Hey! Where's my coffee?

It's been a WHILE since I posted anything, but I wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about the 2014 blog challenge. No really....I didn't!

Wait, did I leave my coffee mug in the microwave again? (I am prone to do that more often than I'd like to admit. LOL)

This challenge has still been on my mind and I've been learning so much about who I am in Christ. This year, it has become painfully obvious that part of my identity is that I am an enemy of Satan. In March, I was hospitalized for asthma and bronchitis. I've never been diagnosed with asthma before and never really had a major issue with it...until March. For a while, my family wondered if I'd even survive. I wondered that myself for a little bit, but then God reminded me who likes to steal, kill, and destroy.

Ah, yes. Him.

Then something strange happened. I remembered that Scripture tells us to count it all joy when we face trials and persecution. Those trials and that persecution don't always come through people and this year I have experienced my fair share of attacks. I had a soft, gentle reminder that it is an HONOR to be under attack from the enemy and I suddenly felt humbled and unworthy of my attack. I know that I am far from perfect and I don't always get it right (ok, I rarely get it right), so I couldn't understand what Satan saw in me that was worth assaulting.

It wasn't me. He saw JESUS! He saw my new identity. My frustration and fear turned into joy and peace! My lips began to praise the Father at every chance I got.

{insert Rocky theme song here}

I began to fight, not in my own human strength, but with the strength of a child of the King. Spiritual battles are way different when you remember and walk in your new identity in Christ! Praise Jesus!

So that battle was over and others began. It's not like he's going to give up, but neither does God. My most recent battle was financial. Someone got access to my husband's bank account card and used every last cent we had in there. I've never seen my husband so crushed, broken, and violated. It was heartbreaking to watch, but then again....something strange happened.

Normally, I am the one to fall apart when finances aren't feeling very safe (you know women and their need for security), but that Divine strength flowed through me again and whispered, "It's OK. It's all going to be fine. I've got this."  Boy was that true! We shared our prayer request with a few friends and family members and God got straight to work. So many sacrificial gifts were given to us to help us through this rough time. From gas and toilet paper to funds and prayer support, God took care of every single need and then some! We have been so blessed and emotionally overwhelmed at the goodness of God and the generosity of his people who were walking in THEIR identity.

Realizing and walking in our identity as Christ followers is a beautiful thing! It blesses others, glorifies God, and puts the devil in his place. So here is my charge:

1. Be fierce in the way you follow and chase after God!
2. Be fierce in the way you walk in your NEW identity in Christ!
3. Be fierce in battle with your enemy!
4. Be fierce in your trust of and obedience to the Father!

{insert your own Rocky theme music here}

GOD IS GOOD!

The Forgotten One

Vulnerability is not something that comes easy to most of us and yet, I am embarking on an incredibly vulnerable journey that begins today on the first day of Lent. Some friends and I have decided to read a book, Draw the Circle, for the 40 days leading up to Easter. It's day one and I'm already struggling due to the content.

See, it is a prayer journey and the basic idea of it is that you pray big, bold prayers consistently and watch God do big, bold things. Here's where it gets vulnerable for me (and I in turn get incredibly vulnerable with you): 

I struggle with prayer.



Source: Public Domain

Yes, I know. What Christian struggles with prayer?! Well, probably more than you think. Many people think that Christians are supposed to have everything together, which is why so many people are distraught when we mess up. The truth is that we are all just a big hot mess like anyone else and we need God to help us. You'll never meet a Christian in this life who has it all together perfectly; if you think you found one, pinch yourself really hard cause, baby, you're dreaming.

So here's my deal. I have no problem praying for others. I believe God wants to heal, save, bring peace, give comfort, bless, show love, and all of those wonderful types of things. It's easy to pray those prayers because they are no-brainers. It would be like me praying that my husband would drive his car to work tomorrow morning. OF COURSE he is going to drive his car tomorrow morning because he always does. So praying for that would be easy and, naturally, my prayer would be answered.

Easy prayers. Sure things. Comfortable prayers.

Yep, I'm ok with those. It is the difficult prayers, uncertain things, and uncomfortable prayers that get me, especially when they are in regard to my own life. Most of my prayers are for other people. It's easy for me to believe that God wants good things for others. It is hard for me to accept that he wants those good things for me as well so I don't ask.

