By Jennifer Hoyt Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. Proverbs 3:5-6. We’re all familiar with unconditional love, the kind that persists regardless of conditions like “must love tacos” or “I’ll love you if you meet these expectations.” But have you ever considered the concept of conditional and unconditional trust? A recent experience made me reflect on this distinction. It shed light on our tendency to apply conditional trust to God without realizing it. Our trust often hinges on conditions like, “I’ll trust you if I can control what you’re doing” or “I’ll trust you if I understand your plans.” We may think we trust God, but it’s those moments when life hits us with a zinger that reveals our true heart. Let’s unpack. I’m a writer. God has specifically asked me to write. Makes sense since I’m a contributor to this here blog, right? :) I’ve also written a Christian Young Adult Sci-Fi novel that I’ve been trying to find representation to open the doors for publication. I've approached a plethora of agents and, so far, every one of them has rejected me. I’ve refined my manuscript and my pitch. Countless hours of toiling over how to create a winning hook and synopsis. Countless hours in book edits and, of course, writing it to begin with. After a few rejections from more prominent secular agents, I felt super compelled to send it to a prominent Christian agent. The tough part was that this particular agent’s requirements for submissions were steep. Most agents want a query letter and a few sample chapters. He wanted a proposal that provided a hook, synopsis, full bio including writing and media experience, market analysis, comparative/competitive analysis, market plan and the entire book to be summarized into three pages start to finish, topped with a covering letter and three sample chapters. Let’s just say it took weeks to craft these materials! Just before Christmas, I put everything together. We prayed over the materials and sent them out. Since I felt God inspired me to send my materials to this particular agent, I was pretty sure I knew the answer. This would be it! I waited and waited. It took twelve long weeks to get a response, and to my great surprise, the answer was another rejection. I’d love to say my attitude was to praise God and thank Him for doing all things well, but it wasn’t. I’d love to say that I felt God was good all the time, but it wasn’t. My response was to feel confused, frustrated, angry and to pity myself a little. Wait a minute God, this was supposed to work! I was supposed to get published. This was supposed to justify all the time I’ve spent not working in the real world. The royalties are supposed to help our family, but also to be seed money for building that ministry you’ve placed in our heart. The book alone was supposed to challenge the deceptive narratives influencing today’s generation. God, where are you, and where did I go wrong? If you’ve ever felt like you were on a spiritual rollercoaster, where you thought you heard God’s voice but ended up in the wrong theme park, then welcome to my world. I realized I trusted God enough to write, to put my stuff out there, but only if the outcome was wrapped in a neat little bow of my desires. I was all in, as long as God’s plans coincided with my grand vision of success. Let’s be real, that verse about trusting God with all my heart? It’s like reading a bedtime story — cozy, warm, and sweet. But in actually not relying on my own smarts and letting God be the GPS… well, let’s just say I’m still trying to find the “navigate to the faster route” button. My trust has been conditional. How about you? Do we trust God when we don’t agree with Him? When someone passes away? When miracles don’t happen the way we expect? If His answer is no? Do we trust God when we don’t understand? I think of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. I can’t imagine Abraham’s position. We don’t always have the full picture, which is why we can’t lean on our own human and flawed understanding. But, in all our ways, we need to acknowledge Him so that He can direct our path. In closing, in youth ministry, we’ve studied a video by Mike Todd where he speaks to youth about what he wishes someone would have told him. In it he says, “I wish someone would’ve told me, God is not interested in your big dreams. God is committed to the plan He has for your life!” This is why we have to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6. Leap of Faith! By Joyce Pelletier Hebrews 11:1-2 - “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible...” I invite you to read all of Chapter 11 of Hebrews and see what “Faith” is all about. It’s more than just this chapter. It is a whole gamut of what God’s Word tells us from page one to the end of the book, that never stops giving its message. Granted we see page after page of truth and words repeated over and over again. It is interesting to consider that one person reads the first verse of this chapter. Another picks up and reads it and sees something different. The same but different. The written Word is consistent with what God wants us to read about, hear and follow through with. The essence of Chapter 11 is about so many different people from the Bible experiencing similar, yet different set of circumstances. The key word is Faith. What does it tell us? How did each person mentioned respond to what it says? I think it’s safe to say, that God has His influence on what is said, how each individual had to say and respond. On our Marriage Encounter Weekend forty plus years ago, it was implied that Love is a