“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed” He is with you. He is the Way.

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“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed” He is with you. He is the Way.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9

This verse is the capstone completing God’s commissioning of Joshua. In this verse and the eight that precede it, God is calling Joshua to step up and speak out as he continues the work of his predecessor, Moses.

More than a commission, this charge from God Himself is a command, and the seven words smack dab in the middle of this verse caught my eye and moved my heart...

“do not be afraid, nor be dismayed”

The two words AFRAID and DISMAYED not only sound similar, they have similar meanings. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines them this way:

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Fight Fire with Water, not Fire. Be a Cooler, not a Fueler.

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Fight Fire with Water, not Fire. Be a Cooler, not a Fueler.

I know the familiar phrase, “fight fire with fire" can be taken a few different ways, so let me take a few paragraphs to set the stage…

I’ve always heard that phrase and thought it was a fairly good thing, implying that we should never back down and always stand our ground. Until, that is, when I heard Kayleigh McEnany reference it in the keynote speech she gave at a fundraising event for the Pennsylvania Family Institute. She closed her address with a spin on the popular saying, a spin that was spun by one of her political mentors. His advice to Kayleigh, for some rather hot, heated, and fiery debates she’ll likely find herself in, was simply:

“Fight fire with water, not fire.”

And as she passed that piece of advice on to her audience, it resonated deeply with me. And here’s what I mean…

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If Something is Reality, It Cannot be Conspiracy

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If Something is Reality, It Cannot be Conspiracy

For a year and a half, we’ve lived in a world plagued by a pandemic. We’ve watched life as we know it drastically change in ways that suggest it may never be the same. I’ve written a few articles on the debates fueled by these changes — the first couple about masks, specifically, and my strongly held view of the bigger picture surrounding them, the third about the bigger picture itself, and the last and most recent, a response to an article by John Piper. You can read them at the links below:

The Great Mask Debate

The Great Mask Debate

The Greatest De-Bait

Isn’t Freedom a Reason To Be or Not To Be Vaccinated

My issue all along has not been with a piece of cloth or a shot in the arm, it has been with mandating these things must be done in order for this battle to be won. One thing this past 19 months has revealed is that this war wages on well beyond a pandemic.

And if we continue to give in, this war will never end.

One mandate sets the stage for the next, but even the lunacy, hypocrisy, and inconsistency surrounding the mandates has not been enough to convince the masses that…

If something is reality, it cannot be conspiracy.

Lest I be accused of mincing words, let me put it this way:

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Isn’t Freedom a Reason To Be or Not To Be Vaccinated? — A Response to John Piper’s article: “A Reason to be Vaccinated: Freedom”

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Isn’t Freedom a Reason To Be or Not To Be Vaccinated? — A Response to John Piper’s article: “A Reason to be Vaccinated: Freedom”

You can read (and/or listen to John Piper read) the article in its entirety at the link below. I did both hoping that hearing his tone would help me better understand his heart and his reason for the article, but honestly, it left me confused and concerned about a well respected Christian influencer’s interpretation of freedom.

A Reason to Be Vaccinated: Freedom (Article by John Piper posted on 10/19/21)

Granted, Piper’s article focuses on freedom FROM the fear of man in which he concludes, or rather assumes, for his audience, this freedom leads to a reason FOR vaccination, not FOR choice. He glosses over those who may have chosen not to be vaccinated for various reasons, to focus on those he fears are falling prey to dangerous ideologies or conspiracies that might be the peer pressure holding them back from getting vaxxed.

Isn’t freedom a reason to be or not to be? Isn’t there peer pressure on both sides?

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An Invitation to Conversation

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An Invitation to Conversation

On Thursdays, I BJ’s. I drop Isaac off at co-op, and I head just down the road to our local BJ’s. I had just started a podcast on the three minutes it takes me to get there, and as I was gathering my things to get out of my vehicle, I was tempted to grab my AirPods, put at least one in, hide it behind my hair, and continue listening to my podcast while I shopped.

Now there is nothing wrong with wanting to do this, but I just felt this nudge to not do it. I knew I could finish it later in the day, and so I left them in my car and headed in to shop. I knew what I needed to get. My coupons were clipped. And I thought this would be a quick trip.

But God had other plans.

