CAUGHT IN DEADLIGHTS

CAUGHT IN DEADLIGHTS

Life sometimes takes an unforseen turn off of “Good Road” leaving us stranded at an unwanted dark place of pain. We call many of these frightening or painful life experiences: “trauma”. We weren’t there before, but here we are now. “And where exactly is it that I am?”, we may ask ourselves. “I never been here. I never had any intentions of coming anywhere near this God forsaken place. I want to up and leave right now!”

Many of us have gone through some hard time(s) that feel like we were drugged, kidnapped, shoved in the back of an unmarked van and transported to a strange place where we just have been shocked back to consciouness by a bucket of freezing cold water being splashed on our face. While we are pumped with the surge of a million different varying degrees of emotions, we also feel numb. Almost anesthecized, like a deer caught in headlights but worse. This feels like we’re the living dead inside, frozen in time; caught in the brightness of oncoming deadlights.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Trauma affects us all in many differnet ways. For many, it is as if we are deer caught in headlights. We become paralyzed and frozen in place as of we were playing “red light-green-light-123”. We’re at a stand still unable to move or escape even though we feel danger is coming straight towards us. It’s like a really bad nighmare in which some horrific monster is chasing us and though we open our mouths to scream for “help”, nothing comes out. We desperately try to run but we have lost all control of our body to fear’s cold cruel hold. We’re stuck. Unable to budge. We’re super-glued to the floor and coweing at the mercy of terror.

The past and its experiences has a way of scarring us. Indeed it engraves its mark. It paralyzes and leaves us stuck where we stand as if we were wearing concrete shoes. We become immobolized similar to chained captives, tied-up gagged hostages, or prisoners of war surrounded by barbed wire, war dogs, and armed soldiers. Resistance like the Star Trek Borg’s would say, is futile. But we do not have to remain incarcerated inmates of our past no matter what may have happened to us. Why? Well because it is literally a lie to believe we are relegated to live in and relive the traumas of our past! We are never whatever happened to us, but whoever God has created us to be. Wrong turns, potholes, accidents, carwrecks, flat tires, or detouts may be part of the journey; but they do not determine our final destination. That’s our decision to make by partnering, agreeing, and alligning ourselves with God’s purpose for our life.

LIVE FOR TODAY NOT FROM YESTERDAY

We no longer have to give the past a place in, any more power, rule, or control over our lives. Really, it’s time we put our foot down and shout at the top of our lungs, “Enough is enough!” We can choose to leave and abandon the past in the past where it belongs, and live the new abundant life in Christ seperated and apart from the old traumas and experiences of the past. The new life does not have to be tainted, contaminated, or infected by what occurred yesterday. The “Good News” does not include yestrday’s bad news, it overrides, deletes, and replaces it with a new script. When we surrender our lives to Christ (and that includes our past), there’s a unique transformation and new birth that takes place: “The old passess away and all things are made brand spamking new!” Our life becomes a clean slate. No God doesn’t recycle, he creates a new “you” and “I” from scratch. God doesn’t go diving into the junk yard for spare discarded parts. No part of the old life is used in the “new creation”, “new creature” process. Because of Christ, we are created (not recreated) new!

Therefore, in light of this Truth, we should all raise our heads high, straighten our backs, square our shoulders, and stick out our chest as we echo the words of the Apostle Paul: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” How did Paul deal with the traumas of old? Let’s find out: “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” And finally, let’s end with God’s perspective regarding how we should deal and reconcile with the trauma, pains, sufferings, and all of the past now covered and forgiven by the blood of Christ: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth…” In the words of DC Talk, “God is doing a new thing”! So choose to live in the present and not in the past. Live for today not from yesterday.

1. 2 Corinthians 5:17
2. Philippoans 3:13-14
3. Isaiah 43:18-19

Excel In Excellence

Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.
—Daniel 6:3

Excellence
Daniel was known for having a “spirit of excellence”. His reputation shouted: extraordinary, exceptional, preeminent, surpassing, and exceeding.

Daniel’s mindset or attitude was one of greatness. Daniel was a prisoner of war. They desperately attempted to strip him of his identity by changing his name, language, education, and beliefs. In short, Daniel was in an intensive brainwashing program.