I've had many bold prayers that I have prayed with consistency that weren't answered the way I hoped. I've put my faith on the line many times only to have others get what I asked for, but I was left with an "unanswered" prayer. After too many of those, I began to feel like "the forgotten one" not only in my relationship with God, but with others as well. I began to see myself as someone who’s thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams didn't matter.

The forgotten one.

 Source: Public Domain

What happened was a huge block of doubt and disbelief got dumped into my prayer life without me even noticing. It sat there for many years causing me to question the point and effectiveness of prayers. I began to only pray those safe prayers that would surely be answered and go on about my business. It brought with it a darkness that clouded my vision of God's hand in my life and in other people's lives. Expecting less of God and others, I believed that if I expected little I wouldn't be disappointed when I received little, whether it was from God or mankind.

 

(Insert friend here with a suggestion to read a book about big, bold prayer for 40 days.)

 

Hmmm. Perhaps God is trying to tell me something. Surely he wouldn't torture me for 40 days by getting me to pray only to NOT answer. Fear. Trepidation. Uncertainty. AHH!

So, God and I had a "come to Jesus meeting" this morning after a long season of worship (drawn to "Oceans," of course). I left that "meeting" feeling like God was calling me to surrender the block of doubt and to accept faith and truth in its place. God wants me to know that I am not the forgotten one. He wants me to know that I am a royal child of the King of Kings. He loves me. He knows me. He sees me. He hears me. He wants to heal the hurt in my heart and teach me about the power of prayer and faith. I have been remembered. I have chosen to accept his offer and to shed this old identity and accept my true identity in Christ.

1 John 3:1a - The Father has loved us so much! This shows how much he loved us: We are called children of God. And we really are his children. 

 

I bet there are others out there like me who have believed the lies and allowed a block of doubt to hinder your faith and trust in God. You have nothing to fear. He wants you to let it go as well. He wants to show you how much you are loved and he wants you to see the GOOD plans he has for YOU. Join me in throwing off the old identity (whatever yours may be) and accepting your true identity as a royal child of the King of Kings. You are not the forgotten one either. He loves you. He knows you. He sees you. He hears you. He wants to heal the hurt in your heart and teach you something. Listen.

 

With love,

 

The Remembered One

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More Than Forgiveness

I got spanked when I was a kid. It wasn't often, thankfully, but when I did get spanked I totally deserved it (like the day I broke the kitchen light bulb after my mother told me to stop playing with the broom, then I said a "bad word" and was sent to my room where I promptly decided to put on my boots and kick out the window...yikes!). There were just some days when I fell apart losing all sense of right and wrong and my dad made it clear how he felt about it. I hated getting spanked, but it seemed to jar me back into reality. It's amazing how a spanking could help me clearly see that I was out of line (sometimes WAY out of line) and I needed an "attitude adjustment."

 

If you had any spankings when you were young, you know the ugly truth about them. They HURT. They are embarrassing. They HURT. (Did I mention that they hurt?) I guess that is the point of any sort of punishment whether you are being grounded, spanked, or forced to stand in a corner. The point is that there is an uncomfortable consequence of your actions that will hopefully deter you from repeating the offense. 

 

When you compare a childhood spanking to the Biblical consequence for grown up sin, it doesn't seem all that bad. The Bible tells us that the punishment for sin is death. (I think I'd prefer the spanking, please.) It also tells us that we are ALL sinners which means every single one of us deserves death regardless of our sin. It might be that little white lie, the hatred in our hearts toward another person, or murder and theft. They are all the same to God.

 

Instead of annihilating and entire planet full of sinners, God had a better idea. It still involved death and pain, but the death and pain weren't ours. God's Son, Jesus, took all of our sins (past, present, and future) in his body and took our punishment. It hurt. It was humiliating, but it worked. It broke the power of sin in our lives. The Bible tells us that anyone who sins is a SLAVE to sin. Jesus' death gave us the opportunity to be slaves no more. We have the power to walk away from our sin and be forgiven of it.

 



Source: Public Domain

 



Some people don't realize, though, that sin causes wounds to our very soul.

 

Some people don't realize, though, that sin causes wounds to our very soul. It could be sins we've committed or sins others have committed against us. Either way, sin causes wounds that need to be healed. Many times, we try to heal those wounds on our own, but we don't quite know how to do it. We've lost all sense of peace and we may try drugs, alcohol, promiscuous lifestyles and all sorts of other "remedies" to fix those wounds.

 

But listen to what we have available to us:

Isaiah 53:5 - But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed!      

 

1 Peter 2:24 - He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds!

James 5:16 - So always tell each other the wrong things you have done. Then pray for each other. Do this so that God can heal you. Anyone who lives the way God wants can pray, and great things will happen.  

Let's break this down. Jesus was wounded, crushed, beaten, and whipped. Why? It wasn't ONLY for our forgiveness. Don't miss this part! He did it all so we could be forgiven, experience peace, and so OUR wounds could be healed.

Source: Public Domain

Soul wounds are like doors that fly open for Satan

 to enter your life and rip you apart.

 

I've had my fair share of soul wounds. They are like doors that fly open for Satan to enter your life and rip you apart. I've been deserted by friends which opened the door for Satan to come in and make me feel like I am not worthy of friendship. I've been publicly, falsely accused of something which gave the devil  an opportunity to  make me doubt myself, my relationships with Christians, and my ability to trust those in older generations.  I've been misled and lied to by young men in my life, which left my self-esteem in ruins. Satan, of course, used this opportunity to make me want to take back the control of my life and relationships and never put myself in a position of vulnerability with a man ever again. The list goes on and on, but the Truth of God's word is a powerful tool for the breaking down of these strongholds and Jesus' blood is the ONLY remedy for healing these soul wounds.
 

Forgiven. Peaceful. Healed. That is God's design and gift for you. This is who we are in Christ Jesus when we embrace the truth of what happened on the cross, confess our sin, turn away from it, and follow God's design for healing. God knew we would need more than just forgiveness and he provided what was needed. God is good!

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Who Loves Ya, Baby?

I am veering from my usual blogging style just a bit for this one. I really want to get down to basics and speak to you from my heart. So far in this 2014 Blog Challenge, I have written about who we are in Christ (meaning when we give our hearts to God, he makes us new). However, I want to tell you something that is at the very core of everything. I mean EVERYTHING. It is the core of why you even exist.


You are valued. You are cherished. You are loved. You are special.


You. Are.

Psalm 139:13-17 (NLT)

¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
¹⁵ You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
¹⁶ You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!

I know the enemy fights you. I know he tells you lies about your beauty, worth, purpose, character, and future. He doesn't like you. He doesn't value you. He hates you. I'm here to tell you, though, that it is nothing personal. It FEELS personal and it hurts, but Satan doesn't care about hurting you. He cares about hurting God. Why would hurting you matter to God?


It is because God LOVES you. The Creator made you special and complex. You are marvelous just the way you are! You've never been alone, even when you were being formed in the womb, because it is not in God's nature to leave your side. He can't take his eyes off of you! He has special plans for your life and your life has purpose. You are always on his mind.


You are precious to God. You are a treasure to him. A TREASURE. The next time the enemy tries to tell you otherwise, just come back and re-read this blog remembering WHO made you and WHO loves you. Remember your worth. 


YOU are anything but typical.

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The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

I've heard it many times in my life and perhaps you have as well. The phrase was intended to inspire others (usually young people) to do something more with their time other than playing video games, reading comic books, or playing with toys. It was generally meant to encourage one to do their homework or read a good book although it can double as a sarcastic commentary on one's poor choices (read: two fries short of a happy meal, one brick shy of load). Are you ready for it?

 

Source: Public Domain



"The mind is a terrible thing to waste."

I've come to a place in my life where I "get it." I see the point of this phrase, but not only in ways previously mentioned. I see a different side of it (of course).

It IS terrible to waste a mind, but I don't mean the mentality of, "it's terrible not to study and read in order for you to sound really smart in front of everyone and they'll know you didn't waste your mind. Then maybe they'll see you as the 'knowledge guru' and no one will ever question your choices because you are the Yoda of not wasting a mind." Come on, now. I know you have someone in mind who fits this description. Don't lie. {wink, wink}

Sure. Reading is important. Learning is important. The problem is that I've known too many people who were really smart with book knowledge, computer knowledge, or even Bible knowledge, but they have wasted their mind because it was still only focused on themselves. A selfish mind is a wasted mind. I repeat...

A selfish mind is a wasted mind.

The Bible tells us that as a part of our new identity in Christ, we have been given the mind of Christ. However, that probably doesn't mean what you think it means. Some people are ready to run home and tell their husbands, wives, friends, or children, "Hey! You can't argue with me because I have the mind of Jesus so I'm right! HA! Top THAT!"

