Are You There?

Would it surprise you to know that there are Christians suffering with depression? Would you be shocked to know that approximately 10% of this country are diagnosed? Imagine the number that are unaware of what it is or are too ashamed to seek help and receive a diagnosis. We have a hard time with acknowledging depression in the church but it’s a reality.   It’s the holiday season and a lot of people are excited and upbeat at the thought of family, gifts and celebration. But there are many others who can’t quite get a smile to stay, much less laugh. There are some that can’t stop crying or thinking about what has been lost. It may not be you and it may not be depression but I have seen so many people recently that are involved in a quiet struggle. The heaviness emanates off of you and there is no clear understanding or answer as to why. But today, God is speaking to those of you that are weighed down. His message is simple and clear. “I am here.”

My life changed when I learned the names of God and how to call Him what I needed Him to be. You commonly hear people say Jehovah Jireh (Provider), Jehovah Shalom (Peace), or Jehovah Rapha (Healer). But sometimes you need to call His presence forth. You need to acknowledge that He is with you. In those moments, call Him Jehovah Shammah. We only find this name used once at the very end of Ezekiel 48 where they describe the gates of Jerusalem. “The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord Is There.’”  (Ez. 48:35 NLT) Isn’t it awesome to think of being in a place where God’s presence is there? God wants that place to be you. When everything around you seems overwhelming and discouraging, His presence is able to calm you and center you. The key is to call for Him and allow yourself to be covered. You see, when you don’t open yourself up to His presence, you cannot feel the recovery. You get caught up in the circumstances and the memories and the hurt and then the takeover happens. But when you say, “You are my Jehovah Shammah! Your presence reigns in this place. I welcome you!” Watch God replace that anxiety and pain with His loving presence.

You may remember when the Lord commanded Moses and the Israelites to leave Sinai and head to the Promised Land. After the Word came forth, Moses went to meet with the Lord in the tabernacle for guidance and understanding. God answered his request with a promise.   ^“And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Ex. 33:14 NKJV) God’s presence is where you can find rest and refuge from the enemy’s tricks. You see, Satan is determined to take advantage of any opening he sees. He desires to steal your peace, your joy and your mind and replace it with fear. He wants to remind you of all that is not right in your world. He wants to get you to a place where God is the last place you look for relief. That’s often what happens with people that commit suicide. They feel alone and rejected and unloved. They can no longer feel the joy or peace of God. It’s not to say they don’t know God or love Him but the enemy has gotten them to a place in their minds where the circumstances are bigger than God. It happens quicker than a lot of people want to acknowledge. I believe that’s why God gave this message today. He doesn’t want to lose any more of His people to a struggle that doesn’t have to be yours. He wants you to call upon His presence and find rest.

It’s time to stop quietly struggling. It’s time to let go of the guilt and shame that is holding you back. It’s time to stand up to the power of those memories that are holding you captive. It’s time to look forward to the manifested promises and stop dwelling on the length of the wait. Your responsibility is not to fix what is broken but rather to be available to be fixed. God is the ultimate healer and restorer and He is saying to you, “I am here.”

May the God that gives joy, fill you with His strength and may His perfect peace rest in your mind and spirit.  Amen.

Feel the Love...

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!”(Ps. 107:1) This morning I woke up with a sense of awe. It was similar to the feeling I got when I first looked in my baby’s eyes and knew that I had helped to give her life. The wonder of it was a bit overwhelming. You may be asking what brought this feeling about. It’s simple, really. I just thought about the fact that God loves me. He allowed me to wake up and see another day. He allowed me to take a breath and walk around. Have you ever really thought about that? There are so many that did not have that opportunity today. There are families that are grieving today. There are hearts that are broken but today you have life. It may not be the life you imagined for yourself at this time but it’s life. It’s your chance for a new start, a new perspective and a new goal. It’s your opportunity to live out God’s purpose for your life with a renewed motivation. It’s time to bask in the glow of God’s love.

Today, on this Thanksgiving holiday, I just want to encourage you to reflect on that perfect love. It’s so easy to be distracted by the circumstances of your life. You can become depressed, distracted, and frustrated. The enemy will do all that he can to draw your focus away from God and towards the worries and concerns of the world and walk in frustration and fear. But God has so much more for you. “For I know the thoughts I have for you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11 NKJV) Just think how powerful that is. No matter what the enemy says to you, God has plans for you to prosper. No matter what your family says or does, God has you on His mind. No matter what your situation is, God has a future prepared for you. That’s love, folks!

So I challenge you today to focus your sights on the love of God. He loved you so much that He sacrificed His only Son for you and your mess. He loves you with a perfect love that will never fail you. He loves you with a love that will never be contingent on what you do or don’t do. It is unconditional and unending. So today, whether you are gathering with your family or alone, know that you are loved. “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:37-39 NLT) That’s love!

Be blessed…AMEN

 

Lighten Your Load...

From a young child, I learned to recite the Baptist Church Covenant and one of the lines that always stood out was “and with tender sympathy bear one another’s burdens and sorrows:” It’s clearly based on Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (NKJV) But what happens when it goes too far? Some might ask if that is even possible. I hear you saying, from the scripture above, we are clearly called to bear our brother’s burdens so why even bring this up. This morning the Lord got right to the point with a very simple message for the people of God that I think answers the question. When I prayed and asked what He would have me to share today, He said to me, “Let Me carry it.” Alright then, Lord…make it plain! And He did.

First let me be clear, you are your brother’s keeper and the Word is filled with examples about praying for your brothers and sisters, being a blessing, and not being selfish. But so many take it where it was not intended to go. The Lord talked to me this morning about those of you that pick up the weights & burdens of so many that you have not been called to carry. You find yourself tired and depressed and burdened down with self-assigned struggles. Yep, I said it! You have taken on stress and heartache that God didn’t tell you to take on. He told you to pray for your brother, He didn’t say to be his piggy bank. God told you to take care of your mother, He didn’t tell you to take on her attitudes. God told you to support your husband, He didn’t tell you to go backwards in your walk to appease him. You can nod quietly if this has been you. You have taken what God has led you to do and made it a heavy and hard thing when God didn’t intend that for you. That’s when the bearing of burdens becomes obligation and then leads to your struggle.

You see, Christ died on the cross for all of your struggles. “He was beaten so that we could be whole” (Is. 53:5b NLT) If you believe that, don’t you think He would want you to enjoy this life? Don’t you think He would want you to be a blessing to others without making yourself sick?  This is a hard thing for a lot of you to receive because you are wired to be a helper and intercessor but you are not called to be everyone’s trash can. You are not called to be the dumping ground for everyone’s issues and you never release them but rather carry them for years as you slowly breakdown. God is reaching out to you today and asking you to release them now. Let Him carry them. You don’t believe He wants that? Read what Christ says in Matthew 11:28 – 30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT)

This is not an easy word to share with people because it feels uncomfortable. I know because I have been there. I have a burden on my heart for people, sometimes my heart will get so heavy with the weight of people’s issues. But The Lord had to help me learn to release and it’s still a process. I had to learn to pray for people, listen to their story, do what I could for them or what I was lead to do for them and then release it to God. He is equipped with the strength and the power to carry it. He is not asking you to be Him. You can’t be Him. You will wear yourself completely out trying to carry what isn’t yours to carry. Let Him do it. I challenge you today to lighten your load. I challenge you to take those things or people that are weighing heavily on you and giving it to God. Ask Him to show you where your responsibility ends and His begins. He is willing and able to help you! Remember that a couple of verses down from “bear one another’s burdens”, it says “for each one shall bear his own load.” (Gal. 6:5 NKJV) At some point, everyone has to listen when God says, “Let Me carry it”. The challenge is obeying.

May God lift every burden that you are not equipped to carry and lead you to a place of peace and assurance that He has it all in His hands. God bless you! AMEN…

Deep Calls to Deep

“I want to go deeper, Lord, in you” has been the cry of my heart this week. I have been singing those words over and over since Monday. The Lord answered my song by saying, “Deep calls to deep.” My heart leaped. I felt the welcome in those words. I felt His desire to receive me into a deeper fellowship and communion with Him. You might be wondering what my request has to do with you. But really it has everything to do with all of His people. God wants your worship. He created us to worship and praise Him but we have fallen woefully short. We have gotten so comfortable with our tradition and our routine that we are missing wonderful and intimate opportunities to really worship God. He has been talking to us about restoration and today He said it starts in your worship. Are you ready to go deeper?

When the Lord said to me “deep calls to deep”, it led me to Psalm 42. It is the cry of a believer who has been discouraged and is trying to get back to the joy. “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.  I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!” (Ps. 42:1-4) Have you been there? Thirsty for God, wanting more and more of Him but no strength to get there? You know how it is. When your circumstances have overtaken your worship. Finances are shaky, relationships are a struggle, job not meeting your passion, kids all over the place. Or maybe you’ve hit a rough patch in ministry, not feeling it like you usually do, no zeal, no desire...but yet your heart is yearning for God. The enemy hasn’t stopped telling you God doesn’t care and you know what it is to worship because you have been there. What to do? Go deeper…

“My soul, why are you so downcast? Why are you groaning inside me? Hope in God, since I will praise him again for the salvation that comes from his presence. My God, when I feel so downcast, I remind myself of you from the land of Yarden, from the peaks of Hermon, from the hill Mizar. Deep is calling to deep at the thunder of your waterfalls; all your surging rapids and waves are sweeping over me.  By day Adonai commands his grace, and at night his song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life.” (Ps. 42: 6-9 CJB) Sometimes you have to remind yourself of who God is to you. Remember how he brought you from point A to point C, when you weren’t even worthy of point B. His love is so deep and so full that it can carry you from the struggle to life. His grace truly is sufficient for you. You see, our circumstances and struggles are surface. We have to go beyond them for the answers and for the joy. We have to press pass what has tried to enslave us and grab hold to the freedom that lies in God. Remember, “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Cor. 3:17 NKJV) The Holy Spirit lives inside of you so that, in itself, tells you that you must press beyond your physical limitations.