Yet none of this fazed Daniel. He kept his identity in tact. He held on to His God. And he purposed in his heart not only that he would not defile himself, but that he would bring glory to God in the midst of oppressive captivity. Daniel determined in his heart that he would make God’s name gloriously famous by representing him well. Nothing would suppress or silence God’s magnificence.

Excellence And Nothing Less
Despite being a POW, Daniel never for one moment forgot he was an Ambassador of Heaven. And so, he carried himself as royalty should. For Daniel, excellence was the radiance that he would represent, express, and demonstrate. Nothing less would ever do.

For Daniel, average was not an option. Mediocrity was not an option. Laziness was not an option. Victimization was not an option. Pity was not an option. Complacency was not an option. Compromise was not an option. Quitting was not an option. Surrendering was not an option. And irresponsibility was not an option. Daniel would not only produce great results, but he would overwhelmingly surpass all others.

Excel In Excellence
Again let me remind you that Daniel chose this mindset, attitude, or spirit while being a prisoner of war. Everything was taken from him. He could’ve become depressed, angry, hopeless, or worse; but he’d chose excellence.

This does not mean that Daniel didn’t feel the very real sting of suffering and pain, it means he chose God’s best rather than what grief was offering.

He not only kept his head up under the heavy weight and burden of captivity, he flourished, shined, produced, developed, outgrew and over performed all others around him.

What about you? Where are you in your life? Are you in a challenging situation at your job, marriage, or personal life? What will you choose? Will you give in to the external pressures trying to crush you, offer will you stand strong and choose to express God’s magnificence through excellence?

No matter what you’re going through today, you can experience Holy Spirit’s empowering—His grace to choose to be an earthly radiance of God’s goodness and faithfulness through excellence. You can choose to excel in excellence, rather than embrace impotence.

Favored

Yesterday as I was reading and responding to comments on fb, I sensed a strong thought for one of the responses and the respondent. The thread spoke about “God’s Favor” and how “Favor” makes even your worst enemies your very best friends. “Favor is Divine approval, acceptance and preference based on Christ’s righteousness.”The response to my post from ome lady was, “That she needed ‘Favor’ very much in her life at this time”. Immediately I sensed Holy Spirit bring up the Biblical account of Esther in my spirit. In an instant the message that I sensed was playing in my head like a movie, what I heard and saw was:“Like Esther I have extended my scepter to her. I have found great ‘Favor’ in her. Tell her that she is my beloved and that she is highly ‘Favored’. Even her enemies, those things that have tried to bring destruction are being dealt with. Like Haman they will be hung by their very own evil devices. If the king found ‘Favor’ towards Esther who though uninvited still barged into the king’s presence, how much more “Favor” will she receive now that I have invited her in to My Presence through My Son Jesus Christ?”Now unless you understand the societal and cultural background of that time this means very little to nothing. Suffice to say that it was NOT a democracy, it was a monarchy. In other words the king was the one and only authority on the land, what he decreed was immediate law without question or debate. Kings sovereignly ruled with an iron hand and no one dared disobey for fear of a painful death.Now let’s return to the account. Esther (by God’s favor) had risen to the throne as Queen, but even as Queen, she couldn’t (nor could anyone else for that matter) just come into the king’s presence without previously being invited or having permission first. Violating this decree meant a certain excruciating death. But Esther risked her life, embraced death and entered the king’s throne-room without his previous consent. Everyone was shocked and left with their mouth wide open. In their mind the countdown began — waiting for the command that would bring her execution would soon follow. But instead, the king stretched forth his strong mighty arm while clenching his royal scepter straight towards Esther. This of course meant that the king had found “Favor” in her and she was free to come close into his presence to ask and receive anything from the abundance of her king she desired.Today I sense that this same message is also for you who are reading these words. There are no coincidences. I believe that you are still reading because you have been drawn to hearing from God. God wants you to know that He has already stretched forth His Royal scepter towards you and has granted you permission to enter His throne-room to ask for anything and everything from His abundance. Because of Christ, you have been granted access to His promises.The second part to the Biblical account was that Esther (a Jew) had an enemy named Haman (who hated the Jews). His evil plan was to extinguish all Jews in the kingdom and beyond. Yet because of “Favor”, Esther foiled that evil scheme and the Jews were all spared. As a matter of fact, Jews received so much “Favor” that Mordecai Esthera’s uncle was even promoted to a high governmental position. God’s favor brings promotion for our benefit and others; but also to His glory.Haman was then ordered to be hung on the very same high gallows that he had built to kill the Jewish people, God’s beloved “favored” people. What Haman meant for evil, God turned it for their good! So it is with you! Because of “Favor” all things will work together for your good! No weapon formed against you shall prosper and every evil plan devised against you will fall impotent to the ground!Firstly, hear the King’s decree, “Today (because of Christ) I have extended My Royal scepter towards you because you are ‘Highly Favored’ to receive all that belongs to Me as My beloved. So boldly enter in and ask of Me”!Second, “Any enemy, whatever the machinations or whoever that may be, will be brought to their knees, defeated and destroyed by the very same weapons they maliciously forged and intended to use against you. So quit living like a peasant when I have granted you access to my Presence!”NOTE: You (because of the complete work of the cross) are NO longer an enemy of the King deserving death and destruction (eternal separation and bapunishment from His Presence). Because of Christ, YOU ARE HIGHLY FAVORED! So get close, come and enter boldly into His throne-room where you will find and receive grace and help in your time of need. For The King is an ever present help in times of trouble. He has bot and will not ever abandon or forsake you. The King will never leave you orphaned for you are His royal, beloved, and highly favored child. Eeach and every one of us can boldly proclaim, “I am God’s favorite” and we’d all be right for God sees us all equally the same: FAVORED.

