Category: New

Anonymous

The group calling themselves Anonymous is all over the internet, spreading their truth and their reality around the world. Who are they? They hide their identities behind masks and electronically altered voices.

The Ku Klux Klan, better known as the KKK, has pushed their agenda for years through fear-mongering, hiding their faces and identities behind robes and hoods, spewing hatred and persecuting anyone who disagrees with them.

Anonymity is a standing principal in AA and other recovery programs. You can call in tips to the police tip lines anonymously, and most companies have policies in place to protect your identity so that you can report unethical behavior.

These are just a few examples of anonymity in our world. I think Christians make up the biggest anonymous group in the world. We don’t talk about Jesus for fear of offending someone. We aren’t insisting that prayer be reestablished in schools. The Christian flag is missing from our churches….. and we no longer use the world ‘sanctuary’ to describe our main meeting room. Look around your church and your home. Is there a Bible in sight? Will the books and games and DVD’s convince anyone you believe in the Almighty God, and that you are a child of the Most High? I am vocal about my beliefs, but for years I hid them. This verse describes how our Christianity should ‘fit’ those who call themselves Chistians:

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ Lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NLT)

“Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” ” (Mark 4:21‭-‬23 NLT)

Anonymity may serve us well in certain situations and circumstances, but it is NEVER beneficial to be an anonymous Christian; in fact, isn’t that an oxymoron? By the words and example of Jesus, our mission as Christians is to spread His Story and ensure that every person has the opportunity to hear it. We can’t do that anonymously.

Just some thoughts that were on my mind this morning…..

Eyes On Jesus

It’s so easy to get distracted by the world, and take our eyes off of Jesus. Discouragement and sin creep in, especially when we think we have it all together and don’t see the need for fellowship with other Christians. Been there? I can relate! We fall back into relying on ourselves and forget how quickly we fall. Keep the words of Paul in mind:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race GOD has set before us.

We do this by keeping our eyes on JESUS, the Champion Who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. NowHhe is seated in the place of honor beside GOD’S throne.

Think of all the hostility He endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. And have you forgotten the encouraging words GOD spoke to you as His children?

He said, “My child, don’t make light of the LORD’S discipline, and don’t give up when He corrects you. For the LORD disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.” (Hebrews 12:1‭-‬6 NLT)

As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus…..

Grace and Peace

Are you searching for a way out of the chaos and messiness and the ugly of your life? I relate to that, because I was stuck in all that for many years. Chaos isn’t easy to walk away from. An acquaintance made a comment once, regarding a woman who was in an abusive situation. Her comment was that the woman was just stupid and weak for not leaving her abuser. It isn’t easy to leave. You may not be physically or verbally abused by a partner, but there are many things that create chaos and ugliness besides that abuse. Your physical state, or a mental disease or syndrome like autism or PTSD, can create plenty of messiness and chaos. We can’t just walk away from those, either. Maybe it’s an extreme example like Stockholm syndrome, or muscular dystrophy. It could be hidden, like a mild form of autism, or fibromyalgia, ….. or the threats you have received that if you should even attempt to leave a situation, you, your children, you family/friends will be hurt or even killed. Extreme? Yes, and no. There are counselors and psycologists, psychiatrists and physicians and other health care practitioners to assist us, but first we have to acknowledge and admit the issue. That can be excruciatingly difficult, especially when we think It’s our fault – for whatever reason. There is also the stigma that is attached to many of our situations. Many times in my life, I’ve wanted to run screaming to get away from something or someone, but i didn’t have the mental or physical strength to do it.

The first step is to admit we cannot ‘fix’ it ourselves. We have to admit we are broken. True healing, after we acknowledge our brokenness, comes only from GOD through His Son Jesus.

“May GOD THE FATHER and our LORD JESUS CHRIST give you Grace and Peace. Jesus gave His Life for our sins, just as GOD our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. ALL GLORY TO GOD FOREVER AND EVER! AMEN.” (Galatians 1:3‭-‬5 NLT)

It is never easy to admit there is something we cannot fix ourselves. We should be SELF sufficient, and not rely on anything or anyone to help us …. Right? No. Wrong. Humans were created to desire fellowship with one another, and especially with our LORD. Without Him, our lives will always have the hole that we try so hard to fill up with relationships or booze or drugs or food, shopping or sports or material things. ONE answer, and ONLY one, will satisfy our souls and give us the Grace and Peace we so desperately are looking for. The Name of JESUS. Can I get an Amen??