It’s time to go deeper, folks. It’s time to leave the shore of tradition and dive into the intimate realm of worship. In that place, there is renewal and restoration. There is reconnection and revival. In the deep, you can leave the guilt and the shame of your past and find rest. In the deep, you can leave the weight of trying to survive and find freedom. In the deep you can leave the struggle of other people’s expectations and find grace. Don’t be afraid of the deep. It’s the place where God waits to give you revelation and wisdom. It’s calling out to you and waiting to receive you. I can already see the burdens lifting as you sink deeper. May the warmth of the deep waters restore and strengthen you for the journey that lies ahead…AMEN

Stone by Stone

This morning as I meditated and prayed, God began to show me people standing by a low wall that had been knocked down. I could see them pick up a stone to put on the wall but this big mass would get in the way. They would keep trying but it seemed that the mass just got bigger and bigger.  Then the mass showed itself to be a huge man and he was deliberately stopping the people from rebuilding. But then the mass disappeared and I could see the wall be rebuilt stone by stone. You see, there are many of you that have been struggling. You have gone through loss, heartache, disappointment, and frustration. You have tried your best to get back to your old self or be an improved you but some new issue always seemed to stop you from moving forward into your season of restoration. Folks, God is not playing! He is ready to bring you to a place of newness if you will trust Him and believe what He is saying to you. Today, the Lord instructed me to tell you that it’s time to rebuild and the enemy can’t stop you!

 I have been reading the book of Nehemiah for various reasons but early this morning God had me in chapter 4. I was obedient and read it but it didn’t immediately become clear to me why until God showed me that vision. The book of Nehemiah is about Nehemiah's journey to rebuild Jerusalem after the city has been ruined and the walls destroyed by fire.  I encourage you to read the early chapters of Nehemiah because they will help you to see how Nehemiah gets back to Jerusalem through the grace and favor of God. Fast forward to chapter 4 and Nehemiah has gathered various families and groups to work on rebuilding the walls. They have taken on various portions and gates and are making great progress. And then the enemy starts making noise.  “Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” (Neh. 4: 1-2 NLT) Sanballat was a Horonite official and he did not want Israel to prosper. Sound familiar? The enemy does not want you to make progress and he will send folks and issues to mock you and attempt to throw you off track. But God is always aware and He will allow you to see the attack coming.

 

Sanballat had that tantrum in front of the people as they are working but they kept going.  Nehemiah prays and the people continue working with enthusiasm and are able to get the wall halfway up around the entire city. This infuriates Sanballat! “But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious.  They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.” (Neh. 4: 7-9 NLT) Sanballat and Tobiah did not want God’s people to be restored and they worked tirelessly to disrupt the rebuilding of the wall and confuse the people. You see, the enemy has all sorts of plans to disrupt your rebuilding process but he can’t stop you. They key is being ready. You have to stay in prayer and guard yourself on all sides so that enemy cannot infiltrate your gates. The enemy attempted to stop Nehemiah on many occasions but he determined that the only voice he would listen to was that of the Lord.

Throughout chapter 4, Nehemiah strategizes and arms the people so that the enemy does not take them unaware but in verse 14, he says the key thing that you can stand on as you fight for your restoration. “Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” You do not have to be afraid of the enemy! You serve a God that is great and awesome and if He is on your side, you have the power to fight and to win! It’s time out for giving up and leaving your gates open to attack. It’s time to take a stand and take back what the enemy has stolen from you. Proverbs 6:31 tells us that if a thief is caught, “he must pay back seven times what he stole, even if he has to sell everything in his house.” Satan is a thief and he has built his kingdom with things he has stolen from us! But now he has to give it back. He can no longer stop you!

It’s time, saints! You have been attempting to rebuild your wall for a long time but your own strength could not get the job done. It’s not easy and the enemy will still be working and trying to confuse you. But the Lord is telling you today that He is your strength and He wants to see you totally restored. Let Him help you lift the stones. Let Him fill the gaps in. Let Him take the lead. You see, God sees long range. While you might be seeing an unrepentant husband, He sees the restored marriage. While you might have your eyes on the diagnosis, He sees a whole and healed body. While you might be focused on a negative pregnancy test, He sees a fruitful and productive family. Your results are dependent on who is allowed to lead your restoration. There is nothing impossible with God and there is nothing that the enemy has stolen that you cannot retrieve. Mourning can be turned to joy. Loss can be turned to gain. Death can be turned to life.

