Take Root and Write

Building Our House

When Elijah heard the sound of a gentle whisper, he knew it was God’s voice. He understood that God reveals Himself in powerful and miraculous ways. However, God also reveals Himself in a quiet, peaceful place within our heart (I Kings 19:11-13). All of us experience difficult problems, suffering, and indecision. Sometimes, we need to be quiet in order to hear Gods voice. Meditating on God’s goodness quiets the heart and mind and opens the door to His regal voice.

“Be still, and know that I am God! (Psalms 46:1 NLT).

Pondering:

Sometimes I feel empty inside. I want to hear Gods voice, why is He silent?

Coaching:

When God is silence, meditation and prayer helps us call to mind possibilities through the guidance of His Spirit. We ponder potentials while drawing a parallel to our own life. We connect the acts of thinking calmly, seriously, and cautiously, in order to absorb, realize, and engage in His honorable principles as we meditate on thoughts and ideas about the purpose of our suffering. In actually, God’s silence can be an answer. When we think that God does not care, try to imagine what God went through seeing His son suffer through humiliation, and then crucifixtion on the cross for our sins. Jesus was innocent. God cares and understands our suffering because no one has suffered more than, Jesus.

We pray about accomplishing our goals through contemplation with God. If God is silent, perhaps He is waiting on us to decide on our principles and perspectives according to His Word. While we may not admit it to ourselves, most of us operate outside God's will in various areas. Suffering is part of a journey to bring us closer to Him. Difficulties allow the opportunity to begin the process of complete dependency on God. Partial dependency on Him opens the door to delaying our growth, therefore delaying our life purpose.

We all have secret places and desires; things that no one else knows, apart from God. If we surrender, complete control to God He reveals our soul-purpose at the very center of our knowing with His quiet voice. He wants us to meditate on Him in times of trouble in order to teach us something about ourselves. The Holy Spirit helps us surrender to a higher knowledge as He builds our inner-house for eternity. All we have to do is ask for the building permit.

“By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. (Proverbs 24:3-4 NASB).   

There are compartments within the heart and mind waiting for precious and pleasant riches found in the house-of-wisdom. Every experience both positive and negative, are preparations for building our eternal house. But, there are precepts God wants us to discover on earth in order to serve Him and others here and in eternity.

Tools for Building Our House:

·        Wisdom, discretion, knowledge, and wise planning (Proverbs 2:1-11; 3:21-24)

·        Perceptiveness is extremely important (Proverbs 5:1-2; 8:11-12)

·        Direction and plans (Proverbs 11:11-14; 12:7-8; 20:18; 24:6)

·        Faith, trust, and confidence in God (Col 1:21-24; Hebrews 11)

·        Guidance (Job 37:10-13)

         Guidance in Hebrew literally means piloting our life like repositioning the tackle in steering a sailboat. God is the wind moving us; our job, is learning to realign the tackle (Job 37:12).

An iniquitous person meditates on self-pity and other wrong things (Proverbs 24:2). A wise person contemplates God and His great spiritual truths. Reflection is going over a chief concern in one’s mind. The constant recollection of God’s past deeds in the Scriptures helps guide us through reflection into a higher knowledge in the present that produces confidence in God. He speaks to us with a still small voice, and through His word.

Challenge:

I challenge you to ask yourself… “Do I exist in a disquieted, anxious place? Am I praying, meditating and studying the Scriptures in order to hear Gods voice?”

If we permit Him, He will quiet our hearts and minds as His Spirit delivers the tools we need to build our house.

 

Stronger Than Storms

 

Throughout the centuries, philosophers have pondered overwhelming questions that fascinate and intrigue us concerning life. For instance, why are we here? How do the characteristics of good or evil befall some and not others? Depending on whom you trust to ask, the answers will tilt one way or the other. Making right choices concerning "big decisions" inevitably set in motion a conduit, a road of consequences, based on the foundation of those decisions.

The Bible as a source of truth awakens a vibrant, forceful, and energetic foundation of insight for those who dare search for answers. All truth exists within the Scriptures. Herein lies wisdom, insight, and divine order, made available for guidance and purpose, where love is a force of strength, a shield for battle, and a path of joy. 

"Love is patient love is kind and is not jealous, love does not brag and is not arrogant" (I Corinthians 13:4 NASB).

Pondering:

How do we know if a vocation, a relationship, or a potential spouse is the right one?

Slow Fade

 

 

“Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light” (Luke 11:35-36 NLT).

 
When we slowly fade from focusing on our spiritual goals, we can effortlessly lack the vision needed to obtain our life purpose. Satan is a trickster who erroneously schemes in darkness to distort the truth regarding light and dark attitudes and interfering with our perception. The eyes-of-the-soul is a key concept in Scripture referring to light and darkness in our thoughts and actions. But, how can we discover our destiny if our souls' eyes grow faint and weaken from lack of vision?

Jesus re fers to Himself as the light (John 1:7-9) of life and teaches us how to recognize both sides of our duality - and how to avoid counterfeit deception.

 Pondering:

How is it possible to have a positive attitude one minute and for no reason, my thoughts begin to turn dark, negative thoughts?

 Coaching:

Our body is subject to the variable substances we consume, such as too much fat, salt, and of course my personal favorite, chocolate. These things can trigger an ill-at-ease sensation when not balanced with good nutrition. Like our physical body, we are at high risk when provoked by the substance of our thoughts. A duality exists in all of us-- as if twins with opposite natures; one good, with the other weighing heavy as our sin nature.

If we are not on alert, our sin-natures overrides our thoughts and distorts the enlightenment that Jesus taught, trapping us under a dark influence.

Over-sensitive thoughts slant our perception, but to be deficient in sensitivity supports a lack of caring, and feeds the blinding, dark side of our duality. Our eyes are like a gate igniting an understanding of God’s light (Luke 11). Jesus emphasizes the eyes as the entrance into a deeper part of us. He invites us to take in light through first seeing and evaluating rather than judging.

In doing this, we not only see, but also hear clearlu through spiritual perception. This ignites the soul with revelation bathing us in the warmth of enlightenment. Our eyes are the first tentacle to receive stimulus and impressions forming the beginning of perception. Our choice of either positive or negative thoughts, ignite the action, and eventually, the importation of our ultimate outcome.

Jesus taught us to be conscious of the type of perception we embrace (Luke 11). He gives us dexterity to become skillful survivors in unfair circumstance, an imperative in order to endure with clarification instead of deception. If we habitually misjudge our observations or the intentions of other’s we set in motion a distorted version of reality and our souls light darkens and wilts.

Building discernment concerning out-of-perspective or over sensitivity through processes is found in studying the light of the Scripture. Jesus Christ is described as the “Sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2; Luke 2:32; John 1:7-9) Jesus is the sun the illumination of life. The inspired Word of God teaches us to acknowledge wrong attitudes.

·       Our sight may be contaminated

·       Our vision may be extinguish as we walk in darkness

·       Our lack of insight may prevent access to light or distort reality

·       Our ability to see may be obscure betraying our purpose

 Scriptures Referring to Spiritual Light:

 (1 Kings 11:36; Isaiah 58:8; Esther 8:16; Psalms 97:11).

 Our perceived purpose may be radically misleading through soul blindness. Our true-life purpose dwells in the eyes-of-our-soul, filtering information into our mind through light-filled perception by studying the Scripture, prayer, and inevitably enlightenment.

We will never know our destiny until we take off the filter of darkness and denial and open up to His light, elevating from the slow fade into darkness.

Let's Get Real about Wisdom

 “A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t and even brags about it! (Proverbs13:16 TLB).

 

Pondering:

Words have been hurtful between my husband and I most of our marriage. How can we heal from the habit?

 Coaching:

Unkind words strike at the heart as if beaten too smithereens. When we receive a barrage of callous words, it is hard not to clobber that person with a few choice words of our own. However, thoughtless and insensitive words carve deep wounds, shaping a dry wall of indifference.

Sometimes, silence is a blessing. However, unresponsive silence can also etch damage into a heart, by sending a loud message that the listener does not care. On the other hand, reacting with hurtful words reveals the responder is not hearing our message.

God looks at our problems quite differently than we do. He always listens, acts, and responses with unfathomable love when we suffer how He respond has a definitive, authoritative, and decisive purpose we often do not understand.

When a hailstorm of words hurt us, God wants us to respond like Christ leaving the situation in His hands. Sounds easy, right? Well, it is not. But, the Holy Spirit teaches us a deeper understanding thorough listening spiritually, seeing words as physical expressions of thought. He give us vision by focusing on what the heart is trying to say, by becoming sensitive to the tenor of a voice, or the mask of hurting eyes. God grants emotional and spiritual maturity through intuition; helping us understand words and silence, like when to speak and when to listen.

Reacting childishly, when challenged, indicates an underdeveloped emotional age. However, maturing emotionally and spiritually is a decision that it is hard work. The Holy Spirit does the spiritual work, but we are responsible for the discipline to continue walking the path of emotional growth and learning to listen to the insight of God’s Word.

God’s children are heirs to a predestined, distinctive, and an exclusive life-purpose but only if we allow Him to work within in order to instill and develop sensibility when embarking on a compatible life. Emotional and spiritual growth starts with a seed of desire. The Holy Spirit plants the seed, we water and feed through routine discipline, while He provides nutrients, warmth and enlightenment.