Don't do that. Please. :)

In fact, go ahead and read these two verses: 

 

For "Who can know the Lord's thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?" But we understand these things because we have the mind of Christ.

- 1 Corinthians 2:16 (NLT)

 

In your life together, think the way Christ Jesus thought. 

-Philippians 2:5 (ERV)

 

We have the  mind of Christ available to us. It is what reveals the Father's nature to his children. It's how his sheep know the voice of the Shepherd. The mind of Christ is what gives us discernment into seemingly "murky" situations and bestows wisdom in the midst of chaos.

 

However, it is also what encourages us to be selfless, to give of ourselves even when it's hard, and to think of others as more than ourselves. Jesus didn't come to earth in all his glory. He lowered himself to become a HUMAN and experience life as a human....not as God. He spoke only what the Father told him to say and did only what the Father told him to do. This is the mind that we have been given: the mind to selflessly obey our Father out of love for him and love for others. Today, let's choose to access this mind of Christ and allow it to do it's work in us.

 

Lord, help us to have the mind of Christ more and more each day. Help us to choose your selfless ways over our selfish, indulgent ways. Fill us with a love for you and a love for others that brings you glory and joy. Renew our minds as we meditate on you and listen for your still, small voice. Teach us what it means to truly live in the mind of Christ.

 In Jesus Name, Amen

 

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Rocky Balboa Faith

Few things motivate me as much as Rocky movies (except, of course, The Karate Kid). Every time I watch one, I get caught up in his personal struggles with Adrian, his challenges as a boxer, his cocky and aggressive enemies, and his never ending internal debate on whether he should give up or fight these big, scary dudes. He always seems to wonder if he has any fight left in him or if he has what it takes to even stand in the same ring with his challengers.

 

There is always some element in each of his opponents that makes him fearful or intimidated. He goes through a season of self-doubt or even pity, does a lot of soul searching, has a few long talks with his trainer, and somehow along the way, he makes the decision to fight. However, he never wants to fight in his current condition. He knows if he is going to have a "fighting chance," he will have to train and become even stronger.

 

 Source: The Wallpaper HD

 

He uses his struggles to become a better and stronger fighter.

 

Of course, he always has his ups and downs. When he has those weak moments, though, his trainer is always on his side. He might be telling him some things that are hard to hear; he may challenge him and push him the whole time, but it is only because he believes in Rocky and knows what it takes to make him "rise up to the challenge" of his rival. (Wink, wink...I hope you caught that!)  

 

In all that Rocky faced (poverty, family struggles, intimidating enemies, age disadvantages, low self-esteem, etc.), he never lost the love and support of his trainer. He never gave up on him and knew how to help Rocky become victorious (hint: more than a conqueror) in every battle he faced.

 

Now, I bet you may have never considered Rocky to be a movie about scripture, but take a look at this:

 

³¹ So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can stand against us. And God is with us. ³² He even let his own Son suffer for us. God gave his Son for all of us. So now with Jesus, God will surely give us all things. ³³ Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one! God is the one who makes them right. ³⁴ Who can say that God’s people are guilty? No one! Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all. He was also raised from death. And now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. ³⁵ Can anything separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from his love? If we have no food or clothes or face danger or even death, will that separate us from his love? ³⁶ As the Scriptures say, “For you we are in danger of death all the time. People think we are worth no more than sheep to be killed.” ³⁷ But in all these troubles we have complete victory through God, who has shown his love for us. ^38-39 Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:31-39 (ERV)

Cross references:

1. Romans 8:36 : Psalm 44:22

 

It is all about us! Rocky is about this very thing that scripture is trying to teach us here (well, maybe that wasn't what Sylvester Stallone was thinking when he wrote it, but it's applicable, none-the-less). The Bible never said we will live a struggle-free life in Christ. It said that we'll face PLENTY of things, but we always have a Trainer in our corner who will never stop loving us (nothing can separate us from God's love), who will always support us during our weak moments, and will help us face our challengers with a fierceness that comes from his training (the Word) and his strength that he gives us. He MAKES us victorious!  No matter what we face, we can remember that God has re-created us to be "anything but typical" because we are designed to be more than conquerors. We, too, have the power to "rise up to the challenge" of OUR rivals. God is good!

