Category Archives: Faith

Faith is what spurs us to reach higher, stretch further, dig deeper, and press our natural boundaries in hopes that we can exceed all expectations.

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Building Faith For The Future

Sometimes our circumstances can cause anxiety but what I’m here to remind you is that despite the outward situation, our good and loving Father will always bring something better out from the ruins that gives all glory back to God for something so marvelous. Most of the time, His work is being done in us during the ‘wait’ for a physical condition to change. This time of patience and trust in Him builds a faith for the future.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25)

It scares us to lose these necessities, but honestly, most of us don’t consume the basics of these needs. We buy into the pleasures of food and clothing and what frightens us most about losing them is that we would lose some human praise or admiring glances if we didn’t have nice clothes and that our taste buds would miss the rich flavor of certain foods.

And to this Jesus responds: If you are gripped by anxiety over these things, you have lost sight of the greatness of life. Life was not given primarily for physical pleasures or the approval of man, but for something greater—the enjoyment of God. The things of this world can not provide the greater things of life—the pursuit of God’s gracious favor, the love and joy of His spirit and the hope of eternity in His presence.

There’s another problem with anxiety though; it leads to sinful actions and attitudes. Anxiety about finances can cause coveting, greed, hoarding and stealing. Anxiety about succeeding at something can make you irritable and abrupt. Anxiety about relationships can make you withdrawn, indifferent and uncaring about other people. Anxiety about how someone will respond to you can make you cover over the truth and lie about things. If worry could be conquered, a lot of sins would be overcome.

Here are some reminders from Jesus and Paul about God’s promises to battle unbelief:

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

“So shall my word that goes forth from my mouth; it will not come back to me empty but accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

“My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

“As your days so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25).

“I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8).

“If God is for us who can be against us!” (Romans 8:31).

“…suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3–5).

“Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save” (Isaiah 46:4).

“none of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself; if we live we live to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose again: that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living” (Romans 14:8–9).

“He who began a good work in you will complete it unto the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

“He who calls you is faithful. He will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

“He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

Rest on the promises of God and find your security in His Truth. I pray you find peace as you look back at your own testimony and see that He’s never let you go yet. Time after time, our great Provider has been there holding your hand, sometimes carrying you through it. My hope is that His word will reign supreme in your heart and mind as comfort that He will never let you go. Your solid stance on the Rock will keep you steady, though the winds may blow, you cannot be carried away with the shifting sands. When you wake up on the other side, you will see that just as He provided a way in this situation, He will also do it again and again and again. He is greater than your circumstance! Believe it and let Him build your faith for an even greater future.

Excerpts from Battling Unbelief by John Piper.

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Raising Up A Child

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8, Luke 11:9-10

We can be quick to credit an open door of opportunity as Jesus pointing us down a path. But what if that door is really an opportunity for you to step up and close it? When a parent raises up a child, there comes a time when they no longer dictate decisions and give a kid some authority to make their own. This freedom to make choices is to strengthen our moral compass.

Our Heavenly Father has kingdom work for each of us. But in order for the Almighty to entrust His plan to His children, our integrity, morality, honesty, wisdom and the gifts of the spirit are continually being pressed down, refined, and shaped. Good doors of opportunity will swing open so that we can exercise our wisdom to close it and choose God’s best. As we grow in Christ, the devil turns up the heat as it becomes harder to thwart our integrity.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 1 Corinthians 13:11

As we pray for growth in God, He extends us more freedom to fine tune His pointer on the compass of our hearts. He doesn’t force a door shut or open, but let’s His children choose. As these swinging doors open, it’s our discernment that decides who sits in the hinges.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14

Want to know what path is from God? Pray about it first. Then look for the path less traveled by masses. The one few, yet wise folks are taking. The one that requires more strength from God to stand on and less of your own stamina. What scares you? Now throw off everything you know or have done, every fear and financial burden. Recall the dream God gave you as a child and pursue your God given passion down that narrow path few have the courage in Christ to take.

