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It was Never Meant to be this Way…

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has no overcome it.”
John 1: 1-5

It was never meant to be this way. These are the words that I hear when I see the pain and suffering of others. These are the words I hear when my heart is breaking at the hands or words of another. These are the words I hear when I look around and see the brokenness of this world. I hear my Lord Jesus say to me, “It was never meant to be this way”.

When I see a small child walking all alone to their bus stop. When another marriage is broken apart by lust, selfishness, abuse, betrayal or abandonment. When I see a parent neglect their child or a child is abandoned. It was never meant to be this way.

When image bearers of God, our fellow human beings, are murdered senselessly. When a woman is raped or a child sexually abused. When children are trafficked for pornography and become sex slaves at the hands of evil gripped people. When abuse happens at the hands of a trusted friend or family member. I hear my Lord cry out “It was never meant to be this way!” And He cries.

In the scripture above we see that Jesus (the Word) was there in the beginning and nothing was made without Him but everything was made through Him. That He is the light that the darkness can never extinguish. Let’s go back to the beginning.

In Genesis 1, we see the creation of all things. Jesus was there. I would love for you to read it for yourself so you could see that in the beginning He created it all and called it “good”. When He made us He called us “very good”.

Then what happened? What went wrong? How is it that we have the world that we live in today? In a word, “we” happened, sin happened. Our God is gracious. He could have forced us to be good. He could have made it so we wouldn’t have the ability to choose. Instead, He gave us free will. It is this free will and bad choices on our part that ushered in the Fall.

If you continue reading in Genesis you will see how the serpent, the enemy of our souls, satan, twisted the truth, and used our pride to turn us away from our God. The serpent said, if you want to know as much as God, eat the fruit. We were given all we could ever need and all that was asked of us was not to partake of that one tree. And if you haven’t already guessed, we took the bait. Humanity chose. Vanity, selfishness, greed, always seeking more, enter sin. After the fall, they continued to make poor choices. They had disobeyed the one and only command given. That was the fatal mistake. Poor choices have consequences.

God enters the garden searching for His children and they are hiding from Him. Hiding. From their Father, their Maker. Their second mistake. Instead of coming to their Father, they hid. When we sin, the first thing we should do is run to the Father and confess it, not hide.

Finally, their third mistake. When questioned by God as to why they disobeyed, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. They did not even own and take responsibility for their sin.

Friends, when we mess up, and we will mess up, don’t hide from Jesus, run to Jesus! When we mess up, as adults, we must take full responsibility for our actions and confess it. If not, what we keep in the dark will continue to hold us down, keep us from growing, and keep us from growing closer to God. What we refuse to face and deal with we are doomed to repeat, will keep us bound, and disconnected.

God knew all this would happen. He knows the beginning from the end. He is the Alpha and the Omega after all. He already had a plan in place to redeem us from the sins He knew we would commit. He already had a way for us to come back. Back into the garden, back into His presence. JESUS!

Though this world is thrown into blinding darkness, Jesus is still the light. The light in the darkness that nothing can ever extinguish. He promises for those who love Him, he will make all things work out for our good and His Glory (Romans 8:28).

You may be in the thick of it right now. What happened to you still brings painful memories, anger and heartache. Friend, I can honestly say that I not only understand but have been there and still have days like that. I have been the one to fail and have had others “fail” me. Praise God I can also say His promises are true! Jesus has taken the worst things that have ever happened to me and used it to bring about great change in me and to do great things for those around me.

Because of the darkest seasons of my life, I can walk with others going through the same. I can speak into their lives with the truth of God, with not only knowledge but experience. I know their pain, intimately. I get to be a living testimony that life does go on and can be good again with Jesus. Bringing that to others has been one of the greatest blessings of my life! Suffering redeemed and used for good and for His Glory! Amen!

So my dear Friend, your pain, your suffering, that abuse, that betrayal, your memories of past abuses or abandonment cannot be reversed and should have never been in the perfect world God meant us to live in. BUT GOD. His promises are true and if you let Jesus in He will redeem your pain. He will hold you through it. He will turn even that thing that happened to you for your good and for His Glory.

