Move toward the LIGHT (φῶς)

Good morning my warrior sisters:

 

I've been up for hours now, reading, writing and talking to Jesus! Best part of my day, that is along with a cup of freshly brewed coffee!

 

I hope today finds you well. It seems like America is waking back up from a deep sleep.  People are out more; we are phasing businesses back to life and soon COVID-19 will just be a historical event on the books. For me, I think it's really changed me. Not in fear as it has done for some but more in living. Time is precious, I think I knew that but wasn't living that way. I've changed and so have my priorities regarding time, connecting with others, and looking for Jesus. All of a sudden the most prevalent, maybe the most pertinent priority is getting into His word, praying and seeking Him over everything else. 

 

Which brings me to our word today, Light or FOS as it is in Greek. I think people all around the world need this very word. For some images of death and destruction are all they can see, and unfortunately, there will be more to come. In places like Brazil mass graves have been dug in anticipation of death. We've even seen it here, although not a war, it seems like it.  And with any war comes darkness. We must fight that darkness with the power of light.  You see Jesus is the light of the world. He overcame darkness so that we would have eternity.  

 

Jesus' light doesn't just illuminate the world for a moment, it’s for all time. So, as you contemplate this life, which might not be so pleasant right now, I pray you get your Bible's out and begin to pray for revelation. FOS is revealing. From Genesis to Revelation, light is referenced and for good reason, FOS overcomes darkness every single time. 

 

Light is beautiful, it is a beacon on the hill that delivers us from darkness. It shines to remind us that we are His and in Him we can conquer the darkness. Don't give up hope for a brighter tomorrow. It might look different; I think we all know it will but every single day the sun rises we know the power of our God. He placed it there to remind us that it is a NEW day!

 

I hold onto the hope that FOS gives me, and I hope you do to. I have disappointments just like you and I always will.  I guess the things I've learned from this life are that the only true power we have is in His words and in their meaning for our lives. Many call the Bible old fashioned; I believe it’s the most relevant book for today.  It carries a message of hope in a time of great fear, financial uncertainty and death. As a matter of fact, I would like to challenge you to look up many of the passages containing light. Did you know that in the NIV version of the Bible light is referenced 232 times, think that's a coincidence? Light is important today, tomorrow and years to come. HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. You can look for years for a fix and Lord knows we all have but, in the end, there is only one fix, Jesus. 

 

I challenge you to look up light and I know He will be revealed. Good luck, it's a challenge worth taking. 

 

Be well my sisters and forge ahead one minute at a time with light leading you to Him.

 

Proverbs 20:27

The human light is the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one's inmost being.

 

Isaiah 9:2

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

What counts and who are you BEHOLDEN (υπόχρεος) to?

Good morning my warrior sisters-

I woke this morning at 4 am and went straight to writing to God. Have you ever woken with a start only to find you need to sit with your Savior?  For three days I have woken and went straight to my writing and it has comforted me.

Through my writing the word BEHOLDEN (υπόχρεος) sprang to my mind. I wrote: "I'm forever grateful to you Lord and I know  your will for my life is better than my will for sure. You are amazing and great, O, Lord. I am beholden to you."

Beholden means: Owing thanks or being of service to someone.

That's me in a nutshell!  I'm beholden to the living God who loved me enough to sacrifice His Son on a cross and give me life.

What a gift to be given and to find a word that so encompasses how I feel today.  I was taken back through many events as I sat and wrote in my journal this morning and one thing stood out; in crisis I always want to flee.  I want to have a Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C.  The problem with that philosophy is in the words, "I want."

Faith is like building muscle, you must train every day to see the results and that's exactly what I must do.  Otherwise, I start moving to I want. How can I be beholden to God and still speak those two little words? That's the question I asked myself today and the answer was glaring, the two can't even live in the same space. 

I've faced many trials in my lifetime, but I have to say the biggest trial is in me. It's in my wants, desires and heart. It bleeds for me instead of God and how it pains me.  I'm lucky though because every time I start walking down the path of my two-year-old self, God says: "Do you remember me and who you serve?"

Yes Lord, I do remember you and I remember that I must surrender all in order to seek the kingdom. So that's exactly what I'm doing by writing to you. I'm asking you to die to your desires, your hopes, your fears, your dreams, your ambitions and surrender.  We must be BEHOLDEN to Him because He is who we can trust, he does hold our dreams and hopes and as we surrender, we are gifted with our greatest desire which is to be in His presence. All else worldly does not compare to one second in His presence. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV: give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

May this day find you well and may you surrender your two-year-old self like I did at 4:30 am. It's well worth it and it has many perks. Remember an obedient child finds favor.

My prayer today:  O, Lord, comfort those of us that continually go to the "I want."  We know your will for us is better than our own and yet, we fall. Lift us up and walk us through our surrender so that we can find you. I'm completely grateful to you and for all you've done to walk me through every tantrum. You are so faithful, and I am so beholden to you.  May my sisters seek you daily with humbleness and surrender and may I continue to be beholden to you.  In Jesus name I pray. AMEN!

EVEN NOW (akomi kai tora)...

Good morning my warrior sisters-

It's a beautiful Sunday morning in the heart of Kansas. The birds are signing loudly as the trees sway to the north winds. It's a much different picture than this morning at 6:30 AM when the winds were bending the trees in half and the rains were torrential. Isn't it strange how events come and go so fast? One minute you are in a dark and gloomy storm and then, like so much of life, the sun comes out and it's beautifully sunny and happy again.

Some trials take a season, others take years and then some are short and sweet. Unfortunately, we are not in a time like that today.  Instead we are in a season similar to the seasons of the great plague or even cholera. There is no stopping point. The pains are in waves very similar to child birth.  It started slowly with groaning and stretching.  It graduated to great pain and the thoughts that the pain was much to much to bear and now, there's a sense of, "When will this be over?"  Unlike with childbirth, we may not see the end of this pain. More is to come but there is hope if we do one thing: rend (shizo in Greek) our hearts toward Jesus.

You see we have forsaken the one true God. We have put ourselves, our beliefs and our desires before the truth. We have turned our backs, stayed silent and excluded God Almighty from our every day lives. We don't speak the name of Jesus for fear we will offend and so, we are seeing the fruits of our apathy.  Many will say, "Where is God?" It's always our nature to blame everyone and everything but ourselves.

It's time to take responsibility, to stand up and offer hope to the hurting through Jesus Christ. In Joel 2: 12 (NIV), it states: "Even now," declares the Lord: "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."

We still have time, we still can repent and tear our hearts toward him. We can mourn with those that mourn and weep with those that weep.  We are in a crisis and we must approach it with all our hearts.

I am comforted that "even now" our Lord is with us. He's waiting for us and there is so much hope in those two words. I am in awe of a God that never gives up on a spoiled, foolish people. He is a true father, a true friend.

Take a moment to thank Jesus for the sacrifice of His life.  He will intercede on our behalf. He is one with the Father and through Him we will see restoration.  I have no idea where COVID-19 will take us but I'm sure of this, we have a father that loves us. Even in our own iniquity, He will be there for us and all He asks is for us to return to Him with ALL of our hearts. I, for one, hold onto that promise and ask the Lord to guide us and care for us. 

May today find you well.  Will you please pray this prayer with me? 

Almighty God, please come upon your people and heal our land. We are sorry for the apathy that has filled our hearts and minds. Draw close and light a fire in our hearts for you and only you. Protect us and provide for us, for we know that only through you is there external life. Make us courageous when we want to fear and help us to lift up our brothers and sisters in their hour of need. We pray this as one, even now with all the dissension, please heal our lands! We believe that you can. In Jesus name, AMEN!