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Success Doesn’t Mean God’s Favor

There’s a trap the enemy tries to seduce Christ followers with by drawing a conclusion that success in this world equates with God’s favor upon us. Psalms 84:11 says “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” But what if God’s favor doesn’t look the way our world sees success? What if the Christian martyr who is slain in the name of Jesus did not find favor with people or in the land and yet still had God’s favor to be there?

God’s favor is His presence. His spirit that guides our daily walk to bring back glory to Him. So often we seek success by our own strength; if I practice more, if I move to that place, if I had those attributes, then I will have ‘made it’. But we forget that God’s favor rarely translates into riches and fame in this foreign land. God’s favor comes from obedience to His spirit and word.

Our illustration for the favor of God is in the life of Jesus himself. He didn’t receive many warm welcomes with His messages, especially from the ‘rich’. Jesus warned “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go into the kingdom of heaven.” And just because you don’t have much money doesn’t mean you are exempt from this passage. Covetousness for riches and ‘stuff’ can be hidden in your heart. When Jesus spoke, He gave all credit and fame to God the Father.

By the worlds standards, favor looks more like the kings, rulers and Babylonians drawing crowds with popular beliefs and messages. After all, there are many stories of evil people in scripture who were allowed success. Today we see it too. And while it can be difficult to watch other’s gain popularity and ‘success’ around you, let Jesus’s words be a reminder of the Truth that goes beyond what you can see. “I say to you, do not worry about your life…” God reminds us to be careful only about one thing—our relationship to Him. “The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches,” and the lust for other things will choke out the life of God in us (Matthew 13:22).

Jesus knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things to the point where they become the primary concern of our life. Place your confidence in Christ that when you throw off the world’s desires for your life and walk in God’s favor, you can expect to see a “thiryfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold return” (Mark 4:8, 20).

Lord, I choose you. Always. Forever. First. You are so good to me. You have ravished my heart with your beauty that goes beyond any riches this world has to offer. Help my heart not get caught up in what my eyes can see. May my gaze and attention be fixed on you, I press into you. All of my love is for you. You are the reason that I live and breathe. You bring life to me. I just love you God.

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Discernment And Testing The Spirit That Speaks

Every spirit that presses on our heart needs a tried and true testing for accuracy and validity, no matter what your calling unto God is. Discernment is desperately needed in the body of Christ. 1 John 4:1-3 warns believers “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. There are several ways you can test the Spirit to know it’s true source.”

Prophecy can be delivered through and revelations given to imperfect people, so we must always test the spirit. There is always the possibility of mixing up a word from God, because our Heavenly Father chooses to use wounded people and so we are encouraged in 1 Corinthians 14:29 to “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.” Sometimes sincere people dilute God’s word by simply adding their own insights, drawing from things in their own psyche, heart, emotions, concern or sympathy to what started out as an authentic, God-given revelation. We need to learn to discern when God has stopped talking and man has continued on.

On the flip side, we ourselves must be careful when sharing revelations or visions that God has given us for someone else, so that we don’t add anything. At the very least, we need to preface anything that comes from our own interpretation. Personally, I’m not comfortable injecting my own thoughts in a message for someone else. I’m confident God will give them insight into what it means or He wouldn’t have given the vision in the first place. At all times we must seek the Lord’s wisdom.

1. Does the revelation edify, exhort or console? The end purpose of all revelation is to build up and encourage the people of God. Anything that is not directed to this end is not from the Lord. Jeremiah the prophet had to fulfill a negative commission, but even his difficult message contained a powerful and positive promise of God for those who were obedient.

2. Is it in agreement with God’s Word? God never contradicts Himself.

3. Does it exalt Jesus Christ? All revelation ultimately centers on Jesus Christ and glorifies Him (Revelations 19:10).

4. Does it have good fruit? God’s revelations produce fruit in character and conduct that agrees with the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:9, Galatians 5:22-23). Some that clearly are not the fruit of the Holy Spirit include pride, arrogance, boastfulness, exaggeration, dishonesty, covetousness, financial irresponsibility, immorality and feeding into addictive appetites and temptation.

