There are two spiritual waves influencing the physical world, and we will be pulled by the surge of good or evil. There is no third option. I believe Christians who are saved by grace but not led by the Holy Spirit do more damage to the Kingdom of God than people who are not redeemed. We point our fingers at non-believers and accuse them for living in darkness, yet it is the Christian who has light and chooses to walk in darkness that causes the most confusion.

"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice truth. But if we walk in light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1.5-7 NIV).

The Enemy wants to fill the righteous vessels. He plans carefully to knock our lights into sin. He wants to prove that he is strong, so he leads us to believe that our vessels can remain empty. Secretly, though, the Enemy begins to fill us with his ugliness; and before we know it, we are lost in a black hole of compromise and sin. The world watches us fall, while mocking our faith and our God.

I pray every day for God to fill me with His Spirit. I know I am a vessel, and I know the Enemy would like nothing better than to fill me. This knowledge gives me a holy fear. I am not blind to the Enemy's schemes. I know that if I'm not yoked to Jesus that I will be yoked by another who wants to deceive, hurt and destroy me. The world can offer me all its beautifully painted delicacies of sin, but I'm not falling for it. I will stand firm in the promises of God.

"Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!
Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
and let me not eat of their delicacies!"
- Psalm 141.3-4 NIV

God is faithful. As Christians, our souls are secure in heaven because of Jesus' righteousness covering us. But, God also gives us free-will. We must choose to yoke ourselves with Jesus every day (Matthew 11.29). Only then can we be guided into God's best for our lives. Otherwise, we become puppets for the father of all lies (John 8.39-47). There is a purpose for our existence on this earth, and we need to "be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Matthew 10.16). Only then can we achieve our predetermined victories in Christ.

Internet Cafe: The Lead Vocalist

I met her at the first writers’ group that I held at my house about five years ago. She was an amazing woman of God surrounded by grace and humility. She dedicated her heart to writing devotionals for my ministry and several months later, God called her to be the Women’s Minister at my church. I was honored and blessed to be under her leadership.

Along with being a writer, women’s minister and church staff member, she also sang onstage with our church band. I would watch her sing and become irritated. I couldn’t hear my friend’s voice! She would only sing back-up, and I, not being musically inclined, couldn’t distinguish her from the others. I told her my frustrations about not being able to hear her, but she was content to use her voice to support the lead vocalist.

One Sunday morning my friend wasn’t singing, and I finally heard it: her voice was missing! Although I couldn’t discern her voice, I could definitely tell when it was absent.

I saw her the following week and exclaimed, “I heard it!”

“What?” She asked.

“The lack of your voice!” I yelled excitedly.

She looked at me for a moment puzzled, but then she smiled with understanding. In a small way, I finally felt like I could appreciate her singing talent.

This past Sunday morning, God had a very special gift in store for me. After five years, I finally heard my friend’s voice. She sang lead vocals, and I bawled. All my makeup was off my face before the pastor even said one word. I listened to my friend sing, and I thanked God for the amazing ways He shows Himself to me. What a beautiful sight she was singing for her mighty God! Her voice is forever imprinted on my heart.

As I reflect on that morning, I know that many people have trouble hearing God’s voice. They recognize when it’s missing, but they have never heard Him speak so powerfully that there was no doubt the words were from God. I once struggled with hearing God’s voice, and I worried whether or not I was listening to the wrong one.

But something changed. I now hear God’s voice loud and clear. He speaks to me through the Bible, the Holy Spirit and other Christians. He engulfs me with His presence, and He whispers to my spirit. What’s different? Why has it become so easy to distinguish His voice? The answer is simple. When I put God center stage, He became the Lead Vocalist singing into my life. All that I am stays focused on God, and I’ve learned to discern His voice.

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our
understanding” (Job 37.5 NIV).

You can also read this article at the Internet Cafe!

A Church Divided

I'm reading Warriors Don't Cry, a beautiful memoir written by Melba Pattillo Beals, one of the nine black students integrated into Little Rock's Central High in 1957. As I read about her childhood, I walked through memories that were vastly different from mine. She grew up in a "sepia-toned world, a cocoon of familiar people and places." The few times she interacted with white people tended to be racially charged and negative. As a child, she felt like a second-class citizen, but she and her family firmly believed that God would bring forth His justice and liberty.

I, on the other hand, grew up on a military base in the 1980s. I was surrounded by people of all colors and blends of colors. I had best friends who were white, black, Hispanic, Chinese and Filipino. I didn't believe we were all the same. I could see the differences in each race first hand, but I enjoyed and soaked up those differences. I never had to fight for my rights against an entire nation because I enjoyed the freedoms fought by those before me. Though our nation is far from perfect, we have experienced great victories won by people faithful to God's will.

I write all this because I'm learning that each of us has a unique lens on life. We can never assume that we know what someone is thinking or feeling, especially if we have limited our focus to ourselves. Though Ms. Beals and I have unique upbringings and life-experiences, we both love and serve the same God. Our situation shapes our perspective on life, people and spirituality, yet God is able to form His love, mercy and grace to fit our personal need and understanding.

I read a lot of books written by diverse spiritual leaders. Each leader has his/her unique Holy Spirit inspired passion and perspective. After reading a handful of books, I started to become nervous and confused. Every leader was so different and had diverse takes on the world, God and spirituality. I felt like there were huge gaps between each leader's spiritual ideology, and it was difficult for me to jump from one school of thought to another. But I knew every single one of them was aligned with God's Word and His Spirit. They each deepened my relationship with and understanding of God with strict Bible teachings.

Instead of pointing my "false prophet" finger, I kept reading more books. The Holy Spirit began bringing a colorful array of spiritual mentors into my path, and I consumed their insights. As I continued reading, other spiritual ideologies arose, and those big gaps between schools of thought became smaller and smaller. Soon these amazing, God-breathed insights formed stepping stones that merged together to create a solid path to God. I discovered that these spiritual platforms tied together at the root of God made up His beloved bride: the Church! And God wants us to live in harmony so He can raise up His Bride that we may glorify Him.

