Like Mary, let’s treasure the arrivals, beginning and coming, and the uncertainty they carry, by pondering them in our heart, and surrendering them to God.
Instead of allowing the uncertainty to cause anxiety, let’s rest is the safe and sacred space of God’s grace. He loves our children far more than we can fathom, and His plan will prevail in the beauty of His sovereignty.
Read MoreGod’s standard is set
We must never forget
Our words may fail
His Word will always prevail
I’ve been a little MIA on the blog lately, 3 weeks to be exact, which is the longest breath I’ve taken since I’ve been verbally processing on this platform for nearly a year now. But please don’t mistake my mute for lack of having something to say. Actually, I’ve had far too much to say. I’ve just been processing a little more privately than publicly lately.
Processing all that is going on in the world through the lens of a Biblical worldview, with God’s Word as our standard and His love as our guide, we can never go wrong and never lose our way, because He will never lead us astray.
So, if this world is a little too much for you, too, might I encourage you to pull away. Spend more time reading His Word than you spend reading others’ words. Spend more time measuring your motives to His standard than you do trying to please others, fit in, or not offend.
Honestly, I’m worn out by all the words — especially the vile words being spewed because of the evil being pursued. Did you know the words evil and vile are made up of the same letters, just placed in a different order? And what this spells out to me is that evil is evil no matter how you try to twist or spin it, hide or disguise it.
I’m worn out by the lack of common sense and the disregard for Biblical Truth that’s actually perpetuating the evil (all under the guise of “the right thing” or “the loving thing”). Let me tell you — lying to someone is never right, and it definitely is not loving.
I’m worn out by Christians falling prey to this evil by buying into its lies, all in the name of “love,” when really, loving the world is actually hating God (James 4:4).
Read More{a reflection of Holy Week through the lens of the continual and consistent work of being REVIVED again and again}
My friend, Haley Barinowski, recently shared these words after reflecting on the word REVIVE as it relates to Holy Week. It pricked a place in my heart, and opened my mind to contemplate further this word, it’s meaning, and it’s transformational power in the life of all those who BELIEVE the Bible’s literally account of Holy Week and have RECEIVED Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior — those who have turned from their sin and surrendered to Him.
These were Haley’s words…
I've been thinking a lot about the word revive recently. Not so much revival in the sense of big church movements (although I want to learn more about that, too), but more about what it means to be revived personally — to be brought back to life, woken up, restored. And if the Lord is making all things new, then he is continually reviving. He was, He is, He will. I was in Luke some this week reading about Jesus last week before he died, and it was there, too, even on His way to death, He was bringing things to life…
Palm Sunday: He revived service by hand picking a brand new colt — choosing the unlikely and unfamiliar.
Monday: He revived worship by cleansing the temple — making a way for the poor and helpless.
Tuesday: He revived giving by honoring a woman's two coins — honoring a sacrifice from scarcity, not surplus.
Thursday: He revived religious ceremony by fulfilling the Passover dinner — bringing substance to symbols.
Friday: He revived our access to God by tearing the temple veil — bringing us in with boldness, not fear.
Saturday: He revived our waiting — bringing meaning to our longing.
Resurrection Sunday: He revived my desperate soul — putting death in its place and bringing me to life in a way I could never find without him.
And in that case, I have to believe He will do it again tomorrow. Every spring, every morning, every moment.
"Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name." Psalm 80:18
After reading Haley’s words, I opened the Word and did a quick word study on the word, REVIVE…
There was SO MUCH in the Psalms about being revived (specifically Psalm 119). The Hebrew word for REVIVE used in the fifteen verses below is CHAYAH, and it is used 264 times in the Old Testament. It has several similar meanings when translated. These are the translations that stood out to me: to live, to sustain life, to quicken, to cause to grow, to restore, and these verses all have a common theme. That theme and the profound meaning it has in the life of a believer leapt off the page and into my heart as I read these verses. I’ve highlight the words that connected the dots. I pray that message comes alive in your heart as the Holy Spirit connects the dots personally for you, too.
Read MoreI’m a little more graced based. His convictions are rooted in truth. I’m a feeler and follow my heart. He wants the facts so he can lead with his head.
Truth and Grace. Facts and Feelings. Head and Heart.
Seemingly opposite, but beautifully blended by the love that binds us, not blinds us.
"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." ~ Colossians 3:14 ESV
Notice the word used in this translation: "harmony," not necessarily “unity” (although “unity” is used in some translations, the original greek word in the text is “sundeo” which means “to bind together” — to make complete or perfect, but not to make equal or the same). Harmony in music is multi-tonal, richer and fuller, whereas unity or unison, while still beautiful on its own, is monotone, a rather lonely tone, lacking dimension and depth.
{I could go into much more detail about how disparity is not a rarity because our humanity disrupts our unity, and I do actually in this blog post by the same title.}
Steve and I are well aware of our differences, and yet those differences are often the very thing that pulls us together, draws us closer, and allows us to learn, grow, and become richer and fuller, more complete as we complement each other, strengthening not only our marriage, but our faith, too.
We love each other better, because God loved us first and best. As Lent leads us closer to the cross, let's focus on that fact and the feelings surrounding it. Jesus, the son of God, gave His life for us, and in so doing, married seemingly different theological truths to add power and purpose to the trustworthy Good News!
Old Testament law. New Testament grace. The law fulfilled by grace, not replaced by grace. Fulfilled. Made richer and fuller. It took Jesus, fully God and fully man, to give us full access to God’s Amazing Grace. Sin separated. Sacrifice emancipated. The ultimate sacrifice that did not end in death but made a way for forgiveness. Forgiveness that forged new life, a richer and fuller life, earthly abundant now and heavenly eternal forever.
How do opposites like Steve and me find a way to love so beautifully? God's Love. Plain and simple. And yet extremely intricate and complex. Minds can’t always comprehend it, but hearts will always connect to it and through it.
Read MoreLove what God loves. Hate what He hates. Do what He says. Walk in His ways.
Love is not love outside of Love Himself. God is love. (1 John 4:8)
We can try as we might to rewrite these truths to better fit our culture, but truth is truth. God is God, and He is love.
Love and Truth do not exist without Him. They exist because of Him.
He has commanded us to love from the beginning. It is not a new concept. There are no new rules to follow.
He hasn’t changed His standard. He hasn’t edited His Word to make it more culturally relevant.
Church, we must stop allowing the world to tell us how to love. We must stop allowing the lies and deception of the world to replace the truth of God’s Word.
It’s dangerous. It’s deception at it’s finest, and God will have no part in it.
We the People who are the Body of Christ
It’s time to fight for what is right.
It’s time to let love win by covering a multitude of sin.
I’m feeling a little William Wallace-ish today. No, I am not going to paint my face blue, but I am going to share my heart with you.
After much prayer and many tears, I have written and rewritten what God’s Word, His Truth, His Voice has been stirring in my heart about a call to love, but I must warn you, it is not a gushy, mushy kind of love, and it definitely does not agree with the world’s kind of love.
It’s a God kind of love. A love that lays it all on the line kind of love. A love that does not shy away from the truth kind of love. Because any other kind of love is not love at all. Any other kind of love will not last. It will eventually fall.
And that, dear friends, is what has my heart so stirred. I fear we are falling, and falling fast, because the love we are displaying is a love that will not last.
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