Colors of Glory

Black and white days and shades of grey

A Kodachrome life….

Drained of color –

            disappointment here

            distress there

            hardship here

            heartbreak there.

Where have all the colors gone?

The palette of your life once

  Alive

    Vibrant

     Radiant

Where have they gone?

Drained

Muted

Muddled by life.

Till nothing but grey remains.

Then the Master comes –

Palette in hand, brushes at the ready –

He beckons me…Come, be my canvas!

I paint your life with My colors!

      Radiant reds

       Azure blues

         Vibrant violets

            Sun-filled yellows

            Meadow greens

            Liquid aquas

Colors explode right then left

Colors above

Colors beneath

Colors…

Washing away the greys –

            the black and white of your life –

I paint your life with colors

            beyond the rainbow

                        beyond the heavens

I paint your life with the colors of My glory.

Prophetic Insights for 2024

Happy New Year!

With 2023 in the rear-view mirror (can you believe it?!), we have leaped into a new year...a leap year, actually! I hope your holiday season was filled with wonderful memories of family, friends, and fun times together. Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year with the beautiful lights, Christmas music, the smell of evergreens and yummy cookies baking, and the giving of gifts. And the most important gift of all...Jesus, born in a manger, Emmanuel, God with us.

PROPHETIC INSIGHTS FOR 2024

As I prayed about the coming year, I felt the Lord direct me to Haggai 2:6 - 

In a little while, I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory...the glory of the present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.

It doesn't take prophetic insight to discern that we are in the midst of great shaking in our world: the war in Israel, the economy, the southern border crisis, anti-semitism, hatred and vitriolic speech in the media fueling division among people. In the Body of Christ, prominent leaders have fallen, causing a shaking in many of God's people. Tumultuous times. Our minds can fill with dread and consternation as we look to the future.

EXODUS FROM EGYPT

As I asked the Lord about this, I felt He led me to Exodus and the plagues against Egypt. The significance of the plagues was not so much about rescuing the Israelites from Egypt, as it was about communicating to them, and the Egyptians, who God really is.

The Israelites had been slaves in the land for 400 years, and had forgotten their covenant with the God of all power. The Egyptians worshiped false gods and each plague targeted one those gods. Each plague parallels the "gods" of our culture. Without detailing each plague, here are just three examples.

Plague #1 - The Nile turned into blood. Targeting the Nile, worshiped as the god of life and fertility, it became a representation of death instead. I see a parallel in the bloodshed of lawlessness rampant in our world.

Plague #3 - The gnats, or "biting" insects. This represents the "biting" words that create havoc through social media and news outlets.

Plague #10, the final plague - Death of the first born. This speaks to me of the plague of abortion in our world. 

GOSHEN

The Bible tells us that God made a distinction between His people and the Egyptians when He released the plagues. 

I will set apart the land of Goshen in which My people live...I will make a clear distinction between My people and your people (Exodus 8:22). 

The Israelites were set apart in a region of Egypt called Goshen. It was a very fertile and lush region of Egypt where all their needs were provided for. As comfortable as Goshen was, it was merely a place of transition. They didn't settle there...they were on their way to the Promised Land.

Goshen was a place of protection and security for the Israelites. They did not suffer from the plagues of flies, death of their livestock, hail, darkness, or death of their firstborn. Despite the chaos surrounding them, the Israelites were at peace.

My sense is that God will provide a “Goshen” for us, His people, in the midst of the turmoil and shaking around us. 

Our Goshen is the place of His presence.

CONFIRMING DREAM

As if to confirm this word, I woke up from a dream the day after receiving this revelation. I was in bed, in a house with my family. With great intensity, one of them shouted: 

"It’s time to get up! It's time to wake up! Look at the clock – it’s 6:75!"

I looked at a digital clock on the bed stand with red numbers that read 6:75. I could smell breakfast cooking and started to get out of bed. I woke up. I wondered: “6:75 is not an actual time. What could that mean, Lord?”

I felt like I heard...6:00 am plus 75 minutes is 7:15. As I do when I have a vivid dream about a specific number, I went to each book of the Bible, looking up Chapter 7 verse 15.

The very first reference in Exodus 7:15 recorded the beginning of the plagues! Then in Deut. 7:15 – And the Lord will protect you from all sickness. He will not let you suffer from the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but will inflict them on all your enemies!