Choice. It meant that no matter what a couple might go through it meant if they disagreed with one another but turn to love the other with regards to what Love is described to be in God’s word. If the couple was looking to be tuned in, it with the choice here, and a decision had to be made, it would all come out the way it should. But if one spouse disagreed enough to make a decision that wasn’t mutual and became a “sore” spot, the relationship could be marred and cause the discord to go too deep in the wrong direction. In the case of the word ‘’Faith,” it too is a choice. Each of the people in Chapter 11 had a choice of choosing to respond in trust and faith, whatever God intended turned out the way it should. I recently had an experience that showed me to act in faith and leave the answer to what God had in mind. I received a message from an old friend, whom I hadn’t seen since the late 1970’s. We were close to this family, but after we moved away, we lost contact, and it was now 2023 when I received this email. This friendship was different, yet the dynamics changed and attitudes from me were rather guarded and somewhat apprehensive and uncertain. I didn’t know how to respond. There were things about this person that questioned my trust in our friendship. I strongly felt I needed to respond to this friend’s email. I prayed for a few days and asked God what and how I was to respond. I felt a strong sense of God asking me to be Kind and compassionate like Ephesians says about our character when communicating with others. I felt strongly about writing a letter of patience and compassion and in a spirit of God’s love. I shared what I felt God wanted me to say and let it go at that. I wrote the response and let it go. I figured after I sent the button to send, it was a s done deal. Several days later, I received a response that made me sit down and read what he had to say. Later we connected via phone and carried on the conversation and my anxiety of some of what I wanted to share would be negative, especially about leaving the traditional church we were part of in our early “born again” experience. I thought he would be angry, not understanding and expected judgment. I received none of that. In my efforts to be kind, compassionate, loving came back the same way. What surprised me more was the facts of his understanding for making the changes in our lives. What started out to be a step of faith, became a leap of trust that helped both of us open the doors to each of our lives. No judgment as we both felt strongly about our lives committed to following Christ in the manner in which we both felt led to go. My prayer for all of us is, “Father, God, in our world of new friends, old friends, life-changing ideals, show us the paths in which you want us to be on. No matter what happens, to know how we can move forward in prayer of faith, trusting the inspiration you give us and for us to speak lovingly choosing faith in your call, and trusting in the outcome to your amazing will. We also pray that our roadmap stays focused on our faith in you and not our intention to do it our way. In your precious name. Amen” “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
I have known no greater battle in endurance than what I have faced over the last 8 months of treatment for Lyme disease and other vector borne illnesses. It feels like a marathon that I’ve been training for my whole life. I’ve had flareups in the past have affected different systems at various times. One flareup targeting my ankles, one my shoulders, one my knees. I’ve had migraines and cluster headaches. I’ve had my kidneys fail and be restored to full function. Insomnia. Multiple miscarriages. This has been a chasing after the wind for so many years that having actual answers gave hope where life had previously eroded it away. All my systems were failing, but my faith held fast. My faith held me. “It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by you.” I trusted the Lord in the midst of the darkest and scariest places in my life, and He has never failed me yet. If the enemy had his way, I’d be childless, divorced, dead several times over, by my own hands or any of the health issues along the way. David cried out to the Lord many times in the Psalms. I am surrounded by my enemy. But the Lord was with him. The Lord delivered him. Being chronically ill for so long is like being internally surrounded by the enemy. In second Kings 6, the man of God is surrounded by a vast army. He is overwhelmed at the sight of them. “When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. As I have cried out to the Lord in the midst of my journey, I have been reminded of invisible armies, and clouds of witnesses. I have been reminded of his faithfulness, and his mercies that are new every morning. I know that even when it feels as though I am surrounded by armies and enemies, greater is He who lives in me than he who is in the world. This season has made me so much more intimately acquainted with the Lord than I had imagined possible on this side of things. At one point before I finally had my answers, I felt close to death. I spoke to God in the midst of my fear. Lord, I said, if this is it, please stay with me until it’s time. And if it’s not, then I want us to be so close, that it feels like a seamless conversation when I go from this side to the next. Me talking with him, and then face to face. I have known what it is to be in despair. I have known what it is to rejoice. I have learned to lean on Him whether I’m walking through the waters, or going through the fires. I wish I