AM I READY FOR A BATTLE?

    If you don't realize it let me be the first to tell you that we are in for a battle.  As I listen to all the nonsense that is going on in this world, my heart breaks. I could write a list a mile long about the things going on in this world and that wouldn't cover everything.  I could listen to the news for hours and sink into a state of depression and despair.  I could write on Facebook or Google+ about how devastated I am and I could whine and cry and scream and shout, but that doesn't change what's happening.

There is an enemy in this world we are all facing.  We know him all too well, Satan.  He is alive and well on planet Earth.  I have seen his tactics plastered across the 6:00 TV News.  I have heard his proclamations on the radio through some of the music people listen to.  I have read his bull in the books that line the shelves of libraries.  I have listened to his lies spoken out the mouths of human beings.  

The feelings of guilt and shame have overcome our sense of truth.  The feelings of anger and revenge have taken over our sense of right and wrong.  The feeling of entitlement and always wanting more, has devoured our sense of contentment.  Feelings, are powerful if we let them take over our lives and our hearts.  Even us believers have allowed our feelings to cloud our judgement and our sense of right and wrong.  We have raised our fists in anger and cried out to God for justice but how can God hear us if we are so wrapped up in ourselves and what we want that we do not submit our lives and our hearts to God.

There is only one way to fully arm ourselves for this battle we are facing in the world and quite frankly in our own homes and lives.  We must submit ourselves to God.  That's right, surrender!!  Wave the white flag!  Raise your hands up high in air!  Give it up!  Let it go!  Without surrendering, without submitting to God first there is no way we can ever be prepared to fight the battle we are all facing.

James 4:7  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

You see Satan is afraid of God and when we fully surrender to God by giving up control of our lives then and only then will we ever be able to battle him.  We cannot do it without fully submitting to God.  We cannot stand united if we are not united with God first.  We cannot battle without God!  

Oh I hear you, "I have submitted to God".  Well let me ask you some painful questions;  what shows do you watch on TV?  What do the lyrics of the songs you listen to say?  What do the books you read talk about?   When was the last time you read your Bible?  When was the last time you really took time to pray?   When was the last time one of your friends got mad at you because you wouldn't get drunk with them?  When was the last time you sat with your kids and just listened to them without any distractions?  When was the last time you prayed for God to change you?

I know, ouch!!  I too have dealt with these questions and to be honest, my answers are not what they should be.  I wish I could say I have surrendered 100% but I can't.  Not yet.  But I am going to do all I can to change that.  I want to be able to resist Satan 100% but I cannot do that effectively until I totally surrender.   

I want to know God more.  I want to pray like a mighty warrior.  I want to live for God's will.  I want to put in my mind only those things that draw me closer to God.  I want to give Him my mouth to speak His words, not mine.  I want to touch hearts and lives like Jesus did.  I want to hear His words echo through my mind and come out my mouth.  I want to surrender 100% of myself to Him today.  Will you join me?

Lord, I surrender.  All that I am and all that I have is yours. Speak through me.   Touch people through me.  Take what is not of you and remove it from my life.  Empty me of myself and fill me with your presence.  Let everything I say and do give glory to you, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

WHY BOTHER?

1 Thessalonians 5:11  Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 

Have you ever felt like everything you do is meaningless and worthless?  No matter how hard you try nothing goes right.  No matter what you do it is never good enough.  No matter what you say, it always comes our wrong?  Ever look in the mirror and wonder. "Why bother?  No one cares, no one notices."    

My friends I have been there and it is not a good place to be.  In fact as I just think about this the tears fill my eyes, my chest tightens up and my heart feels hurt.  I wish I was the type of person that could just brush things off and say who cares, but God didn't make  me that way.  I wish I could change who I was to be acceptable to everyone, but I can't.  I am who I am.  

For me, my love language is words of encouragement.  I don't know why I am this way, but words and the tone in a persons voice can either bring me encouragement and life, or death.   The Bible says out of the heart, the mouth speaks, so even if someone does something nice for me, yet uses their tongue to put me in my place, that makes me wonder what that truly says about their heart.  

"Actions speak louder than words" is not true for me.  People can put on an act and put on a mask pretending, but their words speak the truth.  In public people can be all sweet yet in private their words tell the truth about what their heart feels.  