"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15.5-6 ESV).

Additional readings:

I write about counterfeit Christianity in my article, "Empty Spirituality."

I write about the church sanctfication in my article, "Peaceful Swords."

Accustomed to Paradise

Brian "Head" Welch came to our church and talked about how he met Christ. I loved his testimony, which you can read at I am Second. He "test drove the world," and he had everything that the world could offer: fame, money, women, success, etc. But a "dark cloud" hovered over his life, and he lived in misery. He thought he was a "loser," he was addicted to drugs and he couldn't care for his little girl.

But Jesus changed all that.

After Brian told us his redemption story, he expressed the amazing gift that we have in God. He said that Christianity is the only religion that offers a "Piece of Paradise" here on earth. The promised gift of the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us once we receive forgiveness from Jesus Christ. Jesus took on our imperfection, so we could wear His perfection, and now we stand righteous before a perfect God. Because of grace we are sanctified, and the Holy Spirit can live in us. This beautiful mystery of faith is the ultimate truth of Christianity.

Brian couldn't describe with words the peace and joy that flooded his life when he walked away from everything and followed after God. The world can give us its version of glory, but Brian explained that we were created to desire God. Nothing we consume will quench our yearning for God and His glory.

What moved me most about Brian's Holy Spirit filled words was his delight and awe of God. Brian had found "paradise," and it was better than anything he had ever known. His excitement reminded me that I dwell in this paradise daily. I rest in green meadows and walk by peaceful streams (Psalm 23). God's presence is so much a part of my life that I think I sometimes forget what I have.

The Holy Spirit has been prompting me over and over again to remember what God has done in my life. I finally sat down and started from the time I was young, listing the amazing movement of His will in my mess. I thought about the times He protected and cared for me and when He guided and encouraged me. I looked at all the blessings in my life and saw how He has grown me and changed me into His image.

My transformation from an insecure 14 year old who was hopeless and lost to the strong Christian woman I am today is nothing short of miraculous. Changing from a person who hated reading and studying to becoming the learner and researcher I am now is shocking. God makes the fool wise and that is so obvious in my life. I am a fool who is only wise because God loves me, Christ died for me and the Holy Spirit guides me.

I don't want to take the "paradise" I have today for granted. I remember how I felt with out Jesus, and I was miserable, purposeless and confused. Now I'm surrounded by peace, joy, love and hope that cannot be produced without God. I have paradise (a piece of God) inside of me, and that is a treasure worth selling everything for (Matthew 13.44).

"Remember the things I have done in the past.
For I alone am God!
I am God, and there is none like me."

Isaiah 46.9 (NLT)

Internet Cafe: Analytically Overweight

I get overwhelmed sometimes with all that God teaches me through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit uses relationships, memories and situations to show me spiritual truths. Many times, though, I feel like I can’t keep up. I analyze my experience, pull out the truth and then try to digest the surrounding situation. I’m still trying to understand stuff from years past, but I’m realizing that I’ll never fully be able to stack all of my life experiences in neat, organized rows into my subconscious.

A couple of days ago, I found myself pulling a spiritual truth from a relationship. I understood what God was teaching me, and I appreciated the insight that I had been given; however, I still couldn’t wrap my brain around the situation, and to be honest, I didn’t want to think about it anymore. I started to see that there was no end to my spiraling condition of over-thinking, and I was upset at God for making spiritual insight so grueling to gather.

I told God, “If you want me to analyze everything I encounter in this life, I’m going to be thinking a very long time.” I truly feared that the joy and peace I’ve finally found in Christ would be squeezed out by my constant desire to gain understanding and grow in wisdom.

God told me, “Take the seed; toss the rest.”

Right then, I had an image of me pulling out spiritual truths from every direction and tossing the rest of the circumstance out the window. God uses our life experiences to grow us, but He doesn’t expect us to understand it all. In fact, I pictured myself being analytically overweight from thinking so much about everything, and spiritually inactive because I was too busy digesting it all. How could I possibly be an effective witness for Christ if I was constantly trying to organize and spiritualize every aspect of my life?

God does use our circumstances to teach us, but He never said that we would understand all the ins and outs of our lives on this world. People bump into each other every day, and there is no telling why things happen as they do. All we can do is look for the spiritual insight that God wants us to gain and toss the rest at the foot of the cross.

Life is too short to try to eat and digest every twist and turn of our journey. God wants us to gain understanding and grow in wisdom, but He also wants us to enjoy life, keep our eyes focused on Him and our feet moving toward heaven. From now on, I’m determined to look for a seed of understanding or a gem of wisdom, and let God deal with the rest.

Questions: Is there a situation that you have been over analyzing? What does God want you to learn, and what does He want you to leave at the cross?

“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold” (Proverbs 3.13-14 NIV).

You can also read this at the Internet Cafe!

The Harvest

I struggle with judging people and ministries trying to reach the world for Christ. I remembered hearing a Christian techno song once. I liked the song, but I imagined it being played at some Rave party, while the under aged kids danced with ecstasy streaming through their veins. I thought to myself, "How could this song possibly lead someone to Christ?"

I envisioned the seeds of the Gospel being scattered all over the party, sowing God's truth in fruitless efforts. "All those seeds go to waste," I told God.

"Not all of them," He replied.

Then I saw a girl in my mind's eye. She woke up depressed and hung over. She remembered dancing to a song about Jesus the night before. She thought it was weird at the time, but now she wanted to know more. She searched her mother's room for a Bible and while reading it, the Holy Spirit brought her to the cross. Saved by a techno Christian song!