In The Dark

“There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” ” (John 3:1‭-‬2 NLT)

Are you a Nicodemus, an intellectual, a skeptic, who doesn’t understand the message of Jesus? He was a man who felt that it would harm his standing in the community if he were seen talking to this teacher Jesus, Who was teaching such radical lessons. This radical, this man Jesus, claimed to be the Son of the Living GOD, of Yahweh Himself. Certainly, Jesus was not someone a Pharisee should be seen visiting, so Nicodemus waited until after dark to go. Nicodemus admits that Jesus was sent from God, but the message is hard for him to hear.

“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” ” (John 3:3‭-‬4 NLT)

A respected Jewish teacher, a member of the elite society of the Pharisees, for Nicodemus to accept what Jesus said would cost him, and it appears that he wasn’t ready. We don’t know what happens to Nicodemus; perhaps he came to accept Jesus as his Saviour, but it’s likely that he chose his earthly position over Jesus. I see it in so many people in power today. Position and status are everything, and there just isn’t enough room for Jesus. So many people, from the poorest of the poor to the richest and most powerful person on this earth, prefer the darkness over the Light. If we choose the Light, the LIFE IN Jesus, how is it that we still let so much darkness in our lives?

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:18 NLT)

I know this is true; there is no doubt in my mind the Jesus is the Trut and the Light. I am and will be eternally grateful for His Sacrifice and His Advocacy for me. WHY, then, do we as Christians continue to invite darkness into our lives? We celebrate Hallowee. Even though we try to disguise it in fun costumes and candy, or call it the Harvest Festival or other euphemism, it is still a satanic holiday. To many who are in the darkness, it is their highest holy day, and here are Christians, embracing it. I love Fall, and I thoroughly enjoy celebrating the harvests. It’s like our last hoorah before winter sets in, so we play in the leaves and gather the last of the summer’s bounty before it freezes. Decorating my house and porch with leaves and grasses and gourds is fun, and brings in a breath of warmth for the chilly weather. In the past, I was all about Halloween. I typically dressed as a witch or a vampire, and now I have so much remorse that I was actively inviting the enemy into my life and the lives of those around me. How many treats have we handed out to demons? I believe what Paul wrote in this letter:

“I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is? You say, “I am allowed to do anything” —but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.” (1 Corinthians 10:20‭-‬24 NLT)

Choose your path, whether in the Light of Jesus, or the dark of the enemy. Your choice. There are no shadows within GOD’S light.

It’s A HEART Problem…

“Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.” – 1 Timothy 6:12 NLT

Cain killed Abel with a rock. It’s a heart problem, not a rock problem. OJ, a black man, killed his wife Nicole, a white woman, with a knife. It’s a heart problem, not a skin color or a knife problem. One person gets angry and shoots another person. It’s a heart problem, not a gun problem.

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” – Jeremiah 17:9 NLT

Who can know another’s heart? Certainly not me; my “picker” has chosen badly too many times! I see what I want to see, and for years I was in ‘rescue’ mode, trying to save the next lost puppy (that’s a euphemism for a man, rather, a little lost boy in a man’s body). In the process, I lost money from buying things for them (computers, vehicles, tools, etc.); I lost emotionally through lies and cheating and affairs. My strays were not all men; there was a woman I befriended who thought nothing of using her friends to clean up her messes with their time and money and emotions. Through all of this, I forgot the faith I had grown up with, and wandered through it on my terms, without my Lord. Oh, I knew Him, and I prayed and called on Him for help, and He delivered me time after time, but I didn’t fully rely on Him.

Jeremiah had it right about the human heart. From the very beginning of humanity our hearts have gotten us into trouble. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Their firstborn, Cain, murdered his brother, Abel. The Old Testament is full of man’s deceitfulness, and even within the twelve men privileged to be with Jesus on earth there was the deceiver, Judas. Every man’s heart, every woman’s heart, is full of deceitfulness and wickedness. If you don’t believe me, just look at the around you. Everyone lies, everyone cheats, everyone deceives. It’s in our DNA, from the beginning. The GOOD NEWS is that we don’t have to sit back and take it! We have the Power of Jesus, the Power that calmed the raging sea, the Power of the burning bush, the Power that rolled away the stone that was holding His body in the grave…. we have access to the good faith, the true Faith, that comes though Jesus Christ. It is up to us, to those who have that Faith, to share it with the world. Fight the good fight. Hold tight to the LORD. Declare His Love and His Faithfulness to your world, without being self-righteous or condescending. Remember that there, except for the Grace of God, goes me, or you.

