Common Threads

"Come, follow me."

2009-07-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Matthew 4: 18-22

Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. Mark 2:13-14

What made these disciples leave everything to follow Jesus? They left their jobs. James and John even left their father. Matthew says Peter and Andrew left “at once”, James and John left “immediately” and Mark says that Matthew (called Levi) “got up and followed him.”

What is the cost of following Jesus? If it is leaving everything, are we willing to go? Jesus didn’t say “Go, get a job and make lots of money.” He didn’t say, “Go, sign your kids up for all kinds of sports and extra curricular activities so that they will be well rounded.” He didn’t say, “Go, live a comfortable life, come to church when you can.”

He said and He is still saying, “Come, follow me.”

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good – except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Mark 10:17-22

This rich young man could not follow Jesus. It cost him too much and he was not willing to give up “everything” to follow the Only One who could save him.

What is your “everything”? For this rich young man it was his wealth. Proverbs 11:4 says that our wealth will be worthless on the day of wrath. For another in Matthew 8:22, it was his father. Jesus says, in Matthew 10:37, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.”

Maybe it isn’t money or even material possessions. Maybe it is not your extended family. Maybe it is a sin or way of life that you are not willing to give up for Jesus. Jesus calls us to die to our sinful selfish nature to follow Him. That is what He means in Matthew 10:39 when He says, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” We must die (to ourselves and sinful nature) to live!

I have to ask myself, if the calling of the disciples cost them everything – what am I hanging on to that I need to let go of to really follow Jesus? And if His calling to His followers is “Come, follow me” – am I truly a follower of Christ if I am not following Him?

Don’t miss verse 21 of the parable of the rich young man – Jesus loved him. He loves us. More than we can imagine. But He is not going to force us to love Him in return. The choice to follow Him is ours. What will we do?

Exploring Canaan

2009-06-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

Now, when the Israelites came close to the Promised Land, The Lord told Moses to send some men to explore the land. This is their account, found in Numbers 13:

We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there (these are giants). (v. 27-28)

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we certainly can do it.” (v. 30)

The other men who had gone into the land with Caleb and Joshua said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.” (v. 32)
All the Israelites grumbled and Numbers 14:10 says that they talked about stoning Caleb and Joshua!

These are the same people to whom God has promised time and time again that He will give them possession of the Promised Land! The same people whom God rescued from the Egyptians by parting the Red Sea so they could walk across on DRY ground! The same people that saw God in the form of a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day! And this is the same God that performed these miracles again and again right in front of them! And they still did not believe!

God, who is slow to anger and abounding in love (Numbers 14:17), was fed up with these rebellious people! He forgives His people but He declares, “Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb. . . and Joshua. . . As for your children. . . I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But your bodies will fall in this desert. Numbers 14:30-33

They were left to wander in the desert for 40 years! How possible it is for us as believers today to wander in a symbolic desert and not live the life God intended for us!

The place he has for us is filled with milk and honey! It is a place of blessing and rest! It is a place where we will bear much fruit! It is not easy to conquer – there are giants living in the land! But, He will fight for us!

The Israelites were unable to enter the Promised Land because of their unbelief! Unbelief is the absence of faith! We must believe God for our Promised Land!

If you are struggling with unbelief – here is some scripture that I hope may help you.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief. Mark 9:24b
“I have spoken to you of earthy things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” John 3:12

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:6

Beth Moore says in her book, Believing God, “If you are not presently occupying your promised land, rest assured the devil is.” We must drive out the inhabitants of our rightful place of blessing and rest! Even if they seem like giants!

Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land. Ex. 23:30

The Things that Hinder - part 2

2009-05-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the things that hinder aren’t necessarily sin in themselves, but they lead to sin. For example, shopping can lead to idolatry, anger can lead to slander and malice, a broken heart can lead to pride and unforgiveness. Sometimes even good or morally neutral things can hinder us (too much television, being obsessed with our physical appearance, running from one extra curricular activity to another, etc.) Anything that distracts us from being who God desires for us to be is a hindrance!

Be in prayer asking God to reveal anything in your life that hinders you from running the race marked out for you (Hebrews 12:1)!

Remember, God’s Word is our sword. Pray and memorize scripture! This is our key to defeating the enemy who pursues us like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8)! Beside each of these things that hinders is a scripture or two – you don’t have to memorize them all. If there is one or two in particular that you are struggling with pick your favorite scripture and memorize it. It may seem elementary, but try it! You will be amazed at the power of God’s Word when you put it to use!

Anger – My temperament is easily excited, saddened or angered. My emotions come flooding to me and want to come out! It is the way God created me but I also know that I can not use that as an excuse every time I fly off the handle! We have to put to death our sinful nature. His Word says that the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22). I know that when I am easily angered I must not let my emotions get the best of me. I have to remind myself to be loving, patient, gentle, kind and have self-control!