 

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Singing Egg Guts

I hate to even admit this publicly and I often get mocked by my mother for it, but what kind of blogger would I be if I didn't share my own stupidity? You may wonder why I am sharing it at all, but it will all make sense in the end. So here goes:

 

I was about seven or eight years old when I decided that it would be cool to play with an egg. The thought never crossed my mind that I might drop it. In that moment, I was invincible and I was going to prove it by playing with an egg without making a mess. I'm sure you know where this is going. I didn't even get the refrigerator door closed before the egg slipped from my fingers and gravity took over. As it turns out, I realized I am not invincible as I looked at the floor and saw a pile of egg guts laying there singing, "Somebody's in trouble!" Well, ok...the guts weren't singing, but that's how I felt. I knew I was in trouble and all I wanted to do was hide. 

 

Instead, denial took over and I simply walked away. I was fully prepared to blame my grandmother for breaking an egg and leaving the mess on the floor. Unfortunately, my mother was too smart for that. She knew I was the culprit and immediately called me to come to her when she found the mess. She said, "Christy, did you make this mess?" With all the bravery I could muster, I put on my best "I'm confused. Where am I?" face and said, "Ummmm....I don't remember."

 

Hey! It's all I could come up with at the time. Give me a break! Well, at least you can see why my mom still mocks me to this day. I guess I deserved it.

 

Have you ever felt like that, though, in the grown up world? Have you ever just felt like you wanted to hide and let someone else cover for you? I know I have. We have so many challenges to face in this world and God knew that we'd need help. I drew this picture many years ago when I felt like I wanted to hide in Jesus from the dangers of this world. I'm no artist, but you get the idea.

 

 

¹⁸ We know that those who have been made God’s children do not continue to sin. The Son of God keeps them safe. The Evil One cannot hurt them. ¹⁹ We know that we belong to God, but the Evil One controls the whole world. ²⁰ And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding. So now we can know the one who is true, and we live in that true God. We are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God, and he is eternal life. - 1 John 5:18-20

 



Since we belong to God, He will keep us safe from the evil one. The devil is limited in what he can do because we are IN Jesus much like the picture above reveals. This becomes our new identity. Many times in the Bible, we come across the words "in Christ" as it is talking about the new identity of believers. This is what I think of now, when I read those passages.

 

As we face the evil, stress, sin, temptation, and the traps of this world, we can remember that this is how we face them. IN Jesus. We are guarded by the very Son of God! My prayer is that you will feel empowered by that today.

 

Just don't test it out on an egg.

 

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You Can't Handle the Truth!

I can't tell you how many times this topic comes up in my conversations with others. People are always asking me how to deal with fear and anxiety. I have dealt with my fair share of both of these pesky, little troublemakers in my life and have been blessed to have people in my life who were able to teach me some profound truths that helped me through. As I prayed about how to share this with you, I thought of a few scriptures to help, but I was also reminded of a previous blog that I wrote in 2012. It explains the battle we face with fear so well that I decided to include a link to it below as a part of this blog (Be sure to check it out!).

 

Here is the basic truth that pulverizes fear (and the resulting anxiety): Fear is based on LIES from Satan.

 

Now, as a disclaimer, I am not delving into uncontrollable psychological phobias (ie. fear of spiders) or danger-based fears (i.e. falling from an airplane with no parachute). I am talking about how the enemy of God attacks our character, hope, joy, and peace. He may tell us, "You're stupid. You will never amount to anything. You have no talent. You'll never get anywhere in life. You're not even a good person. You have no worth." The list goes on and on. So how do you combat a lie?

 

Source: Public Domain

 

Truth is what sets you free!

 

I don't know about you, but that makes me want to look Satan in the face and shout, "You can't HANDLE the truth!" with my best Jack Nicholson impression.  

 

As a child of God, you have access to all Truth because the Spirit of Truth lives inside of you! If you are afraid, ask yourself, "What lie did Satan tell me to make me think I needed to be afraid (or anxious)?" When you find the answer to that question, replace that lie with TRUTH from the Word of God! Here is some Truths to get you started: 

 

Hebrews 13:5-6

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money. Be happy with what you have. God has said, “I will never leave you or let you be alone.” 6 So we can say for sure, “The Lord is my Helper. I am not afraid of anything man can do to me.”

Proverbs 14:26

Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a refuge for their children.

 

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

 

Matthew 10:28

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

Romans 8:15

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

 

We don't have to cower to Satan's fear-inducing lies. We can choose Truth and disarm our enemy. It is a war that will forever be waged until Satan is one day put in his place, but this is who we are:

We are warriors equipped to destroy lies with the Truth.