could say that I have fully learned the secret to being content. But I have learned that when I go to Him, there I find contentment. My turmoil and unrest are frequently as a result of my not going to Him. I hold back. I don’t fully take him my worries, or I feel like I do, and then I snatch them back right after I said, “Ok I trust you.” Yet, I have seen some patterns broken. Patterns that took years to form. Whether I hunger, or have had my fill, whether I have my needs met or am left wanting. I can turn to the Lord in all these situations and He gives me the strength to go on. And He gives me the contentment that I have been desiring for so long. This has been the most challenging time of my life, but somehow, I have more peace and contentment than I did when I was prospering. My faith is stronger now than when my life was less chaotic and more static. All things that I have endured, I have endured only because I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. When I have wanted to give up, I have placed my life back in his trust. Through grief and insurmountable pain. Through storms and unrest. He alone has the words of eternal life. And in Him alone I find myself able to go on and complete the marathon that has been set before me. As for me and my house, we will trust the Lord, wherever He may lead us. May you also be strengthened through faith to boldly seek Him and find Him to be faithful to supply all your needs. By Mary Spence
"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) I have always struggled with Holy week. The emotional high of Palm Sunday celebrating Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem to the low of Good Friday and his crucifixion and death on the cross to the high again of Easter. The joy of the reserection and realization the His death freed me. It's so many emotions in one week. My realization that by dying on that cross He opened the door for me to be in relationship with God changed my life. Does anyone else feel a tremendous amount of freedom in that? God is not tallying up our good behavior, judging our performance, or even marking us down when we fail. He loves us absolutely and, ultimately, with no strings attached. When I mess up, which for me, was as recently as yesterday, He forgives me, He lavishes His love on me, and I am renewed! Grace is a term that we throw out a lot as Christ followers. I could never really grasp the concept before I began to understand what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross. Grace is God's undeserved favor. Corinthians 12:9 says, “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.” (NIV) Grace is Christ's free gift to us. It means that we are loved, valued and it’s a power that increases when we are weak. Our own flesh is in a daily battle with the holy spirit within us. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8 NIV We are living in a world full of sin and chaos. Our human nature itself is sinful. But God's grace saves us from ourselves. There are so many examples of Jesus embracing sinners in the bible...The woman at the well.... Jesus picked her because she had sinned and offered her a new life. The woman caught in adultery.... Jesus says to her accusers "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.." Saul. A man who killed Christians. Who had an experience with God and became Paul, a student of Jesus. The prodigal son....He pursues us. He is always waiting for us. The needier, the thirstier we are the better. Grace is God's loving kindness. Grace is forgiveness extended to the sinners.The greatest example of grace is Christ's death on that cross. When Jesus paid our debt. So we could be forgiven of our sin and be In relationship with Him. That is grace. So now as I walk through Holy week each year I am sober, sad and elated and free. But I guess I should be emotional. Heavenly Father. Help us to view ourselves as loved and accepted just as we are. Let us know that our sin does not separate us from relationship with you. Our faith alone qualifies us to be your family, your loved ones. Thank you God that you meet each one of us right here. With your arms spread wide waiting to embrace us in your glorious love. God, we thank you for the gift of your son. We are so grateful that you so desired relationship with us that you gave your one and only son to make a way for forgiveness of our sins. Written by Jennifer Hoyt
2 Corinthians 13:5-6 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -unless indeed you are disqualified, But I think that you will know that we are not disqualified. Our church youth group embarked on an unforgettable journey to Word of Life for Snowcamp in the Adirondacks, and it was nothing short of epic! It was a weekend jam-packed with thrilling activities like tubing, ax throwing, and even polar plunges. But wait, there's more—mini sports tournaments galore, including basketball, volleyball, dodgeball, soccer, and you name it! Rallies were held that rivaled secular concerts. Imagine the pulsating beat of the music, the swirling haze of fog machines, and the kaleidoscope of lights casting a glow over the crowd. Kids would be on their feet, cheering, while mini volleyballs bounced around in a heated competition between the red and blue teams. But amidst all the excitement, there came a moment of hush as the message of the gospel took center stage. In a room bustling with hundreds of teens, silence descended as the truth was spoken. And then, hearts were stirred, and souls were moved to respond. The sight of teens streaming down the aisle, answering the call