It’s time to rebuild, my friends and the enemy cannot stop you! AMEN…

Morning is coming...

This morning when I went to the gym, it was dark. I was facing the window on the treadmill and I watched as the sun came up and light chased the darkness away. It was an amazing transformation from shadows and low street lights to full vision and light. Things that I couldn't identify slowly became clear and easier to understand. As I continued to walk, The Lord said to me, "There's always another day." Immediately, the scripture in Lamentations came to my mind. "Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning;Great is Your faithfulness." (Lam. 3:22-23 NKJV) On a day when the world is celebrating darkness, God wants you to remember that there is always light.

The thing about darkness is that it cannot last. No matter how much it may want to stay around or you want to stay in it, light immediately dispels it. As I watched the sun rise this morning, I thought about how long yesterday was for me. I mean it seemed like it would never end. But it did. Sometimes, we look at our situations and feel the same way. It can seem very dark when your marriage is in recovery, your finances in bad shape, or your child is sick. It can be overwhelming to not be able to see your way out but I'm here to remind you that God looks at you everyday and makes new mercies available to you. He showers His light on you and chases the shadows away.

Here's the thing though, you have to open your eyes to see the transformation. You have to be paying attention and expecting the change to happen. When I was working out, I could have kept my eyes on the things going on around me in the gym and I would have missed watching the sun chase away the darkness. But I knew that something was going to happen and I waited for it. If you are going through a difficult time right now, I encourage you to expect God to do something new for you everyday. Look at the verse that follows in Lamentations. It says, "The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,“Therefore I hope in Him!” (3:24 NKJV) The Complete Jewish Bible makes it even clearer and says "Adonai (The Lord) is all I have," I say; “therefore I will put my hope in him." With everything you have, believe that God wants His light to shine in your life. He wants you to prosper and be in good health. He wants your light to shine so that He will get the glory. He wants you to live.

Today, I pray that God's love and light overtake any issues or struggles that you face. I speak an end to your nights of weeping and welcome your morning of joy. "Then shall your light break forth like the morning, and your healing your restoration and the power of a new life shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God shall go before you conducting you to peace and prosperity, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, Here I am." (Is. 58:8-9a AMP)

Amen...

Growing at the Door...

Life is an interesting thing. We go through ups and downs, times when we get it right and times when we get it wrong, joys and sorrows. In all of those things, God is speaking and He wants us to listen. It’s amazing, almost unbelievable, how many times we miss His voice. Over the last couple of weeks I have really been in conversation with the Lord about a lot of things but mainly with what He wants to do with me. I’ve been struggling with what it means to say yes to God. Actually, it’s more what to do after saying yes. In the midst of this conversation, God has confronted me with my biggest enemy…me! Sure, Satan has his role to play but how I deal with my own fears, faults and doubts is on me. I’m wondering if anyone else can relate. Have you ever been at a stage in your life where you slowed yourself down? Have you ever been confronted with your own choices and realized they weren’t the best? Have you ever missed the mark? It’s okay. The truth of the matter is everyone has but the key is how did you move forward?

This morning while I was in prayer, I had this interesting vision. I saw a door and the view zoomed in to the doorknob and then widened back out. There was a little girl trying to open the door but every few seconds the little girl would grow until she was a grown woman. I could only see the back of her but could clearly tell from how her size and hair changed that she was growing. But eventually a larger figure came to the door and helped the woman with the door. I asked the Lord what that meant. He immediately brought a scripture to mind that I had read last night. “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”  (Rev. 3:20 NKJV)

You see, there’s a time when we walk up to the door and we struggle to open it because we aren’t ready. We want God to speak to us and we want to be in fellowship but our ears and our hearts are blocked in a way. So, we stand at the door and go through different things and the blockage gets smaller and smaller. Until one day, through different experiences and lessons, you get to a place of maturity in Christ. You reach a point where you are ready to hear His voice and you ask the Holy Spirit to help you, even if there is a price you will have to pay. The Lord has been at the door the whole time but perhaps you weren’t ready for dinner. Maybe you wanted a snack or some water but not the full meal.

Friends, I’m here to tell you today that The Lord wants to come in and completely fill you up. He wants you to understand that the fellowship He will provide is worth more than the things you might lose. Everything that you have experienced has been for a purpose and if you ask the Holy Spirit to make it clear for you, you can see it too. On the other side of the door, there is a fullness of joy, there is restoration and there is strength. I encourage you to bind up the voices of anything else that isn’t God. You need to hear His voice with clarity and be able to know for yourself that it is Him. Nothing your flesh or Satan has to say to you will encourage or renew you but God will. Right now you are growing at the door, now you just need to sit down and eat!

Amen…