So get ready, Warrior, this is one battle you can win, but the great news is that you'll never have to fight it alone!

Here's the blog entry I mentioned earlier: The Warrior Child. Enjoy!

 

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Chained Like Jacob Marley

Sure, I know. Christmas is over. However, since it is so fresh in our minds, you'll have to pardon the comparison I'm about to make (fa la la la laaaa, la la la la.....Oops, sorry! That just slipped out).

Ever since I was a child, I have absolutely loved the movie "A Christmas Carol." I've never found a version of it that I haven't enjoyed (and believe me, there are many versions). I love the whole Victorian era, the clothes and the language, but most of all, I love the message of the story. It's quite symbolic of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

 

The verse I'm using for meditation today is Romans 8:1-4:

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. ² And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has FREED YOU from the power of sin that leads to death. ³ The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. ⁴ He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. 

When I read this verse, I think of Scrooge as he is visited by the ghost of Christmas future. This is the most fearsome ghost of all for Scrooge (and would probably be for most of us) and the visit proves to be the most agonizing one of the night. He is faced with his own "legacy" and the rapidly approaching death that promises to drag him into a deep, dark grave leading straight to a fiery hell.

 Source: www.public-domain-image.com

Not very assuring.

Remember Scrooge's deceased partner, Jacob Marley? When he first visited Scrooge to warn him of the three ghostly visits and to urge him to change his ways, Scrooge was completely freaking out. It was not because of the visit from Marley himself, but because of the magnitude of the chains he bore. They were extremely heavy, numerous, and loud. Marley had to drag them around for all eternity as a result of how he lived his life.

Source: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net 

 

Now imagine those chains are yours as a result of your sin. The evil things you have done and the sin nature that has bound you in those chains is dragging you into a deep, dark grave leading straight to a fiery hell. Terrified, you're falling in darkness, dragged against your will farther and farther until, in desperation, you cry out to God asking for forgiveness for your sins.

SNAP!

You hear the deafening sound of metal breaking as you are suddenly jerked upward like you had just opened a parachute. The wind on your face as you fly upward and out of the grave is a welcome feeling. Your feet touch the ground and as your eyes adjust to the brightness of the sun, you are able to see that your chains are gone. You are FREE!

Now imagine you see the One who had the power to do that for you. What would you do?

This is how I envision what Jesus did for us. The question is: How do we respond?

Do we take it for granted and walk right back into a life of sin or do we see it for the precious gift that it is and turn away from sin to follow the Spirit? I am so grateful that I was given that second chance and that God offered me freedom when I deserved death. One of my favorite worship songs, "In Christ Alone," says:

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again

 

And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me (PRAISE GOD!!!)
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ



This is what being a Christian means. It means that you turned from sin to follow the Savior and he broke your chains when you were powerless to save yourself. You are FREE!

That just makes you want to shout, doesn't it?!

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Sacred Masterpiece

We were dead. All of us. You, me, the entire human race. Dead. It wasn't a physical death, but a spiritual one that was a result of our sins and transgressions. Many people don't realize the ramifications of living in sin, but the Bible tells us that spiritual death is the result. When you combine spiritual death with physical death, well, that's the point of no return.

 

When one is physically dead, he can not raise himself up to life. He is powerless to change his position. The same is true of spiritual death. For this reason, God chose to step in and come to our rescue. He is omnipotent so he is powerful when we are powerless. Take a look at what happens when God gets involved:

Ephesians 2:1-10

1 Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. 2 You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God's anger just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, 5 that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms -- all because we are one with Christ Jesus. 7 And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.   

While we were still conniving, ungrateful sinners, God sent Jesus to die for us which made a way for us to come alive, be raised up with Christ, and live forever in Heaven. I'm not sure about you, but that's a lot more than I could offer anyone who was on my enemies side. The best part is that God, in his kindness, makes it so easy for us to come to him (we're the ones who make it hard). He offers grace; all he asks is that we have FAITH.

 

Those who accept God's grace are spiritually re-created and experience this glorious plan that He designed for us. No longer defined by our sin, we become God's MASTERPIECE much like some of the great paintings and sculptures found in history. Even a poem can be considered a masterpiece. I love poetry and have often written poems when I am in the depths of emotion (whether it be joy, grief, anger, etc.). Each poem is so personal to me that they are almost sacred. In that same way, we are God's poetry.