Getting real is about purging blame and prideful arrogance. Getting real is opening our sightless eyes and deafened ears to understanding God’s Word. With a willing spirit, truth reveals and unbinds relationships freeing us from satanic influences chaining us in emotional turmoil and immaturity. A great study on the word “Word” is (Psalms 119) in this beautiful Psalm God teaches us to listen carefully although, there are many hidden nuggets within (Psalms119) that once discovered will help us grow uncompromisingly passionate about getting real.

    “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalms119:11 NLT).

 Getting Real On Purpose: 

(Book of Proverbs, Proverbs 13, Psalms 119,)

·       Being spontaneous is not always the best way to approach every situation.

·       Self-discipline achieves its intuitive goals.

·       Faith frees intimacy, builds companionship, and a productive life

·       Loving words deepen emotional and spiritual relationships

 In Relationships: (Proverbs 13)

·       Stubbornness blinds objectively

·       Pride and arrogance are sightless

·       Self-importance is without clean vision

 In Love: (John 3:16)

·       Love has a voice

·       Love listens

·       Love understands silent

If our plans cause us to use people and love things, rather than use things and love people, we are allowing Satan’s influence.

 Challenge:

Let’s get real about being wise, and use Christ as an example to learn from, model from and ultimately become as much as we can like Him, the wisest human that ever lived.

 

The Purpose of Deception

 

We all have moments when we cannot take one more thing and escaping into deception seems to soothe our physical and mental fatigue. This happens when we try to solve everything ourselves. Unfortunately, no matter how appealing the pretense, there is a consequence for living in denial of truth. No one can handle the tiring weight of life’s pressures alone.

But God transmits a soothing river of love that streams into the soul overflowing with peace and wisdom if, we take care of the directional flow of our life purpose. His love is collective; however, we have to accept His offer.

Pondering:

Sometimes we feel so deceived. Why do we fall for deception, when we are not doing it on purpose?

Coaching:

Deception can be extremely appealing. We hurt and are hurtful because we are human. The negative part of us is as dominate as the positive. Therefore, if we tend to hold onto hurt and pain our soul becomes a dry bed filled with old bones. This prevents the good and pleasant love of God from flowing within, and consequently, dams-up our soul.

Love is never easy. Sometimes we cannot hear our conscience. When our soul becomes spiritually hearing-impaired, deception can be extremely comforting if we do not pay attention to this satanic trap.

A Heavenly Resolve

Have you ever sat quietly watching the wind move through trees? As if choreographed, some branches delicately dance a ballet, some outer limbs whirl riotously like rock stars, and a few waltz as one. For a moment, we can barely see movement, but knowing the wind is there. Then with no warning, a spiraling current of air single-mindedly lifts again tossing them into a dance on the wind.

Sometimes, the Holy Spirit moves us in a heavenly dance much like the wind in a mighty tree. It is up to us to learn the Spirits movements.

 Pondering:

I cannot imagine a life fully controlled by the Holy Spirit. I am not knowledgeable about spiritual things, but I have always wondered how the Holy Spirit works. Does our life-purpose become clear to everyone who prays for it, even people who are new Christians?

“He will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21, NIV).

Quenching the Thirst

 
If there were a hole in the roof, it would be a good idea to fix it immediately so the rain does not come in. If a freezing, winter breeze blue in under the door we would find a way to eliminate it in order to stay warm. If there were a spiritual hole in our heart, it would also be a good idea to repair it before it wears thin, threatening to freeze our life purpose.

The Beatitudes -- Jesus' instructions for us from the Gospel -- know how to fix holes in our heart. They teach us how to live on earth and leave behind an equity legacy; one that yields great rewards in eternity. Finding our earthly purpose by following God's teaching grants us passage in eternity as leaders and rulers with Jesus.

"Blesses are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they; will be filled (Matthew 5:5-6).

Pondering:

Becoming meek and thirsting for righteousness sounds great, but how do we achieve those qualities or understand what it all means? How do we begin after salvation to be more like Jesus? How do we begin after salvation to be more like Jesus in a world that darkens daily?  This is something I cannot do on my own.

It is Never too Late - Part 2

 

 

Anchored deep within human genetics is a sin nature with the single goal to influence our every decision. Yet, our daily choices influence each path we tread. It is a balancing act to choose the right path, and sometimes, this choice between right and wrong, can overwhelm our life.

But, it is never too late to surrender ourselves to God and trust Him with out problems, just as the first part of this series reviewed in the last column. Our Father identifies with fragile and vulnerable believers in a world where spiritual warfare cleverly campaigns in opposition to God's purpose. If we decide to work on downsizing our sin nature, the Holy Spirit ministers to willing hearts by initiating a new love for unlikable individuals. He instills extra patience such as faith, and trust, and we begin walking toward the light.

As hope grows, wisdom embarks on cultivating a trust in God's design, and inevitability a diminutive seed of desire forms in us to accomplish God's will. This seed of faith continues to grow forever. His will is to sanction a communion with His own children. He wants to compose in us the gift of mercy, like a sweet symphony playing in our soul. This is the beginning of a pure heart. And as we grow more pure, we cross a threshold into enlightenment through the Holy Spirit.

Never too Late to Surrender - Part 1

  
Regardless of our age, it is never too late to feast on passions, ambitions or dreams that we left behind. Even if the road we travel in life is all that we know -- and think it is unalterable -- God provides opportunities for us to return to the delights of our heart in order to discover our life's purpose. He even created an innate desire in us to develop and mature, despite our equally innate habit to make mistakes.

While it is okay to take detours, it is important to understand that meanderings are a part of life and that we learn from our wrong turns. However, our inherent insight is not equipped to discern God's plan alone. Only the Holy Spirit can provide the corridor to a wondrously mysterious avenue leading us into a deeper spiritual perception. The best road for our life-purpose is complete surrender to God and if we turn in that direction, it is never too late to feast ... on Him.  

"Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see the kingdom of God. Blessed are those who morn, for they  shall be comforted" (Matthew 5: 3-4 NASB).

Preparation for Victory

 
 

 

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, oh Lord, will keep me safe" (Psalms 4:8 NLT).

God hears the prayers of His own. David called out to the Lord in distress knowing the Lord who rescues would hear his cry for help. The wicked do not fear God; therefore, they are already defeated and condemned.

David's son Absalom broke his heart as if plunging a sword straight through his father's heart. Why? Because Absalom was wicked. Like David, sometimes those close to us can be unreliable and cross hurtful barriers with words or actions.

When this happens, we feel deeply wounded. When someone pierces our heart, resting in Jesus unlocks the opportunity to understand the mind of God; resting in Him brings our will into line with God's purpose. It is humbling and reassuring to realize God's mercy extends to us (Psalms 4:1-8) and that the Lord has set apart the redeemed for Himself.

Therefore, God always listens and always answers when we call on Him (Psalms 4:3). Sometimes the answer is no, conceivable the answer is wait, the answer may be yes. Whatever His decision, it is always the right answer if our request is in God's will and we are willing to trust and rest in Him as He prepares us for victory.

Pondering:

I try to fight the good fight but someone or something seems to pierce my heart continually. Why can't I just live a normal life for Christ doing good work without all the drama and pain?

"But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him" (Psalms 4:3 NASB).

Coaching:

David was a righteous King, yet he lived a life of continual drama. He was not perfect; just a human being with defects like the rest of us. He made both good decisions and bad, but either way he received the consequence for each decision. However, David found a secret that encouraged him to endure all things; he studied the scriptures and realized there is a peaceful rest in trusting and praising God, no matter the situation.

Desiring to make right or wrong decisions knowingly is equal-to the outcome of those decisions. However, there are times when we have done nothing wrong, yet life tosses us like an angry undercurrent pulling us down drenching us in heartache. Is it realistic that God's people will rest in His peace and strength no matter what the circumstance? Without a doubt, if we believe in Christ and grow in the knowledge of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, the consequence is that He will protect and strengthen us in all things.

What happens to those of us who began strong in the power of the Holy Spirit, but later weaken in our spiritual life? In all probability, we are trying to perfect the work the Holy Spirit began by our own effort instead of resting in Christ through the power of His Spirit. Sometimes we do not recognizing His power given to us.

Through faith, diligently searching the scriptures, and volition, we begin to recognize spiritual power coming alive within us. There is a moment in every Christian life when we realize God's living power within us. We experience His power by witnessing a direction or purpose that results in life-changes for us and in the lives of others that did not seem possible. There are moments of little miracles we often do not remember. It is important to journal how God answers our prayers mainly because we forget the little things God does for us. If defeat overwhelms us, it is time to prepare for victory in all things.

Preparation for Victory

• Pray & Praise God during trials (James 1:2-5; 1 John 5:13-16)
• Prepare your heart (James 1:19-25)
• Plan to obey God's will (2 Chronicles 6:14)
• Peacefully rest in God (Psalms 4:8)
• Pave your will to align with God's plan (James 4:6-17)
• Practice sensitivity in discovering your purpose (Romans 9:11)

Everyone has the same Biblical information yet not all believe or act on it. Disobedience always brings defeat. Our faith expresses itself by understanding temptation, by preparing a faith that counts, and by praying in God's will.