5. If it predicts a future event, does it come to fruition? (Deuteronomy 18:20-22.) Any prediction concerning the future should come to pass if the source of revelation is God. There are some exceptions including the will of the person involved, messianic predictions that take hundreds of years to fulfill and those of national repentance where an entire nation (like Ninevah) repents and thus a word from God will not occur.

6. Does the revelation turn people toward God or away from Him? (Deuteronomy 13:1-5.) The fact that a person makes a prediction concerning the future that is fulfilled does not necessarily prove that person is moving by Holy-Spirit inspired revelation. If a person, by his own ministry, turns others away from obedience to the one true God, then that person’s ministry is false-even if his predictions were correct.

7. Does it produce liberty or bondage? “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!'” (Romans 8:15) True revelation given by the Holy Spirit produces liberty, not bondage. The Holy Spirit never causes God’s children to act like slaves, nor does He ever motivate us by fear or legalistic compulsion.

Stick close to Jesus. Seek Him. Love Him! Give your all to Him. James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Desire intimacy with God and walk in obedience through your relationship with Him and watch as the channels separating you and Jesus fly open as He begins to pour His voice into your life.

(Excerpts from Exploring Your Dreams and Visions by James W. Goll)

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The Devil Is In the Details

Satan is the father of lies, a deceiver and one who twists the word of God. He casts doubt in what God says to conform a person’s desires with scripture, regardless of wisdom or the Truth. 1 Corinthians 6:12 AMP says “Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things). Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.” Sometimes our ‘good’ intentions are not God’s best.

Satan questioned God’s word with Eve and mocked Jesus in the wilderness, and he’s calling out to our hearts in the same manner as well. The devil not only draws us into doubt by questioning God’s word but even the Almighty’s authority. Since we can’t see or touch our Omniscient God, the deception of time and space causes us to think (or not think at all) that He doesn’t know when our minds and hearts are ‘somewhere else’. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

There’s an old saying, ‘the devil is in the details’, so take heed and pay attention to the place of your heart. You can be off caliber with God’s voice and think the messages you’re hearing are from His spirit. Testing everything with scripture and Proverb’s wise counsel, the Lord will reveal His will. There’s no one way to seek God, but there are some truths to hearing his voice. Here are just a couple on how to ‘get real’ with God and seek His spirit.

Completely devote your prayer and worship time to God. When you think about the things in your life that you devote time and attention to (ie: work, relationships), what does that look like? For the most part, devotion is more than a few minutes in the morning and a couple worship tunes. Don’t get me wrong, God is glorified and invited into our day with this kind of worship, but if you’re looking for the heavens to call down, it takes more than a small fraction of your time? This world consumes bombards our attention for most of the 24 hours we have, so which message do you think sounds louder at the end of the day?

I see a model in God’s call to give 10% of our income back to His kingdom. With this tithing message in mind, giving 10% of my day to Him is where I start. Anything after that becomes an offering. This equates to about an hour 15 in the morning and an hour 15 at night. But when I’m seeking something specific from the Lord, my time in scripture studies and prayer far exceed that designated time. I surrender to God, abandon all other demands, humbly crawl to my knees and drown my head in the clouds of the heavenlies. I stay there, sometimes all through the night, wailing in deep groans until He delivers. Note: This can be difficult for spouses (or parents) as 1 Corinthians points out that single people have the freedom to be anxious for the Lord while married people have divided interests between their spouse and God. If you’re married and/or have children, you may have to wake up earlier than your spouse and kids to seek the Lord in this capacity.

My second tip is to set your mind and heart aside and diligently throw off the distractions and lures of the enemy. Remember, the devil is in the details so be proactive in your music choices-let no explicit lyrics, no sexual messages or careless words of fame and riches sneak in through your ears. The devil is a sneaky snake. He catches us off guard in these small, behind-the-scenes areas of our lives. Be cautious of your television viewing- mind-numbing storylines, drama or sexuality that captures the gaze of your eyes. Be aware of the places you’re in- bars, nightclubs, lounges and sometimes other people’s houses. Be mindful of the people you’re surrounded with- nonbelievers, lukewarm believers, sexual partners, shady friends/acquaintances. Also, be cognisant of where you’re spending your time. Is it wrapped up in smaller distractions or on purpose in prayer? The purpose of all this is to protect your thoughts, heart and mind as you open the flood gates to God’s voice.