to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior brings tears to my eyes even now, a few weeks later. The first night alone, two from our group took this life-changing step. My heart swelled with joy and gratitude, as I witnessed God's work in the hearts of these teens unfolding before me. The next day brought a blend of fun and spiritual nourishment, with breakout sessions tailored to meet teens right where they were on their spiritual journey. From questioning seekers to committed believers seeking growth, everyone found a place to belong and grow. Each camper engaged in devotions every morning and evening with their Bible Institute camp counselor, deepening their faith and connection with God. As the weekend drew to a close, a powerful and convicting message stirred our souls on Sunday morning—a message that continues to resonate within me. It's a message we all need to hear, so today, I'm excited to share it with you, best I can from memory: Matthew 7:16-19 says: “We know a tree by its fruit.” “So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Trees bear fruit after their kind. Apple trees won’t produce oranges and pear trees won’t produce lemons and on. We know this to be a simple fact of science and nature. The Bible tells us this is true in the spirit too. We are like trees producing fruit after our kind. What kind of fruit are you producing? First, let’s take a look at our trees and the types of fruit they bear. What does the bible say the world’s tree looks like? From the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) we have: false worship, idolatry, misusing God’s name, violating the Sabbath, dishonoring parents, murder, adultery, stealing, lying, and coveting. Galatians 5:19-21 The Message (MSG) It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. The Message translation of Galations 5:21 says “This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.” Verses 19-21 in the NKJV translation doesn’t do anything to lessen the impact… “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” I really liked the MSG and the NKJV translation, but feel free to grab any translation you prefer and take a look. Here are some corresponding verses to dig a little deeper with. In real life I’m a basketball coach. If you’re at a game my team is playing in, you will hear me from the sidelines calling our directions to encourage my players. I yell for them to swing the ball or run a certain play or to get a rebound and clean up the boards. I also cheer when someones makes a shot or plays good D. Right now, let me call out from the sidelines to you, as we are running this Christian race – dig a little deeper. Grab the Bible or your app and take a look: Revelation 21:8, Ephesians 5:3-6, Galatians 5:19, Corinthians 6:9-10, Mathew 15:18-19, Peter 4:2-4, Romans 8:13, Timothy 1:9-10. We know a tree by it’s fruit. Healthy trees bear good fruit and unhealthy bad. You won’t get bad fruit from a healthy tree and likewise, you won’t get good fruit from a diseased tree. If this is truth, what does a Christian’s fruit look like? What does the bible say a Christian’s tree look like? Galatians the New International Version 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Dig a little deeper: James 3:17-18, John 15:5, Colossians 3:12-17, John 15:5, 2 Peter 1:5-8, and Matthew 12:33 Describing the atmosphere in that room full of teenagers is tough to articulate. You have a mix of individuals—some who may have never encountered the concept of God before, and others who have grown up surrounded by faith, yet perhaps are hearing it anew with fresh ears. What I can say, is, it was remarkable to witness these young minds eagerly absorbing truth—the truth that our actions and choices hold significance in the eyes of God. As the preacher delivered the sermon, he urged the audience to reflect on their lives, "What kind of tree are you?" and "What fruits do you bear?" “What kind of tree will you be when you leave here?” His words hung in the air, prompting soul-searching. Then he said a thing I can’t shake: “Most of you are tempted to pick and chose between the lists. You know, I don’t murder, but I have a temper. Sure, sometimes I gossip, but who doesn’t. Sure, sometimes I swear, listen to the wrong kind of music, watch porn, disrespect my parents, lie and on… but, I can be kind. Thing is, a good tree doesn’t bear bad fruit and a bad tree doesn’t bear good fruit. It’s not a pick from the two lists kind of situation. You’re either one or the other!” The first part of Galatians 5 tell us to “stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. It means – don’t go back to what you’ve been set from! So how do we do that? How do we cross over to a place where our tree is producing the fruit of the spirit? The key is in the last word of the fruit of the spirit – SELF-CONTROL. WE must become diligent in our pursuit of God! We can either invest our time in pursuing the world and all of it’s emptiness (though pleasurable for a season) and look just like the world, bearing its fruit OR we can invest (sow) our lives into the pursuit of God. Here’s the deal, if you’re running a game called church on Sunday and hell on Monday – is it any wonder you’re not really feeling God? Is it any wonder your fruit reflects the nutrients you’re feeding it? Is it any wonder that something inside still feels wrong? Galatians 5:17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever c you want. We cannot hope to bear good fruit if we don’t practice self-control. Romans 12:2 holds that key for us: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Each day we are feeding ourselves from one source or the other. Each day we have an opportunity to practice self-control and for our mind to be renewed and transformed by God. Let me encourage you to knock, seek, ask. Those that seek God with their whole heart – find Him. Let me encourage you to walk in the Spirit so that you don’t gratify the desires of the flesh (v.16). In closing, sin breaks down our relationship with God. It makes us hide. Adam and Eve hid. They sowed fig leaves together to try and fix it themselves. God walked through the garden in the cool of day and said “Adam where are you?” and it wasn’t because God didn’t know. Its because Adam needed to realize where he was. Today, if you’re reading this, what does your fruit look like? Where are you at? Written by Rebecca Vickery