Don’t let your HEART problem keep you from the Great Physician, Jesus Christ.

Fall is Freedom and Thankfulness

Fall. My favorite part of the year. The light changes and becomes softer, muted from summer’s harshness. The winds turn from the south to the north, bringing cooler temperatures. Not yet the unremitting chill from the arctic regions, but a crispness that reminds us to gather in our remaining crops. It puts a briskness into our steps and allows us to breath deep the freshness. Trees and flowers and grasses put on their showy colors in a final burst. The feel of the air; indefinable but deeply felt, invites us to come out and play. It resonates in my soul. I sleep more deeply in the fall. When I can, I put a blanket out in the grass and revel in the freedom to just enjoy.

Do you feel it? Today is a day to be thankful for life. We should be thankful every day, but some days we need to let go of the everyday, the mundane, and just be thankful.

“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if GOD cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” ” – Matthew 6:27‭-‬30‭, ‬33‭-‬34 NLT (also Luke 12)

We are blessed with glorious fall weather today. I pray that wherever you are, whatever you are doing, you will take a moment to step outside and give thanks to the LORD, the Creator, for life and breath. Breathe deeply and make a gratitude list, from having toilet paper and running water, to having adequate shelter and clothing and transportation. Remember how GOOD our God is, even in the the tragedies and losses of our lives. Amen.

Colorado aspens; October 2016.

How To Behave…..

In a discussion a few days ago, I was told that we are to follow the old Law, the law of the Ten Commandments. I don’t disagree with that statement, but the the answer Jesus gave takes it all and breaks it down very simply.

” ‘Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?’ Jesus replied, ‘You must love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.’ ” – Matthew 22:36‭-‬40 NLT

If we follow His lead here, everything, every thought, would be taken away from the enemy. There would be no cursing or gossip, no thoughts of rage or irritation at those who offends you. I’m not there yet, and my thoughts are something I work on daily. Paul wrote this to help Timothy and other Christians, including us:

“So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. ….. Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to GOD when He judges the world.” – 1 Peter 2:1‭, ‬11‭-‬12 NLT

If the followers of Christ around the world could get this part right, what an example it would be for all of those who don’t know Him! Short and sweet; that’s Jesus. If we surrender our thoughts to the Holy Spirit, and we submit our lives to the LORD, think how we could influence others. It’s difficult to keep my tongue silent and my mouth closed when I want to speak badly of someone. Gossip rolls off my tongue with ease. Why not tell a “white” lie if it benefits me? Because sin is sin in GOD’S eyes. A lie is a lie, deceit is a lie; hypocrisy, jealousy, gossip, backstabbing, rumors….. all lies, and ALL lies, no matter how large or how small or so “white” are sin. Remember Lucifer, the enemy, aka Satan, the Father of Lies? He makes it so simple, and so attractive, to skip by the truth. If we truly love our neighbor, and treated them as we want to be treated, we would never tell the tiniest lie or any unkind word. Something to note here: our neighbor includes family, friends, coworkers, classmates…. any person outside of ourselves are our neighbors.

It’s impossible to fully love anyone else if we don’t first love God, and second, love ourselves. If I don’t like me, how well do you think I’m going to like – or LOVE – anyone else? I believe that’s a pretty important distinction. Whether you follow Christ or the enemy is absolutely your choice. For your sake, I pray you will follow Christ.

Filth? Evil?

“So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.” – James 1:21 NLT

What is filth? What is evil? Everything is so skewed in our world… From the time of Adam and Eve, we have been hell bent on proving we are as intelligent as the Creator. We listen as the Father of lies fills our hearts and our heads with the promise that we are gods, equal to the Almighty. The liar assures us that there is no greater God than ourselves, and that we are free to do and live any way we choose. Satan is correct on one point: it is our choice to live how we we. What Satan doesn’t want us to know is that our Creator built free will into our DNA, because our LORD will never force us to choose Him. He wants us; He yearns for us to have a relationship with Him, and He will always leave it up to us. Have you ever loved someone so much that you feel a physical pull towards them, an emotional, even spiritual connection, only to have them choose someone else? If you have never experienced that connection, my heart hurts for you. If you have experienced it, and lost it – as I have – then you know the agony it causes. Anyone who has lost a child knows it. God loves us even more, more than we can comprehend, yet we routinely turn our backs oh His pure Love for the glittery fake the enemy dangles in front of us.