Input Determines Output

We must be diligent and intelligent, not ignorant or negligent of what is our mind’s daily diet intake.

We must be diligent and intelligent, not ignorant or negligent of what is our mind’s daily diet intake. You see we are living in a sensationalized era of media frenzy that knows a drop of blood in the waters will instinctually cause the sharks to gather and circle. It’s a culture that seeks moment by moment to keep us addictively munching and snacking on soundbites of its nonsense.

Listen well, as much as I try to stay abreast with current events (and we all should), it should not by any means consume and govern us. As Ambassadors of Heaven’s government, our duty is primarily to be connected to the King’s heart and mind by informing ourselves of His revealed will for this world discovered in His Word. We must not allow ourselves to become cogs in this insane puppet master media manipulating machine.

Daily, moment by moment we must refuse to be conformed to this culture’s worldview. Instead, we must reject this bait and switch tactic and be transformed by inputting The King’s decrees into our minds; so that the Kingdom government and culture becomes the main output of our lives. In this is the Father glorified, that in a barren wasteland of fear, skepticism, and hatred; we may bear or output the desperately needed fruit of the Spirit to this world: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This morning and every morning, let’s get connected and let’s stay connected to The Vine!

Me, Myself, and I

“Millions of tender babies have been sacrificed on the altar of convenience to the god of self: “me, myself, and I.”

There is no doubt in my mind that we are currently living in the last of the last days. The apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:1 gives us specific warning signs as clear indicators that these days are upon us. The first of these pointers is that people would be “lovers of their own selves”. The phrase “lovers of their own selves” describes a people who no longer love, think about, care for, or are devoted to anyone else but themselves. These are individuals who are in love with themselves. They are a self-absorbed, selfish, self-centered, even narcissistic generation. The thought process is. “I’m first, second, third, and last. It’s all about me, myself, and I! No one else exists, and if they do they don’t matter. No one else is as important as I am.” Tragically this same godless attitude has infected the church as well.

These “self-lovers” have set themselves as the highest priority and no one else remotely compares in importance. They live to serve and fulfill themselves and no other. They’re gratification is of the utmost, really the only concern. Their pleasure is paramount. Suffice to say that image bearers of God who willfully choose to become “lovers of their own selves”, become a distorted reflection of our Creator God Who is Love. Since God’s original intent, motive and purpose for humanity are to:

1. Love God…
2. Love your neighbor…

Then these “lovers of their own selves” are completely “missing the mark”. In becoming exclusively self-lovers, we not only defy and usurp God’s will, but we ourselves become evil. Evil is anything that deviates from God’s design. Selflessly and sacrificially loving our neighbors is good because it aligns with God’s (Who is the essence and standard of love and good) goodness.