"When the event you prayed for occurs, your prayer has always contributed to it. When the opposite event occurs your prayer has never been ignored it has been considered and refused for your ultimate good and the good of the whole universe" (C.S. Lewis).

Challenge:

I challenge you to let go and rest in God like David did. We have the opportunity to bring our will in line with God's purpose for us. If we rest in Him we are blessed by touching the mind of God as He sets in motion our purpose through Preparation for Victory.

 

Grace Filled Women

 

"Soon afterwords. He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means" (Luke 8:1-3 NLT).

Jesus resolutely involved women in His earthly ministry. For instance, traveling with unmarried women was not received well. Christ went against political constructs of the first century in several areas while managing to still show respect for Mosaic Law. One prime example of the Lord changing the norm was His view of women as persons, not property. The women traveling with Jesus were forgiven for a great number of sins in return each developed an immense love for Jesus and His message.  Through forgiveness they emerged with eyes filled with purpose and ears opened to hear.

Pondering:

How do we receive eyes to see, or ears to hear? How are we spiritually shaped? Where does insight come from? Are they established in the body, soul, and spirit as a whole or are we spiritually shaped?

Coaching:

Jesus unlocked the immoral gate imprisoning women in a slavish life thereby, enabling them to see and hear, to visualize, and engage in a useful and rewarding life through receiving profound spiritual perception. By elevating the status of women, He expanded their identities and purpose for generations to come. Jesus walked and talked with women, responded to them, healed them, and received their emotional support. He reached something deep inside of those who loved Him.

What makes us respond is debatable. Some scholars believe that human beings are dichotomous meaning two parts body, and spirit,while others believe we are trichotomous meaning body, soul, and spirit. Some theologians believe we are dichotomous at birth and trichotomous at the moment of salvation. However we see it, we are fashioned in the image of a triune God. Our individual parts work together as conduits piloting us toward a relationship with Him and toward our predestined purpose. God created our body, soul, and spirit to function in harmony as a complete individual.

Some attributes are headquartered within our body for operational purposes. Our greatest assignment for the human body is to make ready a physical temple for His Spirit to inhabit. The soul functions as a place of conviction, volition, decision, refuge, encouragement, and enlightenment. The human mind-of-the-soul prepares the hearts' offering and waits to hear the Holy Spirit's voice within our Holy of Holies. The soul is a priests' armory of prayer and a sweet alter of worship.

 Divine inspiration dwells in the interior communion between our human spirit and the Holy Spirit for one reason, to commune with God. The Holy Spirit is ethereal therefore He occupies our Holy of Holies, our spirit residing within our temple. God's whispering voice resonates as holy music within our spirit, as if a warm wind carrying greater wisdom and knowledge were leisurely filtering from the Holy Spirit into the human spirit, filtering into the human soul; materializing as joy.

Body, Soul, & Spirit

• The Temple:  (Luke 11:33-37; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 4, 6:15-16, 19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, 6:16)
• The Souls-Mind:  (Proverbs 21:2, 27:19; Romans 1:21-22, 28; Hebrews 8:10; 1 Peter 1:13, 2:11)
• The Spiritual Holy of Holie's:  (Proverbs 15:13, 16:2, 17:22, 18:14, 20:27; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Matthew 26:41; James 4:5)

The Holy Spirit transforms weak flesh into a towering temple of strength in order to relieve, regenerate, and reassure His children. Our soul hungers for God while He ponders our heart watching us battle constant soul-wars. If we choose Him, He will guide our mind into a place of peace brought to light through conviction.  He will teach us to keep watch over our conscience as He escorts us toward a regenerative life. No matter our vocation there is no satisfaction within the mind-of-the-soul unless God is guiding our predestined purpose.

Like the soul the spirit can be fragile, wounded, and broken. Alone, we cannot bear the pain without the indwelling of God's Spirit. The human spirit is a place of residence for the candle of the Lord to search the intent and complexity of our thoughts, desires, and imperfections. Our spiritual condition is determined by how we respond to what the soul craves. He quickens us with words that are born of His Spirit enabling us to combat our warring soul. When we have ears to hear we stand the front line of battle, we stand still as the Holy Spirit goes to war.

Challenge:

I challenge you to see in order to visualize your soul's health. If you cannot hear the wind whispering his voice nothing will satisfy until your temple is transformed into a Grace Filled Woman.

Soul Gardening

 

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4 NASB).

Radiant sun light and nutrients from the tree's root system feed fledgling new vines growing on robust trees, sustaining the vines and branches as they weave together in order to produce enriching fruit. However, if the branches do not receive enough sun light and the roots enough nutrients, the vine withers unable to produce.

We are the branches and Jesus is the vine rooted deeply in our soul; unless, our mind is not rooted in Christ, in that case our soul will be undernourished and remain veiled from the light of the Son. As Christians, our fruit will wither and die on the vine if we do not abide in Him. However, Jesus gave us a sustaining provision meaning if we abide in Him, He will provide all of the nutrients needed to strengthen us spiritually  to produce fruit for our life purpose.

Pondering:

I attend church however I just don't seem to grow spiritually. What can I do to awaken my soul in order to grow in Christ?

An Invitation to Dine

"Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me (Revelation 3:20 NASB).

This is a strikingly symbolic painting of Christ knocking on a wooden door with no latch on the outside. This work of art reveals a stirring picture of God's love as He pursues us even still; opening the door for the purpose of an intimate relationship is ours alone being that the latch is on the inside. The act of knocking on the door implies that God desires admittance and that he recognizes the right of the resident to let Him in. . .or not.

Pondering:

I'm a Christian but I'm afraid to release all control to God it feels wrong not to be in control of parts of my life. How can I change how I feel?

Coaching:

We change our feelings with knowledge. In ancient times guests dined with friends by ritual invitation. It was a very important part of relationships. The guests' feet were washed upon arrival to make them comfortable (John 13:3-1). Their hair was anointed with olive oil scented with spices (Luke 7:36-50).

The guests were seated on the right side of the host with the purpose of honoring them; as a drink of wine diluted with honey was served before the meal. The meal consisted of three courses, beautifully arranged on trays. Finally, a dessert of pastry and fruit was served to the delight of the guests. During the meal the host provided music, poetry readings, and other literature. When the meal was completed there was a long period devoted to discussions. (Holman Bible Dictionary, Paraphrase).

The Spiritual Liberty of Light

 

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is; there is liberty" (2 Corinthians 3:17 NASB).

Dawn lights the beginning of each new day for those fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of it. Dawn first sees darkness clothed with bright stars surrounded by light, as the darkness fades light expands into a new day (Isaiah 9:2-3).

The Holy Spirit takes us out of darkness igniting our perception in order to catch the light of the message of Jesus Christ. Just as a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly believers transform by the light of the Spirit. The providence of spiritual enlightenment is a natural process when the Spirit indwells and filled us. The filling of God's Spirit enables us to carry out our purpose under any circumstance, however it does not mean life is without tensions. It does not mean that we are free from our internal duality.

Pondering:

I've been a Christian all of my life. How come I can't let go of bitterness? Sometimes, I feel like I'm not a very good Christian.

Coaching:

We have two opposing natures, our spiritual nature and our sin nature, these two opposing forces are in constant battle one against the other both determined to be the victor; a battled that wages in us until death. 

The Holy Spirit indwelling and filling us means we are given tools to cope, a will to stand tall, and peace in the middle of inevitable storms when trials touch our life.

Many of us were raised in Christian homes with good parents who took us to Church and taught us to live high-quality lives. Even though we are influenced by childhood, the eventually of our life choices are not based on the effect our parents had on us. We make a choice to totally surrender to Christ or to give Him a part of our heart. Depending on those carefully selected choices, we inherit their potential outcomes.

Both God and Satan are usually involved in the suffering of Christians. God's purpose is to purify and strengthen us. He wants to make us better. Satan's purpose is to pervert and weaken us. He wants to make us bitter. Some of us struggle with looking toward the light of Jesus in order to find our purpose. A few find their purpose early-on however most of us waver in our relationship with Christ by taking control of our life back from Him. The Spirit speaks but we are determined to be in control therefore, we cannot hear His voice. The message our sin nature cleverly sends in that we need to be in control, it feels natural.

When we take back control we become stuck in an endless middle ground wondering aimlessly without any control at all and without purpose. So, what is it going to be . . .better or bitter? The answer is in the choice of a willingness to give up bitterness to become better through the providential light of the Spirit. He will help us release whatever is holding us back in order to be better instead of bitter by His regenerating work of filling us with a new purpose (1 Thessalonians 4:8)

"The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light, and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a Light dawned" (Isaiah 9:2-3 NASB).

When we hold onto bitterness we take control out of God's hands placing ourselves back in darkness. When we surrender ourselves completely to His control He gives us the wisdom to understand what control really means. It means, by releasing bitterness we are unchained in order to walk in enlightenment and understanding. God's control means our life is exactly where He wants it to be; He is preparing us for our lives objectives. None of us will ever find our true resolve until we surrender bitterness and our desire to be in control to the one who controls the cosmos.

