Blown Out, But On the Road

I saw this picture this evening. It’s of a church bus in Moore, Oklahoma, which was devastated by the recent tornadoes. MSNBC retweeted it with the caption, “Church bus in Moore with windows blown out but they’re on the road.” If that doesn’t have spiritual implications, I don’t know what does! I know some of you are like that bus, you may be tattered and worn by life’s circumstances; you may be bruised and battered, but you’re still here! Thanks be to GOD, you’re still on the road! Let me quit playing, I saw that bus and immediately thought, “That’s me. Still on the road.” I pray everyone reading this and others who see that picture are inspired with the hope that things don’t have to be restored to perfection before getting back on the road. I know my God restores, and until we see His restoration in full, stay on the road!

“He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”

“I’m Here. I’m Free Now.”

Amanda Berry’s words, “I’m here. I’m free now..” will probably echo into eternity. Louder than the dispatcher’s brash tone, louder than the trembling in her voice, those words speak volumes. I thank God for keeping her through such an ordeal and giving her those words to speak hope into the millions of women who will hear them and repeat the same. “I’m here. I’m free now.” UPDATE: I recently shared this with my sister. I can say this in some ways, right now, but one day, I will say it and mean it from the depths of my being.

If you or anyone you know needs help, I pray the following resources can assist you:

• National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233733)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−SAFE (7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224
• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255)

Websites to help end sexual slavery – Not For Sale: http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/ and End it Now (worldwide slavery): http://enditmovement.com/

I’m here. I’m free now.

What God is NOT

God is Not Fair, But He IS Just

I believe that God IS, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:16). This morning, however, I woke up thanking God for what He is not! I think I’ll just list a few below. God:

• is NOT the author of confusion ~1 Corinthians 14:33
• is NOT a man that He should lie ~Numbers 23:19
• is NOT slack concerning His promises nor wanting any to perish ~2 Peter 3:9
• is NOT ceasing in love nor failing in His compassion ~Lamentations 3:22
• He changeth NOT ~Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8
• He upbraideth NOT ~James 1:5
• is NOT far from any of us ~Acts 17:27
• is NOT weak, but powerful among us ~2 Corinthians 13:3
• is NOT mocked/made a fool of ~Galatians 6:7
• is NOT the God of the dead, but of the living ~Luke 20:38; Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:27
• is NOT tempted by evil nor tempting of others ~James 1:13
• is NOT ashamed to be called our God ~Hebrews 11:16; Hebrews 2:11
• is NOT rejecting ~Psalm 94:14; 1 Samuel 12:22; Romans 11:2
• is NOT wrong or unjust ~Job 34:12; Romans 9:14; Hebrews 6:10
• is NOT of this world ~John 8:23; John 17:16
• is NOT partial or showing of favoritism ~Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6
• is NOT forsaking of His people ~Psalm 9:10
• is NOT dead, NOT on the cross, NOT in the tomb ~Mark 16:6; Matthew 28:6; Acts 2:32; Luke 24:6

He is NOT, He is NOT, He is NOT! I thank God for what and who He is not! This list is not exhaustive, by any means. In fact, God IS love (1 John 4:8; 1 John 4:16), so all of those attributes of Love listed in 1 Corinthians 13 are attributes of God’s very character…NOT envious, boastful, arrogant, or rude, NOT insisting on His own way, nor irritable, resentful, or rejoicing in wrongdoing. The list could go on and on, but all I know is that I’m grateful for who God is AND who He is not!

Cast Down, but Not Destroyed

This is how I saw myself, broken. But below is more accurate, just not yet assembled.

“It is in the quiet crucible of your personal private sufferings that your noblest dreams are born, and God’s greatest gifts are given in compensation for what you’ve been through.”
~Wintley Phipps

I so wanted to blog next about either #Godisnotable or #Jesusthesmuggler, but if you click either of these links anytime soon, you’ll get the gist. For now, I not so randomly remembered the above Wintley Phipps quote and just had to share. I shared elsewhere that in the midst of feeling shattered, God spoke through someone else to remind me I’m not broken, but I am in pieces, and HE will put me together.

I know some of you may feel bruised by life circumstances, but just because a puzzle is in pieces, doesn’t mean it’s broken. I may have been cast down, but I am not utterly destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). In fact, that same passage reminds us that through our sufferings, we share in the suffering of Christ so that HIS life may be seen through ours! Come to God with your personal, private sufferings so He can put you together in compensation for your pain. What a great exchange!

