Heart Matters: “And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Luke 23:42

The criminal on the cross who came to Christ at the 11^th hour of his life had a faith we shouldn’t miss! We naturally marvel at the fact that Jesus saved him while he was dying next to Him on a cross. Indeed, it is an amazing example of the LORD’s heart – “not willing that anyone should perish.” (2^nd Peter 3:9). Yet, this great salvation, which is available to everyone, must also be chosen by each of us. The fact that one of the men on a cross next to Jesus was able to believe in Him while they were all dying, is both a miracle and testament to his incredible faith!

As we recently celebrated Resurrection Sunday, today I revisit these passages and the interaction between Jesus and the thief on the cross who believed. Normally the verse which stands out most to me is Jesus’ response to our brother’s request asking Him to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus said to him, “…Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise.” (v.43). As we read those words, we breathe a sigh of relief as one more person is saved from eternal death! The LIGHT OF THE WORLD still shone brightly; illuminating through the thick darkness of Calvary.

The Bible tells us that Jesus, both innocent and perfect, was crucified between two guilty criminals. Even at the point of death, both men still maintained the freedom to choose: what they believed about the after-life; what their response would be to meeting their end; what attitude they would embrace or sustain until they breathed their last breath. No doubt as they suffered, facing the brevity of their own lives, and desperately desiring for it all to be over and done with-they also had to have taken some sort of position regarding their future in eternity.

From the Biblical account, we know that the other criminal who was crucified with Christ, decided to use his last breathes to “hurl abuse” at the Lord. Undoubtedly, he had heard about this Jesus of Nazareth, who healed sickness and disease, raised the dead, and wrought many miracles throughout the land. Yet instead of trying to find out more about Him, instead of trying to understand who He was, instead of seeking the Way, he decided instead to challenge and insult Him. He said to Jesus, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” (v. 39). While one criminal chose to humble himself before the Lord, the other chose to revile Him. While one criminal chose to believe, the other chose to remain bitter. While one railed against the Lord, the other defended Him- “But the other answered and said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?” (v. 40) The contrast between the two men who have found themselves in the same set of circumstances for basically the same reason (“And indeed we are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds…” v. 41) could not have been greater. There hung the LORD, right in the middle of them both, both having equal access to one of His Ears-He heard and listened to everything they said. One chose life; the other for whatever reason (maybe he was bitter over the things he experienced in his life; maybe he was angry about his fate; maybe he just could not renounce his own ego…we don’t really know) died seemingly refusing to believe in Christ.

But the criminal who did believe and asked Jesus to remember him, was something else! Just think of it-he believed while Jesus was dying on the cross! Jesus hadn’t performed an incredible miracle for him which would have evidenced His deity! He wasn’t a blind man who had received his sight from Christ. He wasn’t lame and made to walk by the power of the Lord. He wasn’t a leper, who was now made clean. Yet He placed his faith in Jesus. He believed even when those who followed Jesus struggled to accept what was happening at that moment. After all, if He had the power to: feed the masses from just a couple of fish and five loaves of bread; cast out demons; and even walk on water, – how could He let the powers that be, beat and crucify Him. The Jewish people knew that Messiah was destined to reign as King-forever! And now it seemed it was all abruptly ending. The Romans who occupied their land were now orchestrating the crucifixion of Him who claimed to be their Deliverer. Even those who jeered at Jesus on the cross- the people, the rulers, the soldiers, all used His circumstances to undermine His claim that He is Messiah! The cross seemed to be a clear contradiction to Him being their Christ. In their shock, fear, and confusion, most of the disciples (those closest to Him) fled for their lives, temporarily abandoning and denying Jesus.

But this guy hanging next to him, completely guilty, still believed! What level of faith he had to have! Perhaps his heart melted as he remembered the stories he heard about Jesus and His love; His hands which touched so many lives now pieced through with nails. Maybe he heard first-hand accounts of those whom Jesus healed of their illnesses. What if he was there, lurking in the shadows when Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount? What if there were people in his immediate family who believed and urged him to do the same? (You know if we would just take the time and look back over our lives, we would see how intently the LORD pursues us. The same goes for the criminal who wouldn’t push pass his emotions to consider GOD. If he had, he could have arrived at belief which would have activated the LORD’s amazing grace, securing him for all eternity). Perhaps his faith culminated when he witnessed Jesus’ amazing love through His forgiveness for His persecutors when He said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (v.34). For only the power of GOD can offer forgiveness to those who are unwavering in the midst of their cruelty.