Daily the battle for life in the womb intensifies. The murder of the unborn is now a normal acceptable practice. Chemical warfare can be used to snuff their lives. Dismemberment, the pulling and tearing apart of a baby’s body piece by piece is of no consequence. Abortion is perhaps one of the greatest violent assaults against any of the very neighbors that we were created to love as we love ourselves. Clearly, none of us (especially those wrapped up and consumed in loving themselves) would ever dream of poisoning or butchering themselves until dead. And what are the justifications for such unspeakable atrocities? Some of them go like this: “It’s my right!”, “It’s my body, my choice!”, “I’m not ready!”, “I’m too young.”, “I have to finish school.”, “I have to focus on my career!” Do you notice the pattern of these so-called justifications? Yep, you got it! They’re all selfish reasons that take no consideration for the well-being and life of the baby in the womb.

So babies are dehumanized, dismembered, and discarded as medical waste in the name of “convenience”. A pesky inconvenience to the great and powerful, all mighty “I”. This cold and calculated apathy towards the life of any other than oneself is precisely what the Apostle Paul meant when he said that in the last days’ people would become “lovers of their own selves”. Since the supreme court decision of Roe v. Wade which opened wide the floodgates so that the blood of innocent babies in the womb could be spilled out like water, over 60,000,000 innocent human lives have tragically been mercilessly ended before they had an opportunity to begin. Millions of tender babies have been sacrificed on the altar of convenience to the god of self: “me, myself, and I”. A generation of “lovers of their own selves” is evidenced by their calloused actions.

Both males and females are complicit and guilty, none actively pursuing and involved in this practice is remotely innocent. The blood of millions of murdered babies stains the hands of those who have supported, endorsed, promoted, and now celebrate the evil of abortion as some moral good hero. The gavel will fall. None will escape. All will reap what has been sown. A nation is judged on how it treats and values its children, and we are murdering our children at an astronomical rate. My heart breaks and grieves without measure that we who have been created to love our neighbor are actively hunting and devouring them in the womb like ravenous wolves that corner and butcher defenseless sheep.

Adoration Vs. Adulation

Indeed God is worthy of our adoration, but at no point, I think; does he desire our adulation.

Adoration: Adoration is deep love, honor, respect, care, reverence, worship, exaltation, and glorification. Adoration is devotion from a heart position of gratitude. A by-product of a joyous celebration that acknowledges we’ve been “forgiven much”. Adoration is the natural overflow of redemption, restoration, transformation, adoption, liberation, resurrection, and emancipation from darkness’ oppression. Adoration is an insuppressible response to translation: we were “translated out of the kingdom of darkness, into the Kingdom of Light”. Adoration is an authentic, sincere, and genuine heart position that’s focused on the Source of our salvation.

Adulation: Adulation, on the other hand, can be “underhanded”. Its motives are fickle and unclear. It can be energized by ulterior motives, false presuppositions, clouded judgment, faulty preconceived ideas, and even misinformed assumptions. Adulation is excessive flattery or severe superficial admiration. It’s unexamined uncritical praise void of proper evaluation of worthiness. It is a groveling grotesque dehumanizing exercise of debasement. It is blind exaltation based on another’s perceived platform position whether legitimate or illegitimate. Adulation is subservient exploitation of the crown of God’s creation.

Raised: Christ’s incarnation, crucifixion, burial, and accession raises those in Christ to be “seated with Him in heavenly places”. We are not groveling slaves but His friends, a royal priesthood, and authorized ambassadors who represent His Government. We are co-heirs with Christ, the apple of His eye, His beloved Bride and chosen passion. At no point is God glorified when His crowned Bride degrades herself as a “worthless worm”. Neither is He content for His Bride to think that she must crawl and drag herself through the mud of humiliation before the Holy Sovereign King will graciously stretch forth His scepter to accept and receive her in His Presence.