3-D Vase Puzzle – Not broken, just not assembled, yet.

Convicted to Confront

via http://leadu.blogspot.com/2013/04/crucial-confrontations.html

I’ve been hit left and right these last few days with the reality that I need to engage in some loving confrontation to move forward in a healthy way. I was relatively clear on this notion on Monday, but by Wednesday (yesterday), I’d talked myself down from fully walking out in faith. I’d told myself, “Well, maybe I just need to be strong enough to address this issue should it come up again.” But, the reality is, God doesn’t want us to take a passive stance on confrontation. I thank Pastor Roger Hernandez for his obedience to blog about this. His Spirit-led tweets talked me out of the corner of fearing confrontations that need to be had.

In Matthew 18:15-20, the Word tells us to go to those who’ve harmed us, not to wait, but to be proactive and go to them. The whole purpose is to “gain a brother,” to restore. Choosing not to  confront is as selfish as not caring that others be restored. The Word says when someone transgresses, you who are spiritual should restore (Galatians 6:1)! I’d like to selfishly ignore things, but being spiritual requires sacrificing self in order to bring about restoration for others. Below, I’ll share Pastor Hernandez’ tweets that set me free. I pray you, too, find freedom and the courage to lovingly confront as you’re convicted to do.

It’s as if God was calling my name!

Here’s a 2-minute video about the 3-Pronged approach to confrontation that Pastor Hernandez had on his blog:

2-Minute Video on Confrontation

God Delivered Me From…

i’m sure this is  my shortest and least formal blog post, and that’s a good thing! shortest in words, at least, and least formal regarding punctuation n whatnot. but catch either or both of the videos (above or below). the one below is a slightly more sensual version, but true to life. the other night on twitter, the hashtag, #GodDeliveredMeFrom was trending, thanks, in part, to @nosexmovement. i IMMEDIATELY recalled this video i’d recently watched and could only worship. at any rate, my “God Delivered Me From” tweets are below and the video follows. i included the “Ex-…” tweets, too. God delivers. Redemption is real. Where sin abounds, His grace MUCH MORE abounds (Romans 5:20)!

LIVE the Word

Hebrews 4:12 – For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…

I’ve had a few interactions this week regarding God’s Word and how it’s manifested in our lives. The conversations have basically centered on seeing God’s promises fulfilled. One question raised, was “What about when we DON’T see His Word being manifest in our lives?” Well, I can tell you relevant things I believe about God, like that His Word does not return to Him void, but it accomplishes the purpose for which it was sent (Hebrews 4:12). I can give a litany of biblical facts that would still require only our belief. However, I have another idea: let’s actively LIVE the Word, instead of passively waiting for it to cloak us.

Shall we not be doers of the Word, and not hearers only (James 1:22)? Instead of looking for the promises we want GOD to fulfill, consider how WE can manifest God’s Word, daily! We can bless the Lord at ALL times and let His praise continually be in our mouths (Psalm 34:1). We can comfort others with the same comfort with which we have been comforted (2 Corinthians 1:4). We can rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). We can go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations(Matthew28:19). The list could go on, but you get the point. Live by the Word and LIVE. THE. WORD!

While we may feel broken and want to see God fulfill the promise that by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24), we should also want to see James 5: 16 manifested in our lives – that we should confess our faults one to another that we might be healed. We must consider that our present trials are also an indicator of God’s Word being manifest in our lives – that in this world we WILL have tribulation, but hallelujah for the remainder of that text. We can be of good cheer, because He’s overcome the world (John 16:33)! So even when we don’t see all of the promises of God fulfilled, let us find hope in what we do see, and persevere in our petitions.

Continue faithfully petitioning our Father as Jesus admonishes us to do in Luke 18:1-8. He gives a parable of a woman repeatedly pleading her case before a Godless judge who eventually grants her request because he’s had enough of her, and how much more will God answer His children, whom He loves, who cry out to Him day and night. In conclusion, He asks when He returns, “Will He find faith?” Will WE be faithful? Will we persevere in praying and praising, persevere in His Word when we don’t see His way? I’ll leave you with a declaration that has become a daily mantra of mine:

I declare that all God’s promises I’ve yet to see fulfilled will find me expectantly waiting and ever worshiping! For ALL the promises of God are yes and amen. Worship while you wait!

John 17:17 – Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth