Again, I am reminded of the Upside Down Kingdom. Its clear that God’s Kingdom is completely opposite of the systems that we are aware of here on earth. Jesus came to this earth in the most unusual way (born in a manger). He taught the most unusual lessons. He did the most unusual things when he delivered the people from their sufferings..
When Jesus taught his disciples on the mountainside, they must have been quite surprised to hear these words:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Matthew 5:3-10)
This Christmas, may you be challenged to be different from the rest, Just as Jesus was.
Merry Christmas.
-
-
Wherever I turn, everyone seems to be telling me what to do. There are just too many voices swirling around in my two ears. Unfortunately, these voices never seem to agree. There’s got to be a better option. I need to hear God’s voice regarding my life.
When we listen for God’s voice, we have the option of following him. But when we fill our hearing with lots of noise, our ears are too full and filter out the voice of God. To hear God’s voice more effectively, I believe there are three things we must do.
First, increase our exposure to God’s voice. Make reading and meditation of God’s Word a regular practice for everyone in the home including the smallest children. If they do not read yet, read the Bible to them. When they are just learning to read, have them read the first verse of the chapter, and you read the rest of the chapter to them.
Fill your home with music that exalts God and his ways. Set the tone in the home with music and praise to our God. Be jealous for God and don’t allow other voices to have more importance.
Second, develop a mindset of obedience. Make it firm in your mind that you are a man of God, that you are a woman of God. Once that identity is firmly set in your mind, you will be more apt to have a mind of obedience. Sure we have our freedom and independence as human beings. But we choose to obey because God is our everything.
Third, be intentional about obedience. One step toward this is to begin a simple process of daily writing down something that impacted you during your daily reading of the Bible. Write down even a sentence that you feel God has spoken to you. In the midst of your struggles, it may be something related to what you are facing. Just the process of recording your interaction with the word of God will greatly impact your thinking. Write that down on a small card and keep it in your pocket so you can look at it throughout the day. Put in in your phone as a constant reminder.
Once you begin doing these things on a regular basis, God will begin to impact your thinking, your behavior, and your responses. The environment in your home will begin to shift focus.
The people of God were struggling to build the temple. It was left unfinished for a long time. But God wanted them to listen to His voice. He said if they would listen for His voice, He will bring people to help them build. But the key was listening and obeying God’s voice.
Listen for the voice of the Lord. He will bring you help to move forward. (Zech 6:15)
—Leave your response in the comments section of this blog post.
-
For some people, life ends up being a series of tragedies. Everything you dreamed of seems to never be fulfilled. The future seems to show no hope of any progress. This becomes a constant challenge you cannot overcome.
The tragedies of life can be outlived. There is hope beyond anything you can imagine. Here is the true story of Brooke Lynn, who outlived her tragedies, and tells her story.
Read an excerpt from her book promo:In her book, Brooke courageously uncovers her true life story and reveals forbidden secrets that are driven by darkness and deception. Brooke is just five years old when she is kidnapped and forced to live a life burdened by cruel physical and emotional abuse. She is later given away, and ultimately raised by strangers who torture her.
The author, Brooke Lynn, has offered to give away 10 copies of her book Raised By Strangers to my readers. This book is also available for purchase as a paperback or Kindle edition on Amazon. With this giveaway, 10 copies are being offered for free.
For a chance at getting one, you must take the following steps: PLEASE NOTE: THIS OFFER HAS EXPIRED AFTER THE PRIZES WERE GIVEN- Leave a comment below. Answer the question at the bottom of this post.
- Fill out the special form. I have set up a separate contact form to make it convenient for you to provide your mailing address. Please do not put your shipping address in your comment. This will automatically disqualify you.
- Tweet a link to this post. You can do so automatically by clicking here. If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can use Facebook.
On Wednesday, December 24th 2014, I will select 10 people at random. If you are one of those selected, I will notify you via email. If you don’t hear from me, you can assume you were not selected.
Question: In the past, what is one step you have taken to handle the challenges life throws at you? How has this worked for you? You can leave a comment by clicking here. -
I remember the bright young man who came to church almost regularly. He sat in the front and listened intently. The teaching he heard had really interested him.
Testing the heart
Noticing his interest I engaged him in a conversation to see if he was ready to establish a relationship with Jesus. When I began talking about drawing closer to God, he became nervous and disinterested.
Fear of the gods
He said to me, “You don’t understand. You just can’t draw close to the gods. They are dangerous. They’ll have you in a trap that you’ll never be able to get out of.”