The Prodigal Son: The Prodigal Son’s father did not oppress, repress, suppress, or depress his rebellious son into a subservient position of subjugation. Instead, the father enveloped his pig smelling son with a huge suffocating welcome home holy manly bear hug. He took the lad into his arms, fell on his neck and kissed him dearly all over. “My son was lost and is now found! My son was dead and is now alive”! was the father’s shouts of joy that were heard throughout that land. The filthy son was undeservingly clothed with new clothes. His bare dirt stained feet were covered with new shoes. The ring of authority that he had given up was replaced once again on his hand restoring not only his forfeited authority but his lost identity. And the greatest celebration ever to be experienced within that household was commanded to be prepared and announced to immediately begin.

Devotion Not Humiliation: Here I would like you the reader to notice something very interesting. Before the Prodigal Son’s journey back home and arrival, his intentions were very different than what the outcome describes. The son’s intentions were to fall and grovel at his father’s feet and beg for his mercy. “Father I have sinned against heaven earth, and you. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son, please take me as one of your servants instead.” But the father would have nothing to do with that nonsense. He would not hear of it!

Our heavenly Father desires our adoration no matter our current situation, position, or function. Father God, our Benevolent King does not demand or require our humiliation. For Christ was humiliated so that we may once again be restored to our proper place of exultation as the shiny crown of His creation. God does not desire our flattery, self-mutilation, or self-degradation; nor does He require we have “times of devotions”: He desires that we may make our lives a grateful devotion of adoration.

The “Communication Revolution”

We’ve heard the old phrase: “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil”; but today it’s become; “hear nothing, see nothing, speak nothing”.

We are currently living in what I’ll sarcastically call the: “communication revolution”. What a joke! It is a time in which the means to communicate have exponentially advanced, but actual communication has diminished. Social media like Facebook, Twitter, instagram and Pinterest dominate the internet. Cell-phones are common and in the hands of just about every person young or old all over the globe.

We have texting, group texting, email, voicemail, Google hangouts, periscope, face time and more. Tablets and cell-phones like iPads, Galaxy and iPhone are abundant in all shapes, colors and sizes. Video game consoles like x-box and sony play station have literally replaced encyclopedias. There’s an “app” (or software application that can be downloaded onto your device) for just about anything and everything, and therein lies one of society’s foremost tragedy.

Wireless services are freely provided in cafes, business, libraries, hospitals, schools, homes” even access to remote “hot spots” are available just about on any street corner. Thus is all in an attempt to keep us all “connected”. Again, what a joke! I believe we are the most disconnected and unplugged generation that has existed.

Daily, millions and millions of social media posts, searches and traffic flood the internet. Many because of pornography get pulled under by it’s seductive undertow and drowned by it’s dark current. There is no end in sight, no rest, no expiring for the “communication revolution” and definitely no sign of it slowing down–save a mass global power outage. Yet it is my belief, that in this technologically advance age that we live in, communication has gravely aged, grown weak, sickly and is waiting in an ICU bed to breath it’s last breath.

The brightness of cell-phones and other screens  have replaced the light and glimmer of hope and excitement in our eyes and faces. These same warm blue glows now warm the marriage bed at night, instead of the flame and embers of love and intimacy. Married couples lay together in the same bed, but are really strangers and foreigners sleeping alone. Never has a generation been so far away from what God’s intent for what human relations and interactions have always been.

No longer do husbands and wives lovingly gaze intently and lovingly into each other’s eyes, rather they intently gaze into some bright screen instead. Why speak to one another in an effort to explore, journey and discover more of each other when you can explore, journey and discover the world of Netflix instead? Romance, drama, action and comedy have literally become movie genres, instead of life’s “one-flesh” experience, joy, adventure and journey.

The “communication revolution”? What a deceotion! Absolutely no meaningful communication, besides a few weak grunts are going on. Children of all ages are consumed by their cell-phone or hand held device. I mean you could probably drop dead right in front of them and they wouldn’t blink or look up for fear they wouldn’t “level up” or that they’ll lose valuable points in their precious game. Priorities are putting the most important things first right? Aren’t we glad they’ve got “first things first”? Of course, I’m being sarcastic. I’ve had young people busy my home, age the only words they’ve communicated to me are: “Can I please get your Wi-Fi password”?