Another time I judged was when I saw a man drag a cross up and down the beach. "There are so many more productive ways to reach people for Christ," I thought. "At most, He might reach a few in one day." Then I heard an amazing pastor talk at a conference. He was saved by a man who dragged a cross up and down the local street where his parents owned a beach rental store. The pastor now reaches thousands for Christ. Saved by a man dragging a cross!

I'm realizing that God reaches into the desert with His grace to touch the lives of His lost children. If every person has his or her own desert, then there are billions of deserts in this world that God wants to bring His mercy to. Each of us have deserts within walking distance of our individual lives. We can't focus with jealousy or judgement on what other people and ministries are doing. We need to look around and see who is in arm's reach of us. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few because they are all distracted by what every one else is doing!

So whether a ministry is small or large, cutting edge or traditional, local or oversees, individual or cooperate, we should pray for them but keep our eyes focused on the fields that God has planted us. We will do no good trying to analyze the steps of others and their ministries. And quite frankly it's exhausting and time consuming worrying about what everyone else is doing. We need to soberly ask God what desert He wants us to reach, and then plow that desert like we only have a vapor of time left to finish it.

"Then he [Jesus] said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9.37-38 NIV).

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).

Righteous Hunger

Jesus told His disciples, "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom heaven" (Matthew 5.20 NAS).

Jesus just started His ministry. He chose His disciples and began to heal the afflicted. He brought His disciples to the top of the mountain and told them that they needed to be more righteous than the Pharisees. I'm sure these fishermen were pretty overwhelmed. They just began their ministry with Jesus, and already He expected too much from these average men. How could they be more righteous than the religious leaders?

The disciples probably became more bewildered when later on in the Book of Matthew, Jesus told them to be on their guard against the Pharisees' influence (16.6) and when He called the religious leaders white-washed tombs (23.27). Jesus overlooked all kinds of sin with His grace, but the religious leaders were the main source of His righteous anger because of their hypocrisy (Matthew 23.1-8). Jesus went so far as to give the religious leaders Seven Woes (Matthew 23.13-37).

The highest level of righteousness was based on the Laws of Moses made on Mount Sinai. The laws were a standard for a Hebrew nation thousands of years ago in love with their God -- the laws were supposed to be an outward show of an inward heart. However, as time passed the rigorous laws became an outward show of self-righteousness, instead of God-righteousness. Soon the heart of God was replaced by hypocrisy and pretense, which left the masses confused and spiritually lost.

The understanding of righteousness becomes the primary internal conflict of the New Testament. The standard of righteousness was set by religious leaders, but Jesus made it clear that this standard was not His divine standard. The word righteousness that is found in Matthew 6.33 and Matthew 5.6 is the Greek word, dikaiosynē, which means "condition acceptable to God" or "a state approved of God." The religious leaders were deceived. Their righteousness was based on acceptance and approval of people, not God.

So how can we gain acceptance and approval from God?

"And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith" (Philippians 3.9 NIV).

No matter how good we think we are, we will never gain right-standing with God on our own. We are covered with Jesus' righteousness when we accept His sacrifice by faith. Jesus is God in the flesh who freely took our sins on the cross over two thousand years ago, so we might have right-standing with God and live with Him for eternity. But our righteousness doesn't end there.

If all we had to do was gain Jesus' righteousness by faith, there will be no reason to stay on this earth. God not only wants to cover us with His righteousness; He wants to fill us with His righteousness. Once we are saved, God places His Spirit inside of us, in order to transform us into His likeness: "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3.18 NIV).

God allows us to stay in this broken world, so that we may become like Him. I believe that many Christians -- either out of fear or ignorance -- stay clear of spiritual transformation. They sit content in their wedding clothes but never bother to get to know their King (Parable of the Wedding Banquet: Matthew 22.1-14). I was once such a Christian. I allowed myself to be too busy, too distracted and too self-focused to get to know my Creator. He had to break me, so He could get my attention. And I'm glad He did.

Our righteousness starts out as a spiritual seed, but that seed should manifest itself into physical fruits. People should see a difference in us. They should notice that we have more "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5.22-23 NLT). People should see us walking on Paths of Righteousness (Psalm 23). We should be gaining the Mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2.16) and be filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1.8). However, this transformation will not happen overnight nor without sacrifice (Philippians 3.8).

But how do we start this transformation journey?

We seek it: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6.33 NIV).

We hunger for it: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5.6 NIV).

"We live in order that our souls may grow. The development of the soul is the purpose of our existence." - John G. Lake (Amazing man of God).

Guest Post: Enthusiasm Outshines Ability

Enthusiasm Outshines Ability

My six year old son started playing soccer. He doesn’t quite know what he’s doing and the rules are a bit confusing to him, but he has stellar passion and enthusiasm for the game. His smile stays fixed on his face; and when he or his team mate makes a good play, he cheers and hollers. His passion spreads to the other team mates and his coach. They all get excited over seemingly simple moves. This passion -- placed in him by a family that continuously exposes his significance -- gives him power and strength to play hard and overcome his limitations and lack of skill.

When I see my son play, I think of the servant who was given five talents (Matthew 25.14-30). He was given more than the other two servants according to his abilities. I always believed that the servant was given more talents because he was more skilled; however, I know that skill does not necessarily ensure a person’s productivity. When you read the end of the parable, you find that the Master does not become upset because of the one-talent servant’s lack of ability; rather, it was the servant’s laziness that angered the Master.

When I researched the word ability, I discovered that it means something very different. The Greek word for ability is dynamis, which means power. It is the same word used to illustrate the power that surged through Jesus’ body when the woman from the crowd touched his clothes and was healed (Mark 5.30). Dynamis has little to do with a person’s skill-set but has everything to do with the power residing in the person. That power comes from the Holy Spirit who lives in Christians once we have the covering of Jesus’ righteousness.

We as Christians all have the power of the Holy Spirit residing in us, but it stays untapped until our passion for Christ unleashes it. When our actions follow our passion, we can accomplish anything that God has for us. We don’t have to be skilled or smart. In fact, God says that he uses foolish things to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1.27). We just have to want to be used by the Holy Spirit, want to do more for the Kingdom of God, want to be endowed with more responsibility. We need to WANT more of Him!