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 Juliet spent almost every day of the first few months of her bartonella treatment on a heating pad. We each had one. She could hardly move, and I didn’t expect her to. Now that I was going through the same treatment, we understood one another better. I could bare witness to her in a way that my husband who rarely gets sick could not. The expectations that I put on her for chores and other things were very different than they would have been if she had been well. This seems obvious, but with invisible illness, it isn’t always. Early in our treatment, I watched her get up and go into the kitchen for the first time in a while. I encouraged her as she took two steps, paused, three steps, more pause, etc. She made it to the kitchen counter and finally to some water. To anyone else looking (without seeing) it was a small feat. But because I knew how hard it had become for myself to move, I could see her. I cheered her on. There have been times in this journey when people have reached out to me to encourage me. And there are times I when I have not felt a lot of external support. Chronic illness, long term treatments, anything that allows a person to be persistently isolated and alone can lead to gaps in encouragement. It’s a busy world out there, and not everyone takes the time to remember you if you aren’t actively reaching out to them. But the Bible says, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He saves those who are crushed in spirit. The Lord can meet with us even when we feel forgotten. In the process of our family’s many years dealing with Lyme disease, we have had a lot of limitations. Social gatherings became a thing of the past. Celebrate Recovery meetings also became a thing of the past. The support groups that I built up over the last few years were not present in my suffering. It simply wasn’t possible to surround myself with people who could uplift me in person. Everything I needed, I needed to get directly from the Lord. What I could not do, He did. I found that I went from desperate and needing connection to being able to turn around and offer comfort to others. In the beginning, it started with praying for friends on Facebook. Sometimes I would receive a message of encouragement from other friends who were fellow sufferers. This frequently would give me enough boost to turn around and encourage others. I could not be in someone’s space to cheer them on, but I could offer them encouragement via Facebook messenger. I knew what it was to be alone, and I knew that I was far from truly alone. I knew I could take my burdens to God, and I knew there were others who could not. I knew there were others that did not know they could talk to God directly, so I talked to God and lifted them up to Him. One such time, I was praying for a friend who had recently lost her husband. He had fought a long hard battle with cancer and shortly before Christmas went home to be with the Lord. One update, she made a public speech thanking some people who had previously supported her. I prayed for her while she spoke, and suddenly I had this crystal-clear image of her husband surrounded by a great number of people. He was smiling, and his face was restored and radiant. I was delighted and thought how lovely an image to share with my friend. Maybe he was in their cloud of witnesses now. But then I saw another familiar face. My beautiful first friend as a married woman, she was about my mom’s age. She passed away in a car accident a number of years ago. Now I was confused. The image was still so clear, but I was asking the Lord, wait, I thought you meant that image for my friend. I didn’t know her husband very well, but there he was next to my sweet friend Pam. And I thought, how many hours did I spend praying for Shane and his family. Why wouldn’t it make sense for him to be in my cloud of witnesses? We were connected by Jesus, and we were connected by massive amounts of prayer. I was laughing and crying at the scene. I delighted in the picture that was an encouragement to my heart. Maybe that was the part I was not quite understanding about the great cloud of witnesses. Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, even when we were unseen by human eyes, we were understood. We were loved much, not just by God but by those who had gone before us. If we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, they bear witness to our pain, our sorrows, our heavy burdens. It can be so much easier to keep going when we know we have people in our corner. We may not all have a cloud of people in person every day spurring us on in love and good deeds. But as believers in Jesus, we all have a cloud of witnesses who can bear witness in our daily existence, even when we feel alone. PRAISE CHANGES EVERYTHING!