On the cleaning products aisle, I ran into an old friend. We chatted and laughed. We hugged and encouraged one another in the Lord. We caught each other up on our “kids” — my boys, her girls. It was nice. It blessed us both and made us smile.

And that conversation led to another.

A few minutes later, back at the deli, a lady approached me, apologized if her reason for striking up a conversation seemed odd, and proceeded to tell me she was new to the area and couldn’t help but overhear my conversation with my friend moments earlier. She was craving connection. We chatted about church, community, and how different life had been for the past year and a half. We exchanged contact information, and are planning on having coffee soon.

And that conversation led to another.

After I added a few more items to my cart, as I was pulling a package of deodorant off the shelf, yet another lady approached me with a similar salutation as the last conversation. “I hope you don’t mind, I heard you talking to the lady at the deli and you seemed really friendly and approachable...” She was not new to the area, but she was new to BJ’s and had some questions. We chatted about coupons and the app and a little bit of this and that, and quite honestly, it was lovely, and she was so grateful I took the time to explain these things.

So, as I walked toward the check out and checked the last item off my list, I thanked God for the invitation to conversation He had extended to me before I even stepped foot in the store.

It made me realize how much I’m on my phone and in the zone and how much that affects my body language and tone. Saying yes to an invitation to conversation extends that invitation to others.

3 conversations. Each leading to the next. Invitations to conversations.

How will you say yes to an invitation to conversation today?

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I Have Something to Say about Any Number of “Easy” Ways

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I Have Something to Say about Any Number of “Easy” Ways

I’ve been in the author/speaker/teacher world for a few years now. That being said, I’m really a nobody next to the somebodies in the industry — my friends and followers few, my platform as small as the audience that surrounds it.

So, if being successful in the industry, adds to my validity, you really have no reason to listen to little ol’ me.

That’s why I will forever beg you to not listen to me, and instead listen only to Him. No need to follow me. Just follow Jesus. He will never lead you astray.

As long as I have breath in my lungs and God’s Word in my heart, my boast will forever remain in Him. My source of truth and the reason for everything I do will forever be because He made me, forgave me, and saved me.

If I want others to have an abundant life in Christ, my words must always point them to God’s Word.

His Way.

His Will.

His Word.

My words will always fall short.

His Word never returns void.

When I first started writing more publicly, the advice I was given was that “easy sells” and “less is more.” Consolidate your thoughts into 3-5, maybe up to 10 things/ways/keys to a better this, an easier that, but whatever you promise, make it STAT!

And I can do that. And I have done that. And then I think, “who am I to promise a foolproof way of doing anything?”

Remember, I’m a nobody. A nobody that is loved by God Almighty. He alone gives me the keys to practicality.

People want practical. Hey, I’m wired that way, too. I’m not knocking practical application of Biblical truth.

But empty, gimmicky promises, while they may sell, do not age well.

Life is not formulaic, it’s a mosaic that God designs and refines using the fragments of a broken life molded by the pressure of living in a broken world.

I don’t want to grow my audience, I want my audience to GROW — in maturity, not quantity.

I want to build God’s Kingdom, not a platform.

I want to give others a “Who Through,” not a “how to.”

I desperately want to know Him more so I can make Him known in this desperate world.

3 keys to this...

5 steps to that...

10 ways to a better...

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There are Two Sides to Every Story...Until There’s Not, and Then What?

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There are Two Sides to Every Story...Until There’s Not, and Then What?

There are two sides to every story until there’s not, and then what?

On April 21, 2020, a month into a global pandemic, there was a whole lot going on in my heart (there still is), but there were also a whole lot of unknowns, a whole lot of new ideas, theories, and data, and a whole whole lot of personal opinions. I processed my take on it all in this social media post entitled, There are Two Sides to Every Story months before I began officially “blogging” on my website.

And I FELT every word of that post, and I meant it, too. I still do. There are passionate people on both sides. Passionate for extremely personal reasons. Passionate because of this incredibly hard season.

Fast forward almost a year and a half later, and while there are still (and always will be) unknowns, there is a whole lot more research, data, and experience forming and fueling these ideas and theories (and a theory can be just that, a plain ol’ theory devoid of any conspiracy).

That being said. I still believe...

There are two sides to every story...until there’s not, and then what?

What exactly do I mean? Well, let me explain by telling you what I see...