Would you trust Him? Trust Him with your pain. Would you cry out to Him that question that bellows out from your heart, “WHY GOD?!” WHY THIS? WHY ME?”. He can take it. He’s actually been waiting for it. At least now His creation, His child is talking to Him. He wants to comfort you and guide you. He wants to heal your broken places. As much healing as can be found this side of eternity. Which is more than you think.

I pray you too get to hear Him tell you personally, in your heart, “It was never meant to be this way”.

Come back to the Father. There is only one way to the Father and that is through the Son. And His name is Jesus!

He’s Waiting… Waiting just for you!

Am I too far gone? Is it too late for me?

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So many say these words not understanding or not having experienced true love. Once you know what true love is you would know that you are never too far gone. It’s not too late.

1 Corinthians 13:4 -7 defines love as ““… patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

1 John 4:18 tells us that “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (NIV)”

God’s love is perfect. His is the only perfect love. His Word also reminds us that it is not that we love Him but that He loved us FIRST (1 John 4:19), while we were still sinners at that. We don’t have to wait until we “clean up” our act or make amends with all of those we may have wronged, neglected or abused. All we have to do is come. By taking the first steps, in truth and in love, knowing that we no longer want to do life alone, we get to experience His perfect love.

What’s the first step? Well, there are three small steps. Admit. Acknowledge. Believe. Then all you have to do is Receive. Admit to what you may ask? To the fact that you need help and you need Him. That you can’t save yourself. That the feeling you have had all your life that there must be something more is more than just a feeling. It’s Him. Your Father. God. He’s calling.

Calling you into His presence. Calling you to lay it down. Calling you to put down all the walls and all your defenses. To put away that mentality that you don’t need anyone, and that you can do it on your own. Calling you back to Him. He is your Father and He wants you back.

If you have children or cared for children in any way, then you know that feeling as you watch your child struggle or watch them as they are about to do something that you know will bring pain and will only end badly. You may have watched as your child has made one bad decision after another trying to “fit” in or be like the others or be as handsome or pretty as the girl or boy next door. You watch as they work trying to “make something of themselves” and end up only working themselves to complete and utter exhaustion all the while remaining empty inside. As a parent you watch knowing that all you can do is offer your help, give them advice and hope they take it. Then, after disregarding your counsel, you watch. You watch as they fall into a pit all the while your heart breaks. You want so much better for them. And you can help, if only they would come, listen, learn and do. If only they would let you in, take your hand and let you guide them and protect them.

You as a mere human, with limited capabilities, know exactly how that feels. Can you not see how your Father God yearns for you to let Him in? And He’s God! He is truly more than capable of guiding you, protecting you, teaching you and most all loving you so completely that all other love you have ever felt in your life pales in comparison.

He watches over you waiting for the day you would come back home. He waits for you to talk to Him and tell him what has you so downcast so He can comfort you. He has given His Son, Jesus Christ, so that you could come into His throne room whenever you want, wherever you are and tell Him all your cares, all your heartaches, all your dreams and to look for His advice, which is always perfect.

Do you think that love like that has an expiration? Do you really think a love like that has a track of hurdles you must run before you could reach Him? Do you really think that as His child He would create endless obstacles before you could be loved by Him? Do you really think that you have to “get it together” before you could show your face to Him, before you could feel His love for you?

Friend, He doesn’t ask for much. He gave up His Son for you and in return Father asks that you accept His Son as Lord. God’s Word says that we need to admit and say out out loud that we are sinners (News Flash: we ALL are). Romans 3:23 puts it like this: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Admit you’ve made mistakes, and then admit that you believe! You believe that He is God and sent Jesus, God the Son, to die on a cross to save you. You believe that on the third day after Jesus’s death , He Rose! I will say this, it can’t be lip service. He’s God. He will know. You’re asking for His heart, which whether you believe it or not you already have, no matter what you’ve done. He just wants yours in return.

That’s when the journey and adventure truly begins! Like any journey, it will have its own challenges, hills, and trials but the difference here is now you NEVER walk alone. NEVER! He looks at all your mistakes, small and large, and pushes them all out of the way.