The coach put my son in the game not because he’s a skilled player, but because my son wants to play. His passion usurps his ability. I believe if we all fully understood the significance that God places on us, we too would be passionate about His plan for our lives. And instead of being content with just one or two talents, we would beseech more from the Master. We might not have the amazing abilities that others have; but what we lack in ability, we make up for in enthusiasm.

“I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Corinthians 2.3-5 NIV).

Paul himself was scared to do the things of God, but he did not let that stop him. He relied on the Spirit of God inside of him to accomplish God’s mighty work. Paul’s life is an amazing example of living with the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul might not have been the most eloquent speaker, but he wanted to be used by God. He was passionate about running a good race, and he was obviously a five-talent servant. We all can be five-talent servants if we are passionate for God and His Kingdom.

You can also read this article at Jan Christiansen's blog, Refreshed by the Word!

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)

Drunk with Holy Spirit

Recently, I have gone to a rock concert, stand-up comedy and a musical on Broadway. During all three shows, I was astonished by the overwhelming show of esteem and love. People cheered, whistled, raised arms in honor and screamed praises. And although every show was great, I couldn't help wonder why Christians are embarrassed to exalt their God.

People were drunk on beer or drunk on the energy of the performance, so they let go of all their inhibitions and became expressive bottle-rockets of admiration and joy. I understand that there are all forms of worship, and I know that people have different ways of offering up their love to God, but sometimes it feels good to remove all constraints and dance and jump before the Lord like David (2 Samuel 6.14-16 NIV).

The world wants to jump for joy. The world wants to scream out praises. The world wants to lift their arms in awe. People want to believe that there is something more worthy and more beautiful beyond themselves. The world craves worship. Who better to worship than our perfect Creator? What better place to worship than our church?

I worship God in my car, at my home and while exercising at the gym; and I love the fact that I can also worship God at my church. Yes, I may be weird, but so were all those people at the U2 concert. I saw a hundred thousand people raise their arms to an imperfect singer, so why can't I raise my arms to a perfect God?

If we believe that Jesus took our sins on the cross and that we wear His righteousness by grace, then church should be a place where hundreds or thousands of righteous people stand side by side bringing praise to God. No matter what people did the night before, we are made righteous by faith and not by acts. We are clothed with the 100% perfection of Jesus and our praise is beautiful in God's eyes (Philippians 3.8-11).

Being drunk on the Holy Spirit doesn't dull your senses or slow you down. The dwelling of the Holy Spirit supernaturally brings you to the throne of God, where the most amazing rock concert of all time is being held every moment. I don't want to wait for heaven to praise God. I want to rock-out for Christ right here, right now. God doesn't need our praise. The Bible says that all of heaven and earth praises Him (Psalm 69.34). However, I need to praise God. I was created to worship. I tap into an endless source of hope, peace, joy and love when I do.

"Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

- Revelations 15.4 (NIV)

Find Your Happy Feet

My kids were at the optometrist for an eye exam, and the movie, Happy Feet, was playing in the waiting room. I was intrigued by the main character, Mumble -- a name that represents his weakness (he can't sing). He was born different. No matter what he did, he could not fit in. The other penguins couldn't understand him, so they rejected him.

He left and wandered the wilderness; finally free from the expectations of tradition, he cultivated his gifting. When he returned to his home, he no longer feared the opinions of others. He was determined to express his gift; and as the penguins embraced this change, he was given a new name, Mambo (he can dance).

Little did Mambo know that his uniqueness was given to him for a reason. The life of penguins was transitioning, and Mambo was able to prepare them for the change. The older penguins fought the change, but the process of life can't be stopped. Life will never be stagnant or frozen in time. The established customs of the past are not always applicable in the future.

As a teacher, I've felt the movement of life first hand. Though my rules, justice and love never changed, my system of doing things had to keep up with the growth of my students. I cared about my students' education more than my comfortable way of teaching. When I saw my students becoming disinterested or lost, I knew it was time for something new. I changed my style, my systems and my presentations to better serve them. This made teaching a constant source of struggle and movement, but it was worth it because I grew along with them.

What does it mean to be a Christian? Many people check off all the traditions involved with being a Christian, but the core of Christianity is to love God (Mark 12.30 NIV). We are supernaturally able to love God through the righteousness we gain from Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, through the received gift of the Holy Spirit and through the amazing force of God's Word, the Bible.

Systems are formed by the direction of God's Spirit throughout history, so that each generation can better know how to love Him; and these systems change through the years. You can study God's waves of movement in the Old and New Testaments and in church history. God loves His people so much that He presents Himself in revolutionary ways. His rules, justice and love never change; but God is so full and so mysterious that there are infinite attributes to His divine nature, and each generation is able to taste something new!

Many times God plants a seed of change -- a vision -- in His people, which will help facilitate His movement. He placed a seed in Abraham, Moses, King David, Nehemiah, John the Baptist, Paul, Constantine, Martin Luther, and so on. And God placed Jesus at the center of this movement with his left arm embracing the past and his right arm embracing the future, holding the balance of existence in His pierced hands. These people were different, and they were all shunned by their peers because they didn't fit in. But, they found their calling in the wilderness and returned to share God's grace to the desert places of the human heart.

God loves us more than traditions or customs (though there is nothing inherently wrong with them), and He wants to reach His children by the movement of His Spirit. So my question to Christians is what about you is different? What vision has God planted in your life that will reap a harvest of grace in the next generation? Allow God to take you into the wilderness, so you can find your "Happy Feet" beyond the opinions of our current culture. Then, share your vision with those around you, so that the next generation will know how to love their God.

“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland" (Isaiah 43.18-19 NIV).