From my own life, I will share that the enemy tries to lure me to turn on the television and ‘just have it on in the background’ or ‘to just unwind’, but truthfully, it consumes my subconscious attention and draws me either into a show or is just something to distract my mind from where it needs to be – seeking God with all my heart, mind and soul. Sometimes it’s a temptation to text with family and friends. Or spin that old record to relax. It doesn’t take long before I recognize my spirit starts to shift. And it’s very difficult to turn a freight train back around once you’ve begun venturing down a path.

It’s like this with fasting as well. The enemy would like me to make small compromises in my choices. When my fast consists of only veges and fruits, Satan will downplay the importance of ‘nothing else’ by convincing me that curry sauce on top of veges is still veges… so it will be okay to eat that dish. It’s these kinds of small compromises that dictate the rest of my choices made throughout life. They are the same ones he tried to deceive Jesus with. The devil is in the details and I firmly believe that is where decisions begin the descent or ascent in our lives.

I am often distracted. So during these times, I first pray declaring the devil to get behind me and I ask Jesus for the strength to stay steadfast in pursuing Him. I get on my knees and pray harder if my first attempt is unsuccessful. Then I turn up my worship music even louder and plug in headphones to be completely immersed in praise. I grab my journal and just start writing out the thoughts and prayers of my heart. I open my bible and start reading devotions or scriptures to get my head back in the Word.

Sometimes our circumstance calls for choices that are different than our neighbors, but they will never be different than God’s wisdom and Word. Many have been riding the same carousel in life, going around and around with the same choices and mistakes. You can fight all day long in your own strength to make changes but when you tap into the Spirit of God, there is a strength beyond what you can muster up. Remember, the faith of Daniel didn’t come in a moment of being in the lion’s den. Year after year, he stopped what he was doing to kneel and pray three times a day. Get serious about your pursuit of God today so that you can hear and see His truths unfold tomorrow.

Lord, I want everything you are. Shine your light into this dark heart and let it reflect the light that shines from you. Take this heart and make it glow. Give me your Word as a sword to draw against deception from the devil. Shine light on every evil the enemy tries to throw my way. I want to be more like you, Father. Help me to desire a deeper intimacy with your Spirit. I can’t live a single day, I won’t take another step without you Jesus.

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As I Lay Me Down To Sleep

Shhh… listen. Can you hear Him calling out to you? He’s there and His whisper is pursuing your heart. The search for God’s still, small voice in your life can be a challenge. Sometimes we hear a voice but struggle to discern the source. It’s difficult when distractions like work, family, friends or opportunities come knocking on the same door you were trying to close to get away with God. (That’s an infamous trick by Satan, by the way.) Being sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s voice comes from the discipline of quiet time and fasting. But what if you’re doing that and still stuck in the struggle?

Every day God is calling out to us in a million ways. He’s the great pursuer, He never gives up. He’s the Author and greatest grand daddy of true pursuit! But are we trying to get to know Him for who He is or for the blessings His hand will bring to our lives? Diligent quiet time, those moments when you spend less time talking and more time being still and just listening. This kind of surrender is a pleasing aroma to the heavens. It’s how we get to know our Heavenly Father and the sweet sound of His voice. No agenda. There’s a physical portion as well; humbleness in the presence of our Lord as we take to our knees and silence the sound of our mind.

A few months back I started to have wild dreams… prophetic dreams that I wrote down and shared with a few people close in my life. Dreams that later came to fruition. As I was studying scripture, I noticed how frequently God speaks to people in dreams, in fact, it’s a common practice. But most of us, like king Nebuchadnezzar, don’t know how to interpret these God-inspired dreams. So I started praying for a Daniel-like ability to interpret the voice of God in my sleep. I sought out wisdom and studied scriptures.