Seems to me that virtual reality has replaced reality…virtually. It is rare to see parents interacting with their children, unless it’s through some sort of a “text message” like, ” Hey I’m thirsty, can you get me a cup of water”? I remember the loud sound of kids playing outside in the streets when I was growing up, I was one of them. The streets wee teeming with life! Today there is dead silence. The streets and parks have become barren waste-lands and cemeteries because children are like zombies glued to video games. They’re simply uninterested in any activity outdoors because they’re mesmerized by the screen’s light inside. Their minds, imagination and hearts have been captured and are being held captive. They’re being led like lambs to the slaughter.

I mean have you tried speaking to today’s youth? They won’t look at you because they’re completely fixed on their cell-phone. I was taught to look into a person’s eyes when you speak to them as a sign of respect and recognition of human worth and dignity. But now, a half-hearted and bothered glimpse is what I get. Some do look at you, even for just a moment; but it’s to apathetically give a blank stare and shrug of the shoulders. We’ve become cold, lazy and distant. Having a caring heart, I mean a heart that really takes the time to listen to the cares of another’s heart is virtually non-existent. Well, I understand, that would take far too much time away from our “statis update” posts or latest selfie upload wouldn’t it?

Personally in all my years, I have never felt so lonely, abandoned, disconnected and abandoned by people. I am angry and disturbed that people have chosen the noise, button pushing and heat of exhaust fans and technology over human communication, touch and warmth. Are we really so uninteresting? Are we not worth the time, energy and effort it takes to engage with one another? How can we so easily ignore one another’s presence, mind, soul and spirit; while giving all of our undivided attention to plastic parts and wires? Why won’t we look at other? How can we be so transfixed on a screen and be so blinded to one another’s needs? How can we easily forgot and discard others as unimportant? Why do we live together in the same house, but really feel alone? Each person isolates themself in a room of their choice or some corner, they get lost in virtual reality and forget that there are other humans that exist. What a tragedy! What a heart wrenching tragedy!

You may be to blind to see it, but there are people in your own family who are deeply lonely and angry right now. There’s a husband, wife, father, mother or child that is desperately suffering, thirsty and hungry for human communication, interaction, touch and attention. We’re emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually starving one another to death; while over-feeding our apathy apathy and selfishness.

I say enough is enough! Enough already with being physically present but emotionally and mentally absent. Husband’s and wife’s are suffering all over the world because we rather hold our device tightly in our hand instead of holding them tightly in our arms at night. Children are hurting because they’re competing and fighting for your attention. They desire for you to invest your time with them, but you continue to choose to ignore them and rather spend your time surfing the web. Many feel betrayed because they’re no longer the object or center of your affection. Instead, a cell-phone or video game has been given your affection. Many are disoriented because they’ve been replaced by a device when you promised them that you’d always be there with and for them. Others feel devastated and devalued, unimoorrant and expendable because the only thing you value as important and indispensable is your prized iPhone or x-box.

It’s a darn shame you know, we’ve been created to explore and discover the untold inexhaustible riches and treasures of one another’s life, but we’ve chosen to settle for the crumbs and leftovers of cell-phones, screens, social media and video games. One day you and I will be gone. I wonder, what our legacy will be? How will we be remembered by putter loved ones and others? Will we be overcome with regrets for all those people we time and tune again ignored and neglected, because we never took and made the time to know and love them?

Do we, will we, should we, could we dare to risk missing out on the greatest God-given opportunity of a lifetime that He’s given to each of us; namely to get to know and love one another during the most briefest of moments allowed to us called: “life”?

Remember, we only get one shot at this; there are no rewinds or do overs. Let’s live a life that will one day end without any regrets. Don’t waste another second, time waits for no one. Begin living now! Let’s invest ourselves in one another’s life instead of lifeless devices.

Stuck or Planted?