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The Most Important Decision You'll Ever Make

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The Most Important Decision You'll Ever Make

I heard a song yesterday (one of my favorites actually), but yesterday when I listened, it literally did what the lyrics describe — It took me back to the time I met Jesus, not the time I said a prayer or was baptized, but the time I truly understood and experienced His love, grace, and forgiveness in my own life. It was a time when the complexities of Christianity became, for me, a simple reality through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

God is no longer distant to me, He’s near to me through the person of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. He saved me, redeemed me, and set me free from the bondage and burden of sin.

In this world, there are a lot of decisions vying for our immediate attention, but yesterday as God took me back through this song to the most important decision I’ve ever made, He nudged me to simply share about it with you, too. So, I’m inviting you to simply push pause in your day, stop scrolling, and give me just a few minutes to tell you about this life changing decision that requires your undivided attention.

And the song that prompted it all and literally took me back — “Take Me Back” by Meredith Andrews.

The lyrics are simple, but their meaning is quite profound, and it stirred up something my cynical and sarcastic heart needed to feel. This heavy and hurting world has a way of making us all a little callous and cold — numb and maybe even naive to the false narratives it’s insisting we believe. Sarcasm and cynicism are my go to coping mechanisms, but unfortunately they have no power against the real enemy.

Only Jesus, the son of God, sent to save us. He alone holds the authority to rescue us from the enemy. He has our back. He can’t wait to take us back.

Take me back to the day I met You

When my dead heart came alive

I was running but You came chasing

You couldn’t wait to take me back

God longs to “take me back.” He longs to “take you back,” too.

You see, we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We literally, because of our sin, are separated from Him...spiritually dead. And as long as we go our own way, do our own thing, live by our own worldly standards, we stay separated from God.

But...

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” ~ 2 Peter 3:9

A price had to be paid. A way had to be made.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 6:23

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” ~ John 14:6

His great love was manifested in His amazing grace.

As I reached the chorus of the song, the tears started to flow a little more freely as I was reminded of my freedom in Christ made possible by the power of Gospel...

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The Power of Praise on the Harder Days

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The Power of Praise on the Harder Days

Have you ever had a really good cry? You know, the guttural cry that takes your breath away, the cry you think could last all day?

The tears won’t stop, and the more they flow, the more they show — revealing the source of the heartache, exposing the place of the pain.

I’ve had a few of those lately. Maybe you have, too.

I know my tears never have nor will they ever bring people back, annihilate evil, calm chaos, change minds, or mend broken hearts, and yet, that’s the reason many of them fall...

The brokenness of this world keeps breaking me down. I know it’s likely breaking you down, too.

When the tears fall and my heart cries out to God to save the lost, expose the evil , calm the storms, change minds and lives, heal the hurting, and mend the broken...

It’s then that I witness the power of praise on the harder days.

In Psalm 22, David reminds himself as he cries out to God, and we should let it remind us, too, God literally inhabits the praise of His people. He dwells in our praise. Our praise enthrones Him.

So, when we are down, the most powerful thing we can do is lift Him up. When we do, we can experience the power of His presence, and in His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11), and the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10)...

The power of praise on the harder days.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring 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.” ~ Isaiah 61:1-3

What can you praise Him for today?

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The World is Heavy, but God Still Holds It

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The World is Heavy, but God Still Holds It

The world is heavy, but God still holds it.

Remember the song “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”?

Well, I’m here to testify, that He does in fact have the whole world in His hands even if it seems too heavy for anyone to hold.

And no matter how heavy it gets, he can handle it. He can hold it. He will always uphold it. And we, well, we get to behold it.

His arms and hands are big enough to hold this crazy heavy world, and still have room and strength to hold you, too.

He is mighty to save. Mighty to heal. Mighty to redeem. Mighty to set free.

No matter how heavy the world gets.

In this heavy world, we must lay down our heavy hearts, and lift up holy hands.

Praise Him. Testify to His Sovereignty and Might. Nothing and no one will thwart His plan. Nothing and no one will remove the world from His hands.

He made it. He sustains it. And while it may be heavy, He still holds it.

“For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.” ~ Psalm 95:3-5

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10

The world is heavy, but God still holds it.

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When My Heart is Shattered and My Thoughts are Scattered, Your Word is All that Matters

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When My Heart is Shattered and My Thoughts are Scattered, Your Word is All that Matters

When my heart is shattered and my thoughts are scattered, your Word is all that matters.