 The Road to Liberty:

• Suffering make us mature (James 1:1-15)
• Scripture study makes us mature (James 1:16-25)
• Sincerity makes us mature (James 2:1-13)
• Service makes us mature (James 2:14-26)
• Sound speech makes us mature (James 3:1-18; 1:26-27)
• Submission makes us mature (James 4:1-17)
• Simplicity makes us mature (James 5:1-6)
• Steadfastness makes us mature (James 5:7-11)
• Soul winning makes us mature (James 5:19-20)
• Supplication makes us mature (James 5:12-18)

How can we learn endurance unless our patience is tried, trials produce endurance making us better not bitter. Ultimately, God's purpose is that we become mature through suffering in order to learn how to become peaceful in the middle of trails.

Challenge:

Are you ready to visit dawns' light even when darkness surrounds the light in your life? Are you willing to shed your bitterness like a caterpillar so you can transform into a butterfly? I challenge you to walk the road of endurance through the Holy Spirit, let Him guide you toward - - The Spiritual Liberty of Light.

Clock Stopped, Think Bigger

God is free from the boundaries of time and space unlike human consciousness living within moments of time. Therefore, He envelops the past, present, and future as well as all alternate human decisions and their corresponding consequences as combined information fused together, through the eyes of eternity.

Being all-knowing (omniscience) is one of the characteristics of God's immeasurable understanding. His perfect knowledge is beautifully expressed in (Psalms 139). He purposed an intelligent design consistent with His all-knowing and within His perfect character. His eternal purpose embraces everything that comes to pass. His foreknowledge of the entire cosmic course of events is predestined, evident throughout creation, and written on each human life. God knows us more intimately then we know ourselves. His knowing us so intimately gives us a confidence in Him that non-believers cannot touch. He designs, decrees, and declares a predestined purpose for each of us.

Pondering:

I love God and believe He has a plan for my life, I just don't know what it is yet. I seem to be floating in and out of what I thought was my purpose. Is there a way to know for sure when God is leading us toward our real purpose?

"Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan" (Ephesians 1:11NLT).

The Purpose of Purpose

 
Drifting without purpose can subconsciously escort us into an undernourished flavorless existence rooted in the unhealthy soil of apathy. Such soil left un-tilled produces weeds that choke off higher ground; leaving static soul-space.

We can mindlessly relinquish our intuitiveness, consequentially, replacing our God given destiny with lack of compassion or the ability to comprehend the privilege that knowledge brings through wisdom and blessings on our journey.

Lack of purpose impedes, obstructs, and suffocates the very foundation of spiritual life. Fruitlessness inevitably prepares the laden soul-space for our nemesis. Our enemy relentlessly attempts to shroud the heart with indifference; predictably, we cover ourselves with an unfulfilled life blanketed by a mantle of chilling loneliness.

Purpose gives us reason. Functioning within a specific point-of-view creates in us a seed producing peaceful substance, an idea to endeavor as purpose parallels hope, hope parallels love, and love propels us into our journey of discovery. Unconditional love gently guides the heart into an authentic existence that satisfies.

"The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making  wise the simple" (Psalms 19:7 NLT).

The River of Light

Sitting at the edge of a babbling brook listening as water flows down freely, eloquently, continuously seeking its destination, seems to capture an ethereal part of us rarely touched. Capturing those moments gives us a sense of the deeply rooted and profound peace of God.

Beautiful rivers and channels fill the earth; however, none hold a candle to God's tributary of light. In the Old Testament the river of God symbolizes timeless, divine, and purposeful resources for understanding and strengthening our soul in order to develop in us. . . purity of heart.

God's river of enlightenment never runs dry. If we study how ancient rivers were developed, we begin to understand the distinct human needs of the cultures. The purpose of God's everlastingly pool of deeper truths are held within the light of the Word. A never ending stream of peace and fearlessness waits for those who inhabit His light. God's purpose is to reveal His refreshing love that lives in a vast sea of blessings for those that desire a pure heart. 

"You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so" (Psalms 65:9, NLT).

This Season of Discontent

“There is a vast difference between precept and practice, between the ideal and the realization” (A.W. Pink, Theologian 1886 to 1952).

We have all pondered the proverbial question. . .Why am I here? Am I here for a purpose or am I just an ameba of a microorganism that happened into existence? Why is the world filled with discontent?

We are here because God planned creation for His pleasure and we were created to become like Christ. God wants a family that loves Him for who He is. We were designed individually and purposefully in eternity past with a specific destiny. Discontentment keeps us from that destiny.

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have."
(Philippians 4:11, NLT).

Pondering:

If I was created with a prearranged purpose why do I have a restless desire for something other than my life? I have tried to find my purpose but I find myself fighting to survive physically, emotionally, and financially. What’s up with that? How can I serve God when I have to work, care for a family and oh yeah, I’m also the cook and housekeeper and by the way. . . I’m not happy. I’m tired! I wish I had time to figure out why I’m discontented.

God, Can We Talk?

Many women can identify with Job who experienced prolonged and seemingly unfair, brutal hardships in life. Understanding what purpose God had in allowing Satan to attack the upright patriarch is spiritually unnerving, enlightening, and frees us from ignorance.

God teaches us today through Job that asking why  is not wrong (Job 3:11-12,16,20). However, demanding He explain His ways is inappropriate (Job 13:22; 19:7; 31:15). In Purpose Ponderings, we can examine as if peering through a microscope God's purpose by appealing to Him to open our spiritual eyes rather than depending on human emotion to recognize, appreciate, and identify His ways.

We are not alone. God walks beside us every hour of each day and throughout our suffering, why. . .in order to reveal His purpose and to bring to light attitudes displeasing to Him.

 
"As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man" (Proverbs 27:19, NASB).

The Mind of the Heart

"Unconditional: Complete or guaranteed, with no conditions, limitations, or provisos attached" (Encarta Dictionary).

Have you discovered "the one" that rare significant other? A gift of love so invincible a glance, a smile, or waiting for the phone to ring registers in your senses as phenomenal. Did you heart-thump like a hammer pounding in your chest; bringing about an uncontrollable burst-of-love? What happens to the heart if "the one" does not love you. . .likewise? Joy turns to grief; a loss no word, phrase, or sentence will ever describe. God grieves, when we do not return His love.

Love is not easy. We cannot make someone love us if they--don't. Neither will God.

"But let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God" (1Peter 3:4, NAS).

 Pondering:
How can we possibly understand God's purpose when someone we unconditionally love breaks our heart? Why should we allow ourselves to get hurt again? There are reasons people build walls around their heart. How do we heal a broken heart that refuses to mend?

Perceiving Spiritual Objectivity

We all have secrets. . .regrets. Real life has messy wounding moments that can manipulate perception into subjectivity. . .instead of inspiring a sense of balance and control in objectivity. No one escapes life without heart-wounding events. Are you secretly harboring regrets that need healing. Splintered thinking affects our objectivity when looking through the fractured lens of perceived realism. Life is difficult, to navigate the ability to perceive our purpose without natural influencing emotions or prejudicial opinions is not easy, especially when standing at the fork in the road.

• Objectivity: "Not influenced by personal feelings, or opinions having actual existence outside the mind."
• 
  
• Subjectivity: "Based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions" (Oxford American Dictionary).
  

Pondering:

We have all secretly prayed something like this: Father, where are you when life is uncompromising, my heart is breaking. I don't feel Your presence anymore. I am not Wonder Woman, I need you now God, please... Help.

"Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume" (John 12:3NASB).

Purposeful Prayer

Prayer is deathless. God has shaped the world through purposeful prayer from believing hearts. Soulful petitions united by faith continually appear before the Throne-of-Grace. Prayer has always been a living presence before God. He has never been an absentee Father. Rather whispered or silent our supplications ascend to God's ear through Jesus, our High Priest.

Jesus has always known our hearts desire and has pledged to present our petitions to God. The administration of God's kingdom is beyond human understanding (Jeremiah 32:17). What is not beyond understanding is... He has always been with us (Hebrew 1:3).

Pondering:

If life is a chain-of-events and God is in control, why do we feel like a weak-link? Sometimes the mind cannot form the desperate words needed as we fall before the feet of Jesus. We are powerless to express what we are going through. Why are we mute when we need to pray and seek God's comforting presence? What purpose is there in prayer if we cannot find words to express or get answers?

A Chain of Events

No one within King David's family or community could have imagined the spiritual chain of events surrounding a shepherd boy predestined to become a great and powerful King. God's purpose for David, the shepherd boy, was to become David, the king; honored as a mighty warrior. Despite being King David, he still made some terrible decisions. So, why did God pick David? . . . because David had a heart of integrity.

Pondering:
I have good intentions. However, at times determining the purpose of a series of painful events seems pointless. We think our lives are not turning out as expected. In fact, it sometimes seems that nothing brings lasting joy or satisfaction anymore. I love God, but how does He expect us to understand what it all means? Where are joy and purpose when it's impossible to understand heart-breaking events? Where do we go for answers when feeling incomplete?

"I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm I will make him strong" (Psalms 89:21NLB).

Coaching:

The youngest of seven brothers, David, a simple shepherd boy, was happy in the wilds playing his music to a herd of sheep and goats, singing songs, and watching the stars. He had no ambition for anything other than what he was already doing. Being alone in the wilderness as the guardian of his father's herd was an honor to David; who fearlessly protected the herd with his life (1 Samuel 16).

A Glorious Paradox

"Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside by body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell" (2 Corinthians 12:3-4 NLB).

