What If?

I was reading some books tonight that I ordered from Voice of the Martyrs, and to say I was challenged is an understatement. It wrenched me to the core. I mean, how could it not, when I read about people, namely my brothers and sisters in the faith, laying down their lives, being tortured, enduring imprisonment, etc. while I sit here comfortably in America, sometimes too timid to share my faith because of what my family or friends would think. And then I think about the fact that North Korean Christians who share their faith only have a 3 month life-expectancy. I mean really! I begin to wonder what I am doing?

I fear too many of us are lukewarm, back-slidden, focused more on Instagram and novels than the Bible, spending more time in leisure activities than with the broken, and more consumed with our friends than Jesus. Yet, we claim the name of Christian and wave it like a banner. There are still many of us in North America who hold the Name of Christ as our victory. 

And yet, what victory? Isn't it one that was bought with blood? One that was purchased by a simple godly Carpenter who lived in mockery and solid opposition for nearly all of His ministry? I would think that something that cost so much would also cause us to pay a high price in return.

But sometimes I wonder if we can ever truly understand the price when we are paying so little. I believe very few of us have truly identified with the suffering of our Lord like our brothers and sisters in persecuted countries. And it brings me to my knees begging my Lord for His anointing, His heart, His truth, and His fire. 

If only we as His people would burn with His Spirit and walk in His ways. Imagine the revival that would come to our communities, churches, and nations. Imagine how powerfully He would work and the lives that would be changed. Oh, if only we would fall on our knees and beg Him to take us as we are and mold us to be like Him. Oh, if only we would be willing to let go of all to follow and never look back.

THEN we would see Him work.

What if...

But I Can't Do It...

Many of us make excuses as to why we cannot speak for God or do things in His kingdom. We say we are too young, inexperienced, not educated or smart enough, not gifted enough, or simply too tied down with responsibilities. Some of us curl up in a corner and mourn because we feel we will never amount to anything with our sad lack of talent.  Then we get side-tracked with our work and play and completely lose sight of the purpose God has for us. 

As I study the word of God, I have come to believe that God specializes in situations like this. You see, He didn't pick the educated Pharisees to be His disciples or the well-versed chefs of the day to cook for Him. In fact, His disciples were described by the following: 

- too young

-inexperienced

-not educated 

-used to catching fish, collecting money, or farming

-cheats, betrayers

Yet, they all dropped EVERYTHING and followed Jesus. And in that move of faith, they also dropped their inability and exchanged it for Jesus' ability.

You see, when we say we can't go because of who we are, we effectively remove God with His grace and power from His post and focus on the depressing sight of ourselves. This sadly, limits His grace working in and through us.

The truth is, we may be uneducated. We may be young. We may be poor. We may be inexperienced. We may be tied down with obligations. But, if our God is so small, inexperienced, weak, and foolish that He can't use people unless they are flawless and perfect, then we are not truly serving the God of the Bible. 

Our God is the One who commanded Moses to speak and used Aaron. He is the One who used young David the Shepherd boy because of his faith. He is also the One who called Joash to be king at age 7. He used a little maid to help Namaan the leper. He is the One who delivered Mary Magdalene from seven demons. And He is the One who started His church with twelve young men who hadn't an iota of an idea what He was doing. 

The question may come to Your mind, "How? What does He want me to do and how do I do it?" I would advise you to show up and let Him teach you how to follow. 

The disciples learned by living with Him, watching Him, and asking Him questions. I imagine that the same process would yield the same results today. 

You see, when Jesus called them, He said, "I will make you fishers of men." Not, "Please become fishers of men and I'll hire you."

He specializes in taking the unreachable, unusable, unlikable, and unholy and transforming them into His likeness. 

So, in answer to the question... No, you are not good enough, but He'll take you anyway if you'll let Him. ❤️

The Walls That Won't Move...

Sometimes we find ourselves in places we never wanted to be. Frustrating places. Places where things seem to be stuck more than they move. Places where we can't do what we thought God was calling us to. 

Lately I have been reading the book of Exodus and God has been giving me faith to believe that He will move some of these seemingly unmovable barriers. 

You see, the Israelites were in bondage for years. They suffered under the harsh yoke of Egypt and cried out to God. Did God hear them? Absolutely. They were His people. Did He shake heaven and earth and come down immediately? No. He waited over 400 years. 400 years of work and dirt and pain and crying. Why didn't He come sooner? I don't know, but He knew what He was doing. 

I have learned a lot through waiting in my life. It seems to me that when we as Christians camp beside walls that God has allowed to be there and begin praying with fervor and patience, it changes us in ways we never expected. Sometimes God leaves a few walls in order to bring us to a spot of complete dependence on Him and trust in His timing instead of ours. It may look difficult and be outright frustrating, but I know my God enough to know that He is doing a couple things behind the scenes. And when the time is right, He will bring the wall down in the way only He can. 

You see, He could have had another nation come and kill the Egyptians or do it in some other regular way, but no, when God delivered His people, it was unmistakable who had accomplished it. He used a death angel, spoke through two simple men, and then collapsed some walls of water on an army. His way, not the Israelites'; not according to common sense, but His. 

We all have walls in our lives. People that don't change, bad habits to overcome, physical ailments, financial difficulties, family problems, trauma, waiting to step into our life's calling, and the list could go on. Just remember that there is nothing that escapes the eye of our Creator. He is  accomplishing His perfect purpose in you and the lives of the people around you. Keep believing, keep trusting, keep waiting. Hold out an arm of faith and watch God bring the wall down in His time and His way.

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