Verses 17-19 continues: Perhaps you will think to yourselves, ‘How can we ever conquer these nations that are so much more powerful than we are?’ But don’t be afraid of them! Remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all the land of Egypt...Remember the miraculous signs and wonders, and the strong hand and powerful arm with which he brought you out of Egypt. The Lord your God will use this same power against all the people you fear.

As we look around, we're tempted to think: "How can we overcome the chaos and shaking in the world we live in?" It can feel overwhelming.

BUT GOD!

In times like this, it's helpful to remember. Remember the times God came through for you, helped you, provided what you needed. Remember His goodness, kindness, and unlimited grace.

2 Chron. 7:15 follows a verse we are all familiar with: If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

I love the promise in verse 15: My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

Prayer is the key to entering the Goshen God has prepared for us.

Many other references to chapter 7, verse 15, have the same theme running through them: VICTORY OVER ENEMIES!

2024 AND THE LAND OF GOSHEN

We will face many challenges, even enemies, in the coming year. But I believe God is saying He will set us in our own “Goshen” – a special place of:

Light in the midst of the darkness;

Security despite the shaking;

Safety in the face of dangers;

Protection and provision in every area of our lives.

Our “Goshen” is His presence.

We enter by FAITH through prayer.

As you head into the New Year, my prayer is that you will take time to sit with Him, talk with Him, and make His presence your priority. May you enter into the protection of Goshen that has been prepared and is waiting for you. 

God's richest blessings for a New Year filled with more of HIM!

A Way in A Manger

Charles Dickens wrote: “It was the best of times and the worst of times.” That can be an apt description for the Christmas season for some. It’s the best of times for many, with all the joys the holiday brings: family gatherings, delicious treats, sparkling lights, and wonderful gifts ‘neath the tree. It is, as the song goes, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”!

But for others it can be the worst of times. Loneliness, depression, hunger, darkness, no gifts, no tree, no family. Christmas stirs emotions in a way that no other holiday does.

I lost my mother when I was 16 years old. Christmas had a melancholy-ness about it for many years, even long into adulthood. I’d hear certain Christmas carols, like “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and my heart would ache. Even after my own children came along, and I had the joy of watching their faces light up on Christmas morning, there was still that little space of sadness in my heart.

Three and a half years ago, my husband was promoted to glory. I have great joy knowing he is in heaven, free from pain and the heaviness he carried in this life. While I am at peace with my life, there are those moments when grief rears its head for a moment. Last week, I drove past a house with all-blue Christmas lights that glowed in the darkness. By the time I reached my daughter’s home, the tears were flowing because my husband always liked all-blue lights on our house at Christmastime.

But this Christmas, it isn’t my own sadness I’m feeling, as much as it is for those who have lost loved ones this past year. Several of my friends and family have suffered the heartache of grief this year, and how painful it is to walk through each “first” without the one you love. Especially at Christmas. 

We are not without hope. When you’ve given your heart to the One who came in a manger, you find that God makes a way even in the “worst of times.” Jesus stepped out of His glory in eternity, wrapped Himself in the flesh of His own creation, and came to be with us. In our sorrow. In our sadness. In our pain. Emmanuel. God with us. He carried it all for us (Isaiah 53:4). His presence surrounds, comforts, and strengthens us. His love that came in a manger 2,000 years ago, fills the empty, aching heart.

I love the play on the words in the image above from the familiar Christmas song: God Made A Way in a Manger (Away in a Manger). It’s true...He provided all we need, not only at Christmas, but in every season of the year. He gave us this this hope:

Come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Heb. 4:14).

His throne of grace began in a manger. It ended at a cross.

This Christmas, I pray your spirit will be “merry and bright” as you celebrate the birth of the King. If you are lacking joy and feeling sad, I encourage you to take some time at the manger throne and allow Him to fill you with His love and joy and peace this Christmas.

He is Risen Indeed!

We are about to celebrate one of the most important events in all of history – the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter Sunday for many is about bunnies, and egg hunts, and candy…lots of candy!

But for believers, the significance of this day is the very bedrock of our faith. As I ponder the events of Good Friday this year, I am struck by the response of nature to Jesus’ death on the Cross and His subsequent resurrection. Matthew tell us as Jesus hung on the Cross from the 6th to the 9th hour, that “there was darkness over all the land” (Matt 27:45). The Greek word translated “land” is ges, and it has the connotation of the entire earth – not just the land around Jerusalem. That means that the entire earth was simultaneously engulfed in darkness. Ancient historians have referred to the darkness that covered the earth at the time of the crucifixion.