by Donna Churchill Several years ago, I was at my kitchen table one day, having just finished breakfast and reading my morning devotional. I was looking out the window, thinking and talking to the Lord. The wind was blowing like crazy and the trees outside my window were swaying back and forth, the branches slapping one another as they were tossed to and fro. In that moment, I sensed the Lord say to me, “Donna, the trees are praising me because you are not.” Wow! My mind immediately went to the Scripture in Luke (10:37) where the Pharisees had asked Jesus to rebuke his disciples because they were joyfully and loudly praising God for all the miracles they had seen Jesus perform. Jesus said to them, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Revelation began to burst forth in my spirit that day and several other scriptures came to mind. The first one was Isaiah 61:1-3 which says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion - to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.” I began to see that Praise changes your focus. Praise changes your focus. For a long time, I had been troubled by a situation I had absolutely no control over. I worried and fretted like never before in my life. I am not normally a worrier by nature – it’s just not who I am – but I think I did more worrying about that situation in one year than I had about any other thing in all other years combined!! I just did not know how to deal with this particular situation, had never walked through anything like it, and was totally unprepared for it. But, in that instant there at the breakfast table, I knew – PRAISE – would change my focus! I saw the truth, was reminded of this truth that I had lost sight of. As I began to praise the Lord, my focus shifted from the situation to the Lord and as I was drawn to the Lord, my faith was strengthened and my joy renewed. As I focused on the Lord, the enormity of my situation decreased and God’s might in the situation increased and it changed my whole perspective. The Scripture tells us that the Lord gives to us the “garment of praise.” A garment is something that you put on; it’s a covering for your body; a wrap. So, praise is a garment you clothe yourself with. Just as you choose which garment to put on your body each morning, you can choose to put on the garment of praise. “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness: and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the most high.” Psalm 7:17 “I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most high. Psalm 9:1 2 “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 Our focus changes from our problems to His majesty when we choose to praise Him! We realize that nothing about our situation changes anything about who He is…about His character. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is sovereign over all and already knows all about the situation we are walking through. He has known all along and has already make provision for us. Praise is also a weapon we use to execute vengeance upon the enemy of our soul. Psalm 149 shows us this very clearly: “Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly! Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples, to bind their kings with chains ad their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute on them the judgment written! This is honor for all his godly ones, Praise the Lord!” Psalms 144 through 150 are beautiful praise songs to the Lord and show us much about how praise moves the hand of God on our behalf. We are made to praise the Lord! We praise Him for who He is, for what He’s done, for what He’s going to do and for driving back the enemy of our souls. We praise Him because His word commands us to. We praise Him because praise changes our focus; praise changes everything. We praise Him because praise is a gift He has given us; a gift to be opened and used, but most of all, we praise Him because He, above all else, is worthy to be praised!! “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150:6 By Joyce Pelletier 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom, and we who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. In all my years of reading God’s word, I know I must have read these words, but on this particular morning, I read this passage and I had a somewhat of an “AHA” moment. I love it when that happens. I thought about it off and on today. I knew I’d be writing in the blog about it. In the Old Testament I read in Exodus where Moses went into the place where few people were allowed to go. He wore a veil until he was in this holy place. And when he came back out, his face was filled with holy brightness. He wore his veil again to dissuade people from looking at his face after talking to God. If he were to go back to the people unmasked, he’d be a distraction from looking for God’s holy face. I’ve not seen God’s face, but in essence, when I talk to God in intensity, it’s like He removes the veil that I wear, unseen by others, but it’s like God let’s my open up my invisible veil and I can speak to Him in complete honesty and never have to hold back from what I talk to Him about. Like the reading from 2 Corinthians, He sets me free. I don’t have to be afraid or fearful about being honest about my failures, and I can remove that veil and tell Him everything, His response is His radiant heart showing through every part of His being, like His eyes, and hands, and mouth as He speaks truth to my life and there is no condemnation, or fear. He reassures me, does not point fingers. All He wants from me is “me” and He is always there with compassion, goodness, love, grace, kindness and the list is endless. He accepts me as I am, and at the same time, He helps me to change. He shows me things I could not know without Him. My true freedom comes when I just let everything go and walk along the path to where He bids me to go. “No worries” just amazing love. When we sing the song, ‘Is He worthy,’ it catches me within the first line about knowing the world is broken, and He is so worthy. There is nothing else we need. Wherever I am, I’m always talking to God. He never grows tired of listening. When I reach out to another person, who might be really hurting, and it’s His grace that enables me to lift up the other. There are times I fail, but He’s always there to help me pick up the pieces. Don’t be afraid to tell it like it is. He is completely and fully aware of what is going on and He has a plan to carry you, and see you through any cloud that comes down the road. Father God, Thank you for being there through the thick and thin of life. Whether I’m going through another painful day or having a day of being pain free, You know my pain, and that cross you bore for me, I am eternally grateful. I take your hand through the journeys you have planned for me, with some fears, but ready to go wherever you lead me to go. Your hand protects me at every step I take. Thank you In Jesus’ name, AMEN! Written by Jennifer Hoyt
Who knows whether you’ve come to the kingdom for such a time as this? - Esther 4:14 Sometimes embracing difficulty and challenges is a tough pill to swallow. We struggle with the obstacles before us and with our heart before God. We are in a rush for God to remove those obstacles, and we get upset when that doesn’t instantly happen. Today, I want to encourage you that as Christians; we don't have insulation from trouble, but we definitely have recourse. If you’re going through a struggle, I’d like to challenge you to look beyond the surface and see with a fresh perspective. Discover not only God’s heart in its midst but also the steps you can to take to accomplish His will and see victory. In the biblical tale of Esther, we encounter a remarkable story of courage and divine intervention. Esther, a humble Jewish girl, finds herself thrust into the role of queen of Persia after the deposed Queen Vashti’s fall from favor. When a plot to annihilate her people arises, Esther’s cousin Mordecai urges her to intercede with the king, despite the grave risks involved. Esther bravely approaches the king unsummoned, and through a series of strategic moves, she unveils the villainous schemes of Haman and secures the safety of her people. In a twist of fate, Haman meets his own demise on the very gallows he prepared for Mordecai, while Esther and Mordecai rise to positions of power, becoming protectors of their people. The above-written is a nice recap for the overall story of Esther, but if we dive a little deeper into the nuance, we learn Esther has quite a challenge in front of her. She has to get the king to spare her cousin and the entire Jewish people. Not a simple task, especially if we consider the risks. She not only became queen after the former queen fell from grace, something one can imagine she’d like to avoid, but to make matters worse, in the time she lived in, no one could approach the king, on penalty of death, unless they were summoned. Esther had not been summoned. Mordecai warns Esther, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” Esther agrees to take on this task, but first she fasts, prays and asks Mordecai to have the people join her. Then she enters the king’s presence, un-summoned. Not only does the king spare her, but he promises to grant her request. She requests to have him come to her chambers for dinner, which he obliges. She asks him to dinner a second time, all while being promised whatever she will ask for. During the second dinner, Esther reveals all. She is a Jew. Haman is plotting to kill her cousin and her people. Not only does the king take her part, but he even hangs Haman on the gallows that Haman built for Mordecai, and then promotes Mordecai to become the prime minister of the king. I want us to take a few keys from Esther. First key, Esther makes a choice to be obedient. She could have gotten caught up