We really don’t know what actually caused the once criminal, now Christian, to believe while on a cross. But we do know that He believed AND as Jesus told him- “that day” he was in paradise! Because of the LORD all we who believe will one day get to see and be with him too!

HEART TO HEART: “IT IS EASY TO BELIEVE WHEN WE SEE; HARDER TO BELIEVE WHAT WE DON’T SEE; SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE WHEN WE SEE THE OPPOSITE-BUT- “FAITH IS THE VICTORY WHICH OVERCOMES THE WORLD!” (1^ST John 5:4)

Heart Matters: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

How often are you seeking God…now that He’s found you? As believers, surely, we understand the importance of the role of faith. Afterall, we were “…saved by grace through faith.” Ephesians 2:8. His grace (and love), expressed by Jesus’ finished work on the cross (such a gift!); our faith, believing that Jesus is Who He claims to be and that He did what He came to do. It is finished! And yet once we find new life in Christ, this thing called faith is to continue on growing and flourishing!

Faith is the foundation for our walk and obedience to Christ. We must believe Him in order to act! How else do we deny ourselves, pick up our crosses daily, and follow Him? Luke 9:23. In the Scripture for today we see that our faith-believing God for what we cannot see-is very pleasing to the LORD. A large part of our sanctification process is learning to trust HIM.

“For he who comes to God…” This coming to God is not only the one-time event of the moment we believed. Our salvation is only the beginning and our going to God is to be a daily practice of our lives-lest we forget just how much we need Him for “…all things pertaining to life and godliness.”2^nd Peter 1:3. Our very lives are to be centered around our connection and intimacy with Christ. That intimacy being Jesus’ ultimate goal for us this side of heaven.

One can clearly see that Hebrews 11:6 is about seeking the LORD for a greater intimacy with Him. However, we mustn’t miss that like most principles found in Scripture, this verse is not merely one dimensional. We are to seek God not only for greater depth of intimacy but also for every area of our daily lives. Autonomy isn’t our friend; we are to “live, move and have our being”in Christ Jesus. Acts 17:28. As we exist in this sin-stained world, we should be seeking the LORD for all matters and circumstances of our lives! And get this-according to Hebrews 11:6, when we do (look to Him for His will, His direction, and be willing to obey His guidance), we will be rewarded for having done so!

How awesome of the Lord to provide us with a means of counter acting our flesh! Inviting God into our decision-making process and acting upon our belief in Him eliminates selfish motives and vain conceit. The only reason we are even able to seek the Lord for life matters is because of the presence of The Holy Spirit in our lives! The Word says it is Him causing us to want to do His will (Philippians 2:13). Furthermore, Jesus makes it clear that “…apart from Him, we can do nothing.” John 15:5. That is, without Jesus and His Spirit working in and through us, we can’t do anything that is good, right, worthy, or excellent!

Why not seek and connect to the only ONE Who completely understands our circumstances and knows the condition of our hearts? The difficult decisions when handled with Christ can evolve into solid conclusions- in which we are either obeying how He leads, or trusting where He has us. Since Jesus is the greatest reward we could even receive-diligently seeking Him is always a win/win!

Jesus knows all about it. He knows how your heart has been torn, broken, misused. He knows all the injustices you have ever faced. He knows how difficult it is for you not to walk in victimization. He knows where your strength is growing weary and all the areas you feel justified in lashing out. He can handle every single bit of it…only give it all to Him.

Remember He pursued you; He has you, and He will keep you. Stay close to Jesus. Diligently seek Him and His will for every area of your life and then obey Him. Remember that apart from Him you can do nothing; but in Him you can do all things because He Himself will give you the strength (Phil 4: 13).

HEART TO HEART: APART FROM CHRIST-YOU CAN DO NOTHING; BUT IN HIM YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS!

Heart Matters: “…and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as He commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.” Numbers 20: 7-11

Moses was a friend of God, a man with whom the LORD met with face to face, whose life was marked by his commitment and love for the LORD. He was chosen, greatly used of and honored by GOD. In fact, the LORD says he was “… very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.” Yet he still has a very real moment with both frustration and anger as documented in the passages above.

The Word of God doesn’t neglect to share the weaknesses and struggles of the LORD’s servants. In fact, it provides us with very real and relatable examples of the conflict we can experience as we too seek to follow Christ. More importantly, right alongside the stories of God’s chosen vessels, are present the unrelenting faithful character of GOD, and HIS amazing ability to consistently show up strong for us while accomplishing His perfect will, even in our times of failure.