Imagine a giant pile of black trash bags between you and the Father. Some are small and some enormous! The pile towers over you. It makes no difference to Him. When you decide with your heart that you want Him and you do the three things (Admit, Accept and Believe), Jesus comes with His Almighty arm and swipes them all completely away and clears the path to the Father. The path that leads to Him. They are all gone. Forever! Never to come between you two EVER again. EVER. His Word says He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west and he remembers them no more. It also tells us that though we were stained red from our sin, He covers us in His righteousness and makes us white as snow. “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.(Isaiah 1:18)” The Holy Spirit seals you. You are His and He is yours, forevermore.

The path is clear, the journey begins and His love awaits. His guidance, counsel, protection, wisdom, comfort and most of all, His love is now available to you. More love than your heart could ever hold. A love that never withers. A love that stands the test of time and withstands the most intense fires of your life. A love that climbs the highest mountains and reaches the deepest depths. There is no distance He wouldn’t go for you, no battle He wouldn’t fight for you. His is a love you don’t have to earn. You could never earn it, it’s a gift. All you have to do is receive. Once you are His, you are His forever no matter how many times or how epically you may falter. His love has no end, no measure. His Word says, once you are His, all you need to do is call on the name of the Lord and He is there! To deliver, to comfort, to fight, to shield, to love you just where you are.

So no Friend! You are not too far gone. It’s not too late. The time is just right. He’s divinely patient. His Word says that He is long suffering, His love is steadfast and everlasting.

Could this be the moment you admit, acknowledge and believe? He’ll wait. He is always there. Waiting. Like a worried parent looking out the window waiting for their child to come back home. Like a parent that knows that the child is safest, best cared for and provided for, when they come home.

HE is your home. Jesus has already cleared the path. Would you come?

He’s waiting… waiting just for you!

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Into the Wilderness

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“The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:12-13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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Thrown into darkness. Thrown into blind searching for a way. A way through the dark. A way through the midst. A way to get to the other side. There are seasons where the dark surrounds you and you struggle just to see two inches in front of you.

A wilderness where you’re feeling around for something to grab on to. Your hands search aimlessly in the void only to find nothing as you carefully put one foot in the front of the other. You don’t know where you are going and have nothing to hold to but yet somehow you know you have to keep moving forward. You have faith! Walking by faith not by sight.

You hear a still, soft voice speak in your heart. “Keep going, keep moving. You can’t feel Me, you can’t see Me but I AM here and I am guiding the way. Trust Me.” Knowing that it’s your Abba Father speaking, you cautiously, even fearfully keep moving, one step at a time. Then you hear, “Do not be afraid, be strong and courageous, for I am with you wherever you go.”

The darkness has to come to an end eventually. The only one and thing that lasts forever is your God and His Kingdom. There is darkness and sadness in the night but the sun will always rise. The dawn always comes. Until it does, your God is there even when you can’t see or feel him saying, “I have you and I am with you. Call my name and I will come.” Somehow you know that even in the wilderness, that’s more than enough. For if God is for you who can be against you. God does not sleep or slumber, your constant watchman. God is not man that He should lie. God is faithful, trustworthy, and never changing. He created you, cares for you and loves you. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He sees the beginning from the end and is already ahead of you. He is there. There ahead of you and beside you in the wilderness coaching you through as He says to you that He will instruct and show you the way to go. He will counsel you with His eye upon you.

In Isaiah, He tells us that when you pass through waters they will not overwhelm you, when you go through the fire you shall not be burned, for He is our God. He gives ransoms for us. Why? Because we are His and precious to Him!

Did you see that? We are precious to Him. Precious to the One who created the heavens and the earth. Precious to the One who parts the seas and moves mountains. Precious enough to send His one and only Son to die for us.

Friend, if you are in a wilderness season, pause and listen. Listen for that still soft voice in your heart beckoning you to come to Him, to keep moving, don’t stop. “I AM with you and love you. I will never forsake you.” Hear your maker’s voice say “You are mine, I created you and have redeemed you.” ” In this world you will have trouble but take heart precious child of mine, I have overcome the world!”

Oh Friend would you praise Him! Glorify His name with your heart, mind and soul. Lift His Name high and proclaim Him Lord over your life, your King, your Keeper, your Maker, your God!

He is with you and He’s waiting. Waiting just for you!

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Scripture references in the order they appear. Don’t take my word for it. Look it up in His.

2 Corinthians 5:7

Joshua 1:9

Romans 8:31

Psalm 121:4

Romans 10:13

Numbers 23:19

Hebrews 13:5, 8

Psalm 32:8

Isaiah 43

Matthew 28:20

John 16:33

Are you ready?

In the stillness of the morning, there is peace, love, guidance and wisdom. Not because all are asleep, or the business of the day has not begun, although that helps, but because that is when I go into the secret place and sit with my Maker, my Savior, my Lord and my God. There is nothing like it on this side of heaven. It truly is heaven on earth. He speaks through His Word, or a whisper in my heart. He speaks with a sudden sense of peace or unexplainable joy or a revelation. He speaks all the time. But are we listening? Do we take the time to listen? Or are we too busy doing life our way, with our priorities, living life on our timetable to realize that the very one that created us might have some words of wisdom just for us before we start our day, and throughout our day? Maybe the one who put the sun in the sky could shed some light into our hearts and into our circumstances? Or that the one who keeps this planet spinning in perfect order could guide us into bringing a sense of order into our lives?

There is so much we could gain if we stop trying to drive our lives, fix all our problems with our own understanding, conjure up our own methods and simply stop to read THE manual we were given and speak to the mastermind behind it all. All we need to know to live this life as well as our human selves can and as abundantly as He meant us to, He has left for us in His Word. But how often do we actually go to it? Or have we replaced God with Google?

What about simply talking to Jesus? Conversation, real conversation. Soul bearing, heart wrenching, sin sharing, false face off, no pretenses conversation. The kind of conversation where you let your guard down and expose all of you. The kind of deep conversation you probably couldn’t have with anyone other than the One that already knows exactly what you are going to say but desperately wants to be the one you say it to. Have you had that kind of talk with God yet? Or do you numb or avoid things with social media, television, constant activity, etc. in order not to have to deal with all that you have bottled up inside?

Why struggle through life aimlessly unnecessarily? Please don’t misunderstand me. A relationship with God is not going to eliminate heartache and pain or all the obstacles in life, the hills and mountains you will have to climb or the losses or diagnosis you will or may have to face. Some believe their lives are easier without Him. But I can tell you this, if you try to live without God, and do it your way, that hill you need to climb will be steeper, that mountain you have to climb will be rockier, that loss you will have to endure will take longer to heal from or that diagnosis you receive could end your life before the illness ever does. Without the Giver of Life what life is there? And without Jesus, the true abundant life will always be out of reach.

In my life I have seen that the bridge from an aimless, pleasure centered life to a purpose filled, fulfilling life is the Cross. The bridge from hopeless to hope eternal is the Cross. It is in the One who stretched out His arms with nails in His hands and feet and said to us, my life for yours!

In Matthew 10:39, Jesus says it like this, “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. (NLT)”

Friend, what are you clinging to? Who or what do you rely on to give you purpose and meaning? Have you been living life your way, without Jesus? Can I ask, how’s that working for you? Is there still a whole in your heart and in your soul? Do you feel like you are running and running but never truly getting anywhere?

Are you ready? Ready to do life God’s way? Ready to let go and let God? To let go of this world and swim against the tide of this world’s culture? Ready to put Him first in all things? First in your heart, in your thinking, in your planning, in how you live, and who you love yourself and others? His Word says that those who make Him first get a prize this world can never take away? Seek first the Kingdom of God. A prize no moth or rust can destroy. A prize worth everything you will probably have to give up to pick up your cross and follow Him. A prize worth more than all the riches this world can hold and a prize that will last you through all eternity. A prize saved for you in heaven. A room made ready just for you in His house, His Kingdom, in His presence forevermore.

Are you ready to go into your own secret place where He waits for you? Where He speaks to you and listens to you? I mean really listens to you. We all long to be truly seen, heard and loved. That longing and that hole that can never be permanently filled by anything or one on this earth, God embedded in you. It is by design. To act as a compelling force causing you to seek Him. A beacon calling you back to your Creator, Maker, and Father. A beacon that becomes still, at peace and fulfilled when you come into His presence, His will and His love.

Are you ready to lay it all down, pick up your Bible, get on your knees, palms up and say to Him, “I want to live your way Father, I want to be all you call me to be, I don’t want my will anymore, my way does not work. Father, Your will not mine, I surrender!”

He is waiting. Waiting for you to ask Him to lead the way. He’s waiting for you to finally invite Him into your life, every part of it and give up the reigns. He’s waiting for you in the secret place… His door is always open…

The Lonely Times – You’re not Alone!

Your Friend,

Jesus

“And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD’ (Job 1:21).

How often have you found yourself surrounded by people yet still feeling desperately alone? Whether it’s at home, at work, maybe even at church. No one seems to understand what it is to walk in your shoes day in and day out but they are very quick to opinionate, comment, or even give you “advise”. There is someone who knows you, understands you because He made you, His name is Jesus.

I am reminded of the Book of Job.

In the Book of Job, we see Job lose everything! He goes through the worst sorrows. Job lost his children, his wealth, and even his health. His wife pretty much told him to curse himself and die. His friends came to “console” him but only made matters worse. The best thing they did was cry and grieve with him for his losses. In the end, it was just Job and God. It was God who showed up to speak truth into Job’s life. It was God who enlightens him, instructs and essentially sets him straight. It wasn’t his friends, It was God! They way I see it, God allowed all this hardship to teach Job about Job and to teach him that God is His true source.

The process of sanctification can be very painful at times. The burning or scraping off of all that is not of Him to become more like Him leaves its own marks but so did the nails in His wrists and feet. It’s where the rubber meets the road and you find truth. The truth of who you truly are, who your true friends are, and who loves you for you. The truth of what it means to pick up your cross and follow Him. The truth of how immeasurably broken this world is. The truth that in the end, in the valley, when it’s all said and done, all that remains is you and Jesus.

Initially, it feels lonely. The true confidants are there but there are times or seasons where we are meant to walk through with the Lord and only the Lord. To rely on our Father first and foremost. To understand that we are never truly alone we must walk with Him. To build that complete and utter dependency on the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. He abides in us and so He never leaves us. But to find Him sometimes you have to hit rock bottom, you have to be alone. Alone with Him.

It’s nothing to fear but to embrace and relish. Yes, we are not meant to walk this life alone. We need community and fellowship but we also need to learn to be still and alone with the Lord in order to hear Him speak, to show us the truth about ourselves and life, to build that one-on-one relationship with Him, and for Him to do what only He can do. Many times He does this in the stillness of the night, or quiet of the morning, when we are all alone, not distracted and then, HE SPEAKS!

Too often, we fear being alone and never give ourselves the chance to experience the saving power , comfort and grace of our God Almighty. Many of us seek comfort from and/or run to family, spouses, friends, media, food, addictions, etc., first. Anyone or thing to lean on and carry us through our hard times except Jesus. Please hear my heart, we should not walk through hardships alone. Marriage, family, and friends are a great source. Jesus called us to be one, in community. This is not what I am saying. What I am saying is, are we running to Jesus first? When something goes wrong are we running to THE Father? Or is He our second, third, fourth choice, our last resort or even a choice at all?

This is an invitation! An invitation to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. An invitation to bear your soul to Him, confess and repent. He is always just a prayer away. This is an invitation to go to Jesus with all your worries, concerns, heartaches, pains, and sorrows and lay them at His feet. He can take it. An invitation to allow Him to search your heart and show you the real you. Your circumstances may never change, or they may, but the more you lean on Him He will change you for the better even in and through the circumstances.

Friend, you are never alone. You always have someone to go to. Not just a someone, the someone who gave His life for yours. His Name is Jesus!

Would you go into the secret place? The place where He meets you and allow Him to be your first and most precious best friend. Would you go to Jesus first? He’s waiting…

What is LOVE?

What is Love?

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-8

Webster’s dictionary has nine different variations of its definition of love. The first definition states that love is a “strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties maternal love for a child”. I am reminded of Isaiah 66:13 in which the Lord says, “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” It also defines love as an “assurance of affection”, “a beloved person”, “unselfish and benevolent care for the good of another” and gives examples such as (1) the fatherly concern of God for humankind; (2): brotherly concern for others.”

I say love is defined in one name, JESUS!

He came down to us, left paradise to live in a broken world, where He would be mocked, slandered, spit on. He was beaten beyond recognition and then was brutally murdered on a cross to make a way for us to be reconciled to Him. The ultimate act of love on display for everyone in Jerusalem to see, for the entire world to remember and know that we are loved beyond measure.

His love crossed, and continues to cross, borders, cultures, nations and languages. He continues to live, redeem and set captives free through His Spirit, His Word and His church. He comes to those who call upon His name and will answer and hear even while the words are still being spoken (Isaiah 65:24). He lifts and mends the broken heart and breaks strongholds. He gives hope when all seems or is lost. He gives strength when we are weak, makes a way where there is none, brings light to the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:5). For whom? All for those who believe, accept Him and turn.

Jesus is the unrivaled, inexhaustible, irrefutable, perfect manifestation of LOVE. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). From the words He spoke, the acts of service in life, to the laying down of it in a gruesome, brutal death, Christ breathed and, to his last, exhaled nothing but pure, unblemished, holy love for each and every one of us. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

Among many injustices, here’s a list of what He went through for us: ( taken from Matthew 26)

Judas betrayed Him
Peter abandoned Him
They seized and arrested Him
They spit on Him and struck Him
They dressed Him in a robe and pressed a crown of thorns on His head only to mock Him
They spit on Him again and struck Him
They stripped Him naked
Simon of Cyrene helped Him
They crucified Him
They divided His garments
Father Almighty forsook Him
HE DIED
They sealed Him in a dark tomb, left for dead
They kept watch over Him BUT….

HE ROSE!

HE CONQUERED!

DEFEATED THE GRIP OF SIN AND DEATH!

ONCE FOR ALL! And He did it all…

ALL FOR LOVE!

Jesus died for each one of us. Not because we deserved it. We could never earn it. It is a gift. Yours is only to receive it. Not because we suddenly became worthy or stopped sinning but because He loves us. Remember, God showed His love for us that even while we were still sinning, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

Friend, what you have done or are still doing does not change His love for you. It did not keep Him from the cross then and it does not keep Him from loving you now.

How do we respond to such an act, to the ultimate sacrifice? How do we respond to a love like this?

Even if it was just for one of us, Jesus would do it all over again without hesitation. When He did, it was “once for all time” (Heb.7:27; 9:12, 28; 10:2, 10). Now, we could be forgiven, come into the kingdom and share it with Him. Even as we sojourners on this earth, because of His great sacrifice and our faith, we can experience some of that eternal life here as we wait for His return for us.

I can only speak for myself but as Romans 12:1 so aptly puts it I will pour out my life as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is my spiritual worship and live holy as my Father is holy (1 Peter 1:15).

Whatever He asks I will do, no matter what I have to sacrifice, no matter what I have to endure, His Will be done. If I am ostracized, if I am mocked, if I am in the end standing all alone, I will do it because I KNOW Jesus stands with me. I refuse to be moved, dissuaded or disobedient for He has paid it all for me. I hope and pray that whatever He should ask of me, or takeaway, or send me, I will have the holy courage and strength to obey. He is worthy and worth it all!

My heart for all of us in Paul’s words::

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

I encourage you not to just give Jesus a try, not to just give Jesus some of your time, not to just to make room for Him but to give yourself to Him as He gave Himself up for you. Trust me, you have not known love, true, unconditional love, until you allow Him to love you and you love Him in return. Nothing will ever be the same again. It will be the best, if not the most important, decision of your life!

Oh Friend, He’s waiting, just for you!

True love is waiting, and His name is JESUS!

Who said…

Who said?

Who said you weren’t good enough?

Who said you weren’t worth loving?

Who said you weren’t pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough?

Who said you had to be perfect?

Who said this life is all there is and there’s nothing more?

Who said you are who you are and you can never change?

Who said you are the sum of your mistakes and your past?

Who said no one could truly understand you?

Who said it’s too late for you?

Who said you’re all alone?

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power power to destroy strongholds. 2 Cor 10:3-4

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 2 Cor 10:5

Some of the most overwhelming and, apparently insurmountable obstacles in our lives are those we impose on ourselves with the help of others which we allow. What we tell ourselves, what others say about us and what we believe in, has the power to either free us or keep us bound.

I hear the Father’s voice in my heart and it sounds like this:

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My children were never meant to live under the weight, burden and to be chained to condemnation or human judgment.