Growing up, kids words devastated me and made me wrap myself in a cocoon that protected me from having many friends.   I chose my friends very carefully and still do.  A true friend is one who encourages, keeps secrets, listens, and loves me for who I am.  A true friend will call me and ask how I'm doing, not just bombard me with their drama over and over and over again.  I have had a few friends like that, and I had to chose to end the friendship.  It was just too much for me to deal with.  But in writing this I am wondering how much of a friend I have been.

I love to be encouraged, yet do I encourage others?  Probably not as much as I should.  Maybe God is trying to teach me a lesson by not getting encouraging words?  I know that's the case.  I am guilty of not being encouraging  to others.  I need to change that starting right now!  

Listen I know I could throw myself a giant pity party right now but instead I am going to tell you something God daily tells me:

You are wonderfully and fearfully made!  You are amazingly beautiful!  You have the very presence of God living inside of you!  You may feel discouraged and battered from the storm, but lift your head, lift your hands because God loves you more than you will ever fully grasp.  Jesus died on the cross for you!  His grace is showered down on you every second of every day.  You are God's masterpiece!  

May the encouraging words in the Bible speak the truth about God's love to you.  May you realize just how special and unique you are.  May you continue to let God form you into the masterpiece you are becoming, in Jesus name I pray, amen.  

SEARCHING FOR SIGNIFICANCE

Matthew 5:3 (Amplified)  Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! 

Why so we waste so much time searching for significance?  We strive to be loved, to be admired, to be important to be taken seriously, to be liked (on Facebook).  We all (for the most part) seem to be searching for significance.  We want to have a purpose to our life, we want our life to have meaning and substance.  We want to be known.   We want to be noticed.  

Trophies and newspaper reports are saved to proclaim our significance when we do something out of the ordinary.  Professional athletes and stars have trophy rooms built into their homes where they display all their awards to prove their significance.  Even some of us have our trophies and awards plastered on our walls and shelves to display for all to see how significant we are.  

That's all well and good except for most of us those display do nothing except boost our egos.  "Look at me and what I have accomplished in my life"  Yet so many of these people are still living empty lives searching for significance.  Trophies and awards are actually just junk that will eventually be thrown away and disregarded.    These trophies and awards do not bring a steady stream of joy and happiness.  Trying to feel significant often brings depression and even sometimes suicide.

Think of some of the stars who have committed suicide or died of drug overdoses.  They had so many trophies and awards, yet they were still unhappy.  Robin Williams, one of the funnies comedians ever, brought so much joy and laughter into other peoples lives, yet he lived a depressed life and killed himself.  Whitney Houston, given a voice like an angel, died from a drug overdose.  Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, the list could go on and on and on.  These people died searching for significance. 

Significance is empty!  Significance is unrealistic!  Significance brings death!  At least for me it does.  As a believer in Jesus Christ, I realize that I am nothing without Him.  I can do nothing without Him.  I am weak and powerless.  I am an insignificant nothing without Him.  I am helpless and hopeless without Him.  My life has no significance without Jesus Christ.

"Poor in Spirit" in some religions means to be walking around in sack cloth and ashes.  It can mean walking around with a "Woe is me" attitude always looking down at the dirt because that is what you are.  We have really allowed this phrase, "poor in spirit" to become this weak, pathetic, pitiful existence.  Some religions think the more pitiful you are, the less happy you are means you're closer to God.

I'm sorry but I disagree totally!!  "Poor in Spirit" (at least to me) means to be happy no matter what your circumstances are right now.  Because I can do nothing, but through Jesus Christ I can do all things.  In my weakness God is made strong.  Being "poor in spirit" to me means I am insignificant because to be honest, my life without Jesus Christ is meaningless and empty.  I deserve none of the grace and blessings God has given me in my life, yet He gives them so freely.  I have done nothing to earn eternal life except to believe in Jesus Christ.  

I walk around with my head held high and my hands raised in praise because I am an insignificant piece of the puzzle that God is using.  Totally unworthy but full of gratitude that the saving grace of Jesus Christ has allowed me to do what I do.  I don't need trophies or awards, I need more of Jesus.  

Lord forgive me for searching for significance in things of this world.  Lord I am nothing without you so continue to work in me and through me to form me into your image more and more each day, in Jesus name I pray, amen

DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU HAVE?