Moses had been greatly used of God, but that call on his life also came with great responsibility and cost. It wasn’t easy being God’s representative to a group of people who were quick to become restless and complaining, despite God’s persistence in delivering them. It must have been hard for Moses not to take it personally when the children of Israel neglected to remain grateful. Better yet, as their leader, his greatest heart’s desire was to see them being blessed and walking in victory (even to the point of offering to have his own name blotted out of the book of life for their sake). There’s nothing quite like knowing what’s best for someone but feeling helpless to convince them of the same. Moses was a humble man, but he still was human. In the Scriptures above, the children of Israel provoked Moses to anger. Instead of “speaking” to the rock as the LORD had commanded, Moses “struck” the rock and in doing so disobeyed God in front of everyone.

Although Moses had taken the staff as the Lord commanded, he’d gathered the assembly as HE instructed, he went left when he strayed from the voice of God and gave way to his own emotional disdain by striking the rock instead of speaking to it. It’s never a good idea to substitute something of our own doing in place of what God has told us to do. Perhaps Moses thought it was okay since he implemented something he had been previously told by GOD to do. In Exodus 17, Moses was commissioned by God to strike a rock (once) to provide water for the children of Israel. Just maybe this time Moses reasoned that striking the rock again wouldn’t be all that bad. After all, the LORD Himself had ordained it before. Yet his striking that rock, twice no less, was an indication of what may have really been at play-that is, his anger. Anger can come from a lot of places: injustices; harsh experiences; evil; and/or having to deal with the same dysfunction repeatedly. Most times, there are underlying issues which are exasperated by recent unsavory events. Moses had recently loss his sister Miriam. Perhaps his grief, coupled with the Israelites persistent complaints, became the straw that broke camel’s back. Herein lies a lesson for us all. It’s important that we examine our hearts and keep short accounts with the LORD. Otherwise, we may think that we have it all under control and all it will take is just one more thing to trip us up.

Thankfully, the Lord can handle it and He won’t allow our shortcomings to interfere with what He has already determined to do. Nothing can thwart the plans and purposes of the LORD! Even when we get it wrong, He can make it right! Although Moses disobeyed, the LORD still made water come from that rock! He didn’t let Moses’ act of rebellion stop Him for providing for His people. How incredible it is no know that in Christ we are never left to ourselves. Our faithful God can always handle our failures!

In fact, the LORD will use our vulnerabilities and temptations to reveal our areas of sinfulness. Moses striking the rock when God said speak to it, was not the first time that Moses lost his temper. In Exodus 32 when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the 10 Commandments and saw the golden calf and the people’s willful idolatry, “Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.” (Verse 19). Although Moses had just interceded for them, turning away the wrath of God upon them, when he saw their sin for himself, his anger burned against them. He responded by throwing down the tablets God had given him, breaking them into pieces. The Commandments written by the hand of God (Exodus 24:12) were destroyed. Still, God’s mercy prevailed! Moses breaking those tablets did not prevent God from providing the written instructions He wanted the children of Israel to receive.  

After the rebellion of the golden calf, The LORD had Moses “cut two tablets of stone like the first ones..” (Exodus 34: 1) so that the Commandments could be recorded once again. In between the creation of the two sets, Moses got to experience something super beautiful with the LORD, an encounter which undoubtably comforted and motivated Moses as he once again spent significant time on Mount Sinai.  Following the chaos, disappointment, and loss due to Israel’s idolatry, the LORD graciously agreed to show Moses His glory!

Because of the recorded Word of God, we too can revel in His glorious character! When we fail, grow weary, or become discouraged, we need to remember Who the LORD says He is. Just as He declared to Moses all those years ago, again He says to us today, that HE IS “…merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth…” (Exodus 33:6). Our weaknesses will never prevent the LORD from being GOD.

Moses’ struck the rock instead of speaking to it. The LORD referred to it as an act of unbelief, one that would prevent him from leading the assembly into the Promise Land. But later in the New Testament we read of Moses’ incorruptible feet-now planted on the land, as he appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration speaking face to face with JESUS CHRIST! Indeed GOD is GOOD ALL THE TIME!

HEART TO HEART: THE LORD USES US AND STILL FULFILLS EVERY ONE OF HIS PROMISES!

GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IN OUR SUFFERINGS

Heart to Heart: “For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.” Lamentations 3: 33

If you are suffering, I highly recommend reading the 3^rd chapter of the book of Lamentations. The weeping prophet Jeremiah knew what it was to experience prolonged pain and suffering. An as the old saying goes, “unless you’ve walked in my shoes…” there’s no way you can truly know what one is going through during their trials. But Jeremiah knew, and He wasn’t afraid to express the plethora of his feelings because of the resulting pain and despair. In the first 18 verses, Jeremiah expresses what seems to be feelings of not only being abandoned by God, but also being viciously attacked by the LORD. He likens it to the ambush of a lion, the brutality of a bear. When we know and understand the sovereignty of God, it is quite difficult to reconcile the sufferings He allows us to go through. For Jeremiah, (as well as for most of us), initially, the only way to reconcile it is by falsely believing that God Himself is punishing us. We feel as though God is pouring out His wrath upon us and there is no way to escape. (Yet, the Gospel declares otherwise).

But then that would mean that God isn’t innately good. So, one now has to attempt to reconcile the goodness of God, along with His sovereignty, and in light of our trials. Thankfully, in Lamentations chapter 3, this is exactly what Jeremiah did. He didn’t allow himself to believe the lie that God wasn’t for him and that HE was doing evil towards him. Beginning in verse 19, Jeremiah begins to cry out to God; he declares His goodness as though he knows this is exactly what will lead him to hope! Jeremiah goes on to acknowledge the mercies, compassions, and faithfulness of God. He declares in verse 23 “Great is Your Faithfulness!” (Emphasis mines).

Jeremiah’s meditation on the goodness and true character of the LORD begins to translate into his being able to apply those truths to his current circumstances. He realizes the importance of being able to seek the Lord as he purposes to hope and wait quietly for His deliverance. Furthermore, he also understands that goodness can result from the “yokes’ which we have been called to bear. Now, Jeremiah is able to move towards correctly reconciling the place of God’s sovereignty in the midst of his suffering.

In verse 28, Jeremiah begins providing some instructions regarding what our response to our trials should be, as well as the reason why. In all, we can begin to understand the importance and role of acceptance. We can accept our lot, respond to it with hopeful silent waiting, and submission, all because “God has laid it on him,” (us). He knows that it’s not so much that the LORD is doing this to us; but rather, because He is sovereign, He has indeed allowed it to happen to us.

The question is why, yet Jeremiah is already understanding that it is for our good! (Remember Romans 8:28). Through the prophet Jeremiah, the LORD wants all His children to know that when we go through the hardest of times, they will not last forever. God has a plan and a purpose, and He uses everything that He allows to come into our lives. Verses 31-32 says “For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief (remember-in that He allows it), Yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.” Just think, beyond salvation, we won’t get to really experience first-hand the goodness and power of God on this earth, without seeing Him miraculously showing up for us, doing something incredible in what we thought to be an impossible situation.

I believe verse 33 is the crux of understanding Who our God is when He allows us to suffer. It says, “For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.” You see it’s not that the LORD wants us to suffer, it’s that He knows that we need to. Verses 40-42 provides insight as to why we need it. It says, “Let us search out our ways, and turn back to the LORD; Let us lift our hearts to heaven. We have transgressed and rebelled;” The LORD allows affliction to either turn us back to Himself, move us closer to Him, and to build our Christ-like character. When we endure trials and tribulation, it’s difficult to go deeper and look past the circumstances to examine ourselves. We feel as though we are in the midst of being victimized, yet the only way to get to the victory is to look inwardly as we cry out the GOD, believing Him for the final outcome.

It’s amazing to see just how quickly the LORD will respond to our cries! Jeremiah said he cried out from the lowest pit and on that day (right away) the LORD drew near to him and told him not to fear. (See Verses 55-57). When we cry out to the LORD, we will experience His redemption!  That redemption actually begins the moment we begin acknowledging the goodness of the LORD and accepting that which He has deemed acceptable for this current time in our lives. It is through our drawing near to Him that He draws near to us (James 4:8) When we suffer-HE is right there! The result of experiencing God’s redemption is having the sweet opportunity to experience God Himself. Do you trust the LORD with your affliction? Decide that you can and the outcome will be exactly what HE decided to extract out of it. In the end, it will all have been worth it. Believing that now is key to thriving instead of simply surviving the pain.

HEART MATTERS: WALK WITH HIM THROUGH YOUR TRIALS AND YOU WILL SEE JUST HOW FAITHFUL HE IS!

Heart Matters: “So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief, for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17: 20-21

A man who desperately needed his son to be healed had taken him to Jesus’ disciples to rid him of demon possession. When they failed, the man took his son directly to Jesus who healed him right away. However, it wasn’t lost on Jesus (nor the disciples) that they were unable to help the child. After Jesus healed him, the disciples went to Him privately to inquire about why they were unable to cast the demon out. (Verse 19). The above Scripture was Jesus’ response.