Dreams are filled with God’s encouragement, warnings revelations and prophecy. He’s given us the Bible to help guide us through interpretations, as well as His spirit. Over these last few months, I’ve gained alot of insight and I started praying for more of His voice as I rested. It has been an absolute adventure! I keep a journal next to my pillow to write down our journey through the night. In the morning, I scramble to read through the pages. One morning I read through chapters to a book I’m writing. Several times, I have been warned of the enemy chasing me. God exposes the devil at work, so the safest place I can be is in the shadow of His wings, close enough to the truth so that I may hear the warning in His voice.

In my dreams, there are no distractions. Just a journey with my Father through the seasons of life. It has been the most absolutely astounding walk I’ve ever been on. If you struggle to hear or discern the voice of God while you’re awake in the midst of endless disruptions, pray for His voice in your dreams. He’s pursuing you. Everyday. Are you listening?

God, you are so good to us. Even when we’ve strayed and made a mockery of your name, you are still on the throne and pursuing us, calling our hearts back to yours. God, your love is more than this mind can even imagine, but already, I am overcome with joy, peace and desire for more of you everyday. I fall short, but my soul is recklessly pursuing you with complete abandonment to this world. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for your voice. Thank you for who you are.

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The Excellence of Daniel

ImageHappy New Year! As the calendar flips over, there’s a deep desire for us all to start fresh into a new season of life. We can make lots of resolutions for the coming days, but if our deeper spirit isn’t ‘right’, healthier choices won’t make a difference after long. We’ll slide back into our old habits and find ourselves on that dusty old road of last year. I learned several years ago, the best thing I can do is set aside my agenda and seek God through the fast Daniel used during his time of mourning and needing direction. Each year, I’ve come out spiritually rich with wisdom and insight for the days ahead. The cleansing of my mind and heart is incomparable to any retreat or sum of Sundays.

If you’re seeking God’s direction for your life in the new year, consider Daniel- a man described in the Bible as having an ‘excellent spirit.’ He lived to glorify God with his life, no matter what it cost him. Daniel loved God and was unwavering in his commitment to serve Him. As a result, God gave him favor with king Nebuchadnezzar, which led to his promotion over the leaders in the land. But his commitment to God was tested as the others didn’t like that the king favored Daniel. So they manipulated the king to sign a decree that prohibited anyone from praying to any god other than the king for 30 days. Violating the decree meant being thrown into a den of lions. Daniel didn’t cave in to this decree, he was more concerned about keeping his commitment to God. In the end, God protected him and was glorified through it.

I want to encourage you to live with that same excellent spirit. Be determined to really live for God. As you do, you’ll fulfill your true purpose and glorify God in everything you do, just like Daniel. If you’ve never tried the Daniel fast, I would encourage you to in order to receive wisdom and the most incredible beginning to your new year as well. The fast consists of fruits, vegetables, and legumes (beans and nuts), and of course lots of water. Scripture identifies it as ‘anything sown by the seed’, which includes rice and Ezekiel bread amongst others. To prevent my heart from tainting the spiritual purpose with a weight loss program, I eat plenty of nuts, which are high in healthy fats. You may already eat pretty healthy and thus find this kind of ‘diet’ normal. If that’s the case, I would urge you to identify something to sacrifice to fulfill the purpose of this fast. I’m choosing to abstain from rice, Ezekiel bread and black coffee. There is a perceived power our physical hunger has over us, so the sacrifice is important!

I can say in my life that, by far, the most satisfying things that have happened to me are during these moments of fasting when I sensed I had done as the Lord wanted me to do. When I attempt to satisfy self apart from doing the will of God, initially it feels good, but inevitably is a frustrating, empty and discouraging thing. Be careful during this time not to compromise your surroundings. Fasting makes us more vulnerable in situations to sin, as the devil is bringing everything he has to cause us to stray. This is a time to increase your worship and prayer as your mind and heart will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. When you’re tempted to fall, put your mind on this truth: fasting is not about what you’re giving up, but what you are gaining.

There is a sense that physically satisfying myself in some way keeps me from needing to find satisfaction in God. So we’re left with this question: Am I satisfying myself with that which is not bread and that which is not meat, as well as other things that really don’t fill my soul? Is anything hindering my hunger for God? Is it money? Opportunities? Work? Friendships? Identifying those hindrances is the purpose of fasting. We have to recognize our enslavement to food, or anything that deadens our hunger for God.

1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.” When we fast, enslavement to things of the flesh is broken and we are freed to focus our hunger upon what we really need. Fasting reveals the things that control us. It humbles us and shows us our true selves.

Father, help me to fast, and use it to show me the things I am unaware of that control me. I want all of my hunger to be focused on You and satisfied only by You. Lord, instill an ‘excellent spirit’ in me, so that I may serve You unwaveringly in all that I do. Remove the scales from my eyes, open the channels in my ears, grant me direction for this life I give to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Vision and Darkness

Whenever God gives a vision to a Christian, it is as if He puts him in “the shadow of His hand” (Isaiah 49:2). The saint’s duty is to be still and listen. There is a “darkness” that comes from too much light—that is the time to listen. The story of Abram and Hagar in Genesis 16 is an excellent example of listening to so-called good advice during a time of darkness, rather than waiting for God to send the light. When God gives you a vision and darkness follows, wait. God will bring the vision He has given you to reality in your life if you will wait on His timing. Never try to help God fulfill His word. Abram went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years all of his self-sufficiency was destroyed. He grew past the point of relying on his own common sense. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not a period of God’s displeasure. There is never any need to pretend that your life is filled with joy and confidence; just wait upon God and be grounded in Him (Isaiah 50:10–11).

Do I trust at all in the flesh? Or have I learned to go beyond all confidence in myself and other people of God? Do I trust in books and prayers or other joys in my life? Or have I placed my confidence in God Himself, not in His blessings? “I am Almighty God . . .” —El-Shaddai, the All-Powerful God (Genesis 17:1). The reason we are all being disciplined is that we will know God is real. As soon as God becomes real to us, people pale by comparison, becoming shadows of reality. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever upset the one who is built on God.

O Lord, with much dimness I draw near to You. Clear the dimness away from me and flood me with the light of Your presence.

Excerpt from ‘My Utmost For His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers

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An Angel I Have Heard On High

Last night I attended a benefit concert to help raise money for affordable music education for children in poverty. I had been feeling a bit down about the Christmas season; there were just some heavy things on my heart. So when a girlfriend asked for a little ‘QT’ at the concert, my spirit lifted a bit to feel loved. As I was parking my car, I noticed an older woman driving around. She stopped and asked if she could park next to me. “Sure!” I told her. She seemed uneasy so I waited for her so we could walk in together. She told me this was her first time at the venue and really her first time being out after dark. As we walked down the street together, we exchanged names and I asked her what prompted the sudden decision to come out. She said she heard on a Christian radio station that a certain artist was going to be performing and she supported his ministry work for the homeless. She thought it would be nice to support his music.

As we neared the door, she talked about not having much money, which is why she didn’t ‘valet’ her vehicle. In that moment, I felt led to pay her cover charge to get into the concert, and I wish my heart could be content that I did but we got caught in the shuffle and I lost her at the door. My heart was let down a bit. But when I got inside, I caught up with her at a table and sat down to talk as I waited on my friends. The elderly woman, Marlene, mentioned this was her first time in 3 years that she’s gotten out of the house to do ‘something’ since her husband passed. At 72, she said the first two years without him weren’t as bad as the loneliness she feels this year. It’s as if it’s all caught up to her in the last few months that he’s really gone. In that moment, I felt God’s Spirit reminding me that we are called to ‘take care of the widows and orphans’. I extended Marlene an invitation to a table with a few of my friends and offered to walk her to her car at the end of the show. But sometime during the last show, she disappeared. I searched everywhere for her… asking the woman at the door, people who were standing next to me ‘have you seen this woman?’ They all looked at me with a blank stare and asked ‘what woman’? Numerous people tried to describe other older women they had seen, but no one, not even the valet guarding the door, saw this woman come in or leave.