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19b-20

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. Psalm 103:8

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

Wounds / Broken hearts – I do not know a woman who has not been wounded. I have wounds going back to childhood that I am just now dealing with in my 30s. God wants to heal us! Dig deep if you have too, don’t be afraid – Let Him heal you!

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

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

Unforgiveness - We need to forgive those who have wounded us. As hard as it may be, we must forgive others as God forgave us. Great freedom will be found in forgiving.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God.” Yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. 1 John 4:19-21

Guilt – Many times Satan condemns us for our past sins. He is trying to hinder us. He knows that we can not be who God wants us to be when we are entangled by all of our past mistakes. Don’t let him get you down! Christ paid the price for our sin. You are washed by His precious blood and you are forgiven! Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him. Psalm 32:1-2

You are on your way to your Promised Land! In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord. Ex. 16:6b-7a

The Things that Hinder

2009-05-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. Ex. 15:13

God wants to lead us to our place of promise! A place of blessing and rest! The road will not be easy. As we have discussed before, our enemy will pursue us and we will have to go to battle! Pick up your sword! Get on your knees!

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

In order to be who God wants us to be we must rid ourselves of our sinful nature and the things that hinder us. Sometimes these things aren’t even sin – but they lead to sin. We must learn to overcome them!

Anxiety / Fear – Did you know that an average person’s anxiety is focused on:
40% things that will never happen
30% things about the past that can’t be changed
12% things about criticism by others, mostly untrue
10% about health, which gets worse with stress
8% about real problems that will be faced

What? Why would we focus so much time and energy on 90% of this stuff? The enemy is after our mind. Paul says, But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Cor. 11:3

Now, Paul was speaking to the Corinthians specifically about false teachings. But if the enemy is busy filling our mind with useless thoughts – what good is that to the Kingdom of Christ? He wants to lead our minds astray.

I know when the enemy begins to get a hold on me it always begins in my head. He will whisper lies. He will whisper discouragement. If you struggle with fear and/or anxiety, here is some scripture to help you go to battle when the enemy whispers in your ear.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:6-7

The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

Depression – This is the thorn in my flesh that the Lord will not remove. It does not mean that I am always depressed, but I must be constantly on guard because the enemy knows my weakness. I believe the Lord will not remove it because it is the very thing that drives me to my knees. I can not break free from depression on my own. I must rely on my God. David has many beautiful psalms that speak to me regarding conquering my enemies. Here are a few that I hope will encourage you if you struggle with depression.

2 Samuel 22, He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. (v. 17)

Psalm 18 & Psalm 30

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Psalm 40:1-3

Addiction – Let me also tell you a little bit about my problem with addiction (I should say that this is Becky by the way – wouldn’t want anyone else to take the fall for all my junk!) Addiction runs in my family, smoking, alcoholism, and chewing tobacco, just to name a few. My addiction, shopping. Ok, so you think this might be harmless since it’s not like I am addicted to drugs our out gambling my family’s savings away or even eating too much ice cream. But when any thing, and I mean any thing, has such a firm grip on you that you have to lie about it or do it in secret – you need to ask yourself – do I have a problem with this? If it is the first thing you think about in the morning and it is taking hours of precious time away from your family. Ask yourself if it has mastered you.

For man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 2 Peter 2:19b.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

God’s Word is our sword. If you recognize that you struggle with any of these things, memorize these scriptures. They will help us defeat the enemy!

We need reprogramming every now and then. When the enemy whispers lies to us and takes over our minds we need to be transformed! Only Christ has the power to transform us! Only He has the power to set us free from fear, anxiety, depression and addiction!

He's Coming with Us

2009-04-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear and oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.” After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. Ex. 13:19-22

The Lord never left them! In fact, He showed them the way to go!

Now, the Egyptians pursued them. Remember, if we are pursuing our Promised Land, you better bet that the enemy is out to get us. He wants nothing more than for us to fail. Because when we succeed – to God be the glory!

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!" So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. The Egyptians—all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon. Ex. 14:5-9

You may be asking, why did God allow this? I thought He was going to free His people?
He will do what He says He is going to do! But, He will also be glorified! He will display His power, majesty and strength not only to the Israelites but also to the Egyptians. Exodus 14:4 says, “And I will harden Pharoah’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Ex. 14:10-12

Ok, so now the Israelites are ready to retreat! They would rather return to slavery than face the battles that lie ahead for the pursuit of their Promised Land! We can not retreat!

Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Ex. 14:13-14

What a beautiful picture of our Warrior King! He will fight for us! We need only to be still!

I do believe He has called us to fight. I have also experienced times of such defeat where I felt as if I could not fight for myself. Cry out to Him. Be still. He will fight for you!

I encourage you to read the account of the parting of the Red Sea in Ex. 14 and also the song of praise and victory in Ex. 15.