No one gets to judge you or condemn you. I am your Maker. I am your Father, and if you believe in my Son Jesus and repent of your sins, you are Mine! Mine to love, mine to hold, and yes mine to discipline when it’s needed. You are my child and no one can judge, condemn or define you. I made you. I define you and if you repent, I do not condemn you, so who is man that they should or yourself for that matter. I sent my Son to make the way for you to come to me and now, dear child, would you come?

Come into My love.

Come into My light.

Come into My truth.

Come into My peace and who I say you are! You are chosen, redeemed, known, loved, forgiven, called, justified and glorified!

I am here and I am waiting, for as long as it takes. I am long-suffering, patient and kind. I am your Father, and if you believe, and turn away from the sin in your life, there’s nothing that can separate you from my love. There is no sin I will not forgive in my Son’s name. Turn away from this broken world, from the sin that enslaves you, and all the lies that anything in this world could possibly fulfill you, and come into my truth. Turn away from that which perishes and will never satisfy and turn to ME!

Come, come back to the home, love and hope I have for you!

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“If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.” Luke 17:33 NLT

Can I encourage you to let go and let God? I did. Now, I could not or would ever go back to my old life and my old ways. I NEVER want life without Him. I used to believe the lies. I used to condemn myself and judge others. I used to be wrapped up in everything the world was selling then I let it all go and let God in and take over my life. Now, He is my light, love, hope, and only He gets to define me. Jesus is the air that I breathe, the heart that beats, and the blood in my veins. He is my first, my last and my everything. There is no life apart from Jesus.

In John 15:4, Jesus says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” Apart from the vine that is Jesus I never want to be. He is “… the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Once you come alive like this, everything else just won’t due.

So, I say to you my friend, if you believe in Jesus Christ, profess Him as your Lord, and that He came for your sins, died, and rose from the grave, you have confessed your sins (brought them into the light), turned away from your sin (repented) then you, my friend, are a child of God!

Child of God, Paul says this in Romans 8:38-39 (ESV), “ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This world does not get to define you. This world cannot judge you or condemn you. You don’t even get to do that. God does. I invite you, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2. The Father is your Maker, the Lord, Jesus is your Savior and “If God is for us who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31b)

So again I ask, my dear friend, no matter what you have been told, been through or what you have told yourself, who said?

Who said…

What if …

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What if….

What if God does exist? What if Jesus is who He said He is? What if the Bible is truly the breathed Word of God? What if He does Love you and is watching and waiting for you to love Him too? What if that emptiness, loneliness, hopelessness you’ve been trying to get rid of could finally start being filled and the path to that starts with Jesus?

Maybe you have tried this “religious” thing and it didn’t work out. There is such a thing as a bad experience at a church and it may have left you feeling if God is anything like these people, I will pass. Churches are made up of humans. Like you and me. Humans who are broken. Humans who are imperfect. Humans that do not always do or say the right thing and sometimes say hurtful things.

BUT GOD…. God is none of the above. He is infallible, without flaw or pretension. He always says the perfect thing and never fails. He is the perfect Father, counselor, parent and friend. He listens. He cares and most of all, He LOVES you! More than you could ever imagine or dare to dream.

The Bible says that He is good, the God of gods, the Lord of lords and his steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 136: 1-3). He has been with you since your beginning, “For you formed my inward parts, you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13).

He has been waiting for you. Waiting for the day you would believe in Him. Waiting for the day you would love Him. Waiting for the day you would say I believe in You Jesus and that You did die for me and rose from the grave, all so that you can come into Your family. When you do, then and only then, does the journey to your supernatural, transformational journey begin. It all starts with Jesus.

What do you have to lose? Chances are you have tried everything else and it’s always painfully temporary and unsatisfying. Chances are you might have tried a self-help book, spent more money, try to earn more money, try that relationship which part of you knows is toxic or destructive either to yourself. Chances are you might have even tried to self-medicate, numb it away or keep yourself exhaustingly busy so as to not feel the void. Why not try Jesus instead?

This is not easy for many, I know. Can I encourage you, since you may have tried everything else, won’t you try Jesus. I mean really try. What if it’s the new beginning your heart has been longing for and Jesus is just waiting for you to open the door?

What if……