Ephesians 1:17-19  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 know him better.  I pray 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 his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 

We just don't get it do we?  We just don't understand who we are do we?  We really don't know what we have do we?  Come on admit it!  I know I am not too proud to admit it, are you?   If we did fully grasp the truth, this world would be a different place.  Our lives would look so different if we ever really tried to get ahold of this simple truth.  The things we could accomplish if we ever truly believed this simple truth.  The way our heart would change which in turn would change our thoughts, our words and our actions just blows my mind.

Okay read these verses again.  Did you get it?  To be honest I read these verses a few times before I got it. Keep reading it over and over and over until you get.  Want a hint?  The word I am talking about today starts with the letter P.  Now do you get it?  That's right I am talking about Power!!!

I know that word is scary and a bit intimidating for some of us.  For me it was also until the Holy Spirit really hit me over the head with these verses.  As I sat one day and really grabbed a hold of these verses and that word "POWER" I was amazed and deeply saddened that most of my life, I did not realize that as believers, we have the power of Jesus Christ, through His Holy Spirit, living inside of us.

Paul prayed this prayer for the Ephesians because he knew they needed to grab a hold of God's power.  He wanted them to wake up and realize the power that was available to them.  God wants us to wake up and grab a hold of this simple, yet frightening truth; WE HAVE POWER!  As a believer in Jesus Christ, we have power available to us today.  Yet so many of us just don't get it do we?

We wander around in sack cloth and ashes with a "woe is me attitude" attending every single pity party we can go to.  We are weak, wimpy, fearful, miserable people who constantly whine and moan and groan because life has just be hard.  We dwell on our past, we remember all those harsh words, we think about how hurt we have been by others, we sink into a depression because our lives just didn't turn out as we thought.  SERIOUSLY?

Listen up fellow believers, I for one am done!  IT IS FINISHED!  My past sins, my past hurts, my past diseases, my past weaknesses, my past mistakes, my past fears were all nailed to a cross in Calvary with Jesus Christ.   When Jesus said "It is finished" He meant it.  All this baggage that has weighed us done was removed for ever when we chose to believe, so why do still live weak, pathetic, pitiful lives?

Maybe it's a "comfort zone" thing, maybe it's because when we finally realize the simple truth that we have God's power available to us, that removes all our excuses and all the I can'ts from our lives.  Maybe we like attending pity parties, I know I thought I used to enjoy it.  Then one day God woke me up and asked me why I was afraid of His power.  Truth be told, I didn't want to believe I had His power available to me because that would change who I was and what I did and how I acted.

It's actually amazing when I stop and think about all I missed out on because I denied His power at work in and through me.  But the past is in the past and now I know, I have power and so do you!  The power of God that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of you to do amazing things.  The power of God, a God who loves you, gives you the power to love those who may not deserve it.  We have the power to forgive others, to reach a lost and broken world.  We have power to overcome evil with good.  We have power to do whatever God calls us to do.  And we have power to enjoy our lives no matter what we are going through.

Get over yourself and claim the power that is available to you today.  Sound harsh?  Sorry but I had to get over myself and I still do.  Stop whining and complaining and moaning and groaning!  Grab a hold of God's power and let Him transform you life starting today!

Lord, give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation so we may know you better.  Open our eyes and our heart so we may know the hope that you have given us.  Help us to grab a hold of the power you make available to us today as believers in Jesus name I pray, amen!

IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON

Philippians 1:12 - 14  And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.  For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.  And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear. 

Trust me this message is as much for me as it is for you.  Excuse the boldness of this message but it's time to move on.  Time to let go of the past.  Time to go forward.  Time to stop looking back.  Time to stop talking about the wound, the hurt and the pain.  It's time to start talking about the healing.

Yes, I was bullied and teased as a kid.  It's time for me to stop the tears, stop the fears and stop the pity party.  When I look at who I am today I am glad I went through that time.  Yes, it was hard and painful, but because of what I went though I can help others going through the same thing.  

Maybe you have been sexually abused, physically abused or verbally abused or all of the above, but you don't have to keep dwelling on the past.  Maybe you have been imprisoned falsely or have been cheated on by a spouse.  Whatever you are going through, whatever you have gone through, it's time to stop thinking about and talking about and living your life in the past.  

You, my friend, and I are much stronger and more powerful than we know.  You see we have the strength of God living inside of us.  We have the power of God available at our fingertips.  Our thoughts and our words direct our future and if we constantly live in the past then we can never grow.  If we think about all the wrong done to us we will never recover.  If we constantly talk about all  the wrong that was done to us, we will never claim the promises of God.  