The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name. Ex. 15:3

Six Simple Words

2009-04-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had the opportunity to go to Beth Moore's Living Proof Live conference in Portland. It was an amazing weekend...one of those that leaves an eternal fingerprint on your life. Beth mentioned at the beginning of the weekend that her prayer was that "God would drop" and one of my favorite quotes from the weekend was one of the ladies telling me that God almost gave her a concussion, he dropped so hard on her life and heart!

One thing that Beth had all of us do during the weekend was come up with 6 words that represented our lives. We did it at the beginning of the conference and then again at the end, after spending some reflection and meditation time alone with the Lord. It was extremely powerful!

When she first mentioned the whole "six words" concept I immediately had a phrase come to my mind. It was this: "Completely unworthy, yet used by God." I haven't shared much lately but I want you to know I have been going through a very intense spiritual journey the past couple of months, where my heart has been very heavy and I have been really seeking the Lord and yearning for Him in new ways. I won't go into all that had me at this "place" because I could probably write a whole book about it, but the bottom line is that it had been intense. I needed to be refreshed and restored...again!

I was broken in so many ways. I couldn't comprehend why God had called me to do the things that he has because I have nothing to give. I was feeling very unequipped, very unqualified, very inadequate, etc. etc.

Throughout the conference I felt Him speaking to me on so many different levels, sometimes in the truths Beth reminded us of and other times just by His Spirit refreshing my soul. At the end of our time together, when Beth had us reflect back and write 6 new words I sat for a few minutes and prayed. And then heard the words: "You are right...you are unworthy" and I completely broke.

I have been battling trying to find something about myself that would make me qualified for the mission God has given us and he simply said to me "There is nothing about you that makes you qualified. I need you to be broken so that I can use you." How amazing is it that God's answer to our lives...to find fulfillment, satisfaction, joy and peace is to truly undersand how undeserving we are for any of that. It goes completely against what the "world" teaches us...that we need to find strength in ourselves and that finding worth in ourselves will make us complete!

I feel renewed and refreshed knowing that nothing I have, nothing that I am, and nothing that I do is in my own strength and ability!

I know that these were my personal "words" from the Lord and I know you may be at a completely different place in life right now. If you are reading this, and went to the conference, I would love for you to share your 6 words if you feel comfortable and anything that you felt God speak to you during the weekend. If you didn't get to go, know that we missed you tremendously and I would still love to hear what your 6 words would be!

I can't tell you how blessed I am to have all of you in my life! I have no words...

Prepare for Battle

2009-04-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

The LORD said to Abraham, “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” Gen. 22:17-18

Are you ready to take possession of the cities of your enemies?

This means war! Do not be afraid! Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world! (1 John 4:4)

As the Israelites prepared for their Exodus, they plundered the Egyptians! Ex. 12:36, The LORD had made the Egyptians favorable disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. I love it! What our enemy has stolen from us we will gain back and we will plunder him. What could we possibly gain besides our freedom? Spiritual blessings such as knowledge and wisdom, overall spiritual maturity, spiritual gifts, learning to know God and love Him more – just to name a few!

Let’s take a look at Ex. 13:17-18. When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was the shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.

So, God did not lead them out of Egypt the “easy” way. The path He has called you too will not come easy. But all the more rewarding it will be when you get there! The difficult path stretches us and makes us more mature.

Jesus said, “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.” Matt. 7:13-14. Same thing, the “path less traveled by” leads to an abundant life! We must pursue it!

Secondly, I love how Ex. 13:18 says “The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.” If we are going to take back our Promised Land – we better be armed for battle!

The enemy will try and stop us! Remember – he is ruthless! He comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10a). And he does not want us to live out the abundant life God has for us. Because when we are free – God is free to use us for His glory and to further His kingdom! God wants us to be free! He has come that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10b)!

In order to go to battle with our enemy we are going to need a few things. Let’s take a look at Ephesians 6:10-18.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Put on your armor: a belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, boots – ready to run with the gospel of peace, a shield of faith, helmet of salvation and finally, a sword of the Spirit which is the very Word of God!

God’s Word, our sword, is crucial in defeating the enemy! Just look at Matthew 4. Jesus was tempted by Satan. The enemy tested and tempted Him three times. And three times Jesus quoted scripture from Deuteronomy.

Hebrews 4:12 says, For the word of God is living and active Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Pick up your sword and get on your knees! That is where the battle is fought and won!

Cry Out

2009-04-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

Let’s look at Exodus 2:23-25. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

Now, God never forgot about the covenant. But when His Word says that “He remembered” it means that He chose to act.

The Lord called Moses (read Ex. 3 for more details) and He said to him, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.” Ex. 3:7-8

We’ve already read twice now that the Israelites “cried out!” They must have been desperate! Have you ever cried out to God? If the enemy is oppressing you – it is time to cry out! Have you been praying for God to reveal any strongholds, any areas of captivity in your life? Has he revealed them to you? I hope so. If not, keep praying. He is faithful.