What purpose did God have in translating Paul into heaven to hear wonderful things... then silencing him? The Apostle heard, understood, and most likely saw unfathomable mysteries... why, because God was preparing him for his life-purpose. Paul was destined to change the world. Unfortunately, however, he had to enter into blindness before he could see. God still speaks today . . . yet, we cannot always hear.

Pondering

What purpose is there in baffling us with things we do not understand? The Word is our manual for life, so why do we often struggle to understand many of its verses?

If the Lord freely reveals mysteries to those He chooses, even though we are unworthy, would God actually reveal mysteries to someone . . . like me?

Love's Porthole

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Peter 4:10 NASB).

There are several reasons the New Testament uses the word (Gk. charisma) "gift or gifts." Greek and Hebrew words often have multiple meanings therefore, the language usage and sentence structure can change the meaning of a word.

God's purpose in opening love's porthole is evident in the gift of His Sons death on the cross (John 3:16) and the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). The grace-gift of eternal life (John 3:36) is God's ultimate redeeming purpose. The key that unlocks the porthole of God's understanding and wisdom... is love.

Pondering:

How can one understand the Bible when some of the stories and concepts seem complicated? Do we have to become scholarly in order to discover the mysteries of the Word, or understand God's purpose? Can we  know His purpose without understanding Hebrew or Greek Should we read only the parts we understand and skip over the hard parts?

Coaching:

God's purpose for the Bible is so that by understanding His words, we can love Him back. Grasping the mystery-concepts strewn throughout His Word comes through the Holy Spirit. We are not all destined to become scholars, unless that is our gift. However, all of God's children are destined to understand the mysteries of the Scripture in the deepest reaches of the human soul by the witness of His Holy Spirit... through love, prayer, and study.

A Season of Giving

"But there is a great difference between Adam's sin and God's gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and His gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:15 NLB).

Viewed in ancient times and in various ways, gift giving had multiple purposes. A gift given for political aim and bribery for an official's vote was very common. Giving someone a present had an array of purposes in Old Testament societies. Cultures and norms based on ones standing in the community influenced the motive behind giving tributes. . . just as they do today. Has the nature of humankind gone through changes or are we unchanged since ancient times?

Old Testament Scriptures on giving:

• A dowry for a wife (Genesis 34:12)
• A tribute to a military conqueror (2 Samuel 8:2)
• A bribe (Exodus 23:8; Proverbs 17:8; Isaiah 1:23)
• A reward for faithful service and to insure future loyalty (Daniel 2:48)
• A gift for the poor (Esther 9:22)

The Flavor of God - Part 3

God's Attribute of Love

What are personal attributes? What is God's purpose in giving us individual talents and gifts? If we understand the answer to these two questions, we learn who we really are, how to achieve our life-purpose, and we discover more about who God is and about His attributes.

"In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly" (Romans 16:6-8 NLB).

Attributes are character traits that compose the essence of a woman; flavors of God that He shares with us. A woman's essence is the root, core, or the heart of who she is. Our essence is the elements or qualities of our nature that personify our soul, spirit, and our fundamental nature. 
 
Pondering: Who is God? What are His attributes? In order to understand and fulfill our life-purpose, does God give all of us divine gifts? If we do not know what our special talents are, can we ask God to reveal them? However, if we already know our special strengths, why does God wait so long in opening doors for us to share them?

The Flavor of God - Part 2

  

Bathed in Righteousness

Isaiah, the prophet, wrote moving passages that truly reflect the wonderful flavor of God. His prophetic and emotional expressions describe a suffering Messiah who will one day save the world. Passages from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah are some of the most beautiful words ever written as proven in the following Scripture:

"Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary" (Isaiah 40:31 NASB).

In Hebrew this verse means, "we cause our wings to rise, lift our wings high, like the eagle". Widely read passages expressing this premise include: Isaiah 1:18; 17:14; 26:8; 40:3; Ch. 53.

Isaiah describes Jesus as the righteous Lamb who sacrifices Himself. Unlike man, Jesus was born righteous. Under divine circumstances, His mother, a righteous young girl, gave birth by the power of the Holy Spirit which allowed Jesus to be born both physiology and spiritually righteous.

Pondering

In today's culture it is impossible to live righteously. We are born with a sin nature, while Jesus is not; He is God. Flawed in our human nature, it is unnatural for us to achieve a righteous life. How does God expect us to live a righteous life?

Sifting the Flavors of God - Part 1

Humility

"Some persons grumble because God placed thorns among roses. Why not thank God because He placed roses among thorns" (Benjamin Franklin).

For the next few weeks, we will concentrate on the attributes of God in the hope of expanding our souls to absorb Him; the goal being a deeper spiritual relationship through asking, "Who is God?"

Recently my mentor Dr. Pitman, went home to be with the Lord. He said something I will never forget and want to share with you: "What the righteousness of God demands, the justice of God executes." He was talking about blessings and discipline. In the light of blessings, we we talking about who God is, and why He wants us to be like Him in order to execute His blessing on us.

Pondering: Is humility cultivated through God's grace or do we develop it? Unless God blesses us with humility, it doesn't come naturally for most of us. So if that is true, then how does a non-humble woman become humble? Are you an extrovert or an introvert? Neither of these characteristic are necessarily humble. However, a desire for Gods' truth is in the attitude; doing whatever it cost to find answers whether we are out-going or shy. Are you willing to pay whatever it costs to know God's truth and character. . . no matter what?

Coaching: By God's grace, the Holy Spirit shapes the character traits of meekness, gentleness, and humility in the human soul. However, the key to obtaining godly character is through a willingness to be fashioned for God's purpose and in His likeness.

Mary Magadlene the Shepherd

Counted among  the inner circle surrounding Jesus, Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:1-3) became one of the most misunderstood women in the Bible. As part of His inner circle, Mary Magdalene traveled with Jesus and experienced a rich and satisfying life as a teacher to Christ's followers. Prior to encountering Jesus, she fell victim to seven demons. After encountering Jesus she dedicated her life to serving Him. In ancient times being possessed was an indication of physical or spiritual illness.

Mary Magdalene was present with Jesus at the cross along with a few other women, and was at the tomb for His burial. She is famous for being the first person to see the resurrected Christ. Her illness was severe enough that it may have involved setbacks (Luke 11:26). However, she was a healed invalid and became a living example of the healing power of Christ.

Pondering: What are the characteristics of a women teacher or leader? What can women do in today's liberal culture to be a teacher for Christ? Does age or gender matter? Do we have to live a perfect Christian life to lead others? Why did Christ pick a woman to be the first person to see Him resurrected in a culture that viewed women as property with few civil or legal rights?

"Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons" (Mark 16:9 NASB).

Coaching: Jesus knows His sheep by recognizing a true heart. He provides them a real safety and assurance (Psalms 23). He gave His life for everyone (Psalms 22) and He will return for the faithful. Jesus saw in Mary Magdalene the characteristics of a true leader to His flock because her heart was pure, and her countenance exuded peace. She outwardly showed the world that she shared the true joy of God with the highest of problem-solving devices... contentment, through Christ. He chose her to be the first to see Him after death. Her pure heart and devotion to Jesus was evident and it was revolutionary to honor a woman with such a distinction in ancient days.

God shares His joy for our benefit; joy is the sister to contentment and a characteristic of knowing God intimately. Mary knew her Savior and that her life-purpose was to follow Jesus. A believer's thinking becomes stable by the Word; not destabilized by circumstances. Viewed in the light of God's purpose our life transforms from lack of self-confidence to contentment. Mary's healing may have happened over a period-of-time but her with her spirit-cured she became free to pursue her purpose.

We inherit God's virtuous-love that brings into being a personal love for Him and a motivation to love all people with gracious-love, that allows us to function at maximum capacity in both categories. That is what being occupied with the person of Christ mean (Philippians 1:21). He knows we are not perfect no matter our age or gender. His universal purpose is for us to know and love Him. Through His Word and the Holy Spirit, we metabolize His divine knowledge and deepen our relationship with Him as we grow. The next step after deepening our spiritual growth is to serve Him. 

"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity in any and every circumstance. I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13 NASB).

To be Occupied with Christ:

• A believer must stabilize her thinking by studying the Word conscientiously.
• A believers' heart is evident through contentment given by God.
• A believer receives joy through the stages of spiritual maturity.
• A believer knows God intimately by loving Him back.
• A believer gains divine knowledge and spiritual growth.
• A believer receives virtuous-love for Him, and gracious-love for others.
• A believer grows in knowledge and want to serves God.

Challenge: Staying in spiritual childhood causes us to stagnate. The beginning of spiritual maturity is putting God first. Are you content digging into the Word? Are you thinking in a stabilized manner or is your thinking destabilized? Do you understand how virtuous-love for God intensifies? Do you have gracious-love for others? Do you know what purpose God has designed for you? A you a leader in God's kingdom?

If you are not experiencing these characteristics... there is still hope. One of the many reasons our God is so gracious is He waits until you are ready. He does not force anyone to submit to Him. He does not want slaves, He wants children who love Him back. Can you do that? Can you let go of pride, release stubborn thinking, and quit handling life all alone. Satan's big deception is making us feel like we do not need God to handle the details of life. Mary Magdalene's life turned around completely, she spent the rest of her life in peace and contentment.