Trust me I speak from experience here.  There are things that happened to me that no one but God and Jerry know.  I could dwell on these things and talk about them and whine about them and complain about them, but what good does that do?   It doesn't undo what happened, it will never make up for what happened and it will never make me feel better about what happened.  

What does help?  Talking about the healing grace of Jesus Christ.  Oh trust me I could live in a prison of distress and despair, and for a while I did,(it wasn't pretty).  I have decided to chose a prison of hope!  I chose to see the healing, I chose to see the way those things changed me and made me stronger in my faith.   It's a choice I make and so can you.  Stop living in the past, it's time to move on.

Look at this verse.  Paul was in prison.  Chains wrapped around his ankles and wrists did not stop him from sharing the good news about Jesus Christ.  Prison guards were changed by his testimony.  Even though he was in prion, he never through himself a pity party.  All the while he rejoiced in the love of Jesus Christ. Because of his attitude, because of his words, because of his example, lives in that prison were changed for eternity.  

He didn't complain or murmur or whine, he didn't go over all the times he was mistreated or abused or beaten, he didn't curse God for being in a prison cell.  He lifted his eyes and hands to heaven and thanked God for being with him.  He had confidence and faith that no matter what he was going through, it would all turn out for the good and be used to changed lives.

Listen I fully understand that sometimes what we are going through may be the toughest thing we've ever gone through, but as a believer we need to have confidence and trust in the Lord.  We need to tell people about how God healed us, restored us and guided us through the trials in our lives.  We need to let them know that despite our past, we have been saved by grace,

Lord help our test become our testimony, our mess into our message, our scars into stars.  May we learn to share the healing more than the struggle in Jesus name I pray, amen.

TAKING TIME TO STOP AND LOOK

Luke 19:5  And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." 

In this fast paced world how and when do we eve take time to stop and look around at where we are and who we are around.  Us so called Christians can be so busy running around like chickens with our heads cut off that we forget to stop and look around.  We're in such a hurry that we don't notice those who need help.  

On Sunday mornings, we rush to get ready to go to church, we rush through traffic, we rush to get the best parking spot, we rush to get the best seats, all the while we're missing the hurting people all around us.  

Our homes, our streets, our churches are filled with people who are hurting and if we would just stop and look around, we may notice them.  If we take our eyes off ourselves, we would see them.  If we would unplug our headphones, we would hear them.  If we would stop the chaos and rushing, we would notice.  

At church yesterday I had an awakening.   We have been discussing our wounds and the healing process for the last 3 weeks.  Yesterday he opened the floor for some to share their testimonies about their wounds.  Tears flowed from every eye.  Abused and battered, unloved and unaccepted, abandoned and alone, infertility, lust, divorce, drug abuse, alcoholism, prison and molested were just some of the testimonies.  Now these are people I see every Sunday, I talk to them yet I never knew these things.  I never really took time to come to them, look at them and actually see the pain.  

If we are to be living examples of Jesus Christ here on Earth then we need to learn how to stop.  Forget the hustle and bustle this world and just begin to stop and look around.  I mean really look around.  When I stop and actually take time to look into the eyes of people, I can see the pain.  When I actually stop and look into their faces I can see the stress.  When I actually take time to stop and grab a hold of their hands, I can feel the pain.  

You see, Jesus came to Zacchaeus.  He looked for Zacchaeus.  He saw  Zacchaeus.  He did not wait for Zacchaeus to come to Him.  Even though Zacchaeus was in a tree, even though Jesus had a schedule to keep, even though Jesus was on a mission and had a certain time table, He took time to notice a person in need of a Savior.  

Indeed we need to learn to stop.  We need to learn to go to others instead of waiting for them to come to us.  We need to look around to see if there is a need we can meet and then meet it.  We need to see others needs before we dwell on our own needs.  

Imagine the difference we could make in this world if we learned to stop and take notice of who is around us.  Imagine the difference we could make if we learned to take time to reach out to others first.  Imagine the difference we could make if we actually lived our lives like Jesus.  

Whatever you are going through right now, please know that Jesus is coming to you!  Please know that Jesus is looking for you and He sees you.  He hears your cries.  He is with you.  

Lord, forgive me for rushing to fast to notice those in need.  Forgive me for waiting on others to come to me.  Help me to learn to go to others and look for others and see others.  Help me to learn to stop and notice, in Jesus name I pray, amen.

TURN YOUR SCARS INTO STARS

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

I remember the first time I ever heard this saying, "turn your scars into stars".  It was Robert Schuller a pastor from California.  He was talking about his daughter who had just lost her leg in a skiing accident.  She was working hard at skiing and wanted to be an olympic athlete.  This accident could have killed her dreams but it didn't.  She still continued skiing with one leg.  Yes it was a struggle I am sure, but she lived this verse.  

Way too often we wallow in our scars and wounds.  We think about them, we fret about them, we worry about them, we cry about them, we stomp our feet in anger, we throw our hands in the air like we just do not care, we tell everyone we know how wounded we are.  It is on our mind constantly and it keeps us awake nights.   We toss and turn along with pacing the floor. We dwell on our wounds to the point of absurdity.   Our mind races with reasons as to why this has happened.  The unfairness of it all overwhelms us.  It's all we can think about and it's all we can talk about.

Sound familiar?  Our mess, our test, our scars propel us us into a place where we are never satisfied and never happy.  We play the blame game and we want everyone to pity us.  Come on, admit it!   We whine and complain, we gripe and fuss over something we usually cannot change and cannot do anything about,  Instead of dealing with it, we bury it hoping it will never surface again.  Instead of looking to the future, we dwell in the past and make a huge list filled with "if only" and "what if".  Regret becomes our friend and worry is an everyday event.

Instead of this silliness let's try something different like trusting in our Lord to work it all out.  Instead of dwelling in our wounded past, let's try to rely on our Lord to work it all out.  Instead of picking at our scabs until they become scars, let's try to  all our Lord to heal our wounded self.

Let's turn our mess into our message, our test into our testimony and our scars into stars.  Do we realize how much talking about how we recovered from our wounds may be able to help someone else?   God can use our scars, wounds and mess to change someone else's life who is going through the same thing you went through.  God can use you to heal someone.  God can use your testimony to make a difference in someone else's life.  God can use your message to influence someone to change.  God can use your stars to show someone else that they will get through this.  

We aren't strong enough to get through this, but God is.  We aren't brave enough to conquer this fear but God is.  We don't have healing power, but God does.  We cannot and should not deal with our scars and wounds alone.  We have a God who is mighty and strong.  We have a God who is powerful and able to do the impossible.  We have a God who loves us.  

Stop dwelling on what is wrong and concentrate on the future, the healing, the strength, the power that can bring so much grace and peace to your life.  Healing takes time, it takes effort but it is so worth it.  

Live with confidence that our Lord can bring healing to you.  Live with faith that no matter what you have gone through or what you are going through, God can turn it around for good.  Live with peace knowing that God already has a plan for your life and it is for good not for evil.   Live with trust in God knowing that He loves you more than you can ever comprehend.  

Scars can become stars.  A mess can turn into a message.  A test can become a testimony.  Stop living in fear.  Stop dwelling on the pain.  Stop listening to the lies of satan. 

Lord please give me the strength and healing I need when I have been wounded and scared.  Help me learn from what I have gone through and use it to help others, in Jesus name I pray, amen.

DO YOU WANT TO GET WELL?

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

As I sit here and look at this verse of this famous healing Jesus performed I wonder why Jesus had to ask the man this question.  I mean the guy is lying by a miracle healing pool, of course he wants to be well.  At least it seems like he really wants to get well, doesn't it?  I mean he's been there for 38 years so surely that means he wants to get well, right?  

Well I'm not 100% sure he wants to get well, after all why would Jesus ask him this question?  Could it be that he was so wrapped up in his own misery that began to enjoy all the attention he was getting?  Could it be people gave him money because they felt sorry for him?  Could it be that he was glad he had an excuse to just lay around on his mat all day without working?  Could he in his comfort zone and didn't want to risk the unknown by being healed?  

I'm not a mind reader so to answer all those questions would be dumb, but the fact that Jesus even asked the question raises my suspicions that even Jesus was not sure if he really wanted to be healed.  Maybe Jesus asked the question because He wanted to hear what the man had to say after all Jesus knew this man's heart.  He knew this man was full of excuses and reasons.   He knew this man had been living in a life without much faith.  He knew that this man could have done a little more to prove his faith, but instead he was complaining because no one would put him in the pool.

Yes I said complaining.  Maybe it was more like whining, but whatever the case is we sometimes forget that we have a responsibility to do what ever we can to get well.  Whether our healing needs to be physical, emotional or spiritual, there are always things we can do to help in the healing process.  Unfortunately some of us like the attention we get when we are sick or hurting.  We love it when people come us to us and pity us for what we are going through. 

Admit it!  It's the truth!  Yes I totally understand that some of us truly are going through some of the worst times in our lives, but also some of us dwell on it for way too long.  It's like a scab we keep picking at and picking at.  While the wound is trying to heal, we don't allow it too.  The attention is awesome, the way people keep trying to lift us up makes us feel better.  Our excuses excuse us from dealing with the scab and what caused it.

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh but it is as much for me as it is for you.  For way too long I kept picking at the scab of feeling abandoned by my parents when they moved to Arizona.  For way too long I kept lying on my mat by a healing pool waiting for a miracle or for someone else to lift me into the pool to receive my healing.  I kept picking at the scab instead of dealing with my issues and allowing Jesus to heal me.  

I admit the attention I got was amazing.  The pity parties I threw were the best.  I got comfortable with the whining and living in my own comfort zone was awesome.  I didn't want to allow this wound to heal.  Then I heard the words in my ears that Jesus said to this man:

John 5:8   8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 

Notice the exclamation mark?  Jesus didn't sit down and commiserate with him, Jesus didn't tell him how unfair it was that no one would help him into the pool.  He said "Get up!"  In other words, stop whining and complaining.  Stop making excuses!

Listen I have talked with people who are battling cancer for a second time and trust me they are not lying by a pool waiting for someone else to help them.  They are not whining or complaining.  They are trusting in the healing power of Jesus Christ and doing whatever they can to do their part in the healing process.  They are getting up, picking up their mat and going to doctors and nutritionists and taking chemo and whatever else they have to do in order to get well.  They're doing what they can do and trust Jesus to do what they cannot do, heal! 

Lord forgive me for allowing myself to wallow on the mat instead of getting up and getting ready for my healing.  Help me to get up, step up and pick up my mat allowing you to heal me.  I trust in you and rely on you to heal me inside and out, in Jesus name I pray, amen! 

TODAY I AWAKEN TO THE TRUTH

John 7:38  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 

As I sit here in the early morning hours the sun is just beginning to kiss the horizon.  Colors of pink and purple begin to streak across the sky.  The sound of silence echoes through my ears.  No boats, no fishermen. The lake is smooth as glass,  a school of carp are feeding on the bugs floating just above the water, an occasional fish jumping pierces the silence.  As I enjoy the silence, it is interrupted by squawking  of a family of geese.  It seems like its been such a long time since I last woke up this early to watch a sunrise, but I felt a prompting, I heard a whisper, I felt a tapping on my heart to get up.  

So here I am.  6:00am with another glorious sunrise beckoning me to view the majesty of our creator.  I wonder am I one of the few who are privileged to view this sunrise?  Why does God create such stunning sunrises?  Why doesn't He just pop the sun up with no big hoopla? 

The reflection on the lake just magnifies the array of colors that God has painted across the early morning sky.  The clouds make the sunrise so much more intense and colorful.  As I stare off in the distance my mind begins to wander to those who do not know this amazing God I see in this sunrise.  I wonder if they realize how much God loves them?  I wonder if they realize how deep, how wide, how long, how wide His love is for them?

Those that deny His existence, are missing out on so much that my heart hurts just thinking about them.  Don't they see the beauty and majesty that surround them?  Don't they know the intricate systems that God put in place in our bodies that beckons the truth about our creator?  How can they deny Him when I see Him and feel Him everywhere I look?

The pain is real, the denial is true but the ache in their heart, you know what I'm talking about?  The pain in the hearts of unbelievers?  Although they deny it, it's there.  Like the missing piece of a puzzle, like the missing note in a melody, their heart has an emptiness that nothing seems to fill.

Booze and drugs can seem to temporarily fill the void.   Lust maybe the missing piece?  Maybe a boyfriend or a girlfriend will fill that emptiness?  Money!  That's it!  That is what the missing piece of the puzzle is.  After all money can buy happiness or at least it can appear to.   With money we can travel the world,  we can buy every trinket and toy out there.  With money we can have that home we've always dreamed of.  With money we can buy anything and everything.  That will fill that void, we'll just fill it with stuff.