Has anyone recognized any strongholds they would desperately like to be freed from?
I have been there too many times to count. The last time I remember was a few months ago. Pride, depression, bitterness, and anger eventually drove me to my knees. I wished I would have seen it coming. I wish I would have been alerted to the enemy’s attack. I dropped my guard. Satan snuck in. He got me. I felt defeated. Lying on the floor of my closet I cried out to the Only One who could save me. He answered me. And He set me free.

Now, I don’t want this to be about Becky. But I want to give you a real life, flesh and blood, example! I want you to know that this is not a hypothetical situation, it is not a “what if” It is the truth! And it can happen for you! God does what He says He is going to do! He sets the prisoners free! (Psalm 146:7)

It is time to cry out. It is time to pray.

“I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD. Ex. 6:6-8

When we see “the LORD” in our Bible it translates into the Hebrew word Yahweh. God is reminding us who He is! He is Yahweh! He is the One who will redeem His people!
The yoke He is referring to is the Israelites bonds of slavery. In John 8:34, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” If the enemy has us trapped in a sin that we just keep repeating over and over again – we are slaves to that sin!

Matthew 6:24 says, No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. This verse is applicable to whatever has us bound, not just money!

We can not serve God and be bound by sin. We must break free from whatever is holding us captive so we can live out the life God has called us too!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-30

Jesus says, His yoke is easy and His burden is light! Let’s cry out to God! Let’s break these heavy chains that have us bound and seek Him!

Into Egypt

2009-03-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, so Jacob now has the inheritance of his father Isaac and his father Abraham. God also appears to Jacob in a dream and speaks to him. “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. . . I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Gen. 28:13 & 15

I don’t know about you, but that gets me excited! As we journey to our promised land – He will not leave us until He has done what He promised! And trust me, He is never far from us! But I just think that is an awesome example of how God longs for us to inherit our promised land and experience all that He has planned for us!

In Gen. 35, God repeats His promise to Jacob and his descendants. He also changes Jacob’s name to Israel. Yep, his descendants are the Israelites! Jacob had 12 sons. His favorite was Joseph. You might be familiar with Joseph’s story. If not, check out Gen. 37-50. Long story short: Joseph’s brother’s sell him for 20 shekels of silver to a band of Midianites, they go to Egypt and sell him to Potiphar (captain of the guard to Pharaoh), he winds up in prison for a while (you gotta read it!), gets out of prison because the LORD gave him the ability to interpret a dream for Pharaoh. Pharaoh makes him second in command in all of Egypt (the only one higher than Joseph is Pharaoh himself)! Joseph is in charge of all the food during the famine and . . . wouldn’t you know it – Jacob heard that there is food in Egypt and he sends the brothers there. They eventually find out that this guy in charge is Joseph, the Pharaoh tells Joseph to invite all of his family (70 people at the time) to live in Egypt. Of course Jacob is ecstatic when he finds out that Joseph is still alive! The LORD speaks to Jacob and tells him to go to Egypt but He will surely bring him back again (Gen. 46:4). Joseph and Jacob reunite. They live happily ever after – for awhile. Jacob dies in Egypt but his sons return to Canaan to bury him. Joseph lives to be 110 and also dies in Egypt. His last words are this. “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” And he made them promise that they would carry his bones up out of Egypt (Gen 50: 24-26).

So here we are, in Exodus where the first chapter tells us that the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied. The new king, who did not know about Joseph, decided that the Egyptians must enslave the Israelites or else they will overpower them. Exodus 1:14 says, They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly. The king also gave a decree to all of the midwives to kill any boys that were born to the Israelites. The midwives feared God and disobeyed the Pharaoh. And then Pharaoh said, “Every boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.” Ex. 1:22

And here we have the story of Moses! I encourage you to read the first two chapters of Exodus – what an awesome testimony of a sovereign God! And what faith Moses’ mother displayed when she placed her baby in a basket and sent him floating down a river! The Bible doesn’t say – but I can’t help but think that God spoke to her and she believed Him with all of her heart that Moses was set apart and that He would protect him. What courage and faith she displayed – and she didn’t even get her name mentioned! This passage humbles me – so often I want recognition for what “I” have done. Yet it is only by God’s grace that I am able to do anything. And who am I to take credit for God? This passage is a reminder to serve and obey the Lord regardless of whether or not we get a pat on the back. The Lord will lift up the humble in due time. He mentions Moses’ mother’s name, Jochebed, in Ex. 6:20. I think she was richly rewarded for her faith, whether or not she saw those rewards here on earth we do not know. Remember that we will spend eternity in heaven! God also has blessings waiting for us there! I do not think the reward was her motivation though – she loved the Lord her God with all of her heart, mind and soul. And the Lord used her to play a small but crucial part in His enormous plan!

The Lord wants to use you and I in our day to bring Him glory and to accomplish His plan!

Your Birthright

2009-03-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Since we left Abram in Genesis 15 – God gave him a son in his old age, told him that his descendants would be as many as the stars in the sky, and changed his name to Abraham. God keeps His promise to Abraham and reminds him several times.

