He never leaves you

Though problems continue to surround us. We know He's there. We know the good times will return. The devil in all his forms will dissappear and peace will return, health will return, finances will return. We will pass the test. We will graduate. We will escalate. And we will celebrate.

2 Samuel 22:2:

And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer

It's been a while

Gosh, where to begin when you haven't posted anything since February? We just went through a very difficult time and a very painful cross country move. We picked up, moved away from a home and family and friends we love. We've moved to Pennsylvania in accordance with God's will. It has NOT been easy and I wanted to move just about as much as Jonah wanted to go to Nineveh. We have been surrounded on all sides with problems and financial issues, but we are not defeated. We will not lose hope or faith or confidence. The story could fill a book and those who know me know only a glimpse of what we have gone through since I really haven't let it all out. Just a few challenges: the death of my mother in law the week we moved, watching my father in law lose his apartment we paid for, closing our business, moving for Jaime to take a job, me starting over completely in teaching and coaching ministry and looking for work in the meantime to pick up the slack in our finances, the relocation issues and nightmare of paying for 2 properties (since our house hasn't sold in Florida) is 'seemingly' devastating. The trials and tests, the financial burden...it all seems never ending. We've gone through so much in 18 months. We're down to nothing - so I guess that means God's up to something! I'd be institutionalized if I didn't have the Lord. Today I just wanted to post a praise to God for the comfort I continually find in his Word. When my flesh screams out, 'Help me God!', he always has an answer. If you are going through what seems like more then you can bear at times, just know he is there. Cry out to the only one who can save you! The Lord is out there, waiting for you to trust in and rely on ONLY Him. He has never left you and nothing you have done to muck things up can change his love for you. He will fulfill his promises, be patient. Happiness is based on happenings, but you can still have the joy of the Lord in the midst of trials. For almost 6 months, the Lord has put the words 'surrounded', and 'on all sides' and 'on every side' in my heart. So I dug in deep to His word looking for answers. He shows us such great things. He shows us there are times we will be surrounded by the enemy, buffeted like Christ, bombarded with trouble. Luke 19:43 (NKJV)'For the days shall come upon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee around, and keep thee in on every side.' And he also tells us it's OK to feel confused about it: 2 Corinthians 4:8 'We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair.' More than Job and his blame casting friends or Jeremiah preaching while in the stockade, we have new covenant promises! We have the mind of Christ, the fruit of the Spirit and His Word. He promises to use the hard times as a way to build us up to such a greater good if we stand strong rooted on the rock of His Word: 2 Corinthians 4:17 'For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory'. Oh, praise his holy name that I can be glad in trials! Finally, we can look forward to the ultimate outcome. Satan is relentless on those who fear the Lord and walk on His path, even if it's not always easy, but eventually, he loses and we are promised Victory: Revelation 15:2 'And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mingled with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass and having the harps of God.'

If you are in despair, confused or bombarded with more problems than you can handle, call on Him. If you are a believer, pray this prayer:

Father, In you I rejoice, because you give me the desires of my heart. I just have to wait for them. I've tithed, I've been obedient and I have not given up on you. Thank you for these trials, I will emerge as Gold. My human understanding can't see how it will all work out, but you do because your thoughts are not our thoughts, and your ways are not our ways. Thank you for opening the windows of Heaven. I love you Lord. I am good soil, ready to receive your rains, In Jesus mighty and precious name. Amen

If you don't have the hope that I have talked about or you want or need Christ in your life to Help you, pray this prayer: Father, thank you for your son, Jesus. I believe he died for my sins and that you raised him from the dead. Jesus, come into my life and don't let me go. Help me. Save me.

If you prayed that prayer, please blog me and tell me. I want to rejoice and pray with you, because I know if you prayed that, the Holy Spirit just moved into your heart. The bible says that where the spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty. Welcome to the kingdom. I know there is a light at the end of your tunnel. And that your problems are now 'but a light affliction'.

All of us can then state this in authority: 'satan, you lousy little worm, you lose! Get behind me!'

Hallelujia!

Resistance is Futile

Remember the Borg? If you do, you may have been a Trekkie. And, you may remember them capturing Jean Luc Picard on several occasions and telling him in monotone, 'Resistance is Futile'. If you don't remember the Borg, or Star Trek-the Next Generation, that's OK. I watched that show faithfully while in Pharmacy School and mourned it's passing from prime time. (Jean Luc Picard was a splendid example of leadership, by the way). But that's not what this post is about. Over the past few days as I've settled into the fact that we are moving to Philadelphia, I realize that 'resistance is futile' and I've had that phrase ringing in my head.