Similarly, when Matthew records that “the earth quaked” (Matt 27:51), the same Greek word is used for “earth,” indicating that it was a worldwide earthquake.  There was another earthquake 3 days later when He rose from the dead. Only this time, Matthew tells us it was a “great  (Greek – mega) earthquake.” So impacting was it that huge boulders were torn apart.  What was happening here? 

Just as creation shook when its Creator died on the Cross, so it shook again in response to His resurrection! A cataclysmic, worldwide event was taking place that forever shifted us from Old Covenant to New Covenant…from law to grace. All of nature was responding to what was occurring in the spiritual realm. I’m reminded of a song Sandy Patti recorded many years ago called Was It a Morning Like This?  I love the chorus because it gives us a glimpse of the unseen reaction to the resurrection:

Did the grass sing?

Did the earth rejoice to feel you again?

Over and over like a trumpet underground

Did the earth seem to pound

He is risen!

Over and over in a never-ending round

He is risen! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

So, my question is:

How are we, the highest of His creation, responding to our Creator’s death and resurrection? As we approach Easter Sunday this year, can we pause from the everyday-ness of life to consider the wonder and power of the resurrection? Can we purpose, not only to consider the resurrection, but to walk in the life and power Jesus died to give us? I want to live in the awareness of His presence, His unrelenting grace, and His unlimited love…the love that sent Him to the Cross. Maybe I need to listen to Sandy Patti’s song more than once a year!

How about you? How will you respond?

All I Want for Christmas...

Six-year-old Ellie tip-toed up to reach the mailbox, straining to slip her letter in the slot. The address read:

            Santa Claus

            North Pole

Inside was her Christmas list. What wasn’t written on the letter were her hopes of finding each gift underneath the tree.

“Dear Santa,

I have been a good girl this year. all I want for Christmas is a baby doll, a scooter, and a ipad.

I left you cookies and milk. and a carrot for Rudolph.

thank you. merry Christmas, ellie”

An iPad...a sign of the times!

I have a Christmas list too, but you won’t find them on Amazon or Etsy. You won’t find these at a store at the mall.

It’s a “wish list” of attitudes of the heart modeled by the key players in the story of that first Christmas.

Let’s begin with MARY, JESUS’ MOTHER…

There are many things we could say about Mary’s heart…she had a heart of faith, a heart of courage, a heart of worship. But two attitudes of her heart that I have on my Christmas list are humility and obedience.

Remember when Gabriel came to her and made the incredible announcement that she had been chosen to bear the Son of God (Luke 1:26-33)?

She wondered. How can this be? I’ve never even kissed a man, much less been with one! I’m just an ordinary girl. I’m not of royal heritage. How can it be that Almighty God has chosen me?

Her question was very different from Zechariah’s when Gabriel announced his wife would become pregnant. His question stemmed from unbelief, and he was silenced for 9 months. Mary’s question reflected her faith in God and His ability to do anything. She gave birth to the Savior.

Dire consequences could result from this angelic encounter, yet her heart attitudes of humility and obedience were evident in her response:

Behold the handmaiden of the Lord! Her humble heart.

Let it be to me according to your word!  Her obedient heart.

So, at the top of my Christmas list is the heart attitude Mary had. Lord, help me to continually humble myself before you and yield my life to Your desire and purpose.

JOSEPH

Think of how the news of Mary’s pregnancy must have torn rocked Joseph’s world.

His beloved Mary. She seemed so pure, yet it appeared she had fallen into sin.

He had trusted her. What was he to do?

He could have had her put to death for adultery. But instead, he planned to just put her away secretly, not wanting to make her a public example (Matt. 1:19).

He, too, had a visitor from heaven. It must have been hard to believe the messenger’s explanation of his betrothed’s pregnancy. But he believed and trusted – both God and Mary. He had a heart attitude of trust and acceptance, seasoned with love and grace.

Next on my Christmas list is a heart attitude like Joseph’s: trusting acceptance, believing God at His word. Lord, help me look beyond the surface circumstances and respond with love and care. 

 ELIZABETH

Topping Elizabeth’s Christmas list would have been a baby of her own. Long past the child-bearing age, this righteous woman grieved over the barrenness of her womb. She must have waited and wondered, as most Jewish women of that time, if she might have the honor of bearing the Messiah.