in the trouble and focused on the risk, but she makes a choice to obey and then turns her attention to God. Second key, Esther goes to God. We must decide to obey and then go to God. Third key, God gives Esther a strategy. God will give us a strategy, but, like Esther, it will most likely be out of our comfort zone. <==== friend, read that again! We are going to be pushed outside of our comfort zone! Fourth key, Esther is courageous and despite being outside of her comfort zone, she trusts! If there is anything we can take from Esther, it’s a demonstration of how trusting God, results in victory! Esther's story reminds us that sometimes extraordinary circumstances place us in a position to stand up for what is right and make a difference in the world around us. God has called us to a purpose amidst our struggles. Struggles suck. No argument there, but we can find comfort in the fact that God accompanies us in walking through them. He offers us His spirit to comfort and direct us, so that we might then become an encouragement to others. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 By Joyce Pelletier
Psalms 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. James 1:3 Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance I have so many memories of “waiting” for something to take place or an answer to prayer. Most of them reveal my impatience, especially waiting for that one special person to receive Jesus as their Lord. It seems to take forever. I've watched many people hold back, and it can just be so hard to wait. When it does happen, well, that's a time of celebration. The Father of the prodigal son is a prime ezxample of this. When the son came to his senses, the father wasn't waiting with arms on his hips and fingers pointing. He bid his servants to bring on the feast! That was something to celebrate. Waiting is not my gift. But, I will say that when I trust in God the waiting game is so much easier. When a problem comes up, I want it fixed, here and now. When Maurice had his heart surgery, I so dreaded that day. Heart surgery is serious stuff. I dreaded waiting in the family waiting area for the surgery to be done. I had books with me, my kindle to keep busy with games, best of all I was not alone. Our daughter was with me. That made the difference because I knew God had allowed that to be. Here it is eight years later, and Maurice is strong, healthy, still splitting firewood, I would have confidence in his health. Well, we never should take anything for granted. We never know when something will go awry. He now faced hernia surgery. This time my confidence was based on Jesus. I knew we'd get through this, no matter what the outcome. Then... A week later, I was having my second Cataract taken care of. This was a different kind of waiting. I’ve been on this surgery road far too many times. It’s different this time, because I know I’m not alone in my waiting. When things like this happen, we just need to watch and pray. Don’t look at the clock because that will deter you towards anxiety. For it says in… 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you on Christ Jesus.” One lesson I’ve walked away with after each surgery is that the doctors and nurses are our best friends. They see to every need. They make light of what’s about to happen. BUT, they are well trained! They were ready for any emergency. I took the time to listen as they worked to remove my cataract. The surgeon guides the others and keep their pace that caused me to relax and listen. Though I could not see what they were actually doing, I knew I was in good hands, because Jesus was there. I was completely relaxed. That had to be God! This time I was not anxious! God gave me his servants to care for my need and fix my problem. He trained them all. Some know Him, some do not. They joke around, yet at the same time they are quite serious. That’s when I remember that the Joy of the Lord is my strength. I was awake the whole time, heard everything and in a short amount of time it was over and into recovery I go once again. Years ago, I knew one day, I may have to face this surgery, and in my ignorance of not knowing what to expect, I had my anxieties. I am somewhat claustrophobic, and what scared me most was being in a small machine to have them work on my eyes. Well I had nothing to fear. Now, after having actually going through it, it was my walk in the park with the God who made me. I’d want it no other way. Thank you Jesus for being present in the operating room, at church, in my heart, my home, my car, or even in the grocery store. You are there waiting out every minute with all of us. The times of celebration come to us when all is said and done. Keep us ever mindful of keeping our trust in tact, waiting for your solution to any situation. Help us to continue to walk in complete trust, hope and ready for the celebration in Joy! |
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