As I got to my car, I noticed Marlene’s was gone. I thought, maybe I could try to find this woman and be her friend and take her to lunch or dinner once a week. But the Spirit of God consumed me; this was an angel. And a message followed. Hearts get broken, the details in this life can consume us and Christmastime can become a chaotic circle of to-do’s to get caught up in. But that’s not why a Savior was sent to this earth. This is what life is about.  

Unfortunately, the world doesn’t have to work hard to distract us from that focus. This morning I awoke and a sadness flooded my heart. I reflected on this angel’s visit from last night and it was a comfort to my spirit. At this time of year, more than any other I believe, it is important not to become so inward focused on cares and concerns that we miss our ultimate calling in life.

Love one another like Christ loved the church, with a complete, crazy abandonment to this world. And be sure to take care of the widows and orphans left behind.

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

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How To Hear From God

I’ve had several encounters with the Almighty that left no doubt this was the divine speaking into my life. And I get asked from time to time how someone can hear from God and more importantly, know that it’s God. I understand everyone’s journey is different and God uses different vehicles to convey messages to each unique being He created. But there are some fundamental truths behind getting to a place where you can hear Him and knowing without a doubt it is the Great I Am. Sometimes there are pressing concerns that we need the Holy Spirit to speak up, and guide us through the shadows. I hope I can help you in that walk of seeking and knowing His voice.

First, there is some mighty power in fasting. Distractions are plentiful and it’s the devil’s tool to lead you away from the straight and narrow path. In the stillness of your fasting, you’ll be able to hear how loud these distractions really are. The enemy sees the threat in your focused time with Christ and will stop at nothing to steal that from you. Be very careful during this time, as fasting also has the potential to ‘weaken’ you. We end up battling the world, the devil and our own personal lust during a fast. But your prayer and focus on Christ in fasting can silence the devil, so your ears can hear the whispers of the Spirit speaking. There’s a saying ‘Satan shouts at us all day long, but our Father whispers softly and if you’re not close enough to Him, you’ll miss that sweet sound’.

That brings me to the second part of how to hear from God; you’ve got to get close! When you draw close to Him with complete abandonment, throwing off the things that hinder your time and desire for the Father, you will hear Him. This could be relationships, as demonstrated by Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 6), alone, to fast for 40 days. God has, is and will always be there. There are times God goes quiet with us, and there are several reasons outside of sin that He may choose to do this, but the point is, our Father is there! We have hundreds of years of biblical truth that testifies that God does not leave us, ever. If you’re chasing Him down in pure pursuit, I believe with all my heart that our loving Father is not going to hide His face from a child in need.

So how will you know the voice of God? As you draw near to God, there’s a general voice that the natural ear hears, the kind that your conscience relies on to discern right from wrong. But in time, when you’re committed to a walk that not only honors, but is in a full-fledged pursuit of the Father, you’ll discover the spiritual ear that hears very specific directions. Many times, they are directions you could not have known of, an example is “pick up three meals and drive down West End. There will be three men who need food. One is wearing brown boots.” God really said that to me.

Another way to know the voice of God is by spending intimate time on your knees getting to know Him. I don’t want to tell you how much time, but I will share that time flies in the stillness of His presence. It’s a very sweet moment, full of comfort and peace. In this place your mind will be captured by nothing but His love, your heart ravaged by His mighty presence. You’ll be able to feel His physical presence over and through you. It’s a place you won’t want to leave.

There are other ways God speaks to us; through unlikely people, the Word, preaching, and the Spirit. But one thing I promise is that whatever God speaks to you will be consistent with His revealed will-the Bible. As you begin to know the scriptures and put his revealed will first in your life, His voice will become more prominent during everyday life and not just in the distress or desperation.

Note: It’s important to fast and seek God with righteous motives, as Jesus warns us in Matthew there will be no reward for those who fast with evil or wrong intentions (ie: for money, power, weight loss).