The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God. Gen. 17:8

He reminds Abram again in Gen. 18:19 and Gen. 22:17-18. He also made this promise to Abraham’s son, Isaac in Genesis 16:2:5.

I don’t mean to be repetitive – but when God keeps repeating Himself – we better listen!

Now, Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Esau was the oldest and therefore entitled to the “birthright”. (You will have to read Gen. 25:19-24 and chapters 27 & 28 for yourself – it is very scandalous!) Gen. 25:34 says that Esau despised his birthright. Esau did not want what was rightfully his. He did not fight for his inheritance. He gave it away for a pot of stew.

There are three things we can learn from this story. The first is that God is sovereign. God had already chosen Jacob to inherit the promise He had made to Abraham and Isaac. The LORD spoke to Rebekah when she was pregnant and said, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” Gen. 25:23

The second is that Rebekah and Jacob should not have taken matters into their own hands. When the LORD makes a promise to us – He will carry it out in due time!

The third is that God has a plan for our life and He has spiritual blessings that He wants to pour out on us! But, we can not fulfill His plan and experience the blessings if we refuse our birthright! You may be asking why it mattered if Esau gave up his birthright – after all, God was going to give it to Isaac to begin with, right? God knew in advance that Esau would sell his birthright.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalms 13-16

I absolutely love that verse. He knew us before we were born. And all of our days were written in His book before one of them came to be! Oh how He must love us! We are not here by accident or mistake. He has a beautiful plan for each one of us. We must take up our inheritance! We must possess our Promised Land!

Taken Captive

2009-03-18T09:31:00.001-07:00

Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Genesis 13:12

Lot was Abram’s nephew. They had decided to part company for several reasons (see Genesis 13). Now, if you are not familiar with the city of Sodom; it stands for sin. Lot chose to pitch his tents there. Many of us, mostly unaware, have pitched our tents near sin. We have given the enemy a foothold in certain areas of our life.

They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. Genesis 14:12

Lot was taken captive because of his sin! Sodom is known for its sexual perversion but there are many sins that can take root in our life and lead us into captivity. For me, it happened slowly. I began to walk with Christ when I was a teenager, but by the time I was in my mid 20’s I was in a great deal of bondage. I didn’t even realize it. The enemy fools us into wearing more and more chains until one day we wake up and we can’t even move! Chains of depression, anger, pride, adultery, addiction, bitterness, unforgiveness, unbelief, idolatry, gossip, envy, slothfulness and debt had me captive. I will tell you that not only sin can hold us captive but things like anger and depression can as well. These things are not sin in themselves, but for me, they lead me to sin. And they had a firm grip on me. Hebrews 12:1 says that we must throw off the sin that entangles and the things that hinder if we want to run the race that God has called us to run. Sometimes, even "good" things can hinder us. Any thing that is keeping us from being who God has called us to be is a hinderance!

Pray right now. Ask God to reveal any areas of your live where the enemy is holding you captive. Be patient. Psalm 37:7 says, Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him. Sometimes we may not hear Him right away. Give Him time to speak. If you still don’t hear His voice, tell Him that you are listening and ask Him to give you ears to hear. He may speak to you as you go about your day. Keep listening and don’t give up praying!

When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. During the night Abram divided his men to attack them. . . He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. Genesis 14: 14-16

Abram went to battle for Lot! There is One who wants to go to battle for you! As I was reading this I couldn’t help but think how much Abram must have loved his nephew to go to battle for him! How much greater does our God love us!

The Promised Land

2009-03-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

How would you like to go on a journey through the Old Testament with God’s chosen people? Would you like to see the Israelites set free from captivity and enter into their Promised Land? I hope so. God has many lessons for us in the Old Testament. Of all the things the Lord has done for me – setting me free from captivity has got to be the greatest! This isn’t about me though – it is about what God has done, what He is doing, and what He is going to do!

Let’s look back to Genesis chapter 12 where God first promises Abram the land of Canaan. I will paraphrase; but I welcome you to read chapter 12.

(v. 1) The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. . . . (v. 4) So Abram left, as the LORD had told him. . . . (v. 7) The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.”

The Lord spoke to Abram. Abram didn’t question Him – he just obeyed! God also made a promise to Abram – his offspring would inherit the land. This is why it is called the “Promised Land.”

The Israelites Promised Land was a physical place. We will be using the term Promised Land in this series to refer to a spiritual place that God has for each of us. When we read God’s Word we must ask Him to open our eyes to see spiritual things. So many times what was written as literal is meant for us as spiritual. We can not hold spiritual things in our hands, but trust me – you can take possession of them! You can inhabit your Promised Land!

Beth Moore talks about our Promised Land in the first chapter of her book, Believing God. It is an excellent book if you ever have time to read it. I will quote her as she makes four parallels between our promised land and the Israelites Promised Land.

1. God promised us a place of blessing. When you and I find our places in Christ where God can freely fulfill His promises to us, we will also experience immeasurable blessing.