“Other seed fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up…

because they had no depth of soil. “But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.… ” —Matthew 13:5-6

Are you feeling stuck? Stuck as in you can’t get out of a bad and messy situation. Stuck as in a hopeless and suffocating feeling because you can’t move on and leave out of where you currently are. Stuck as in there’s been no forward movement for a very long time. Well, what if I told you that just maybe, in reality you’re not really stuck, but planted? What if you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be right now? What if you’re not stuck but deep-rooted and grounded where you are for such a time like this?

It’s understandable that as humans we desire to progress and move forward in life. But what if we are missing it? What if for this time, in this season of our lives we are not supposed to move forward but inward and upward? Think about it. Just because something is set in forward motion doesn’t mean that it is correctly motivated or going in the right direction. The laws of gravity move things all the time, but that doesn’t mean that they are divinely being moved or led. A  runaway train is one good example. It’s moving fast, but will end up in an impactful  head to head collision if destruction.

Could it be that this “non-moving” season in your life in which it seems like you’re stuck and are being kept from forward movement is because you need to grow inward then upward towards God and His purposes rather than your own agendas? Could it be that you’re being firmly grounded, rooted and anchored for God’s next life-changing move in your life?

Perhaps this feeling of immobilization is really God divinely allowing your roots to dig in deep so that you may receive the nourishment and nutrients that can only be accessed when we’re deeply planted. Thee are many believers who claim that God is moving them here , there and all around. They may believe that God is doing many things in their life, but perhaps they are seeds that have fallen on dangerous shallow ground. These seeds sprout rather quickly, but because they did not have much depth of soil; when the sun (troubles) coms up they’ll be scorched and withered because they had no planting or “still-time” to develop deep roots.

Do not be deceived, moving forward is not as important as deeply growing downward and inward in order to strongly grow upward. Are you really stuck? Maybe you’re planted in the fertile soil of testing where God has divinely appointed. Allow God’s Word to water you and nurture you. Be attentive to the Holy Spirit’s cultivation as He prompts you to prune those dead dried up areas in your life that are unfruitful.

Now I am aware that for some, the case may be that you are stuck; but for most of us I dare say and even declare that: “We are planted growing inward, downward and upward in Christ Jesus”. So you may not really be stuck as you previously believed. Hold on and endure, resist the temptation to uproot yourself. Remain firmly grounded where you are until God’s “planting” season passes. Everything changes. This is not a permanent season in your life but just a temporary window of time that soon will close so—stay planted.

Heart Check

The Lord does not look at the things that people look at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. —1 Samuel 16:7

God is not interested in age, experience or outward appearances. You will never be too young, inexperienced or unattractive for God. Your looks, physique or any other external quality is unimportant. Nothing you have or do not have on the outside either qualifies or disqualifies you to be “top gun” in God’s army of love and peace.

In the Old Testament we have two examples of this:

1. The prophet/judge Eli and the boy Samuel later to be prophet./judge.
2. King Saul and the Shepherd boy later to be king David.

But for brevity’s sake, we will just focus on Eli and Samuel and put aside the other two for another day.

Eli was an old prophet who became lazy and apathetic. With all the years of experience he had you’d think he was God’s favorite. His age should’ve given him wisdom beyond his years, but in his complacent disobedience he had become dumb. His outward appearance, designer flashy robes and holy religious garments did nothing for him. He had disqualified himself from God’s service because of his sinful unrepentant heart’s condition.

Living with Eli was a young boy named Samuel. He was immature, inexperienced and ignorant. He was ordinary with no special features to talk about. But God saw that his heart was in the right place. His motives were clean and pure. So God chose this “rookie” kid over the older prophet. God chose this inexperienced boy over the great 40 year veteran prophet of Israel. Eli the great prophet and judge had it all together on the outside. He looked the part, played the part and faked the part well; but he was a phony. His heart was corrupt and very far away from God. As a matter of fact, it had been a long, long time since Eli had heard God say anything to him; and he was God’s messenger to Israel. Epic fail!

Samuel on the other hand was just a little young boy with no life experience. He’d never really done much at all. All he knew was to serve Eli and do everything he was told to do. Yet God found Samuel’s heart to be just what He was looking for. You see Samuel slept on the floor of the House of the Lord right next to the Ark of the Covenant, which represented God’s Presence. Samuel didn’t know God yet, but God most certainly knew him. It’s important to know and understand that while everyone in this world only sees what you do, God sees why you do it. Man judges outward appearances, but God judges the heart. This is important to know because Samuel was not there by choice, but command. Samuel could’ve rebelled in his heart towards God and everyone around him, but he didn’t.