In fact, resistance is toxic...painful...and the harbinger of chaos. Unless your a salmon, it's just better to go with the flow...downstream, where God leads you to the quiet still waters. Those waters are important. That's where He gets to restore your soul. I look forward to settling in PA and drinking from them...reviving.

We are not moving by choice, but by design. God opened a door for us that no man could close. During a time of economic hardship across the board, when many small businesses are closing, we have a wonderful way out. When I found out we were moving from sunny Florida to cold Pennsylvania, I went through a two week period of RESISTING. The Fight of the Week: Live from Madison Square Garden: My Will vs. His Will.

Resisting a divine appointment is never a good thing. The Word says, 'Therefore whoever resists the Authority will resist the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judement on themselves. (Romans 13:2 NKJV). I made up with God (begged his forgiveness) for resisting his GIFT to us. Now that I've received the gift wholeheartedly, I can see clearly again. My heart is light again. My spirit sings for God again. I hear his voice guiding me and His presence comforting me. His will is good. I can expect good things for my future and await and anticipate them with HOPE. (Jerehmiah 29:11).

No matter what you are going through or growing through this week, maybe a little note on 'grace' may help. Perhaps this is just nice to read and tuck away for a future time; but maybe you will forward this on to someone who needs to read exactly the words I'm led to write today. I was speaking with my friend from Small Group this week about grace. We talked about how before Jesus, basically there was none. The only person even allowed in the ancient world to enter God's presence was the high priest. But at the moment Jesus died, after the veil of the temple was miraculously torn in two by God, grace was available to us. (Mark 15: 37-39)"For we have not a high priest (Jesus) which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16, King James Version). Isn't it amazing? We actually have a promise in scripture which tells us that no problem, temptation or issue can defeat us. Nothing can tempt us to the point where we will fail because we can go boldly to His very throne. Imagine that, no intercessors needed. Just you and God. Because of Jesus dying for us, we can connect to God where he sits - which is at every point in space and time. We can say, 'God, through Christ, give me the grace to overcome this addiction, this temptation, this earthly problem, this whatever...'And He will! He will always lovingly give his mercy and grace for our situations. People hate the word sin, but what is it really? It's missing the mark, falling short of doing things the best way, it's laying in bed saying '5 more minutes', when you should be up exercising, it's yelling at your spouse or kids and being kind to everyone else, it's so may things. Oh, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak! In short, it's messing up. People are so turned off by hearing the word, that they ignore it completely, as if 'sin' doesn't exist. But the truth is, we all mess up and we all mess up daily! Again, God knows this and gives us a chance to start over every single day. I love this other 'promise' scripture form the book of Lamentations: Vs 22-24, "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, The Lord is my inheritance, therefore I will hope in him!" When I first read those words, it lightened my heart. I love that God is so good that his mercies begin afresh each morning. What a wonderful thing. If you come to Him with a sincere and repentant heart each day and say 'God, today I don't want to do what I did yesterday, get mad in traffic, yell, use bad language, lose my temper,etc. Give me your grace'. My friends, if you believe his Word, then have faith. Believe it and it'll be done. He'll be on your side helping you. "In the same way count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your bodyto sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselvesto God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments ofrighteousness. For sin shall not be your master for you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:11-14). These literal translations of the scriptures are my favorite, but the newer translations may make it easier to understand. Listen to how the Message Bible expand the same verses: "Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer atsin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included inhis life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Neveragain will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word.You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did. "I don't know how this will apply to you, the reader, specifically. Maybe it will be different for every person. For me, I'll confess I've been struggling with my weight. I'll also confess that I'm the one messing up. I had this back surgery in December and have been using food as a crutch and a comfort. As a result of recouperating, not moving much and eating as if I were Shrek's sister, I've gained about 20 pounds which is proving very hard to lose. Yet I love to say that I can't lose weight and blame it on my bad back and inability to exercise. Poor me, the sympathy I seek will get me nowhere! I now know that I can do this. My body is still healing, yes, but I don't have to keep messing up by overeating. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in right food choices and make me God's instrument, in Jesus' name. I ask that, by my example or by the scriptures here, each reader can find their own issue to bring boldly to the throne. We are covered in his grace. The grace that states that messing-up shall not be our master. From the time I was little, I used to cry in church every time I heard the song Amazing Grace. I related it with the passing of my parents as the 'funeral song' Now I revel in the words and fill with the Spirit as I sing it because I understand with a greatful heart, just how good we have it.

"The Lord has promised good to me...His Word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be...as long as life endures..."

Now that's the Good News, His grace really is enough!