I challenge you to take a good look inside your soul. Are you still in spiritual childhood? If so, you know what to do. So... just do it. It is your choice.

A Minor Fall or A Major Lift

Words are so powerful. They can send us soaring into heavenly worship, lull a baby to sleep, or capture the heart with romance. Words can also fling us into the depth of despair leaving a lasting scar on the heart of a woman. Whether we are hurt by words or another form of sin, we have the choice whether to experience a minor fall or a major lift.

We make mistakes, we pray and confess, and amazingly our heavenly Father forgives us. He opens His sweet arms and brings us back into fellowship. No one is a perfect Christian; we will sin because of our sin nature. Even the Apostle Paul stated he continued doing the things he did not want to do, yet he came closer to being a perfect Christian than probably anyone in history.

Give yourself a break and stop felling guilty because you had a few minor falls into sin... we all do. God wants us to be joyful and glad (Psalms 100). It is simple, first confess to you Father, and apologize to the recipient of your angry words. God wants us to be joyful and glad (Psalms 100). To say I am sorry, opens the door to vanquishing guilt and allows God's joy to flow down and lift us high in a major way.

"Those who have been born into God's family do not make practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God" (1 John 3:9 NASB).

Pondering: Can a Christian live in the flesh? Why do we continue to find it difficult to forgive? The Bible says, if we are born of God, then do not sin. This statement is so clear throughout the New Testament that there can be nothing to contradict it. A believer cannot claim to have God in her and live with resentment, hate, or hurt feeling that we cannot release. This verse (1 John 3:9) is talking about continuing the practice of sin; confession causes us to realize sin as something we no longer desire (1 John 2: 1-2).

Thy Kingdom Come - Part 3

Keys to the Kingdom

The adversary loves to alarm and make us fearful. However, there are keys to knowing how God wants us to handle life's challenges. Emotional balance through faith and rest in our relationship with Christ opens us to the knowledge of Scripture teaching us how to dress in His armor (Ephesians 6). Our Lord is clear in  Scripture about covering our hearts with the cloak of humility as Jesus did when He walked the earth.

God handles our battles no matter where they originate. Remember, our job is guarding our soul like a sentry. God and His host of angelic troops battle for us whether the enemy is human or spirit.

Pondering: For some of us spiritual warfare is an uncomfortable subject. In actuality, it is a blessing to learn and prepare for spiritual battle. However, obsessing or spending too much time worrying about the possibility of spiritual attack is not a spiritually healthy balance .

"But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 5:16-NABS).

Coaching: God's armor protects us from the influence of the world, the flesh, and the devil. The allegory of the armor is, in essence, incorporating the mind of Christ into our attitudes and actions by learning God's Word and praying for our needs and the needs of others . . daily. God's imperative to retain the mind of Christ leads to a deep spiritual awakening.

Thy Kingdom Come - Part 2

God's Protection

"Stay alert Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are" (1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT).

The above verses from 1 Peter remind me of the horrors that Nero (a cruel leader of the former Roman Empire) who applauded, as entertainment, the lions that viciously mauled Christians in the coliseum. Satan desires to maul and consume us spiritually so we become believers without a testimony. The deceiver actively seeks opportunities to attack us, especially in the areas we areweakest (James 4:7-8).

Peter encourages us that we are not alone in our suffering when we struggle with our sin nature. We have the Holy Spirit and Christian sisters and brothers throughout the world who understand. It is a good idea to get involved with a church and participating in a Bible study and it is important for believing women to have a support system for friendship and prayer.

Pondering: Can Christians experience demon possession? Nowhere in the Bible does it say that a Christian can be possessed however, the bigger issue is that we can be tempted, influenced, and generally "bugged" by our adversary. The question is what do we do about the bugger? Last week we pondered (Ephesians 6) where God explains through Paul what the armor of God means. The Book of Hebrews is another great resource explaining the pattern of faith we need to wear our armor.

Thy Kingdom Come - Part 1

In the Meantime

"Prayer is that mightiest of all weapons that created natures can wield" (Martin Luther).

As believers we live in the earthly realm while longing for another. We exist in time, yet anticipate a kingdom that will never again consider times properties. Instead, we will carry-on with Jesus for eternity. Have you ever pondered the feeling of anxiety while looking forward to an event that is in the future? You are not alone. All of God's creation, including nature, waits restlessly for His return and the joy of experiencing an eternity of completeness. Nevertheless, here we are on imperfect planet Earth. The fulfillment of that completeness in time is born of Christ alone through the working of the Spirit.

Pondering: Have you ever longed to close your eyes in a quiet secluded place; to sit and bask in the beauty of Christ? Embracing His all-knowing eyes is no less a thirst than our need to glimpse His face and submit to His love when we are together in eternity is a joyous event. An overwhelming soul-desire swells up inside us at the strangest times as an undeniable urge to close out the world and enjoy a solitary walk with Him.

When I shut my eyes, my mind's eye perceives Him as He walks toward me. His smile is powerful! A deep sense of belonging burst forth like fireworks when I realize that I am His, and He is mine. Like the song says "From lives first cry, to final breath, Jesus Christ controls my destiny." Praise God, otherwise I would be in a world of hurt. But, I have the hope of His glorious return.

Truth or Consequences

How do we fall in love with God? Where does the internal strength come from to harvest the determination to serve God regardless of our circumstances or consequences? Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are a case in point (Daniel 10). Their unwavering belief rooted them in a determination regardless of the consequences to serve God; that decision could have meant their death.

What made them strong enough to stand against the pressure of an ungodly society? How could such young teens possess such clear purpose? God loved Daniel and his friends as He does us today. Listen to the words of a mighty angel sent by God to comfort Daniel in a vision.

"Then he said to me, Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words" (Daniel 10:12  NASB).

No Vacancy

You could almost see cold vapors leaping off the innkeeper's countenance as the desperate man explained that his pregnant wife was about to give birth and he urgently needed a room. The innkeeper heaved a sigh, studied the man for a brief moment, and responded, "Sorry... we have no more rooms left but you can stay in the stable with the sheep and goats if you like." Frozen where he stood, Joseph watched as the innkeeper turned and walked away. Joseph's reality was shaken; he cannot provide a room for Mary to give birth.

Pondering: Do you sense Joseph's desperation? It was not a pretty choice; a barn with animals or nothing. The story of Christ's lowly birth relates symbolically, as well as literally, to the essence of His humility and love for us, yet we don't always make room for Jesus. He often is secondary or completely turned away in our hearts; no room. Do you value Christ enough to allow the Master to occupy you heart?

Coaching: When Jesus grew up, the Pharisees treated Him as an outsider because their hearts waxed cold. Frozen in a dark place, their minds became unyielding. Our hearts should break when we reflect on the years that many of us spent keeping Jesus out; it's the same today as it was in Jesus' day.

Jesus left Nazareth because the citizens, including his own siblings, did not believe Him. Our human attitudes and perception can shift with a slight tilt of unchecked emotion. These emotions cause us to turn away from Christ and blame God for our sufferings. It can happen to anyone when our sensitivities are controlled by the sin nature.

Spiritual Stockholm Syndrome

Stockholm Syndrome is a psychological shift that occurs in captives when the face a grave threat, but shown acts of kindness by their captors. The captives tend to sympathize with their captors. The captors are essentially self-serving. When subjected to prolonged captivity, captives can develop a strong bond with their captors.

Pondering: Stockholm Syndrome named after a 1972 bank robbery that took place in Stockholm, Sweden when robbers held bank employees hostage for six days. The victims developed an emotional attachment to their captors. They even defended their captors after their ordeal. The term "Stockholm Syndrome" was  coined by criminologist and psychiatrist Nils Bejerot, who assisted the police during the incident and referred to the syndrome in a news broadcast (Wikipedia).

Remember Patty Hearst, the millionaire and newspaper heir kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army and held hostage for two months. She actively took part in a bank robbery with the SLA and went to prison for her participation. It was later believed she was a victim of Stockholm Syndrome.

Coaching: Christian women can suffer a type of Stockholm Syndrome when sin takes us captive. As we face desperation and misery, we cry out to God for deliverance; if God does not immediately help, some decide He is not listening and hopelessness sets in.

"Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us even when we were dead in our transgressions made us alive together, by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:3-5 NASB).

Free to Think

If we were mind readers, we would know how to deal with others. However, since we have not quite mastered that art, the only way to gauge someone is by their words and actions. Through my personal experiences, I discovered that a God-controlled mind actually goes through spiritual heart surgery. My mind needed major surgery because of spiritual decline. Actually, I needed a divine heart transplant to correct my stinkin' thinkin'. The Holy Spirit helped me understand the adjustments I needed to make in order to throw off the shackles of a worldly mind-set and become a freethinker in Christ. My mental cravings and emotional responses were all wrong; I was self-serving. The Spirit changed my heart but not through any natural law or design on my part. It was born from gradual steps of prioritizing the right things that helped me transform from self-serving bend to a God-serving attitude. Talk about an adjustment.

Pondering: Have you ever stepped back from your relationship with God? You know, storing your Bible in the closet for a few months; busy with kids activities, committees, or household chores. Most women tend to take on too much. We get busy with all that life demands and forget to make time for ourselves. Life erupts into chaos and clutter. There was a long season in my relationship with God when I grew week from a lack of spiritual nutrients. My heart was starving as I drifted in and out of a stormy life and muddled through a thick unholy fog.