God intervenes and she does conceive…but it is not THE Child.

When her cousin Mary visited, she instantly knew Mary had been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah.

Did she grumble or complain, “Why not me?  I’m older, have served God longer, have kept His commandments. It should have been me.”

No, she responded with praise and deep humility (Luke 1:42-45).

Elizabeth demonstrated a heart attitude of contentment and gratitude.

My list needs an Elizabeth heart attitude: one that is satisfied with who I am and what I have. Lord, help me rejoice with those who rejoice, even when the blessings they are experiencing are ones my heart longs for.

THE SHEPHERDS

Minding their own business and their sheep, an angel came to them with the biggest news of all: The Savior has been born this day in Bethlehem. Awe and wonder filled their hearts! A heavenly host appeared singing God’s praise (Luke 2:8-16).

Filled with wonder, they responded. They dropped everything to go and see this “God-happening” in Bethlehem. What if the shepherds had just been blessed by the “light show,” but kept on tending their sheep? It was late, after all.

They would have missed the most critical turning point in all of history.

This Christmas, may I not miss the wonder of the Bethlehem miracle. A baby, born in a manger, Who came to save me. Lord, may I have a responsive, wonder-filled heart like the shepherds. Let me be willing to turn aside from the busyness to see the miracle in the midst of my everyday life.

And finally, the WISE MEN

Matthew 2 tells us Wise Men had seen His star and traveled to Bethlehem to worship Him who was born King of the Jews. The Magi were considered spiritual advisors and served the king. They studied the stars and the heavens and understood the significance of the new star that appeared in the night sky.

Traveling a great distance, they came to worship the newborn King (Matt. 2:11). They fell down before Him and worshipped with the very best they had: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The final item on my Christmas list is a heart attitude like the Wise Men had. Lord, I want to worship You with the very best I have to give – my whole heart. You are worthy of nothing less.

I think my Christmas list is complete:

Humility and obedience

Trusting acceptance

Contentment and gratitude

Wonder-filled response

Worship.

So may I ask….

What’s on your list this Christmas?

2.22.22 - A Palindrome of Meaning

A quick google search yields all kinds of interesting information on this Palindrome date. (A palindrome is a number that can be read the same backward and forward.) The fact that this date falls on a Tuesday seems even more noteworthy.

But I’d like to consider the biblical significance of the numbers in today’s date. First of all, what does the number 2 represent? So glad you asked! In biblical numerology, it means agreement, testimony, or unity. 

·   In the Bible, the testimony of 2 witnesses was necessary to bring an accusation. 

·   There are 2 Testaments: Old and New.

·   There are 2 Covenants: Old and New. 

·   There were 2 trees in the Garden of Eden: The Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. 

·   The number 2 represents choice: Choose God’s life and blessing (The Tree of Life) or the self-life (The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil). Joshua 24:15

·   Two great pillars watched over Israel as they navigated the wilderness: the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire.

·   The number 2 represents double, as in double portion anointing, which Elisha asked of his mentor, Elijah, when he was about to be taken to heaven.

·   Jesus sent the disciples out 2 by 2 to testify about Him. 

·   Jesus identified the greatest commandment as twofold: Love God and love your neighbor.

Then there is the number 22, which means light, or revelation. Again, a notable number.

·   There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and the 22nd letter is tav, also referring to completion or perfection.

·   “In the beginning…” God spoke 22 things into being. He used words and words are made from letters. Thus, the Hebrew letters from which the words of the Bible are formed, are the building blocks to all life.

·   God’s first words of creation were: “Let there be light…” (Genesis 1:3).

·   David used an acrostic using all 22 letters of the alphabet when writing Psalm 119, with each successive letter starting a new line. This Psalm outlines the perfection of God’s Word and tells us it is a “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” (Psalm 119:105).

·   “Light” is found 264 times in the Bible and when divided by 12 (the number of divine authority), it equals the number 22 – light!

·   Light is used 22 times in the Gospel of John and the 22nd time is in John 12:46 where he quotes Jesus: “I have come as a light into the world…”

·   As believers, we are to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-15).

One final observation about this palindromic date, there are five two’s – 2/22/22. Five is the number representing grace in the Bible. 