ST Publication: Relationships

Happy Valentine's Day! We have a special gift for you! February 2011's Sanctified Together Publication: Relationships is available! We brought together some fabulous writers who share their heart on all kinds of relationship issues -- marriage, adoption, family, friends and the church body! There is also an interview with Alex Marestaing author of the amazing tween/teen devotional, Izzy's Popstar Plan!

You can download/print the PDF here. Read it on line here. And sign-up to have future ST Publication issues emailed to you here.

Five-Paragraph Christianity

The first essay I assigned for my college freshmen composition class was the five-paragraph essay, but I would always clarify, "As you grow as writers, you will want to stop using this blueprint." The five-paragraph essay has all the components necessary to write an essay (thesis, facts, personal opinions, etc.), but it is a standard from which to experiment and creatively grow. Mature writers will take those same elements and produce something original and breathtaking.

I taught night classes, so I had a variety of students. However, I could somewhat organize them into groups. This grouping helped me to better serve my students' needs. First, I had my recent high school graduates. Some of these young students had the five-paragraph essay memorized. The others had heard of it, but they didn't understand all the elements and the purpose of it. Next, I had returning students who hadn't touched a school book in years. If they had learned the basics of writing an essay, they didn't remember and had developed a fear of writing. Last, I had English as a Second Language (ESL) students. These students had acquired academic ideologies that were completely foreign to the western culture's style of expressing thought. Fundamental difficulties with language usage were hindrances for them, not to mention weaving words together to convey ideas. Within all these groups, I had students who wanted to grow as writers and students who just wanted to pass and get as far away from writing as possible.

I say all this because I've been learning a lot about grace lately. I'm discovering that there is a five-paragraph Christianity (cultural Christianity) that is the basic standard of living out faith today. Five-paragraph Christianity definitely serves its purpose: it provides a blueprint with the basic elements of faith. The thesis of Christianity is that God is the Creator, Jesus is the Savior and the Holy Spirit is the Counselor, and we are called to love the Trinity and love others. The facts to support the thesis are found in the Bible. And the personal opinions come from the Holy Spirit's movement in our lives. But, I have discovered that I have limited myself and others based upon a standard form of living our faith, and I have left no room for personal creativity and God's grace.

There are Christians who have grown up in Christian homes, knee-deep in Christian lifestyle. They know how to live by standard Christian expectations because they have seen it played-out all of their lives. Some of them embrace the standard, finding security in the familiar; others, however, never understood the purpose of it and haven't found it fulfilling. Moreover, there are Christians who have strayed from living out their faith. They haven't committed to any Christian disciplines (attending church, praying, reading the Bible, etc.) for many years, and they are scared about fitting in and/or learning to live by faith again. Finally, there are new Christians who know nothing about cultural Christianity. Praying is like talking to one's self, reading the Bible is like struggling through a boring history book and attending church is like going to the circus. Everything is strange and bewildering!

As a mentor, I would explain to all of them the importance of the Christian disciplines and try to illuminate the main thesis of Christianity. But, I would also emphasize that Holy Spirit wants to mature us beyond the standard. I would point out that every influential leader in the Bible and church history was unique and part of a cutting-edge, Holy Spirit inspired movement. Christians who stand out grow beyond the norm of the day, so they can reach the changing people of tomorrow with the Gospel. I would tell them to cling closely to the Holy Spirit's guidance, and to use their God-given creativity to fulfill the amazing purposes that He has designed for them. Most importantly, I would urge them to put their hope and security in God and not people!

Many Christians (I included) have submitted to five-paragraph Christianity, and have not let themselves or others grow beyond the cultural standard. Because of fear or pride, we will not lean on God's grace and start creatively using the fundamental elements of Christianity to compose a beautiful, original essay that expresses the glory of God. The Body of Christ is made up of members, and we all have people that we directly impact. I for one want to encourage everyone in my sphere of influence to grow beyond the typical structure of cultural Christianity and live a life worth reading. Nevertheless, I want to be cognizant of the diversity of God's people and allow others the freedom to write their essays how they please.

I want to give grace to the Christian who is struggling with letting go of her comfort zone.

I want to give grace to the Christian who is still trying to come to terms with her faith.

I want to give grace to the Christian who has forsaken God but wants to recover her spiritual footing.

I want to give grace to the new Christian who finds everything about faith strange and confusing.

I will enlighten people to five-paragraph Christianity when they are just beginning or feeling lost, but I want to encourage Christians who are ready for growth to stretch beyond the norm into the unique direction God is calling them to. Whether they want to stick with the norm or take a step of faith into God's unknown is fine by me. I will love them either way. I will not judge nor will I compare; I choose to love and encourage.

There is so much freedom in allowing others to choose their own way. This freedom gives us more energy, creativity and grace to write our own essays for God. Let us by grace compose, side by side, our individual life stories so that the world can see the array of God's divine beauty poured out onto those who love Him. "As God's co-workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain" (2 Corinthians 6.1 NIV).

Internet Cafe: Faith Journey

My son is learning to type using a computer program. Today was his third day, and he was slowly typing the middle row of keys, trying not to look at his fingers. There were about 8 lines showing; and as he typed each line, another line would appear on the bottom. After five minutes of typing, he finally looked at me.

“New lines keep coming up, Mommy. When is this going to end?” he asked anxiously.

I said, “Type a few more lines, and you’ll probably see the end come up soon.”

He went back to typing, but it was obvious by the way he was slouching in his chair and by the irritable expression on his face that he had lost hope of ever seeing the end to his lesson.

Suddenly, he punched the last key on the line he was typing, and the final sentence came into sight. He was about four lines away from finishing. My son’s back straightened and a smile spread across his face. He was almost there!

It’s interesting how a good dose of perspective can help you see something through to the end.

Many times in my Christian journey, I’ve had to walk out on faith. Sometimes my acts of faith are immediately confirmed; other times, however, I’m a million steps into “Faith-land” without any physical signs that I’m going the right way.