When we read this passage, we can clearly perceive that there is special power available when we fast. It seemingly ushers in the place where the super (God) intervenes in the natural (man) causing supernatural miracles, what we may have thought to be impossible, to occur. Most believers in Christ know that there are some circumstances in life which calls for us to fast.

Fasting can lead to healing, restoration, and deliverance. However, we mustn’t miss something very powerful Jesus is also speaking about in these Scriptures. “Because of your unbelief,” i.e., a lack of faith (you) failed. HE did not say they failed because they didn’t fast first. They did not have time for that! They failed because their faith was too small.

Have you ever tried to increase your faith on your own? Have you just tried to wish more faith for yourself into existence? How did that work out for you? You see faith is a gift from God. It comes from HIM!

These Scriptures contain such a profound message! Fasting ought to be a consistent part of our spiritual discipline! We never know when we may encounter an opportunity to pray for deliverance or healing for someone else. Will we have the faith to do so in that moment? Will our faith be such that it is equipped for the task at hand?

Jesus said “this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” This kind-the kind of faith it takes to move mountains! It seems faith is the precursor to the moving of God’s supernatural power. We must first believe! The good news is that it is developed not only every time we encounter the LORD but we can also grow in it through prayer and fasting.

HEART TO HEART: Fast to grow in your faith so that when the time comes, your ability to believe Jesus will be great!

Heart Matters: “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalms 139:14

I if were to speak directly to the next generation, one of the things I’d want them to know most is that they are each one of a kind, uniquely and individually created by God to fulfill a specific purpose as a part of the whole. I know that’s a mouthful, but I’d want them to understand that there is no one like them-no one has ever had the set of finger prints God has given to them and no one ever will. They must know how special they really are! This includes both their outward appearance and their inward personalities. Yet they mustn’t allow society to either cause them to become conceited-because they meet certain standards and/or fit or supersede the norms it has created. And likewise, they mustn’t allow society to cause them shrink back or lower their self esteem because it has said they don’t measure up and will never fit in. I’d want them to know God makes no mistakes!

God created all of us for unity and community, but uniformity-not so much. But the enemy has thrown in a serious monkey wrench; one which makes it difficult for the fellowship which the LORD has always desired for us to have to exist. Two of the main deterrents are racism and rejection. Satan has cleverly taken the raw materials of our sin nature-that is our shallowness and inability and unwillingness to remain open to that which isn’t our norm or our experience-and from that he has constructed two very formidable institutions which continue to disrupt and deter us from accepting, embracing, and loving one another.

So how do we fight this? How can we overcome such a seemingly impenetrable strong-hold? I believe there are two issues at hand. The first being an internal one, the second external. We must always begin with self. And self can’t be fully recognized apart from the ONE who created us as individuals. It must be noted that while God wants us to love ourselves, we were never meant to allow that realization to cause us to live apart from Him. We were in fact, created for His glory. We were created for a purpose designed specifically by Him, uniquely for us. So one can never truly know, embrace or realize self apart from knowing God.

This is where Christ comes in. He is the One, the part of the triune God-Head who took on flesh, became a man, died for our sins and resurrected from the dead. But why did He do it? Well in the most simplest terms He did it to save us. To pay the price for the sins we’ve committed which separate us from God; to offer us eternal life. We were never created to be apart from HIM; we were created to be with HIM forever.

But Jesus also died for us to reconcile us to The Father. He came so that we could know Him and in turn we’d also get to know who we were truly created to be. He came to redeem us and restore us. The Bible clearly teaches that the devil comes to steal, kill, rob and destroy. The best of who we were meant to be becomes broken through our sin nature and the tactics of the enemy. But God. He says to us child do you know “you were fearfully and wonderfully made”? It is like telling us we are so precious, so importantly delicate, that HE trembled as He made us, desiring us to be just right-just as HE intended. And so we are. But most of us don’t know it. We’ve allow the hurt of life, the pain of rejection, and the societal norms to deceive us. We believe the lies that say we’re not pretty or handsome enough, not cool or creative enough, not worthy or lovely enough. We’ve allowed sin to pervert us. All lies! Jesus says we were worth dying for!