When my heart is shattered...

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” ~ Psalm 34:18

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” ~ Psalm 147:3

When my heart is shattered and broken by the things of this world, I can remember, the Lord is not only near, He hears and He heals.

When my mind is scattered...

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6-7

“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

When my mind is scattered and overwhelmed by the things of this world, I can remember He is my source of peace and when I focus on Him, I watch my stress decrease.

C’mon Church, we should recognize the enemy’s tactics by now. He’s not creative or innovative. He keeps doing the same thing. If he can distract us, he can divide us.

Shatter and scatter. That’s his plan. Deter our hearts and minds away from the hope we have in Jesus Christ, question the standard God has already set, and taint the Good News of the life giving Gospel with bad news of the death and destruction running rampant in this fallen world.

But try as he might to tempt our hearts and minds to live in fear and doubt and remain shattered and scattered, we know the Truth. We have direct access to that Truth for a reminder when we need it.

It is a Truth and not only reminds us, it defines us. We are more than conquerors in Christ. (Romans 8:37) Our only offensive weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and we must wield it well in this battle against the enemy.

Eyes off Jesus, we sink. Eyes on Jesus, we soar.

Keep God’s Word in our hearts and in our minds to guard against the enemy’s tactic to shatter and scatter.

Know his game. Defeat him by the truth you proclaim.

So, when my heart is shattered and my thoughts are scattered, your Word is all that matters.

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The Greatest De-Bait: Taking Authority Over Our Real Enemy, so he Can’t Have Power Over You and Me

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The Greatest De-Bait: Taking Authority Over Our Real Enemy, so he Can’t Have Power Over You and Me

Well, it’s been over a month since I posted on the blog, and it’s been just under a year since I posted the original Great Mask Debate, that, true to its title, stirred up a rather great debate. All in all, it was civil and cordial, and I am quite grateful for the great debate that it was. I do not post things flippantly or insensitively, and if/when I eventually hit “post,” it’s likely been after a time of prayer and reflection. This post is no different. It’s my heart’s response to further reflection on a couple posts I keep revisiting as I continually check my motives and message.

Those posts: The Great Mask Debate and The Great Mask Debate {Revisted}.

Why do I keep revisiting them? Well, I assure you it is not to beat a dead horse, but rather to reassess them in light of new data, new studies, new information, all the while holding them up to the light of the unchanging Truth of God’s Word.

I can’t quite put my finger on why I’ve been silent this past month, but I do know that maybe like a lot of you, words are just plain hard these days, or at least finding the right ones, and when it comes to these sensitive subjects that impact lives (and have literally driven a wedge between families, both in homes and in churches), well, I want to be solely dependent on God’s Word above every other thing I read, see, or hear from any other reputable or non-reputable source.

So, I’ve been directing my feeble attempt at words to God in prayer (the most powerful use of my words) and to my husband in processing (a great filter before I spill them out into the world). Honestly, my heart’s been shattered and my thoughts scattered as I've tried to make sense of all the nonsense, and then it dawned on me…

I’m calling this post “The Greatest De-Bait” because I believe when we truly dig deep into God’s Word, then we’re able to recognize all these debates as the bait of the god of this world. (Honestly, I’ve fallen prey to his tactics more often than not lately, thus the reason for feeling scattered.)

The enemy baits his hook with enticing little lies and wants nothing less than to lure us away from Truth of God’s Word. He distracts us by breeding division, dissension, and confusion among us. He is the father of lies and takes pride in our compromise because it leads to decisions that are unwise — we’re watching this happen before our very eyes! And that is why we must recognize this bait for what it is and engage in the greatest de-bait known to man — exposing the enemies lies by lifting up the name of Jesus and surrendering to His Authority.

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Wheat is Wheat. A Grain by Any Other Name Just isn't the Right Thing. Be the Wheat.

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Wheat is Wheat. A Grain by Any Other Name Just isn't the Right Thing. Be the Wheat.

Wheat is wheat. A grain by any other name just isn’t the right thing. Be the wheat.

There are a lot of different names for a lot of different things these days. Understanding Biblical Truth through the lens of a Biblical Worldview demands that we define our terms, name our nuances, and think critically within the context of the conversation.

We don’t have time to mince words. It’s time to submit to God’s Word, and in order to obey it, we must seek to understand it.