He was about to walk away quickly, but I stopped him and said “But Jesus is different. Different from anything you’ve ever experienced.” I could see fear rising up in him as he turned and quickly walked away.
The experiences he had in the past put him in an impossible mindset of fear. It was clear that fear had so much control over him that he could not respond to the Love of Jesus.
Jesus is different
But Jesus is different. He opened the way for us to join the family of God, the creator of the universe. Once you give your life to Jesus, He’ll shower his love on you and fill you with his Spirit.
Are you ready?
Oh, wait just a minute. First read what the Bible says about those who are part of his family. Then you can respond to God’s invitation.- You are valuable. You are someone whom God values so highly as to give the life of His own dear Son to redeem you (Romans 5:7-11).
-
You are a child of God. You are a child of God not born of natural descent, nor of human decision. You are born of God (John 1:13).
-
You belong to God. He has anointed you and put His seal of ownership on you (Ephesians 1:13).
-
You are loved by God. He said: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness (Jeremiah 31:3).
-
God rejoices over you. “…He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).
-
The old is gone. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2Corinthians 5:17).
-
You are an heir to God’s Kingdom. “And I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom…” (Luke 22:29).
Now, are you ready for a relationship with Jesus?
If so, I would like to connect with you personally and help you with that. I’ll show you a simple process to building that relationship. Please email me by using the web form by clicking this link. I look forward to hearing from you.
Please leave your comments directly on the website by clicking here.
-
Recently my wife and I prayed with a couple in their 60’s. They’ve been married for 37 years and now they are ready to part ways.
Both are sure that the other person is the cause of all their troubles. If the other person would just straighten up, they feel their marriage and life will be just fine.
Their home life has lacked sufficient connection since the time of their marriage. Recently, some financial emergencies brought these deeper issues to the surface.
It took almost two hours before they were convinced that there is hope for them. Lots of changes must take place in their home and relationship within the next few months. But before any of that can occur, there must be a change in their minds.
They are both determined to change the other person. But they only have the power to change themselves. With the help of God, through the constant presence of the Holy Spirit, changes can take place.
Their minds can be transformed. Their behaviors can be altered. Habits can change. Expectations can be refocused. After a long time of discussion and prayer, it was a relief that they have taken the decision to move forward. Forward towards hope and a future.
Maybe your relationships have not reached the extreme situation that this couple struggles with. It may not be an issue with your spouse, but rather your colleague, boss, neighbor, friend, or another relationship that is strained.
You’ve wondered how to move ahead with this relationship. Should you walk away, fight, or persist and expect restoration.
Remember, God is faithful. He is working on each one of us, transforming us into His image. Give him time and the permission to mold us and change us in every way. You will see the changes begin to take place in your relationships.
-
I bought the motorcycle with hard earned money from my night job as I attended college during the day. I purchased it used, but it seemed to be exactly what I would have chosen, had I bought it new. I lived on campus, and I rode it for work, church, and outreach events. On my days off, it was my companion as I rode up the mountains and found a pleasant spot for me to read and relax.
Surprised by What I Didn’t See
But one day I walked outside for a trip into town, but my motorcycle wasn’t there. Something sank within me. Thinking my friends might be playing a prank, I checked the entire campus. But it was no where.
About two days later, I received a call from the police department. They found my motorcycle and I needed to go to pick it up immediately. When I arrived and saw it’s condition, a mix of sadness and anger gripped my heart.
Shattered by What I Saw
This vehicle that I paid for dearly was abused in ways I could never imagine. It was driven through fields and dropped on both sides. Used for purposes it was never designed for, it was damaged beyond what my heart could bear. I was deeply saddened to see the misuse. I was full of anger that my possession was used without my consent.
An Awesome Plan
When God redeemed us with the precious blood of Jesus, he set us apart solely for his purposes. We now belong to him and him only. The concept of holiness was developed from the Old Testament as vessels were set apart only for the purposes of the temple. Those vessels were considered to be holy. It had nothing to do with perfection or sinlessness. It had everything to do with setting apart those vessels only for the purposes of the temple and in the service of God. When used for any other purpose, it was defiled and was in need of cleansing and restoration.
God’s Shattered Heart
In a similar way, God has set us apart as holy for himself. Our life is to be used for no other purpose except him and him only. But when we engage in things that are not for the purposes God has for us, we are defiling ourselves and deviating from God’s plan for us. This situation surely shatters the heart of God. He paid a precious price to redeem us and purchase us for himself.