2. God promised us a place we could live. He did not promise the children of Israel a place they could visit. Our personalized lands of earthly promise are places we’re invited by God to dwell in Christ. It’s high time we stopped dropping in and started taking up residency.

3. God promised us a place where He brings forth a great harvest. John 15:8 says, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” Not some fruit. Much fruit. . . your heavenly Father wants to show His glory through using your life to bear tremendous fruit. Your personalized Promised Land is the abiding place where you get to see God keep the promise of a great harvest through your life.

4. God promised us an abiding place of great victory over our enemy. Like the Israelites, you and I have been promised spiritual ground for great and abiding victory on a turf where our enemy stands in defiance. If you’re not presently occupying your Promised Land, rest assured the devil is. (Beth Moore, Believing God, pgs. 5-10)

I don’t know about you – but if the devil has taken something from me – I want it back! He is ruthless! Remember, he comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). But – here’s the Good News – I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10)! Praise God! He has come to set the captive free! Come with me. . . .

Becky

My God's Enough

2009-01-22T22:26:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had our weekly women's Bible study at Becky's house. We are going through Beth Moore's study on Daniel. We are also watching the dvd's that go along with the study each week. Tonight was phenomenal! I can honestly say that God spoke to me tonight stronger than I have felt Him speak in a long time. It was powerful!

Then, I got in the car to come home and immediately this song started playing. I can't describe to you how appropriate the words of this song are to what the "message" was tonight at Bible study. I don't think it is a coincidence at all and I believe that God is moving in a powerful way to communicate this truth. The song is entitled "My God's Enough" by Barlow Girl and is based on Psalm 73:

I've had enough of living life for only me

And reaching just for the things that keep destroying me

So sick of envying the lives of so many I see

Somehow believing that they have what I need

My God's enough for me

This world has nothing I need

In this whole life I've seen

My God's enough, enough for me

I can't explain why I suffer though I live for You

Those who deny You they have it better than I do

Cover my eyes now so that my heart can finally see

That in the end only You mean anything

Who have I in heaven but You

Nothing I desire but You

My heart may fail but not You

You are mine forever

Less is More

2009-01-17T08:53:00.000-08:00

So, Thursday afternoon I was making myself a hot ham and cheese sandwich. I usually make Jason lunch too but he was gone to do something for work. Anyway, back to me, I thought to myself, "I am so good to me." I mean, how many others were making themselves a hot ham and cheese sandwich for lunch? I know! About the time I smiled at me for being so good to me, I realized that probably wasn't the best motto. Especially for someone who calls herself a Christian.

I've also been struggling with my prayer times lately. A discussion on prayer at Bible Study Wednesday night had me completely convicted and absolutely humbled. I'm not praying like I should be. So, I asked God about it. What is my deal God? Me.

I was afraid He was gonna say that. He said, "Becky, how are you going to lift up My Name when you are always lifting up yours?" He was right. What do you do when the idol you put before God is yourself? I have exalted myself in my heart and I must "tear down" the high places or idols in my heart.

Drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. Numbers 33:52

This is God's first instruction to the Isrealites when they enter the Promised Land. We can view our "Promised Land" as the glorious inheritance God has for us. God has wonderful things for us in this life and the next. But I can't live in my Promised Land and experience all that God has planned for me if I can't tear down the high places. I can not worship anyone else - not even myself.

He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30

He must become greater; I must become less. This is my prayer. I am going to have to take action though. Less "me" time and more time with God. More prayer. More reading His Word. More praising Him. More of me on my face before Him. Me humbled. Him lifted up.

Here is a beautiful picture of The Most High God from Daniel:

[Daniel 7:9-10]
As I looked, the thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him [Daniel is speaking about the angels]; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.

[v.11-12 speaks about the fate of Satan and his demons]
Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority; but were allowed to live for a period of time.)

[v. 13-14 speaks about Christ]
In my vision at night I looked and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

I love this image! I am in awe of God's power and authority. He is just awesome! I am so thankful that we have this image to give us a glimpse of His awesomeness. And to remind me how unawesome I am! Less of me. More of Him. He is worthy!!

Growing Pains

2009-01-07T21:37:00.000-08:00

Rylie often has "growing pains" in her legs. I had them too growing up and can remember the achy feeling so clearly. Recently, the past couple of weeks, she has had some pretty intensely. The kind that keep her up at night. I will just have to rub them for a while as she cries because they hurt so bad. The other day as I was rubbing her legs I realized that one day, I'm probably going to wish for these kind of growing pains for my daughter because I'm sure, as she gets older, the growing pains she experiences (emotional ones specifically) will be even more intense and more painful.

I have also been thinking alot about the "growing pains" we experience as children of God. Most of us wouldn't choose pain at any point in our life but it is often because of the pain we experience that we grow...spiritually, emotionally, physically, etc. At some level, I am thankful that Rylie is experiencing these growing pains because it tells me that she is growing and everything is "right" with her body.