Okay let me be honest here.  Drugs and alcohol may numb the pain of our heart, love from another can dull the ache we feel, and money may give us a temporary joy that seems real, but honestly you were created to crave God.  Whether you choose to believe in Him or not, there is a place in our hearts that cannot and will not be filled with anything or anyone bur God.  No matter how hard we try, no matter what we try to fill it with, there is only one piece of that puzzle that fits, God.

If that offends you, I am sorry.  It's reality!  It's a fact!  I cannot and will not attempt to prove it to you.  You can deny it but deep down in your heart and soul you know I'm right.  You may never admit it, but it's real.  

The broken and wounded of this world can be rich or poor.  I have seen people who have tons of money who live broken and searching.  They live to fill that void, they spend to fill that void, they may even donate money to charities to get that applause, that pat on the back, that newspaper article that proves they are good.  

I have also seen the opposite, the poor who feel they have to do unspeakable acts while searching for  significance and meaning to their lives.  Some join gangs looking for acceptance, some sell drugs to make money, others sell their bodies.  Some do whatever it take to feel love.  

Please let me tell you this.  If you are reading this and do not believe in God, let me assure you that there is a God.  He is real!  That void in your heart you've been trying to fill, will never be filled with anything or anyone but Him.  See this picture of the sunrise I took this morning?  He painted that masterpiece just for you.  Put your heart on your chest and feel the beating of your heart.  It beats for Him and Him alone.  Listen I know it may be hard for you to believe but God loves you!  He has an amazing life waiting for you!  

I challenge you to get a bible and read the New Testament.  Just try it, what do you have to lose? 

Lord, please heal all those hearts who are searching for love in all the wrong places.  Fill that void in all our hearts with your love in Jesus name I pray, amen.    

LEARNING TO CAST MY CARES AND RELEASE MY BURDENS

1 Peter 5:7  casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Can you imagine what our lives would look like and feel like if we ever truly learned to cast our cares and release our burdens to God?  Listen, this world is a mess.  People all over are broken, wounded and hurting.  Whether the hurts are physical, emotional or mental, the pain is real.  Walk into any store or even amusement parks and we can see the pain in people's eyes.  On the outside they may be smiling and laughing, but inside their heart is ripping open with the pain of the hurt.

It's real.  The pain is real.  The wound is real.  The scar is there buried deep for some and extremely evident for others.  Some of us hide our wounds easily, others cannot hide them.  They are obvious.  A black and blue eye, a broken arm, a scar from surgery, stitches to heal the cut.  These we see, these make the wound clear as day.  But it is the internal wounds, the internal battle scars that hide just beneath the surface hidden for no one to discover, that is until we look into their eyes and sees the tears they try to hide.

Some of us live heavily burdened for those who are hurting.  We have a list of people who need prayers and the list is just those we are aware of.  There are so many others we don't know yet we see their struggle and can imagine the wounds they're hiding.  We struggle and feel so overwhelmed with this burden to pray and heal the broken that we lose sight of that fact that sometimes, there is nothing we can physically do to help the situation.  Sometimes all we can do is pray.

Now really doesn't that sound absolutely silly?  "All we can do is pray" is one of those statements that we sort of use as a last resort.  After we have burdened our hearts and overwhelmed our souls  and caused our mind to work overtime to find a solution, then and only then do we decide all we can do is pray.  Seriously?  Why isn't this a first resort?  Why do we think we shouldn't overwhelm God, maybe we can handle it, after all He's so busy with important stuff?   Why do we take these burdens on ourselves and overwhelm ourselves to a point of depression?

Cast your care upon God. In my simple mind and in my heart I feel that if I even try to take on the burdens of  my little world let alone the burdens of this world, that means I don't need God.  In reality I'm saying, "Hey God, listen I know you're God Almighty, but hey you're so busy dealing with this evil infested world, let me take these burdens off of you.  I got this God, I can handle it, I really don't need you, but hey if I get in a crunch, I'll call on you.  Ok?"  Now be 100% honest, isn't that what we're saying when we become so overburdened with all the hurting, wounded people we meet?  Okay what cares is Peter talking about in this verse.  Well I love the Amplified Bibles version of this verse.  It explains it to a tee.

1 Peter 5:7 (AMP)   Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

I know for me personally I have made it my mission in life to do my best not to worry.  I used to watch my mom worry about everything and everyone.  She would pace the floor reciting the rosary over and over again.  The burden she carried was heavy for her family.  She handled it for her entire life, in fact she still does.  I became determined at a very young age not to live that way.  I remember when I was little hearing the verses about God caring for the sparrows and that made me realize that God has my back.  He has me in the palm of His hand, so I won't even try to worry.