THE BOTTOM LINE

When I consider the meanings of 2/22/22, I sense that on this day, and the days to follow in 2022, we can expect God’s grace to lead us into divine revelation – light! And as the references to the number 2 indicate, we have been graced with free choice by God. Each day presents us with numerous choices and decisions. May we seek Him for revelation and then choose life!

Look Up! Look Down! in 2022

With 2021 in the rear-view mirror, and 2022 stretching out before us, we all know we are in a very different season. Perhaps that is a monumental understatement! As I prayed about the coming year and asked God for a word, as many of us do, my initial impression didn’t seem very encouraging, but I pressed in for more. Here is the sense I have for the coming year.

In the world, we’re not in for an easier ride than we’ve had the past two years. In fact, I sense the pressure may increase on all sides:

The Level is Rising

·      The pandemic and continued strains of Covid;

·      Government restrictions and intrusion into personal lives;

·      Unprecedented inflation, financial stress, personally and nationally;

·      Lawlessness abounding and becoming a way of life;

·      Evil being called good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).

BUT GOD!

Jesus said: I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you](AMP) (John 16:33).

The Greek word, thlipsis, translated tribulation, means:

Pressure, oppression, affliction, squashing, squeezing, distress. 

Have you felt “squashed or squeezed” these past two years? I have!

The word pictures placing your hand on a stack of loose items, say a stack of papers, then manually compressing them. That is thlipsis. It’s putting a lot of pressure on something that is free and unfettered. It’s like spiritual bench-pressing, as one refence put it. The word is used for crushing grapes or olives in a press. 

Amid the thlipsis in our lives and in our world, Jesus tells us to be of good cheer. Why? Because He promises His peace – a peace that assures us of rest, quietness, prosperity. A set of favorable circumstances involving peace and tranquility. To be without trouble or to have no worries or to sit down in one’s heart (Louw, Nida: Greek Lexicon).

I like that – “sit down in one’s heart.” Not standing, wringing the proverbial hands. Not standing, anxiously anticipating the next bad thing. But sitting down in our hearts – a settled place of peace on the inside, even if the outside is raging. 

Isaiah 26:3 encourages us:

    You will keep him in perfect peace,

    Whose mind is stayed on You,

    Because he trusts in You. (NKJV)

PEACE

Perfect peace? When the world feels like it’s spinning out of control? When the Good News is daily drowned out by the bad news on every television station? When a pandemic is raging that has changed the course of our lives? When parental authority over their children is being usurped by an agenda to indoctrinate them in gender fluidity, Critical Race Theory, and attempting to rewrite our national history? When it seems our government officials are hell-bent on destroying our country? Perfect peace? Really Jesus?

But He knows something we don’t. The peace He’s talking about is not based on circumstantial realities; rather, His peace is based on eternal truth. There is a vast difference between facts and truth. The fact is that the world is very different from what it was just a few decades ago. But the truth is that we have a source of peace the world doesn’t have access to. In John 14:27 Jesus said:

Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled] (AMP).

I think of the peace Jesus had when He stood before the Sanhedrin being falsely accused. Or when questioned by Pilate, knowing that He was about to go through an excruciating death and be separated from His Father for the first and only time in all of eternity. It is that kind of peace that He not only gives us, but that He bequeaths to us. Bequeath means to leave or give something to someone by a will after one’s death. In other words, His peace is our inheritance. 

Our English word peace inadequately expresses the richness of the Hebrew word – shalom. It means completeness, wholeness, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, and the absence of agitation or discord. That is so much more than the absence of conflict! That is the inheritance Jesus has left us.

Then He says, “be of good cheer.” Again, are you serious Jesus? Not only be at peace while thlipsis swirls around us, but be of good cheer?  Be happy, joyful, and glad? I think He had something deeper in mind. “To be of good cheer” means to have confidence and firmness of purpose in the face of danger or testing—to be confident, to have courage, to be bold. It’s also defined as being immovable or deaf to threats (Louw). A far cry from a Pollyana perspective where everything is wonderful and it will all turn out alright. I’m not saying we don’t need a positive attitude, but sometimes our emotions and even our beliefs do not line up with a glass half-full mentality.

How can that be our stance when facing trial or testing? Only by looking up! Lifting our eyes from the natural circumstances to the Source of our peace, confidence, and boldness. Jesus said: I have overcome the world. In the Greek, overcome means… overcome! To be victorious! To conquer and to prevail! Jesus already won the victory over every circumstance we face – whether in our personal lives or the world around us. And because He has overcome, we, too have overcome. 

Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us (Romans 8:37, AMP).

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5).

THE LEVEL IS RISING

As tribulation abounds, I believe God is raising our level of faith and authority as a people. Here in Seattle, we have “water locks” that connect two bodies of water with differing sea levels. The water level in the Puget Sound is lower than that of Lake Washington, so when a boat moves from the Sound to the Lake, it must be positioned in the lock. A gate closes off the water from the Puget Sound and raises the water level in the lock to that of Lake Washington, allowing the boat to pass through. That’s a picture of what I see the Lord doing with His people in this season: He is, in a sense, cutting off the level of faith we had in the previous season, and He is raising the level so we can move into a higher degree of faith and authority. The key is being positioned in the “lock” – with our eyes “locked” on the Lord.

LOOK UP!

We get what we focus on. We become what we behold. To navigate to a higher level, we must look up and focus our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). In our day-to-day living, we must engage our eyes of faith more than our natural eyes. Our natural eyes will betray us, in a sense, because there is a vast spiritual realm that can only be accessed through eyes of faith. Holy Spirit instructed John in Revelation 4:1 to “Ascend into this realm, I want to reveal to you what must happen after this” (TPT). God invites us to look up to Him, to the realm He lives in, for He is where our help comes from (Psalm 121:1-2). 

The enemy wants to unsettle us. God wants to secure us. The enemy provokes fear and uncertainty. God provides safety and rest.

Now I will arise, says the Lord. I will set him in the safety he years for (Psalm 12:5).

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] 

Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. 

For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne (Matthew 11:28-30 AMP).

When an anxious thought comes up, over the world situation, or fear creeps in concerning something in your personal life – Look up! Position yourself in the “lock” of His grace, lift your faith, and step into His peace.

LOOK DOWN!

When once we lift our eyes of faith to Jesus, then we must look down on our earthly circumstances with His heavenly perspective: Set your mind on things which are above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 2:2). In an upside-down world like ours, what is God’s viewpoint? Is He wringing His hands because His truth has been dismissed by a cancel culture? Is He worried about the liberal agenda that tears at the fabric of this nation? Is He distressed that the economy is suffering unprecedented inflation or that there is a new Covid variant? I think not. That is not to say He doesn’t care about how these things affect His children. He does. But He is in control. He has not relinquished His sovereign power and dominion. He is on the throne, and He still reigns, no matter how things look. He has given us the ability to view our earthly circumstances through the lens of His peace, His shalom. Confident and courageous because we know that He holds the whole world in His hands, as the song goes.

So, in the year ahead:

1.     LOOK UP! Lift your eyes of faith to His throne of grace and expect your faith level to rise as you position yourself before Him. 

2.     LOOK DOWN! Activate your spiritual eyes on the realm that God lives in and see things from His perspective. He has already overcome. Declare with the spiritual authority Jesus has given you, His purposes for yourself, your family, city, community, and nation (Luke 10:19). 

 Prayer:

Father, I thank you that you hold all things in the palm of your hand. You are not taken off guard by the activity of the enemy in this world; rather, you have him on a very short leash. We declare the peace that Jesus bequeathed to us is a mighty weapon against the enemy’s schemes. We declare that in every circumstance we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. We declare that we will fix our eyes on the realm above and receive your perspective and strategy for prayer. We declare that we will look down, not with our natural eyes, but with eyes of faith. You are a great and mighty God and there is nothing too difficult for you! We praise and honor you. We echo David’s words when he said:

Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. 

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness,

The power and the glory, 

The victory and the majesty;

For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; 

Yours is the kingdom, O Lord,

And You are exalted as head over all.

Both riches and honor come from You,

And You reign over all.

In Your hand is power and might; 

In Your hand it is to make great

And to give strength to all.

Now therefore, our God,

We thank You

And praise Your glorious name.

(1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

Amen!.

A Psalm of Praise...for His great love

In a devotional by Max Lucado, he tells the story of a New York City firefighter who lost his son, also a firefighter, in the tragedy of September 11, 2001. As the Twin Towers fell, his son was there. For three months, this father searched through the rubble, determined to find his son’s body. Finally, on December 11, his son was found and he carried his body out of the debris. The father didn’t quit. “Why?” asks Lucado. “Because the love for his son was greater than the pain of the search.” Jesus withstood the pain of the Cross because His love for us was greater than the pain of the journey. Lucado encourages us to write a psalm of praise to Christ for His great love. Here is mine.