Many times though, I know that we (including myself) do everything we can to avoid the pain. We create lives for ourselves where we are "comfortable" and we do everything in our power to avoid pain and discomfort. I don't believe that God wants us all miserable and suffering but I do believe that He can only show us himself when we stop relying on ourselves to make life "easy".

I read a quote in a book today that was written by a man who was imprisoned in Cuba in 1979 for handing out Gospel tracts. His time in the prison was horrific but I will spare you the detail! The point is this...that in the midst of all that he went through he wrote this: "God was gracious, merciful, and loving, asking only for a chance to prove Himself to me." I know without a doubt that God would absolutely love to show Himself to each and every one of us on a daily basis. The problem is that we don't want to step out of our comfort zone long enough to allow Him to do that because often times stepping out means being open to pain.

But it takes a sacrifice! A sacrifice of ourselves. A sacrifice of letting go of everything we think is important and allowing God to reveal Himself to us so that we KNOW what is truly important. It means serving and loving others even when it's not "convenient" for us. It means living lives open to "growing pains"!

I pray that my heart is willing to be a holy a living and holy sacrifice for the Lord so that He can show Himself to me. Let there be more of You Lord and less of me!

Be still and know

2008-12-26T23:40:00.000-08:00

I have read Psalm 46:10 many times in my life and it has always been a favorite verse of mine. It says "Be still, and know that I am God." I have to admit that the past couple of weeks have given this verse new meaning in my life. We have been "homebound" for a couple of weeks as snow continues to fall and, even though at times we have been a little stir crazy, overall it has been a refreshing time for our family. It has given us a chance to reconnect with one another in a meaningful way...a way that is not often possible in the fast paced world we live in. In addition to what it has meant for our family though, it has also been significant for me personally. I think sometimes, in this fast paced world, the way we try to connect to God spiritually is by "doing"...by studying Scriptures, attending Bible studies, serving, etc. All of these things are great and even necessary to grow spiritually but sometimes we need to just sit and allow God to speak to us. Have you ever just sat in the stillness before God and allowed him to pour Himself over you, giving you a glimpse into who He is?

During this time, Tim and I also began reading a book together titled "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. It has been recommended to us many times and we decided that it would be a good book for us to read and discuss together (something that we started when we were first married). We are not far into the book yet but something the author wrote in the Preface really jumped out at me. This is what it says:

"We see Him (God) as a benevolent Being who is satisfied when people manage to fit Him into their lives in some small way. We forget that God never had an identity crisis. He knows that He's great and deserves to be the center of our lives. Jesus came humbly as a servant, but He never begs us to give Him some small part of ourselves. He commands everything from His followers."

I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. Is God benevolent? Absolutely! Did Jesus come humbly to serve others? Yes! Ultimately though, He is God and is the ONLY thing worthy of our praise and worship. It has been over the past couple of weeks that He has graciously reminded me of this, through my "being still". He doesn't want a part of my life, He wants absolutely every bit of it. Not because He is unjustly selfish, but because He knows He is the ONLY thing that can satisfy my soul!

I pray that as we begin the new year, we would each experience the fullness of Christ in an all-consuming way...simply by being still before Him.

little drummer boy

2008-12-21T09:25:00.000-08:00

Come, they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born king to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs. I picture myself as the little drummer boy. He is poor and has nothing of material “worldly” worth to give a king.

What do I have worthy to give The One to whom I owe everything?

My life. My everything. My all.

The little drummer boy gave Him his all. He played his drum for Him. He played his best for Him.

Do I use the gifts, talents, possessions and time that my God has given me to honor Him like the little drummer boy? Do I do my best for Him? Do I bring Him glory, praise and honor? Does He look down from heaven and smile at me?

Oh, for the God of the universe to look down from the heavens and smile upon us.

Merry Christmas,
Becky

Noah

2008-12-04T09:21:00.000-08:00

The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on earth, and his heart was filled with pain. Genesis 6:5-6

I wonder if our society today is any different than before the flood. . . better? worse? Every inclination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil all the time! Man's sin was so great that the LORD wiped out human kind except for Noah and his family.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. Genesis 6:9

I love this verse because Noah "walked" with God. He didn't just know God; He had a relationship with Him. And God called him "righteous". Righteous means to act in accord with divine or moral law.

The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation." Genesis 7:1

This is my prayer: to be found righteous in this generation. In the midst of our day and times, to live a life that glorifies God, and to "walk" with Him. Not so I can be picked first to hop aboard the "ark" - but to please my Father in heaven by Whom and for Whom I was created!

Noah wasn't perfect. And he wasn't without sin. But I think that when sin desired to have him, more times than not, he conquered it. And the only way I can conquer sin and attempt to live a righteous life is by "walking" with God.

"Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done. Genesis 8:21

About Midnight

2008-11-17T00:22:00.000-08:00

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. Acts 16:25-26

As I was praying for the people of the Pacific Northwest tonight the Lord brought this verse to mind. Satan has so many people in chains. He wants to hold us prisoner! Sometimes we are so unaware. He sneaks up on us. We tend to think of people in strongholds to "serious" sins like sexual sins or addictions. What about unbelief? What about slothfulness? What about the things that we don't do? The things we are supposed to do.

I'm talking about just going on with our everyday ho-hum life and not seeking God and all of the riches that He has in store for us. Mediocrity was not meant for Christianity. Jesus says in Revelation "So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth." God does not want us to become "comfortable" in our Christianity. We are always supposed to be in pursuit of Him!

Does Satan have you bound to mediocrity? I have been there. And I have been set free. Satan sneaks up on me all the time - I have stumbled. I have fallen face first in a big ol' puddle of mediocrity! Are you there? Get up!

I want to pray for you if Satan has you bound to mediocrity or anything else! Call me or e-mail me at beckybug99@yahoo.com. I will keep it confidential. I have been bound to just about everything and I will share more with you as Amy and I continue to post on this blog.

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may now him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 1:16-20)

The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is available to us! What if we prayed? What if the foundations of the earth shook and every body's chains came loose?

Lucy

2008-11-05T00:13:00.000-08:00

In the movie Prince Caspian, one of my (Becky) favorite scenes is a conversation between Lucy and Aslan. If you are not familiar with the movie, based on the book by C.S. Lewis, it is a beautiful analogy of spiritual things. Aslan (a gentle yet powerful lion) represents Jesus; Lucy, her sister, and brothers represent the humanity in which He came to save.

The siblings are traipsing through the woods trying to find a way to the other side, across the river. They come to the ravine and find that the way that was there to cross is gone. As they argue about what to do, Lucy sees Aslan on the other side. She tells the others but they don’t believe her. None of them saw Aslan for themselves. She tells them, “I’m not crazy! He was there and he wanted us to follow him!” They still don’t believe her and they (Lucy included) turn in search for another route.

It turns out that the only way to the other side is to cross the ravine. There is no easy way across, no road or bridge. This path requires faith. This path can only be seen one step at a time. To me, “the other side” is figurative for wherever God is calling us in our spiritual journey. It may be a calling to experience salvation or to go deeper in prayer or another area of our spiritual life; it may be to trust Him during a trial, or maybe to surrender to Him an area of your life where you are holding on too tightly. Wherever we are, there is always “the other side” where Christ is calling us to be and calling us to go. And on our way there, there are going to be ravines, valleys, mountains and rivers to cross.

I love Isaiah 43. Verse 2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” I don’t know how many times I read that passage before the word “when” struck me. Not “if” but “when you pass through the waters.” We will pass through the waters in this lifetime. We will walk through the fire. And there is no easy way across. The easy way does not grow our faith. The easy way does not grow us into who God desires for us to be.

Consider it pure joy, my [sisters], whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Now here’s my favorite part (after they get to the other side):
Lucy hugs Aslan and says, “I knew it was you! The whole time I knew it! But the others didn’t believe me.”
Aslan replied, “And why would that stop you from coming to me?”

Jesus is always calling us to the other side. Wherever we are in our spiritual journey, He is calling us to go deeper. He is calling us to follow Him, even if those closest to us choose another path. And, maybe, it is someplace that we to go alone. Do not be afraid; remember Isaiah 43:2, He will be with you!

How it all began

2008-11-02T20:41:00.000-08:00

I want to welcome you to our new blog "Common Threads" and explain a little about how it began and our desire for it in your life. Becky and I (Amy) recently began praying about where God wanted the women's ministry aspect of our church (The Commons) to go. In the past, we have done a weekly Bible study devoted to women but neither of us feel like this is what we are supposed to do at this time. We do feel like it is something we will do again in the future but we knew we needed to do something else right now. As we began to pray and talk about what to do, Becky (in her wisdom) suggested that we do a discussion blog for women instead! I immediately thought it was a great idea! We know that there is no way we could select a day and time each week for a Bible study that would work for everyone. This way though, with a discussion blog, we can post devotionals, thoughts, etc. and you can read them and comment on them in your own time! And everyone can be a part of it!

After we decided to go this direction, there was the question about what to call it. Last night I had a dream and, although I have no idea what the dream was about, I woke up and the concept of "threads" was running through my mind. As I laid in bed thinking about it, I thought about how incredible it is that all of us have come from so many different places in life but are significantly thread together in Christ. And then it came to me...we have a "Common Thread" which also plays off the name of our church! :)

I don't think Becky or I would claim to be the most eloquent writers. Nor do we believe we have incredible wisdom to impart to each of you. We do hope that we can share with you some devotional thoughts through this blog that will encourage you in your personal lives and walk with the Lord. We ask that you also take part by leaving comments for others to read and respond to. Don't feel like you have to have something "wise" to say in order to leave a comment. We simply want to know your heart and to hear how God is working in your life!