Live on...

A terrible and unimaginable tragedy occurred last Friday. Whether you are a parent or not, I’m sure your heart broke for the loss of those beautiful babies and brave women.  I was devastated as I prayed for the families. I asked God for guidance in how to move forward from this and the answer was profound: LIVE. I took a breath and let that word sink in. It became clearer and clearer. Satan is out to steal, kill and destroy. If we all crumble and die in sadness and bitterness and anger, he wins. It’s time to live! In the face of senseless death, we must not be trapped in that moment of ending but turn up our lights and cherish life that much more. It’s time to live!

It’s Christmas time again and we celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ and the beginning of His journey.  We celebrate the supernatural power that is God. We celebrate new life. God has shifted his focus to honoring that precious gift. I believe that He is moving us further beyond thanksgiving to putting the thankfulness into action.  He truly wants us to start living, to be grateful that we have breath in our bodies. Those 20 young lives that were lost won’t get to experience high school and college and parenthood or any of those gifts that come with being an adult. But they lived and made an impact. It’s our turn. Honor those young lives by starting yours afresh! Jesus told us in His own words that “I have come that they may have life, and that they have it more abundantly.”  (John 10:10a NKJV) Are you living an abundant life? If not, it’s time to live!

Charles H. Spurgeon, a 19th century Baptist preacher once said “Go forth today, by the help of God’s Spirit, vowing and declaring that in life—-come poverty, come wealth, in death—come pain or come what may, you are and ever must be the Lord’s. For this is written on your heart, ‘We love Him because He first loved us.’’ Isn’t that powerful? No matter what we face in our lives, we are the Lord’s and we must stay in that frame of mind. We must not give in to what the enemy wants us to believe. We must determine that no matter what comes our way, we will live.

I don’t know about you but I’m tired of the devil’s darkness being allowed to permeate this world. I’m tired of seeing otherwise peaceful people be turned into violent killers because the enemy overtook their mind. I’m tired of seeing marriages attacked by a spirit of division. I’m tired of seeing depressed Christians because the enemy has convinced them that they are alone in this world. I’m especially tired of watching families being torn apart by unaddressed anger and bitterness that the devil keeps feeding. Folks, we have the power to fight the devil! We have the Word! We have to return to living in the light of Jesus Christ. You see we have loved darkness for too long. The devil’s future is decided and we will overcome. “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Rom. 13:12 NIV)

As you celebrate your Christmas on Tuesday, do so with a renewed joy and faith. Choose to live! I’m standing up to the enemy on your behalf and declaring PEACE, JOY, LOVE, and LIGHT! I believe that you are no longer going to be content with irritation, anger, or bitterness. I’m excited that your latter will be greater and your old has passed away! God is doing a new thing in you! Embrace it and look forward! It’s time to live the abundant life! Live on…

Merry Christmas, God bless and AMEN…