The only way to know truth is to fall back on God’s Word. If you have never read the Bible yourself, I suggest going online to http://bible.com and choose either the NIV or NLT version, and start reading in John, chapter one, verse one. It’s so beautiful. Throughput the history of the earth, God has employed poets and writers and other artists to share His Love for us, with us. It makes me so sad when I read comments on social media or in the news, or hear people stating that a Creator God is myth, and the Bible is a collection of stories written by old men – as if it were fairy tales. I cry for those people who have chosen the ultimate lie.

Jesus Christ was not a good man. He was not a prophet. He is either Who He says He is, the Son of the Most High God, or He is an insane man. History supports the Son of God. Archeological evidence points to the Garden, and every day brings forth new physical evidence to support the Scriptures. When I say we believe it, or not, at our own peril, I do not say it to be fear monger. I say with the strength of Scriptures and science. There is a heavenly, there is a hell, and there is ONE God over all. I pray you make peace with Him, before it is too late.

What Is Your Ministry?

“This is your ministry, and God has gifted you for this assignment: “A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.” (1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT)

As members of Christ’s body, we are his hands, his feet, his eyes, and his heart. He works through us in the world. But without the Love of Christ in our hearts, we are just additional noise in the world. I believe this to be true, but many days I wake up and wonder why I am here. What is my purpose? I read Paul’s words to the Corinthians and wonder what my ministry is, what purpose there is for my life. I guess that I’ve been searching for that purpose, that vocation, my entire life. I long to emulate Paul, and my Dad, who could turn any conversation into a lesson on Christ and how His Love could save us. Dad put Paul’s words into action with Christ’s Love in his heart and the enormous faith that he had.

“The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions…… This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them all.” ” (1 Timothy 1:5-6,15 NLT)

I certainly fit verses 6 and 15. By the time I turned 18, I was turning away from the things of God, things I KNEW to be true, and spent my time in those meaningless discussions. I looked at the teachings of Buddha and other religions. I decided that Jesus was merely a good man, a teacher, and a prophet…. even though I knew better. Satanic things began to worm their way into my heart because of my rejection of Jesus. For years, I was stuck between the world and the faith in grew up with. Never underestimate the Power of PRAYER. My parents hated the way I lived, but they never stopped praying for me, and I know that their prayers are all that stood between me and the enemy. It took hitting bottom several times before I finally, truly, gave up and gave in to Jesus (I’m a slow learner sometimes, okay??)

There is a program called Celebrate Recovery that is offered in many churches, and it is based on the 12 Steps of Alcoholic Anonymous, only with Jesus added. It is not a program that is just for alcoholics, as I quickly learned. In fact, one statement stuck with me: “There are 2 kinds of people. Those who are IN recovery, and those who NEED recovery. “ I began going to support my husband, who was an alcoholic – among other addictions. Through CR, I discovered that I was an addict, too. I was a Codependent, my drug of choice was sex and requiring a man to be in my life. We call it a Relationship addiction, and it is a very real thing. There are many addictions of choice besides drugs and do alcohol. Yours could be work, shopping, food, cleaning; even exercise can be addicting. Cycling, running; these are very addictive. You (and I) can really take any day to day, “normal,” innocuous activity and turn it into an addiction. Actually, WE don’t turn it into an addiction; that would be the work of the enemy. Take something good, and turn it to evil.

My ministry seems to be in writing. I have spoken to groups on recovery and the need for Jesus in our lives, and I would love to do more speaking.

“The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. I thank Christ Jesus our LORD, who has given me strength to do His work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve Him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted His people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our LORD was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.” (1 Timothy 1:5‭, ‬12‭-‬14‭, ‬19‭-‬20 NLT)

Like Hymenaeus and Alexander, I was handed over to Satan to learn not to blaspheme the LORD. Unlike Paul, I blasphemed and persecuted without ignorance, but our gracious GOD forgives me my trespass and sin because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for me. Hallelujah! You can these words for the Truth that they are:

“But GOD had Mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive ETERNAL LIFE. All Honor and Glory to GOD forever and ever! He is the Eternal King, the unseen One Who never dies; HE ALONE IS GOD. Amen.” (1 Timothy 5: 16-17 NLT)