This was a similar experience I had as I looked at my motorcycle, all battered and abused. I remember thinking: “This was not the way I used my vehicle.” That was not the purpose nor the plan I had for my property.
God feels the same way with us as we refuse to live our lives in His way. Living life entirely for him is what makes us “holy.”
Your thoughts?
Please give your response in the comments section of this blog post online.
-
Me? A people pleaser? Not me! I’ve always felt confident about myself. It’s been a set of principles that guided and helped me to make decisions thus far. Of course I’ve always believed that it was by God’s hand that I’ve been able to do anything at all.
The symptoms
But I’ve always lived with a sense of being watched and evaluated by someone. Every decision I made was questioned in the back of mind. Within seconds, I’m imagining those around me questioning me about that particular decision. After that, I’m conjuring up all the ways I would explain myself.
The problem
I never felt anyone trusted my ability to make decisions. I feared rejection by everyone who would be affected by my decisions. The result was delayed decisions and simply undecided behavior. There was fear, and a lack of trust in myself. This was shrouded with a desire to please everyone.
The causes
One of the reasons for such things developing in me is due to my Amiable personality. It’s a good trait to have with a desire to be friendly and accommodating. But when coupled with self – doubt, it’s a road trip to disaster. You end up with an emotional gridlock that blocks everything you do.
The solution
The most important step is to see yourself as God sees you. I have list of ways God sees us in a previous post called A Life of Rejection
Of course those are things you are already aware of. But it’s time to apply these thoughts to yourself. Personalize it by putting your name with each of the ways God sees us. Allow God’s perspective to permeate our heart. Let that be the beginning of the road to replacing your self condemning perspective with God’s view of you.
The future
Let this be a beginning. It’s an important step towards freedom. For those who relate with such struggles, you know that this will not be an overnight change. It will be a gradual process of transformation.
It requires courage to step out into unchartered territory. You will feel out of place, like you are not to be like this. It will be a constant battle with fear and other inhibiting perspectives. The struggle will be worth the effort.
Take the step toward being free.
Your thoughts?
Please share your response in the comments section of this blog post directly on the website. -
This week, we have a guest post from Brooke Lynn, who is a writer, nurse, and a health and wellness enthusiast. You can read her bio and connect with her at the end of this post.
Have you ever been up high in a dangerous and precarious place hearing the advice, “Don’t look down”? To the contrary, I believe there’s a time to suggest, “Looking down!” When we feel overwhelmed with fear or worry, we may need to contemplate exactly where we are, how far we have come, and what we are facing. This requires looking down, or rather “within ourselves”.
If we look down we can see how far we have moved up, recognizing we are standing on top of our challenging past we’ve pushed through and overcome. We can see underneath us and glance into what happened making us the person we’ve become. We gain a different perspective into the truth about ourselves. Looking Down reveals choices we’ve made, bad and good. The decisions we’ve made, wrong or right. Looking down can offer us a sense of purpose and accomplishment. This can also provide an optimal way to pray and ask God to search our hearts for anyone we need to forgive. We can ask Him to reveal any guilt holding us hostage we need to release, for strength in our daily lives, and for healing in our brokenness and pain.
When we face the fear of looking down, it can help us grasp reality and recognize we are secure in Christ. Fear itself is what makes us anxious. We need to turn over anything to God that keeps us from advancing higher. It is God’s will we move closer to Him daily in relationship and grow more into His likeness. This is a lifelong process and journey He will guide us through. As we move to a higher place with more responsibilities and growing pains, don’t be afraid to look down!
I’ve had to learn how to look down, within myself, facing God and asking Him to reveal my true motives and intentions. I’ve endured a life of pain, tragedy, and dysfunction migrating to a time when I refused to live in it any longer. More than anything I wanted healing and peace, instead of living in torrential fear and anxiety. With years of prayer, therapy and growing closer to God, I have gained courage and strength to receive God’s healing and I am revealing my true life story to the world, so God may work through my life to help others.
I have written a book called Raised by Strangers. Released on November 1st, 2014. When I was just five years old, I was kidnapped and forced to live a life burdened with cruel and bizarre physical and emotional abuse. My will to survive, inspired by an invisible hope, helped me fight the demons and stay alive as I endured haunting experiences. This book chronicles my true life story full of forbidden secrets driven by darkness and deception. First birthed into a marriage of teenage parents and their destructive relationship, I was later kidnapped, given away, and ultimately raised by strangers who tortured me. In a desperate attempt to escape my abuse and evil caretaker, I tried to murder her. Through this gripping story, I share ways I have learned to overcome my horrendous past and rise above the ugliness of humanity with faith and forgiveness. This book is raw with reality and will help the reader discover how a life of adversity and mistakes can become a message of hope.