Did you know that true believers are compared to wheat in the Bible? And in every reference and translation, the word is “wheat.” However, there are several “imposters of wheat” or “competitors of wheat” called out in the Word as well, primarily in the book of Matthew.

In Matthew 3, when John the Baptist was preaching repentance and testifying of the fruit that would be produced after true repentance, he said to the Pharisees and Sadducees:

“‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’” ~ Matthew 3:7-12 ESV

And again in Matthew 13, teaching through a parable, Jesus said,

“‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”~ Matthew 13:24-30 ESV

(In the KJV, weeds are referred to as tares.)

Chaff, by definition, is the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing or threshing. It is likened to trash or worthless things.

Weeds are “wild plants growing where they are not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants.”

And tares were known as “injurious weeds resembling wheat when young.”

Chaff, weeds, or tares. Call them what you want, none of them are wheat. None of them are substantive or useful. They are worthless substitutes that cause harm and are cause for alarm.

And it’s high time, we recognize the danger of being deceived by imposters.

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Sit. Walk. Stand. Start from Rest to Finish Best.

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Sit. Walk. Stand. Start from Rest to Finish Best.

As I went about my routine this morning, I was reminded of the parallel my physical life has with my spiritual life.


I woke up, brewed some coffee, sat on my porch, spent time in God‘s Word, and went for a walk.


As a believer in Christ, I am also called to wake up and be alert, and that happens best when I drink in the Word.


The daily walk is important, yes, but not before we understand true rest...


You see, I’m reading (another) little book this summer (you may recall me reading and posting daily about “A Gospel Primer for Christians” by Milton Vincent throughout the month of June). This little gem of a resource is “Sit. Walk. Stand. The Process of Christian Maturity“ by Watchman Nee. It’s a study guide of sorts through the book of Ephesians (one of my favorite books of the Bible). Like the Gospel Primer, this book is rather tiny, but let me tell you, it sure is mighty!


If you know me at all, you know I love words! Watchman Nee hones in on three important verbs for the Christian life — Sit. Walk. Stand.


If you’ve read my Bible study, CALLED, you’ll recall the middle six chapters are verbs I refer to as “stepping stones“ into all the places God is calling us to go. God‘s Word is a powerful weapon for the Christian warrior, and practical application is key if we are to honor God by doing what it says.


So, this morning, as I focused more on sitting, it reminded me of chapter 4 of CALLED. Called to Be. Being breeds a better doing. We must BE first so we can DO best, or as Watchman Nee puts it, We must SIT before we WALK or STAND.

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God's Standard is Set. We Must Never Forget...

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God's Standard is Set. We Must Never Forget...

God’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).

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In the War of Words, It's {Still} Time for a Better Word

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In the War of Words, It's {Still} Time for a Better Word

I love words, but I am so tired of them. Seriously, the twisting and manipulating, the demeaning and degrading, it all has me completely worn out.

I wrote a blog post last year entitled In the War of Words, It’s Time for a Better Word, and I guess you could consider this post a part 2, because ironically, I have a few more words to say about these wars our words are waging. The emotional ammunition with which we keep firing back keeps us all raging. It’s a vicious cycle. Ya wanna know why?

Because we keep opening our mouths before we open God’s Word, or rather, we may be opening It, but we certainly aren’t doing what It says.

And since this battle we find ourselves in “is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12), we must “put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, we may be able to stand our ground, and after we’ve have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13)

Why are we fighting with our words when God has called us STAND on His Word and SPEAK His Word? It is the only offensive weapon in our armor. We must wield well the Sword of the Spirit if we are to defeat the enemy, the god of this world, the author of lies, the deceiver of souls by taking down his strongholds, dividing his lies from God’s truth, and setting his captives free to experience true victory in Jesus.

Yes, indeed, the very Word of God is sharper than any double edge sword, and It is the only weapon we need to defeat the enemy. Our words are merely weapons against each other and do nothing to defeat the real enemy.

We must stop using OUR words (our explanations and definitions) because they are skewed ever so slightly to fit into OUR point of view, and they will always fall short of the target of the enemy.

Nuance and semantics allow us to say a whole lot while really saying nothing at all. Because without the power of God behind them, words will always fall short. They will always be misunderstood. They will always be used to confuse. They will always be manipulated to elevate one group/person while putting down the next. It is simply the way of the world, and our words will always go that way apart from God’s Word and His Way.