 

                Source: Cast a Line, 2011, license

This says a lot about our value and purpose. Our worth as Christians is not based on how good we can act, how many rules we can follow, or how righteous we appear to others. The only value we have was given to us by a holy God and there's nothing we can do to earn it. It is a free gift that changed us from a dead sinner to a sacred poem of the Most High God.

You are His sacred masterpiece!

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Na Na Na Boo Boo!

Have you ever been bullied as a child? It may have been at school by the playground hoodlums or even by a friend at their house. I know I have. I have met some seriously pushy people in my lifetime! If you have been in that situation and were lucky, you may have had a grown up step in on your behalf to defend you.

I'm telling you, that is the BEST feeling when someone steps up beside you, puts their arm around you, and tells your bullies, "If you're going to get to her, you've got to go through me."

The looks on their faces let you know they have been defeated because they do not want the kind of trouble they'd get for going against an adult. A feeling of relief and peace washes over you knowing that this person has just saved you by identifying with you and standing with you so you didn't have to face it alone. In fact, she was willing to stand in FRONT of you and take whatever was about to be unleashed. In that moment, you wanted to wrap your arms and legs around her leg and let her drag you through the rest of your life to protect you!

 

By standing with you to identify with you, the message that teacher sent to your bullies was that you have a big body guard who's not afraid to do business. Your identity shifted from "the lone wolf" to a pack of wolves. You were no longer alone.

 

 

Source: Public Domain

What a feeling!!

 

That is the scenario that comes to my mind when I read these verses:

Colossians 2:8-10 (NLT)

 

8 Don't let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ. 9 For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body, 10 and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.            

This world is full of "bullies" (whether they are human or spiritual in nature) who work hard to lead us astray with their philosophies, paradigms, and perspectives on just about everything. They will use any topic to try to disprove that we are who Christ says we are not to mention the fact that they try to disprove Christ himself. The bad news is that living in a world full of these people can be challenging and discouraging at times, but the good news is that as followers of Christ, we will never have to stand alone.

 

When we give our heart to God, we are immediately blessed with a Heavenly Companion to go with us through life who is also not afraid to do business on our behalf. United with the Spirit of Christ himself, we are made complete (lacking nothing) by our connection with him. He is the head over every "bully" we could ever face and is the ultimate authority. Our very identity shifts so that it's not just us anymore, but it is "us and Christ." I am no longer Christy, but I am "Christy and Christ." He is always with us. He will never leave us, nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). That means he is not giving up on us. Ever.

 

That just makes you want to go through life singing, "Na Na Na Boo Boo, you can't get me!!"

 

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Blog Challenge 2014

I am often amazed by things and am constantly learning from people, scripture, and God (not necessarily in that order, of course). As you may have noticed, I also love blogging about what I learn. However, it's been a while since I went on a "blogging adventure." I went on a blogging adventure two summers ago when I did a 30-day challenge of blogging about the names and attributes of God. It was an amazing and enlightening time for me!

If you missed any of those, you can always sneak back to my past blogs and get caught up (wink, wink).

Recently, I've been itching to do another challenge so I've decided that it's time to go for it, but I'm not going to put a number on it this time (e.g. 30-day). The reason for this is that I want to spend plenty of time praying, meditating, studying, and seeking God about each blog topic prior to actually posting the blog. It might take one day or it might take four days. Who knows? I am just going to let the Holy Spirit guide me instead of forcing everything into a 24-hour period. I am very excited about this, which is why I have written this introductory blog to tell you about it.

The goal of my last "blog adventure" was to answer this question: "Who is God?"  The goal of my new adventure is to answer the question, "Who am I?" or better yet, "Who are WE?" I want to know what the Bible has to say about my identity and, of course, I want to share what I learn with you.

Each New Year's holiday brings with it a desire to be better, to learn more, to do something new, or to try something again that was previously a failure. As I mentioned in my last blog, I have chosen a REVOLUTION over the typical "resolution" and this blog series is a part of that. I hope you will join me and pray over each topic, meditate over each scripture, and allow the Holy Spirit to tell you who YOU are to God in 2014.

Do me a favor, though. If you plan to join me, either comment below or leave me a comment on my Facebook page so I can be praying for you on your journey. I'm excited to see what God wants to show us.

How about you? Are you in?