Learn the power of hope. Find the courage and strength for healing within yourself, how to face your fears, forgive offenses, and live a life of freedom. You will learn your past doesn’t have to define you or forecast your future.
Brooke Lynn is a writer, nurse, and a health and wellness enthusiast. She transparently reveals her life experiences, struggles and triumphs with abuse, poverty, marital demise, parenting, and eating disorders helping others find the courage and strength for healing. She educates and creates awareness about eating disorders, sharing her 26 year battle and recovery. She has served as a children’s praise and worship leader, worked with middle and high school students, and also served on church prayer teams with a heart for intercessory prayer. She passionately motivates people into a deeper level of faith while encouraging them to love and accept themselves. She resides in the Washington D.C. area, has been married for eighteen years with two teenage children.
Get her book Raised by Strangers,
On the web BrookeLynnBooks.com, Connect on Twitter, Facebook -
“Hey look, I want to live for God, but something keeps pulling me back. When I take one step forward, I’m pulled back two steps.” These words were from a young man I reached out to while pastoring in Sunrise, Florida.
The Will is Weakened
He had lived a life of sin and went away from God for so long that it seemed impossible for him to take a firm step. He wanted to follow Jesus, but he just couldn’t overcome the force pulling him back.
Repeated falling away from God’s ways puts a person on a steep path toward more sin. It’s some sort of spiritual bondage that seems impossible to break. The person’s will is weakened and cannot take a firm step in the right direction.
Spiritual Bondage
The book of Hosea says that these people experience a “spirit of whoredom” that keeps people bound and pulls them away from God (Hos 5:4).This “spirit” keeps the person going in the opposite direction when God’s Spirit calls them. The person may have the desire, but it will seem like an impossible task to turn to God.
How can we help such a person? Maybe you are in such a trap and need to be free.
Steps to Freedom
Ownership
Take ownership of all your sinful actions. Acknowledge you have sinned and done what is against God and his word. This opens up the channel for the Holy Spirit to begin his work in your life. Until you acknowledge and take ownership of your sinful behavior, there is little hope of freedom.
Confession
Confess every sin to God. Tell him you are sorry for your sins. Ask him for forgiveness. He will wash you clean with the power of the cross through the blood of Jesus. Then by faith, receive the forgiveness he gives you.
Decision
By an act of your will, decide to walk away from sinful behaviors. Note that our first two steps honestly and earnestly taken before God will begin to break the bondages in your life. This important step toward freedom will allow you to make such an important decision. It’s a 360 degree turn away from your old lifestyle to God’s ways.
Reminder
Write down this decision and keep it in a prominent place as a “milestone,” a constant reminder. You may want to keep it on your desk, wallet, or phone. Find a place where you will repeatedly look throughout the day. The old desires will continue to haunt you, but remember to yield to God’s Spirit and to his promptings.
I wish you well on your way toward freedom from everything that holds you back.
Your thoughts?
I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment directly on the blog post.
-
So there he stands. Rejected, ignored, and fooled by our shallow promises. Jesus gave us his love, his promises, and ultimately himself. But we just don’t think of him much.
Just Too Busy
We haven’t rejected God. It’s just that we have been so busy with all our “important” matters. And truly they are important. In our busy life, we have just missed the great privilege of our relationship with God.
He wants to have a close and intimate relationship with us. Naturally we would have all the benefits of such a relationship. But we’ve been too busy.
Right Intentions
But all the “doing” was really for God. We live to glorify God. We work to please God. We do it all in his name and for his honor. But we’ve missed God.
We have no one to blame for the losses and brokenness we face. We have ignored God and his requirements (Hos 4:6).
Grab the Opportunity
Remind yourself that the greatest asset in your life is your relationship with God. No other relationship on earth is so valuable. Keep God in the forefront of your thoughts and your daily activities.
In every struggle, make a short one sentence prayer your connection with God. Throughout the day, speak to him briefly and express your joys, frustrations and thoughts. He is waiting. Will you connect with him?
Your thoughts?
Leave your response in the comments section of this blog post.
Was this post useful? Please share using the buttons below.
yourBarnabas.com 