Eli had disqualified himself from hearing God because of his evil heart. God finally rejected Eli, but Samuel received God’s favor. No not based on anything Samuel had done or how he looked, but based solely on the motives and intents of his heart. You’re never too young, too skinny, pimpled face, fat, weak, shy, fearful, short, tall, unpopular or un-cool to be on God’s radar. You see God always has and always will look at the heart and never ever at what we look like on the outside.

Just like Samuel, you can hear God’s voice for yourself. Like Samuel you can begin at a young age, without any experience or external resources. You can know God for yourself and do great things for Him in this world for your generation. God will never reject or disqualify you based on your age or how you look on the outside. God looks deep into the hearts of people and that is what will always qualify or disqualify us for His service, NOT our physical qualities or appearances.

Swine and Pearls

Do not give that which is holy (the sacred thing) to the dogs, and do not throw your pearls before hogs, lest they trample upon them with their feet and turn and tear you in pieces. —Mathew 7:6 AMP

Before there was oyster or pearl “farming”, or the artificial method and process (seeding) of producing pearls; divers had to plummet deep into the ocean’s depths to retrieve such hidden treasure. In today’s “farming” business, one never need even wet his toes to gain such beauty and wealth. With this in mind, I have two ideas I’d like to submit to you today.

1. I’ll begin with the second first. In today’s Gospel saturated culture, people do not need to dive deep into the oceans of God’s Truth and Presence. Most are content to stay on the seashores of complacency and with the regurgitation of other’s revelation. Like swine we’ve grown lazy and only move when church bell’s rings and it’s feeding time or better stated: “another hot sermon” is now being served.

The tragedy with this mindset, this thought-process or this way of thinking is that we will miss out on the “first hand” experience of diving in deep and discovering revelation for ourselves. We quickly become comfortable with being served “hand and foot” and settle for the mediocrity of “second-hand” and chewed-up knowledge of others.

2. Okay time to shift gears. For those who have taken the plunge into the depths of a committed relationship with God that produces revelation, we are given another warning. Before “pearl farming”, men had to dive deep into the ocean’s depths. Individuals had to search, pursue, seek long and hard for this buried treasure. It took much work, effort, heartache and risk. Yet the value of those pearls once they were discovered was well worth the labor and even dangers involved.

As “pearl seekers” ourselves, diving into the ocean of God’s Word, we must guard ourselves from throwing our hard earned pearls before swine. You see swine trample everything because they cannot differentiate what’s what. To them everything falls into just one single category: slop. For swine, no value system exists in which to assign worth with to anything, all is calculated to be worth exactly the same: “free slop”. Swine cannot tell the difference between a T-bone steak and a maggot infested rotting piece of meat. To them it’s all the same and gets treated exactly the same—as common everyday slop made up of all the trash and unwanted worthless items of others.

The pearls of wisdom that God has given you through your deep sea “God-diving” must be guarded NOT squandered. These truths and revelations must not be given just to anyone on a whim. You see many are just as foolish or dense as the swine are, they cannot tell the difference between what’s revelation and what’s not—so they will trample it under foot without a second thought. Even worse, they will turn on the very one that is trying to nourish and enrich them with God’s pearl’s of wisdom and His Kingdom living.

As “pearl seekers” who are being daily formed by the “Pearl Maker”, we must use wisdom or the ability to differentiate (tell the difference between) who is ready or mature enough to receive what God has entrusted to us. How do we do this? By allowing Holy Spirit who is the One Who will lead us in ALL Truth to be our guide. Place a guard over your mouth. Be careful and do not divulge everything you’ve received to everyone or just anyone you meet, because it may just be reduced to pig-slop to be trampled underfoot in the “pig-sty” of ideas and nothing more. You may end up becoming the foolish swine’s next meal because they’re really just gluttonous for knowledge NOT hungry for Truth.