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Obedience, Faith, & Agreement will Accompany a True Believer (and not Just When it's Convenient)

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Obedience, Faith, & Agreement will Accompany a True Believer (and not Just When it's Convenient)

It’s been a couple weeks since my last blog post, so who’s ready for another Sunday sermon recap?!?

Actually, as an introduction, I’m also going to share a couple truths from last Sunday’s sermon as well. Pastor Morris Brown brought a word a week ago about God’s Word, our Absolute Truth, and Pastor Joe Green brought another one yesterday about Obedience, Faith, & Agreement.

The Word of God is not only full of power packed truths. It is the Absolute Truth. The final say. It does not return void. It will not return to the Father in Heaven without having accomplished what He intended it to do here on earth!

So why on earth would we not choose to obey it, have faith in it, and agree with what it says? I can tell you, the alternative doesn’t bode well temporarily and doesn’t end well in light of eternity.

God gave us His Word for a reason. He wants us to read it, apply it, and live by it. And the ONLY way to do that is through OBEDIENCE, FAITH, and AGREEMENT.

What does that mean?!? I’m glad you asked. Here’s an answer through the wisdom I gleaned from the words of Pastor Green...

Honestly, these three words are one in the same. Of course, if you looked them up in the dictionary, the definitions would vary, but hear me out as and you’ll better understand what I’m talking about as we look at a few passages of scripture and dig a little deeper into the meaning of and the power behind these three words.

I’ll start with the same question Pastor Green asked the congregation on Sunday morning:

Do you love love God or do you just like love God? In other words, where is your devotion?

Is your love merely lip service and maybe occasionally attending a church service, or is it all consuming so much so that it has you daily pursuing?

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Unity in Diversity

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Unity in Diversity

We serve a Triune God. Three in one. The essence of Unity in Diversity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — same Almighty God, yet uniquely different.

This past Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, Dr. Joe Green continued his sermon series on unity as he contrasted the story of the Tower of Babel found in Genesis 11 with the story of Pentecost found in Acts 2.

In both stories, unity was being sought.

In Genesis, they were seeking a prideful unity that resulted in disobedience to God and was fueled by wanting to control unity by their own means. They had one language, but instead of trusting God with their unity, they wanted to “make a name from themselves.” The result: God confused their language and scattered them.

In Acts 2:1-8, this is what we read, “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?”

The Acts account of unity is still unity in diversity, but it’s God ordained, given by the Father, sealed by the Son, manifested by the Holy Spirit. The people were all together in one place, but this time, they did not try to control the unity. They trusted God’s plan that was ushered in by a mighty rushing wind. Just like in Genesis, they began to speak in other languages. This time, however, it did not confuse or divide them, it brought them together and unified them. Verse 5 tells us that devout men from every nation under heaven heard it and came together because of it. They were amazed and astonished because each one was hearing his own language.

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Sometimes People Wear me Out, but All the Time God Fills me Up

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Sometimes People Wear me Out, but All the Time God Fills me Up

Sometimes people wear me out, but all the time God fills me up.

I know that is such a flippant thing to say, snarky in a way, so let me provide some context to help keep the sarcasm at bay.

From what I observe (primarily from online interactions), people might be wearing you out, too, with all their different points of view, and if that’s true, might I encourage you to simply go to the source of all truth.

The Word of God.

It is a well that never runs dry. It alone can satisfy. So, when you’re weary and you’re wondering why, look closely at your supply.

Are you trusting the word of others before going to the Word of the One who is above all others?

Are you allowing people’s opinions and convictions to inform what you do or don’t do, who you follow or listen to, or what you believe about a God you thought you knew?

Hear me out. It is ok to learn from others, in fact, we should be learning and growing in community alongside other believers, but just because someone strongly believes something (doctrinally or otherwise) does not make it true. Only God’s Word can define Truth if you are looking through the lens of a Biblical worldview.

He gave us His Word. He left us His Holy Spirit to help us rightly divide and apply His Word as we live in this world. Others’ words can help or hurt our understanding of His Word. They can support or distort His Word. They can bring clarity or discrepancy to God’s Word, our ultimate authority. But no matter how good or not so good others’ words are, they will always fall short. His Word will never return void.

So, when people wear you out, let God fill you up.

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