You withstood the false accusations,

Silent, before your accusers you stood.

With a word you could have destroyed them

But silent, they were free to say what they would.

Like a sheep to the slaughter you went

Led by hands that would harm you, torture you,

Hands that would kill you and never repent.

On a cross of shame and pain you hung,

No longer silent…

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

“Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

“Mother, behold your son. Son, behold your mother.”

“My God, why have you abandoned me?”

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Last words - not for yourself, but for others…

Your murderers, a thief, your mother…

A heart that gave - your life, your all.

My mind cannot comprehend that kind of love -

The width and length and depth and height of it.

Unsure at times, how to fully receive it,

To live in it, day by day, week by week, year by year.

Oh, I feel glimpses of it, but I want more!

Much, much more!

Today, I offer you the only thing I have to give -

My praise, my worship.

I join with David and the psalmists and say -

You are good and your mercy endures forever!

You are my strength and my salvation,

You are the place of safety for which my heart yearns.

I lift up my heart, I lift up my voice, and all that I am

In worship to the Lamb,

To the One Who is holy…to the One Who is worthy…to the One Who is glorious

To the One Who is exalted over all.

You are seated on the Throne as you lavish your love upon us…

Without condition

Unrelenting

Non-negotiable

Never ending

Always available

LOVE!

My heart worships You!

Let us return...

Hosea 6:1-3 HCSB

Come, let us return to the Lord.
For He has torn us,
and He will heal us;
He has wounded us,
and He will bind up our wounds.
2 He will revive us after two days,
and on the third day He will raise us up
so we can live in His presence.
3 Let us strive to know the Lord.
His appearance is as sure as the dawn.
He will come to us like the rain,
like the spring showers that water the land.

The days that we are living in seem unprecedented. The division in our nation, and in the nations of the world, is striking. The Books of Hosea and Habakkuk contain unmistakable parallels to the world today. Some passages read as if they were ripped from the headlines. I believe these books have wisdom for us personally and corporately.

Let us return…

Return to our first love. The love and attraction we had when we first met Him. Like the bride for her bridegroom on the wedding day. Total affection, eyes only for him. Enfolded in the experience of his love, not just the knowledge of it (Eph 3:17-20). 

The Father is radically committed to giving His Son a bride worthy of the King. He is not coming back for a bride who yawns in His face on Sunday morning, or who has other affections. He’s coming back for a bride who wants Him as much as He wants her! (Bob Sorge)

Return to the foundation of our salvation…the ancient paths. The foundations of Jesus’ teachings. The Sermon on the Mount. Prayer. Right relationships within the body. Proper attitudes and mindsets toward Him, toward ourselves, toward our world. 

He has torn, and he will heal

He has wounded, and he will bind up our wounds…

Certainly, we have experienced a tearing and wounding in our current world circumstances. COVID, riots, political and racial division, cultural conflict, vitriolic opinions and arguments pour over the airwaves and on social medial in unprecedented proportions. No one is untouched by it personally, or corporately, whether in the church, business, schools, cities, communities, and nations. I believe we have brought much of it on ourselves by stepping out from under His grace and covering in our culture. We find in the Word, times when the people cried to God and He gave them what they wanted, even when it wasn’t His will. The Israelites wanted a king and God gave them Saul (1 Sam.8:19-22). The end result was a divided kingdom. God’s ultimate desire is always redemption, but it may come in a way we would not choose. 

The reality is, we are engaged in a fierce spiritual war. We are in a battle between darkness and light, evil and good. And the line is getting clearer and clearer. Darkness covers the earth and deep darkness the people (Isaiah 60:2). But we have His promise that His glory will be seen upon us! 

In Hosea’s day, the nation of Israel had just come through a period of peace, prosperity, and plenty. The shift and decline came when they began worshipping idols and looking to other nations, like Assyria, for the security, protection, and provision that God would have provided. In turning away from God, they set the stage for the nation’s collapse. As you read through Hosea, the parallels to our world are unmistakable. We don’t bow down before idols of gold or wood, but we do bow before idols of convenience, political correctness, power, money, and control. A depressing situation to be sure, as was Israel’s condition in the mid-700s BC.

Nevertheless God. 

His Promise. Our Hope.

He will heal us, bind us, restore us, raise us up on the third day

So we can live in His presence.