Coaching: Life can feel strange when a woman saved by grace is living outside her relationship with the Lord. To be out of touch with Jesus is a huge step backwards often caused by stinkin' thinkin'. James calls those 'out of fellowship' unstable and illustrates their condition by using a wave on the sea. Picture a tidal wave building up such momentum that when it crashes on shore the force destroys everything in its path. The damage comes from a destructive undercurrent created by an earthquake releasing the dangerous wave. The same thing happened to me. By allowing a painful incident to build into a mental earthquake, stinkin' thinkin' invaded my mind and started the inevitable tidal wave. It was like loosing control to a force I could not stop. If we allow ungodly thoughts to churn in our minds, we give permission for a dangerous mental undercurrent to cause destruction within our hearts. This, in turn, will seriously affect our relationships with family and friends.

Reaching In or Holding Out

Within the essence of a woman is a place of liberty, a place of freedom to contemplate and ponder deeper thoughts. We own a private place that cultivates our purpose, composure, and nurtures a deep understanding of our entitlement to linger in silence within our spirit. She will journey a great distance within her own conscience to reach-out or perhaps reach-in. Some simply brace themselves to hold-out or hold-on.

A woman deserves time to explore who she is. Our purpose is out there somewhere... or is it? Maybe our purpose is within. We need a place where time has no restrictions so we can freely stand in the presence of God. God reaches out to meet us in the silence and escort us into a more mature meaning of the cross. We inherit the spiritual right to enter into this silence as royal daughters of the King.

The Holy Spirit connects with the human spirit to heal broken hearts and adorn us with His love, compassion, wisdom, and knowledge in a place of peace.

"Jesus was going through all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:35-36 NASB).

Pondering: How do we acquire silence within when everything around us is anything but silent? We find silence by surrendering the secret areas in our life we have held on to because we do not want to let go. However, God knows all about these secret areas of sin. He is simply waiting for you to realize He is waiting. Silence is not easy, it is a desired practice that allows us to accomplish our goal of sitting in silence listening to the voice of God, instead of asking Him to do things for us. We learn compassion, wisdom, and knowledge as we grow in silent time with Him.

The Purpose of Love

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul" (Psalms 23:1-2 NASB).

As our hearts age, sometimes we need to run and sometimes, we need to stand in the quiet. Life often consumes us with second-hand soul clutter; that is when Jesus takes our hand. His love sets free our appreciation of beauty in little things. . .like raindrops filled with sparkles-of-light drifting sideways in the wind.

We see His masterpieces in the fluttering wings of a multicolored butterfly. Perhaps it's watching a silver-haired couple married fifty years smiling at each other while stealing a quick kiss; the beauty of Gods' love. Finding the depth of divine love is in the desire for spiritual freedom. Despite the fact that demoralization and apathy toward God is rampant in America, if we stand in the quiet we will witness His great love for creation; it touches us in deep and spiritual places.

Pondering: What is your definition of freedom? With current events in our country, we are all thinking and talking about national freedom, civil rights, civil liberties, and freedom from oppression. Maybe economic freedom is the issue or perhaps it's unemployment. For spirit-filled women it is personal freedom laced with love.

Coaching: Individuals living without Christ's love are not free. They cannot identify the oppression they inflict on others because they lack personal insight into true freedom and love. The Lord Jesus is the greatest freedom fighter and liberator that ever lived. Most Christian women have experienced seasons of resentment, anger, intense hostility, or bitter fighting; seasons that bite like an icy wind that penetrates and paralyzes it's victims leaving bitter scars. Yet the one infected with sin is often deceived, unaware of the depth of their soul damage and the emotional hurt they wreak on those around them. Sin causes suffering because of our own bad choices. Satan tries to coerce Christian women into deep trenches to hold us captive in a gloomy void if we allow sin to linger. Indulgence in sin weakens many women to the point that they will lose the strength and desire to run. Satan is a vagabond who subtlety devalues Christianity by discrediting love and spreading negative messages to the world. What can we do about it?

Salt & Light

What is the purpose of salt? Salt is a preservative, it creates a thirst, salt cleanses whatever it touches such as curing meat, and it tastes good on food. What does light do? It takes us out of darkness.

"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless" (Matthew 5:13 NLT).

Pondering: Some Christian women find themselves incarcerated in a prison of darkness with no visible bars to confine them; like old salt they have lost their flavor. Some women soar on delicate wings-of-light free from a confining heart even during a windfall of travail. Why are some Christians so constrained while others fly free?

Sorrow is the product of Adams and Eve's sin (Genesis 3:16-19) because they desired to disobey God. Their original sin caused sorrow to bear down on all human hearts. However, Jesus came to impart joy and set us free. His love patterned after the Father's love is key to discovering a noble and amazing joy that is tangible, touchable, and leaves a lasting flavor tasted in obedience of the Word (1 John 2:3). His love is the salt that preserves us through trials and testing. Jesus' love creates in us a thirst for more of Him. He cures and cleanses us; you can savor His lasting freshness, you just have to want too. His love is a very seasoned flavor that stirs deeply in our soul.  

"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full" (John 15:11 NASB).

Shaping the Soul of America

Our country began as a fusion of people becoming a new unified whole resulting in a blend of cultures, ideas, and influences. We the people... are America! Founded on the common belief of "In God we Trust." Our ancestors trusted God enough to have that phrase imprinted on our currency, an inherent belief to show the world that God is fundamental to this country.

God is the author of logical and deductive reasoning, therefore He commanded us to love Him and one another. Our ancestors struggled to obey His commandments under monstrous persecutions including imprisonment and death. That type of love is emotional, passionate, and logical: love is the answer.

 "Jesus replied, you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important, love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-38 NLT).

We are no longer "One Nation Under God."  It seems we have become a nation where many have forgotten that love is shaped in our soul by God. What happened to the soul of America? This country believed in God when our ancestors came ashore in Jamestown. Under enormous difficulty ordinary people journeyed only to be shipwrecked, suffer from diseases, and to starve. Here is one man's story:

Pondering: "On Friday, June 2, 1609, in Plymouth, England, Stephen Hopkins boarded a ship called the Sea Venture, the flagship of a fleet of seven ships headed for Virginia to start a new life. He left behind his wife Mary, two daughters and a son. Hopkins hired-on as minister's clerk for the future minister of James Town, Reverend Richard Buck. The trip had been uneventful until July 24, when a storm arose from the northeast but it was no ordinary storm, it was a hurricane. By the time the hurricane passed the ship had taken on so much water that the ballast below deck sunk five feet under water. The passengers and crew worked tirelessly for a week to save the new ships torn main seam, but it was hopeless. Hopeless, until they spotted land a few miles away. They sailed the sinking ship the last few miles in order to wedge it between two large rocks, a mile off shore. Not one life was lost as they reached the Isle of Devils in the infamous Bermuda Triangle, so named because legend swore the Isle was haunted" (Here Shall I Die, Stephen Hopkins, by Caleb Johnson).

Spiritual Warfare

As spiritual women, we certainly want to possess an inward confidence for the future and an inward delight in the presence of Christ. Last week we talked about trials and triumphs (James 1); this week we will look at the vibes of joy and the inevitable purpose filled life as lovers of Christ. Yet, we all go through spiritual warfare.

"As the deer long for streams of water, so I long for you, Oh God" (Psalms 42:1 NLT).

When we long for Jesus He leads us to a secret place where we are by no means alone. Within the soul of a lover of God there is an architect, the Holy Spirit who loves us therefore, nothing is impossible. The joy of victory is in finding our purpose waiting in that secret place. He provides a comfortable and quiet place within us where He guides, loves, and protects us through spiritual warfare.

Pondering: How do we find the strength to step into His comfort when powerful storms of life lay siege consuming our precious strength?

There is a mild southerly wind in Europe that blows up from the Mediterranean Sea bringing spring-like weather in the midst of winter. Just as dark winters lay siege on a believer, a warm Holy Wind blows in the soul of the discerning. The warm Holy Wind is the mind of the Spirit. His influence is clear if we are willing to rest in the comfortable quiet the Spirit provides, attended by His reassuring presence.

Coaching: What is spiritual warfare? According to author June Hunt, "Spiritual warfare is the ongoing conflict against the human race with its enemies; the world, the flesh, and Satan."

From Trial to Triumph

Celebrated heroes in the Bible used their failures as a catalyst for the building blocks of success by not allowing the wounds of sin control; they turned sinful failures into a banner of victory, by the grace of God and by keeping their eyes on Jesus.

 "We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne" (Heb. 12:2 NLT).

Each of us go through trials (James 1:1-12) and temptations (James 1:13-27) however, the key is not to manufacture emotional toughness; real emotional strength comes through faith. True faith is a gift given only by the Holy Spirit. The evidence of faith is spiritual growth. In the beginning, faith is a decision, a resolution. The believer should stand obedient to her conscience. However, even the most sincere believer is human and not immune adversity wounds us, temptation can pull us into a web of deceit, self-pity, and denial. It is not a simple task to go from wounded to Christian champion.

"Conscience warns us as a friend before it punishes us as judge."