Cast your care upon God! God has the ability to see and know things we do not.  He knows what the future holds, we do not.  He has the power to heal, we do not.  He may use us to heal someone physically or emotionally, but that's up to Him.  Cast your cares upon God!  Cast your burdens upon God!  Give God all your worries, all your anxieties!  Let go of the struggle and stop burdening yourself with things you cannot change and may not be able to do anything about. Trust in God and know that He has the broad shoulders to be able to carry the burdens of your little world and this big world, we do not and cannot.

Pray for your burdens, your worries and your anxieties, then let them go.  Release them to God and allow Him to do what we cannot.

Lord, forgive me for taking on the burdens of this world.  Today I cast all my cares, all my worries, all my anxieties and all my burdens to you.  They are no longer wearing me down.  I trust in you, I rely on you and believe that you are the only one capable of carrying my troubles.  Give me a peace that surpasses all understanding in knowing you are the only one who can carry all my burdens, in Jesus name I pray, amen.  

SEARCHING FOR FLOWERS AMONGST THE WEEDS

Many people think these are weeds.  Farmers fields are full of these weeds.  For crops they are bad and must be eliminated.  Homeowners who have a certain landscape design may think of these as weeds and eliminate them.  These flowers (which may be weeds to you)  grow all along a road we frequently travel.   To me they are spectacular.  Their beauty just screams out to me as we drive down the road.  For some reason, the farmers and land owners down this road, chose to let these beauties live.  

Wild flowers, while bad for crops because they can easily take over a field, bring a smile to my face and they warm my heart.  When I see a field of wild flowers, I do not see the crops they may be strangling, I see beauty, I see God.

For many of us living in this world we see and hear so much bad news, so much death and destruction.  Mass shootings, war, crime, politics, and media star's drama unfolds on the nightly news.  Depression and sadness spread like the plague as we listen to endless negative story lines. No wonder depression is so rampant in this world, if I listened to the news I probably would be depressed too.

Can any of this bad turn around for the good?  Yes of course it can.  Look at the Civil War, yes thousands of people were killed, but because of that war, there are no longer slaves in this country.  Look at WWII; so many soldiers lost their lives, but because of their sacrifice, Hitler was removed from power and many jews were freed from certain death.  I could go on and on with stories and I know you could think of some too. 

I know that at the time when we are going through something bad, it can be hard to imagine anything good coming out of it, but that is what usually happens.  

Let's look at Joseph in the Old Testament.  His brothers hated him because he was his fathers favorite.  So they sold him int slavery and told their father he was killed.  Joseph was a slave to a leader in Egypt, then he was falsely imprisoned.  For 13 years or so Joseph lived a life none of us would wish on our worst enemy.  For 13 years it seemed as if God was silent and was ignoring Joseph, but Joseph never gave up hope.  He always trusted that God would turn his situation around.

He could have been depressed, bitter or angry.  He could have lived his life seeking revenge against his brothers.  He could have had many pity parties.  He could have lived his life angry at God for putting him through this.  But he didn't.  He trusted, he kept the faith and he believed God would turn his situation around.  In the end he actually forgave his brothers,  Read this verse: 

Genesis 50:20  As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 

Oh if we could just get a grip on the simple truth that God can turn evil into something good.  sometimes there is a lesson we need to be taught, sometimes we need to get over ourselves and realize that there is someone who is worse off than ourselves.  Sometimes we need to let go of control and let God take the steering wheel of our life.  Sometimes we need to be humbled!

Evil happens.  Satan is alive and well on planet Earth and he will do whatever he can to lead us away from God, but if we live like Joseph did those 13 years, if we are faithful and trust in God, He will work it our for our good eventually.  It may not work out as fast as we would like, but someday it will turn around.  

Wounded, battered and bruised?  Turn to God!  Trust in Him!  Cry out to Him!  

Lord I need you!  I have been wounded and hurt by people and situations.  Help me to forgive like Joseph did.   Today instead of looking at my wounds, I will trust in you.  Instead of concentrating on my bruises, I will reach out to others who are battered and bruised.  Heal me Lord and help me to reach out to others who have been wounded, battered and bruised by evil, in Jesus name I pray, amen!