Even in the midst of the chaos of our world, we can trust God to heal and restore us…so that we may live in His presence. I am convinced we can go through anything if we have the conscious awareness of His presence. Psalm 145:16: You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Oh, that we might know the Lord!

Let us strive to know the Lord.

This is the part I feel the most emphasis on. To know Him, to see things from His perspective, to allow Him to shift our mindsets and perceptions, so that we can know how to live and respond to the circumstances around us. Be still and know that I am God (Ps 46:10). So great is the need to silence the cacophony of voices vying for our attention and get quiet enough to hear His still small voice. Father, help us to do that!

And finally, the cry of my heart for my own life and for the nations…

His going forth is established as the morning.

He will come to us like the rain, 

Like the latter and the former rain to the earth.

He will respond to us! He has orchestrated a movement of prayer in our nation that is extraordinary. Churches and ministries across the land have come together to pray and intercede for the United States. It is a concert of prayer being orchestrated by the Master, and He will respond. It just may not be in the way we expect. When Jesus came, they were expecting a Messiah who was a strong, military hero that would deliver them from oppressive Roman rule. Instead, He came as a baby. Let us be open to His response, in whatever way He sends it.

Father, come to us and pour out Your Spirit upon us. We need the rain of Your presence to flood our world, to heal the brokenness and division and raise up Your church as a voice in our times. Raise us up to reflect You. Raise us up to be the light You intended us to be.

Three instructions for us I see in this passage:

1)    Promise. Hope. Do not let the enemy or the world drag you into a place of darkness or despair. Hope in God’s Promise! 

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  3And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 1:1-5).

 2)    Pursue. Seek. The knowledge of God. Paul resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2).

Jeremiah said: Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the Lord (Jer. 9:23-24).

3)    Pray. Trust. We have confidence that when we pray, when we intercede for our own needs or the needs of the world, He hears us and will come to us as the rain.

And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know that he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15, NLT).

You will answer me, God; I know you always will,

Like you always do as you listen with love to my every prayer (Ps. 17:6, TPT).

Amen!

I believe the Book of Habakkuk is relevant for us and contains many parallels, even as Hosea does. In these trying times, the last few verses seem an appropriate declaration for us to make:

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, 

and there are no grapes on the vines; 

even though the olive crop fails, 

and the fields lie empty and barren; 

even though the flocks die in the fields, 

and the cattle barns are empty…

[Even though things may not have turned out the way you expected or wanted; even though your circumstances seem more that you can bear; even though the future is uncertain…]

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord! 

I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 

The Sovereign Lord is my strength! 

He makes me as surefooted as a deer, 

able to tread upon the heights. Hab 3:17-19 NLT

No matter the challenges we face in the days ahead, our stance is to rejoice in the Lord, for He is our strength! 

Diane M. Fink

diane.fink@frontier.com

Restore the wonder...

As I ponder these next few days leading up to Christmas, I realize we are in need of a fresh revelation of wonder this holiday season. Holiday joy seems to have been muted by the weight of Covid shutdowns, traditions forfeited, political and social upheaval, and fear abounding. 

There’s an old saying that “familiarity breeds contempt.” While we may not feel contempt as we read the Christmas story of a baby born in Bethlehem, the familiarity of it can steal the wonder of that night. A young, unwed mother about to give birth. A fiancé desperately trying to find a hotel, even a Motel 6 would do. But no, a smelly, dirty stable full of animals would have to do. Then there were the shepherds. Unremarkable, normal guys, sitting around a fire telling stories while their sheep graze nearby. The players in this story would not have made it into the “Who’s Who of Bethlehem.” 

Suddenly, everything changes. The ordinary becomes extraordinary. A baby cries. An angel appears. A heavenly choir splits the night. “Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” Nothing will ever be the same.

A Savior came. The Son of God stepped out of His place in heavenly glory into a world dark with brokenness and sin. Wrapped in human flesh, Emmanuel, God with us, offered His life to ransom ours. The wonder…the hope…the joy…how we need those this Christmas. May we see with new eyes the miracle in the manger. 

“On earth, peace” – His peace for weary hearts today.

“Goodwill toward men” – His favor in the form of a newborn. 

May His peace and goodwill move us to extend the same toward those who cross our paths, whether they believe as we do, or not. Maybe especially those who do not. 

My prayer this Christmas is that God would restore the wonder, in my heart and yours.

Merry Christmas