So we have to get this thing right. Everything about us-how we look and how we laugh-at the foundation is just as the LORD intended. But we have all become chameleons of sorts-allowing circumstances-both experiences and exposures to redesign us so that we can survive and fit in. Only God can restore us to our original condition. We must come to know Him through belief in the finish work Jesus did on the cross. And then we must walk closely with Him so that He can refine and restore us as He meticulously removes the dross-which is all the perversions we’ve allowed to infiltrate our minds, our hearts and our spirits. Those things which have clouded our perception of ourselves and covered up the truth of who we really are and were created to be.

Once this is straight, it is then and only then that we can get out there and make our impact externally. It is only then we can successfully contribute to unification and be the part in the community which the LORD predetermined for us and predestinated us for (in the world working, yet still not of the world). The saying goes “one rotten apple spoils the bunch.” But that’s not hard when the whole bunch in reality has been rotting from the inside to begin with. The truth is one righteous apple can greatly contribute to healing of the whole. Each of us, once in Christ have been made healthy from the inside out. The Holy Spirit now living in us will be working in and through us to affect the lives of others. It is such a powerful thing that as He touches us and we in turn touch those around us, we begin to move closer and close to realizing our purposes.

Racism and rejection is taught is true, but it’s almost to easy for us to organically fall for. Human beings are naturally too fearful to allow themselves to experience the discomfort of doing life with that which is unfamiliar and foreign to them. We don’t enjoy being challenged and stretched. But the mere fact that God allowed His creation to look differently and to act differently (I’m speaking of our unique cultures) affirms that this too is a part of our purpose. I’m a firm believer that we are better together than apart. Of course none of it is possible without Christ at the center. We must first know Him so we can embrace ourselves; and then we will be able through Him to embrace each other.

Think of it as an enormous puzzle in which all of the complex pieces were meant to fit in different ways perfectly together. The confrontational balances the cautious; The reserve balance the rowdy; The contemplative balances the creative, so on and so forth and vice versa for each of them. Get the picture? Our differences are meant to complement one another, not compete. God is a God of order not derision.

Louis Armstrong wrote a lovely song called “What a Wonderful World.” Indeed it was created to be and one day it will be exactly that. But until then we have a Wonderful Counselor Who calls each of us to Himself. He came to redeem us and cause us to rise up. We have work to do to prepare for His Wonderful Kingdom to come. The work begins within us and then we can do the work He’s called us to do, outside of us.

Embrace Christ, receive Him. And He will forgive, heal, and restore you. He will give you eternal life and everlasting purpose. You each have been called to shine for Him in a way quite like no one else can. He knows all the stars in the night sky by name. If He has given them a unique identity, how much more are you uniquely called and appointed by Him?

I leave you with one of the most beautiful Scriptures which shouts from the mountain tops your worth and value to the LORD. In it the LORD also told Jeremiah his purpose. Through the prophet Jeremiah the LORD also says this to you “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 A prophet in today’s sense is one who speaks the Word of God into the lives of others. We do this through our voice but also through the way in which we love others and live for HIM.

HEART TO HEART: MAY YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS, MAY YOU KNOW HIM, MAY YOU LOVE AND ACCEPT YOURSELF BECAUSE OF HIM, MAY YOU LOVE OTHERS THROUGH HIM, AND MAY YOU LIVE FULLY FOR HIM, AMEN.

Heart Matters: “Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beast drank, But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” Numbers 20: 11-13

Have you realized how much the sins of others influences you to sin in response? Truly we tend to act in like kind when someone wrongs or offends us. If someone dismisses, shuns, or behaves unloving towards us-we tend to respond by also distancing ourselves from them. If someone is nasty to us, we in turn will most likely become nasty to them. Feelings are the natural foundation for how we behave with and respond to others. When we live based on how we “feel” we can find ourselves caught up in a vicious cycle. Like being on a hamster’s wheel, we can continue spinning around and around as we sin in response to the sin we experience in our relationships. Sin can so easily beget sin. This is the reason we must learn the spiritual discipline of saying “no” to our flesh and being able to produce the fruit of self-control. It’s the first step in breaking the cycle of sin producing more sin. But since the devil is in the details and is the master manipulator when it comes to our sinning against God, it goes much more deeper than that. We must be aware of the fact that we not only sin in response to how others sins affect our feelings, we also sin in response to how their sins affect our struggles.

Sometimes our sins are the result of a completely different type of motivation than a “tit for tat” retaliatory response. There are times when the sinfulness of others will become the affirmation of our own inward struggles. Once again sin will beget sin-only this time the sin had already taken root, it was already there, it just needed a catalyst to cause it to reveal externally what already existed internally. When this is the case our issue is not so much with the vessel who was used to expose it; our issue is more one of disbelief. As such, although it is revealed through in horizontal manner; it is a vertical problem. In this type of scenario our sin is a direct result of our inability or undesire to trust and believe the LORD. In this case we can actually be thankful for that which provoked its appearance. Denial is such a strong deceiver. When the sinful heart attitude has manifested in a sinful act-the one good thing about it is that it’s no longer hidden and disguised. We can know that our consciouses are always searching for a justification for our sins-whether we are aware of it or not.

In the above passage, The LORD gave Moses a severe consequence for his disbelief. I believe this (Disbelief) is probably the foundation of most acts of sinfulness. I found it surprising that Moses’ act of striking the rock wasn’t what the LORD chastened him for. It seems the actual act was merely the product of a deeper issue (although the act of striking that rock did in fact dishonor the LORD). In that moment, Moses reacted to the children of Israel continual complaining, but he was revealing his very own lack of faith. The children of Israel had just complained -again- how he should have left them in Egypt where all the needs and pleasures of the flesh were abundant. (By the way Egypt is a representation of sin and flesh in the Bible. Having been delivered from it, as Believers, we should never desire to return to it. It is a matter of spiritually maturity and being able to rise above our feelings and squash our flesh). If you read about their journey through the wilderness, you will notice that they did this often. No doubt it wore on Moses this time. After all, what they were saying had some truth in it. They had been wandering in the wilderness for some time. They hadn’t yet made it to the promised land. They were still faced with having to trust God for their provisions (get it) and as a result of their environment, at times they felt miserable.

Moses usually was steady, able to remain humble in the face of their rebellion, but this time it was different. He still acted as their mediator and took their concerns to the LORD, looking to Him for the solution. But this time he didn’t fully follow the LORD’s instructions-he was told to “speak” to the rock, not to “smite” it.

Something was different because this time, Moses acted differently. Perhaps as the years passed by, Moses too also began to wonder when they would get to arrive? Perhaps this time when the children of Israel complained, internally, Moses related to them, agreed with them and was in alignment with them. Maybe his own exhaustion and expectation caused him to begin doubting too. The LORD told Moses: “Because you have not believed me…” (v. 12a)

Nothing causes us to act in frustration and irritation like an unresolved issue dwelling on the inside of us. Left unchecked, left undealt with before God, it will most certainly reveal itself through sin-most often released in a form of anger.

Moses struck that rock. “Those were the waters of Meribah..”(v.13) In doing so, he failed to treat God as holy. As a type of Christ, he was called to be an example of what it looked like to live righteously. But this time he seemed to internalized the grumblings of the Israelite’s-he said “shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” (v. 10) Instead of confessing his own sin of disbelief, he compounded his problems by bearing the weight of the disbelief of his brethren. Moses took on their sin issue as though it was his to own-but it was only a matter for God. Sin begets sin.

Sin also begets consequences from the LORD. The LORD told Moses and Aaron that because of their unbelief and failure to treat Him holy in the sight of Israel, they would not get to bring the assembly into the land HE had given them. “He had given them.” It was theirs already. Even though they hadn’t reached it yet, even though they doubted and complained, it was still already theirs. God said it and so it was.

To us it may seem like a harsh consequence for Moses (and Aaron). But we mustn’t forget that Moses was a “type” of Christ. A good one of course, and that was never taken away from him. I think of the Scripture which says “to whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48) Suffice it to say we also know that God is Good-all the time. God kept His Word, as HE always does. Joshua, not Moses led the children of Israel into the promised land. But Moses served for the season to which he was called. He was their mediator throughout most of their journey. And because our God is so good, Moses was able to step foot in the land as he met with the LORD JESUS on the Mount of Transfiguration.

The LORD says there was never a man more humbled than Moses. Imagine what Moses character was like! And yet in this account, he had a moment. He struggled to fully believe. If anything, this should serve to teach us all how desperately we need to stay close to God; how we should always remain open before Him. We need to continuously ask Him to examine and reveal our hearts to us. It is such a crucial component to navigating the stumbling blocks and overcoming sin.