King Leszczynski Stanislaw (1677-1766)

Pondering: Have you ever felt incomplete looking for fulfillment or purpose? Has an incident affected you so deeply it felt unbearable? Have you been wounded by hard times? I definitely have. Those are hard questions. Painful experiences visit all of us. To be honest, I had to look inside myself to answer those questions while writing this week's column. It is not easy to be a champion when there are times I am unable to find the strength to be victorious. That is why I decided to look deeper for answers; not only for you, but also for me.

Not Just a Number

Numbers have always fascinated me. I find quantum physics extremely interesting because of the idea of particle-waves and different dimensions. The word quantum is Latin for "how great" or "how much." Most quantum physicists believe that other dimensions exist; they are researching the possibility of entering or returning from another dimension. This notion is light-years away. Wave-energy has carry-on baggage called quanta that behave to some extent like small particles with atomic and subatomic orderliness, the particles or baggage attach to the wave-energy and seem to organize themselves into a kind of system. The discovery of particle-waves opened a new branch of physics we call quantum mechanics. We cannot see subatomic particle-waves but we know they exist and have a distinct and powerful purpose.

A collider is an accelerator in which two beams traveling in opposite directions are steered toward each other (like a car crash) in order to provide a high energy collision between the particles in each beam. That is how we know they exist. When particle-waves crash they can be dangerously explosive in very small quantities.

Pondering: Have you ever wondered about the purpose of some experiences or events you cannot understand? Life is filled with changes and unanswered questions; life never just stays the same. Seasons in our life unexpectedly shift altering our purpose, crashing, changing course, and disturbing what we thought was truth or reality. Can you imagine our great grandparents understanding quantum mechanics? Everything changes. So does knowledge and so do we. Because of Adam and Eve's original sin it is physiologically impossible not to change as we grow older. That is just the way that living things function.

We Reap What we Sow on Purpose

"And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption" (Eph.4:30 NLT).

This verse means there is a seal placed on you by God Himself. Whoever believes in and has faith in Christ is regenerated, baptized into the Body of Christ, indwelt forever, sealed eternally, and continuously filled with the Holy Spirit of God. The Spirit makes every effort to teach us (Genesis 6:3). He instructs, restores, sanctifies, and comforts believers with an eternal purpose. The Spirit baptizes the believer into a union with other believers and into union with Christ (Romans 6:3-4). This is one of many distinct purposes of the Spirit during this age of dispensation. The Holy Spirit continually indwells every believer (John 14:17) and seals us for the day of redemption.

Pondering: Christian women recognize each other through their spirits, it happens all the time we meet someone and recognize the filling of the Spirit of God in them.

"Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit" (I Cor. 12:13 NLT).

The Greek translation of the last part of the verse means, we are all given one spirit to drink. Are you drinking in the One Spirit? Are you listening to His sweet whisperings voice of love?

Coaching: The previous two weeks we talked about how the Holy Spirit works in our life. He is the breath of life to those who desire Him. We talked about the consequence of sin in that it distorts or blurs the line between right and wrong. The result of sin leaves a veil of blindness that captures our spirit. Therefore, we are making a deliberate decision to live blind to God's truth while hiding in a spiritual foxhole; or we take hold of truth and live by it. The enemy searches the world-over for those vulnerable to his influence. He is looking for those who live in spiritual foxholes afraid to step into the spiritual purpose God designed for them in eternity past.

"Peter finally came to his senses. It's really true! The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me" (Acts 13:11 NLT).

Seeing Through the Veil of Blindness

My husband Stephen is legally blind with the exception of one tiny spot in one eye. Sometimes he uses a cane however most of the time his seventy-five pound Guide Dog, a black lab and the absolute center of his life gives him the independence he needs. Blaze is the sweetest dog in the world. The two of them are so tightly bonded I barely get alone time with Blaze. Blaze sees obstacles that Steve cannot see when they are walking. Stephen and Blaze go to the Dallas/Ft. Worth (Texas) International Airport every Friday to spend the day with military men and women who are deploying into the theater-of-war.

"Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began" (I Cor. 2:6-7 NLT).

After losing his sight, Steve established an on-line Bible study (The Bible in 90 Days) for our young troops being deployed. Currently, there are over one thousand and four hundred men and women doing the study in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and South Africa. Even blindness cannot stop the wisdom of one who is determined to serve God.

Pondering: In last week's article we talked about lifting the veil of blindness and crossing the threshold into the Holy Spirit Wind who brings freedom (Holy Spirit Wind 6/23/09). Freedom is not without the cost of war as history has taught. Spiritual blindness commands a much higher cost. Staying within the narrow confine of spiritual blindness isolates how we see things through our eyes, and how we perceive or measure situations in our mind; as a result our spirit becomes a shut-in.

Are you spiritually blind? Do you see only what the flesh wants to see in others? Do you refuse to see behind the pain when someone acts out? Perhaps facing the easy to handle problems are the only issues you handle. If so, you may be spiritually blind.

Holy Spirit Wind

"But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, these is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord who is the Spirit makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image" (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NLT).

The wind is a natural force of nature. The Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as a Holy Wind and the Breath-of-Life. The natural force of the wind with all her power is but a feeble-breeze compared to the Holy Wind who gives us the Breath of Life. What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit in our life? The Holy Spirit takes the dark veil away satisfying our soul with new insights, new life. If the Holy Spirit does not indwell the soul, there is only flesh, which brings death.

Pondering: Have you ever witnessed an undercurrent of air bounce off the desert floor? Suddenly an enormous gust of wind propels across the desert creating a twisting whirlwind as it lifts into the air. It is an awesome sight. Perhaps you have experienced the frightening roar of a raging nor'easter. Maybe you have quietly listened in as the wind gracefully swept across the Great Divide rocketing off the surrounding mountain peaks echoing an eagle's cry.

"When he speaks in the thunder, the heavens roar with rain. He causes the clouds to rise over the earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses" (Jeremiah 10:13 NLT).

Most of us have heard the echoing voice of the wind dance through trees while branches bend toward forces controlled by an unseen powerful current of air. Leaf and bough stoop to the commanding power of the wind-burst as tree branches curve into an unnatural arch powered by the wind. It is poignant and inspiring to witness such power in the wind. The Holy Spirit's voice is the mighty wind that encircles the earth granting us power in the Breath of Life, and the Holy Wind lifts the veil of darkness (Psalms 104:4) from our eyes.

"So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace" (Romans 8:6 NLT).

The Collective Purpose of Wisdom

"If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing" (I Cor. 13:2 NLT).

Love is complicated. Some women have difficult marriages. Some have children with complex problems, and some of us came from fractious families in childhood that left thick scars. Most women experience complexity in love relationships. If love hurts, what is loves purpose in the first place? God's purpose is to love one-another no matter what. However, the unkind person is hard to love without the intervention of the Holy Spirit. Love is a decision.

Pondering: Is it arrogance or innocence to define love from a woman's point-of-view? Women tend to create love labels and place the burden of such labels on those we love. How do we define the rules of the road in relationships? Perhaps it is easier to put people in neat little packages according to our frame-of-reference. Childhood experience builds layer upon layer of learning, whether positive or negative, forming our perspective. Our perspective becomes our definition of love. The question is... did we build our perspective on sand or an eternal foundation of stone? Human love is a mystery filled with ambiguity. Since woman tend to create a unique perspective of love based on childhood experiences, we need to move carefully with our point-of-view until it is formed by heaven.

What if your spouse, diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, changes into someone unrecognizable? Does your perspective of him change? How would you feel if you caught your teen-aged son in multiple lies, or your daughter secretly dating a young man you forbid her to see? Do you love your children any less, or does love become a decision rather than based on the emotions of our unique perspective. It is impossible to impose guarantees on human love because human love is fallible and changes; God's love never changes.

Thoughts That Pierce the Heart

Two men passed by my life recently. Although they did not know one another both went into eternity within the last two weeks. One man was in his early fifties, the other his late forties. One was married not quite three years, and the other had four children. One was diagnosed with cancer six months earlier, the other fell victim to a virus causing him to slip into a coma within weeks, never to awaken . Neither expected they were living their their last hours on earth. Both men loved the Lord. Both funerals became a celebration of love, laughter, and tears.

Ponderings: When thinking about a legacy what will you leave for those that pass through you life when your job is done? Whether new acquaintance or old friend, twenty-five or fifty-five, we touch each other even if for a brief moment in time. For several days I have been reflecting on memories, like old buried bones asleep inside my soul. I ask myself... has my life made an impact? Have I touched anyone's life? Do I continually search for my predestined purpose? Without permission these questions drifted into sifted thoughts as I pondered who I was in Christ. My journey began at one of the two funerals. The pastor read a scripture in Hebrews; listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you as you read this passage.

"Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (Hebrews 4:11-13 NASB).

The Word of God is (literally) alive and active. The power of Scripture is superior to a double-edged sword reaching into secret compartments in the heart of women deeper yet, into our spirit. The Hand-of-God touches our thought processes and attitudes when we study His Word. We change by the power of the Holy Spirit. His Word teaches us the difference between what is spiritual (real) or what is of the soul (sin nature) penetrating so deep as to divide soul from the spirit and reaching our core and piercing inside joints and marrow. God's Word is immeasurable, written by the Spirit who reveals the depth of the Scriptures to those willing to open the holy cover.