I feel God’s Spirit in me approving my direction, but it would be so nice if I could see the Promise Land! Often, I become disillusioned, and I feel like giving up and not finishing. But God graciously renews my strength right when I need it most. There are some faith journeys that I’m on that God is in the double digits of giving me strength-renewal!

Though the ending may not be in sight, I know that God works all things for His good. I know that He loves me, and He wants the best for me. And I know that He would rescue me and redirect my steps if I somehow lost my way.

By faith I choose to straighten my back and put a smile on my face because I know that I’m offering my life to the purposes of my Creator, and He will not steer me wrong. I trust that He has amazing plans for me, and I believe His Word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Question: Do you feel like you’re in the wilderness right now for away from your Promise Land? How has God renewed your strength? How has your faith grown during your journey?

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage” (Psalm 84.5 NIV).

You can also read this the Internet Cafe!

Iso Manifestation

I like sci-fi moves. Many of them are not biblically based, but I can't help but notice that they are unable to rid themselves of the imprint of the Creator. We are created in God's image, and we are a product of His design. We may twist and warp His purpose, but His intent is written in our DNA -- we can't get away from it (John 1.3-4 NIV).

So when I saw the new Tron movie, I noticed the Creation themes right away. I've read blog posts about the religious symbolism, and I got a sense of how the writers perceive God in their words. I'm not going to discuss those themes here because I want to focus on the Isomorphic Algorithms (Isos).

I was intrigued by the Isos, and I knew that the Holy Spirit was trying to teach me something. Kevin Flynn desires to create a perfect world, but he realizes that he is not perfect. Thus, a perfect world could not be created. In spite of his imperfections, however, a "miracle" occurs! The pure and perfect Isos "manifest."

Like Kevin Flynn, I realize that I am imperfect. I will always be in need of a Savior (Jesus), and everything I create will always be flawed. This has been a thorn in my side. I fear creating because I know my creations will always be inadequate. The more I get to know the character of our Creator, the more I understand my corrupted humanity. How can I produce something knowing that I will fall short of God's perfection?

But God calls us to create. God gives us gifts and abilities, and He expects us to use them and not bury them out of fear (Matthew 25.14-28) We are created in God's image, and God is a Creator. He gives us all the elements to work with, and He expects us to use our free will to design "deeds" that glorify Him (James 2.26). In glorifying Him, we find our sense of peace, joy and meaning.

Since I'm called to create, I continued doing it, but I kept holding onto fear. I'd produce something knowing that I was corrupting God's perfect design with my flawed creation. Amazingly, though, I realized that something awesome was occurring when I created for God. I finally idetnified this occurence after I watched Tron. When I create, I see special pieces of His perfection in the midst of my imperfection -- "miracles" are planted in the center of my defective design. I put forth energy and do the best with my abilities, and the Holy Spirit intervenes and plants a pure and perfect Iso.

For example, I will struggle with a certain insight that the Holy Spirit is trying to teach me. I will try to explain it in an imperfectly written post. But in the middle of my blemished writing, the Holy Spirit places a beautifully prepared truth. Within my imperfect design, a perfect Iso manifests! I push back from my computer, amazed by God's grace, and thank the Holy Spirit for blessing me with a perfectly tailored insight. I know I didn't create it. It was gift from my Creator, placed in the center of my mess -- an Iso!

God plants Isos when I talk with friends, care for my children and adore my husband. (Or He can place them in ministries, businesses, art, daily tasks, speeches, projects, families and any other deed we produce.) However, I am flawed and unable to produce anything perfect. But God knows my heart is His, and He enjoys my trust in His love. He is gentle with me and cares about my desires. He knows my limits and understands my hang-ups, and He freely gives me His favor and His full attention. I create for Him because I find my highest calling and greatest joy when I do.

God knows I'm imperfect. He knew it when He gave me the free will that corrupted His design. However, He loves my imagination and my creativity, and He wants me to create for His glory. He fills in my imperfections with His grace, and together we create Isos -- perfect pieces of creation designed to illuminate God. God weaves me into His creation, and He weaves Himself into mine. Because Jesus is my Intercessor, God is able to grow His perfection in the soil of my imperfections. So go ahead and produce your flawed deeds for the world, and God will shine His glory through them!

"In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father" (Matthew 5.16 NLT).

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me" ( 2 Corinthians 12.9 NIV).

Empty Spirituality

Research shows that many people do not know how to read their body cues. We confuse hunger for thirst, so we eat though we're really thirsty. Since our thirst never gets satisfied, we continue eating, hoping to quiet our need.

When we finally do recognize our thirst, we go for sugar and caffeine loaded beverages that actually dehydrate us even more. We down our coffee and sodas, which seem to help for the moment, but an hour later our bodies start sending us more need-signals.

We live out these crazy lives filled with unending needs and desires, but we never recognize the answer to our cravings -- we need WATER!

Our need for water is spiritual, as well. We are born with an innate desire for our God. He designed us with a craving for His Spirit. However, instead of filling our cups with Him, we fill our plates piled high with food of the world. We eat of pleasures, worries, money, relationships, materialism; and we are never satisfied. We have become fat, indulged, ever-hungry people, and our Spirits are whithering away to nothing.

However, the Enemy knows that many people will catch on to the fact that they are spiritually thirsty, so he cleverly creates Empty Spirituality. There are many beautiful tasting forms of spirituality that have always existed in this world. People drink them down hoping to quench their spiritual needs, but they only become more spiritually dehydrated.

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” (John 4.10 NIV). (emphasis added)

I've come across a lot of "enlightened" spiritual leaders, books and schools of thought, but they are completely void of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. The Enemy sews many seeds of tantalizing insights that twist and change the Word of God. Then he strategically glosses over Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins -- humanity's only true hope. And the sad truth is that droves of people are getting a big dose of spiritually, but it's coming from the wrong side of eternity.

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water" (Jeremiah 2.13 NIV). (emphasis added)

We are unable to dwell with God in His realm, until we have our sins covered by the blood of Jesus. Jesus' sacrifice atones for our sins, and we take on His righteousness. God cannot connect with us otherwise because He is perfect, holy and pure. Jesus is the ONLY way to reach God. Why would God compete with "alternate" ways to His throne? Why would Jesus have to die on the cross if there was another way? Why would Jesus allow Himself to be disconnected from God for three days to take our sins on His back if a different plan of salvation could be achieved?

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’” (John 7.37-38 NLT). (emphasis added)

Jesus is God in the flesh who came down to this earth so that we could commune with a Holy God. People die for the cause of Jesus Christ because they know He is the world's answer for our spiritual need. Jesus is the Living Water. We must not accept spiritual substitutes, and we do God's children a horrible wrong when we skip over the cross. Spirituality will not get people to the presence of God -- only JESUS will.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’ ” (Revelation 7.17 NIV). (emphasis added)

The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters (Genesis 1.2 NLT). (emphasis added)

Question: Have you seen the core of Christianity influenced by Jesus-less doctrine? What can you do to protect yourself and others from consuming Empty Spirituality? Why is imperative for the foundation of spirituality to be built on Jesus?

Let's feed our children Living Water. Give them Jesus!

Face to Face

Moses is exhausted. He is the only person diligently seeking God in the entire, nomadic nation of Israel. He finally cries out to God, "I can't carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me the misery!" (Numbers 11.14-15 NLT).

I smile when I read this because Moses' humility is so apparent. Many times pride steals our willingness to seek help. But not Moses -- he was overwhelmed, and he let it be known. He was the single intercessor between God and the Chosen People, and he knew he had reached the end of his capability.

God does something amazing for Moses that demonstrates His divine grace. He takes some of His Spirit that He has placed on Moses and puts it on 70 Elders of Israel. It is obvious that these leaders didn't receive this Spirit by their own efforts. Two of the men who hadn't bother to show up to the anointing meeting received the Spirit as well. They disobeyed direct orders, yet God gave them His Spirit.

Moses' apprentice, Joshua, is at the anointing meeting, and he has never seen anybody but Moses prophesy (speak God's will) in the Spirit. He becomes very upset, and he pleads with his teacher, "Moses, my master, make them stop!" Joshua has been learning from Moses for a while, and I'm sure he feels jilted. How could these men receive for free what he has been working for all of his life? Joshua experiences first hand the beauty of grace: a gift not based on the receiver, but on the Giver.

Moses' humility is displayed yet again when he looks at his young assistant and says, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!" (Numbers 11.29 NLT) (emphasis added)

Moses is a shadow of Jesus. Jesus is our intercessor, and God gives us His Spirit because of His love for us and the sacrifice that Jesus made for our mistakes. Jesus wants His sacrifice to spill God's anointing on every person. I'm sure Jesus repeats Moses' words, "I wish all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!"

A prophet is a person who hears from God, who sits with God, who sees God face to face and who communicates God's will. Yes, the gifting of prophecy can manifests in other ways, but the visions, dreams and riddles are merely outward signs of an inward discipline -- seeking God. All Christians are called to sit with God, seek His will and tell others about His glory. At salvation we were gifted with spiritual ears that hear God's voice. But are we using them?

Are we filling our lives with the world or with Him? If we want the fullness of God's Spirit moving in our lives, we have to make room for Him. If we want to discern His voice, we have to listen to and recognize it. If we want to tell the world about Christ, we have to seek Him every day and read His Word. We are honored with the power to communicate with God at any time. He waiting for us. We just need to sit and talk with Him -- face to face!

Question: What can you sacrifice or submit to this year to make room for God? What have you heard from God today?

And the Lord said to them, “Now listen to what I say:
“If there were prophets among you,
I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions.
I would speak to them in dreams.
But not with my servant Moses.
Of all my house, he is the one I trust.
I speak to him face to face,
clearly, and not in riddles!
He sees the Lord as he is.
So why were you not afraid
to criticize my servant Moses?”

- Numbers 12.6-8 NLT (emphasis added)

Guest Post: First Step out of Fear

My first blog entry for Faith Imagined (which used to be called A Writer’s Peace) was July 23, 2006. I had absolutely no idea why God wanted me to start a blog for my writing. I started a personal blog to capture family memories several months before, and I couldn’t fathom maintaining two of them. I sat in front of my computer staring at the blog post entry, wondering, “What the heck am I supposed to write about?”

Finally, I decided to open the Bible and write about the first verse my eyes picked out. The vision of Faith Imagined started with a tiny seed found in the promise of the following verse: “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still’” (Exodus 14: 13-14).

Here is how I began my post:

I’m afraid a lot. I fear that my book will be rejected. I fear that my ministry will fail. I fear that I don’t know enough of the Bible. I fear that I will never fulfill my purpose. I fear that I don’t have enough time to achieve my goals. I fear of being judged not Christian enough.

Like many Christians, I started my ministry in fear. I could see the plan that God had for my life, but I lacked any ability to achieve it. I was unqualified, timid, unworthy and fearful. I took an objective look at my life and compared it with what God had in mind, and I saw a huge gap. In my ignorance, I saw only impossibilities, but I didn’t know how to account for God’s grace (2 Corinthians 9.8) or for His work in my life (Philippians 1.6).

I wrote consistently for three years without any followers and with very few comments. If I did receive a comment, it was usually from my twin sister encouraging me as she always does. I kept at it each week, though, not understanding the reason for my obedience. I didn’t have a voice, and I didn’t have a purpose. I was merely being obedient to God’s will, and I never sought understanding.

Three years later after consistent (albeit pathetic) writing, my twin sister, Crissy, said she would like to help me with my writing ministry. She had been teaching herself how to blog design, and she wanted to give mine a facelift. We changed the name of the blog to Faith Imagined, which was the name of a Christian writing ministry we had agreed on years earlier.

After we changed the blog, Crissy started helping me market it. When she came along side of me, something in my blog writing clicked. I realize now that God had aligned all of the perfect elements for just the right time. During my season of “desert writing,” I had been deeply involved in women’s ministry. I also began to disciple other women. God had been doing a good work in me, even though I never noticed it.

God had been doing a good work in Crissy, as well. He moved her away from all her family and friends. She resigned from her job as a social worker in order to raise her children fulltime. She was isolated in a new city and in need of something to do after the kids went to bed. So, she began to teach herself how to design blogs. Then, she began to teach herself how to market them. I am proud to say that I was her guinea pig.

One truth I learned through the past four years is that we can’t rush God’s design. He has an agenda, and He is working His perfect will in our lives. Many times I tried to get the ball rolling on my own, and I was always left frustrated and discouraged. I’ve learned to trust that God will accomplish His will at just the right time; and when He does, everything will smoothly fall into place.

The other truth I learned is that we can’t let fear dictate our lives. Fear is nothing but a lack of faith in God. I feared many things because I didn’t trust that God could accomplish them. In all honesty, I really didn’t know better. I was ignorant to God’s character because I hadn’t spent enough time with Him or in His Word. When my relationship with God became my heart’s desire, I discovered that God has only the best for me; and I began to trust His voice and stay obedient to His hand.

I’m excited about what God has done in Crissy’s and my life thus far, but I can’t wait to see what else He does. I’m not worried or anxious about tomorrow because I decided to make an effort to enjoy each day. God’s understanding is beyond mine, and His ways are above comprehension. If I can keep my focus on His face and keep in step with His direction, I have nothing to fear.

You can also read this at Annointed Beauty Ministries here!

Motive Contradictions

As I read the story of Balaam, I was intrigued because God seems to contradict Himself. Balak, king of Moab, is worried because a huge, homeless nation (Israel) is wandering in his kingdom's direction. Balak concludes that Israel wants to claim his land, so he sends Moabite officials to persuade the prophet Balaam to aid him. He wants Balaam to curse the already blessed Israel nation.

The king offers Balaam a lot of money to come to him, but at first God would not allow Balaam to go. The king then sends more officials and money, and God tells him that he can go: "That night God came to Balaam and told him, 'Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do'" (Numbers 22.20 NLT).

The very next morning Balaam gets up to go with the men, but two verses later God (so it seems) contradicts Himself: "But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way" (Numbers 22.22a).

Balaam does not have his eyes set on God, but the poor donkey he's riding does. God sends the Angel of the Lord to confront Balaam. Three times the donkey stops before stepping into slicing distance of the angel's sword; and each time the donkey goes off course, Balaam beats it. Finally, God miraculously gives the donkey the ability to speak.

The donkey asks, "What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?" (28b).

What is Balaam's reply? "You have made me look like a fool!" (29). This is a good signifier that something is wrong with Balaam's motives.

God then opens Balaam's eyes, and he sees the Angel of the Lord. The Angel tells him, "Go with these men, but say only what I tell you to say" (35).

So in all, God tells Balaam to go with the officials twice and not to go with them twice. What is going on? It all comes down to motive. God sees sin before it manifests itself into the physical world. God wants Balaam to go with these men, but Balaam's heart isn't right. 1) He doesn't have his eyes on God. He is unable to sense the presence of the Lord even though his donkey does. 2) He worries about what others think more than what God thinks. He yells at his donkey for making him look like a fool in front of the officials. 3) He isn't planning on being obedient to God. The Angel of the Lord has to remind him to say only what God wants him to say. A reminder isn't necessary if Balaam is intending to be obedient.

What I learned from this story is this: We can't just be obedient to God in the physical world; we must also be obedient in the spiritual world. God dwells in the Spirit, and He sees the motives of our hearts. We can go to church, read our Bible and talk about spiritual things; but if our eyes are not on God, if our focus is on other people's opinions, and if our souls are not obedient to the daily movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we will not be able to move on the paths of righteousness He has set for us (Psalm 23.3 NASB).

I believe that God wants to pull out every root of selfish motive (especially the small ones), before we enter into a promised land that He has for us. Even though that root might not be visible to us now, it will grow and start affecting our lives in apparent ways. God has great plans for us, but He might be placing Himself in our way for a reason. He may be protecting us from our ugly motives we haven't even discovered.

The only way we can find out for sure if there is something wrong with our motives is to allow the Holy Spirit complete access to our souls -- mind (thinking), will (actions) and heart (feelings). As Christians, God's Spirit is in us, and He will bring to light any darkness He finds, exposing all our pretty, sugar-coated intentions.

We will not claim victory unless God fights for us; however, He will not fight for us if our motives are not pure. How do we know when our motives are pure? King Nebuchadnezzar said it best after he lost his throne and spent 7 years living like an animal in the wilderness.

His dominion is an eternal dominion;
his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases
with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
or say to him: “What have you done?”

- Daniel 4.34b-35

Once King Nebuchadnezzar understood the magnitude of God, his kingdom was restored. Our little lives are nothing compared to God. God is what makes our lives worthy, and He can do what He pleases. The mere fact that we have the choice to be obedient to His will is an honor. I pray that I can understand the expanse of who God is. If I truly knew Him, my motive would always be to glorify Him.

* Another example of motive contradiction is when the people of Israel were too afraid to occupy their Promise Land, even though God promised to be with them (Numbers 13 & 14). After they disobeyed God, they felt guilty about not going. A group decided to finally fight for their land, but it was too late. God did not go with them because their motives were wrong, and the people that went to fight were slaughtered. Their physical actions seemed right, but their motives were not pure. God had the nation of Israel wait 40 years before He reopened the path to the Promise Land, so that the selfish motives of that generation could die off (Deuteronomy 1.26-46).