We too have a purpose in Christ, we too have a land promised before us. But like Moses, we’re on this journey called life and it’s full of challenges and obstacles. It calls for spiritual stamina and steadfast perseverance. May we learn from our brethren and abide in a way so as to stay believing God. We are called to edify one another not incite sin within each other. Let’s all do our part to make sure those who are in the season of shepherding and leading are not sidetracked by their own flock. Moses sacrificed a lot to answer his call to lead them out of the land of bondage into the land of promise. He should have been fully supported by them at every turn. Yet even when others within the body of Christ begin to go astray, we are each responsible for our own individual walks of faith. Although complex at times, the very essence of what faith is-believing God-is non-negotiable. Hebrews 11:6 says “without faith it is impossible to please God.” It’s okay to struggle with our faith (like the man who said “Lord I believe, help Thou my unbelief) (Mark 9:24) Just as long as we do so with God. If we don’t, sin will always result from that struggle. We can’t live for Christ without living with Christ every single second and going to Christ with every single area of our lives.

HEART TO HEART: THE SINS OF OTHERS CAN’T NEGATIVELY AFFECT US IF WE KEEP SHORT ACCOUNTS WITH THE LORD.

Heart to Heart: “TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting;..” Daniel 5:27

Balance. When the scales tip in either direction favor wins. Bias then begins. My belief is that it is the preference of man to be all or nothing. In doing so, he is able to draw the lines which causes him to feel safe and develop the boundaries which prevents struggle. The all of nothing attitude is one which encourages restriction and rejects openness. It is embraced by most because it releases one from the discomfort of having to figure it out and seek the truth. It keeps us from having to exercise faith.

My mom often says to me “If I ain’t sick of you and your “balance.” I can agree that for too many times she has been on the other end of my trying to encourage her to seek balance. I’m an advocate of it because I know only The LORD can give it. It’s not “my” balance; it belongs to HIM. Balance is so evident in His creation, His economy, and in His Word. But in order to attain it, one must first go to Him for it. This is where the work begins. “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed mountains in scales and hills in a balance? Isaiah 40:12

This is also the reason why most willingly forfeit it. It’s just so much easier to quickly pick a side than to be left standing in the middle waiting to sort it all out. Balance cannot be achieved outside of faith. It make take awhile to get there but as we sort through the imbalances of our lives with the LORD, HE will be right there building our faith and teaching us how to both navigate and survive the delicate and sensitive places of our lives.

The scales will only balance for us when we allow the LORD to reveal just how much of each side can be accepted in truth. Truth is the only Balance. The LORD IS TRUTH. And since only JESUS knows what should be given more and what should be given less; when we should dive in and when we need to retreat; when it’s time to speak and when it’s time to shut up…(dare I say I could go on and on), only JESUS can give us the answer to every single specific question of life. Only JESUS can give us the balance we need in life. HE is the only steady in our ever changing life’s circumstances.

And this my friends is His full intention. As we seek HIM for our answers instead of quickly settling for the easy way out, HE will tenderly, gently, perhaps slowly and methodically too-weigh the matter and balance the scales …all in our favor.

Balance is what leads to a beautiful and blessed life. The ONE who was balanced up on the cross for our sake, also seeks to balance us out. If we can determine to seek Him to make the crooked places straight in our lives, He will straighten us out as well.

Balance facilitates justice and equality without us having to be one sided, or all or nothing. When people see it in us, they won’t be able to help but to also see CHRIST in us.

Heart Matters: “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18

Nothing hurts quite like the loss of a loved one. Grief is a necessary evil of sorts. We have to mourn in order to recover and get to the place where the extreme sense of loss gradually becomes replaced by an unexplainable sense of gratitude. We’re thankful for being given the opportunity to know, love, and do life with our loved one. Over time, the LORD can help our hearts to relinquish the grief and celebrate the life. It is said that “time heals all wounds.” The heart left broken by the death of a loved one continues to beat, but we never stop longing for that one whose shoes no one else will ever be able to fill.

I really don’t believe we were ever meant to experience death. Death is a result of the fall of man. Death was ushered in with sin. When we experience the loss of someone we love, there are no words to describe the emptiness and sense of loss which floods our souls. Although temporary, the feeling is one of the most powerful assaults of hopelessness. It leaves us breathless, sending us into the unknown, as though we’re floating in between time and space. At the time we’re alive, we know we must continue to live, but until we’re able to recover, we only exist. But JESUS. Jesus is there with sitting next to us in the silence.

JESUS knows all about the ugliness of death. In fact, He came into this world, in order to die for it-to ensure that one day we could live forever. Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” He came to remove the sting of death, and I suspect, that overwhelming feeling of loss. While He was here on this earth as the GOD-MAN, He also experienced the death of some of His loved ones. His stepdad Joseph passed away before Jesus went to the cross. Additionally, the Bible recounts the time Jesus experienced the death of his very close friend Lazarus. Those two simple words “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35) says it all! Our Great High Priest is able to empathize with our suffering (Hebrews 4:15) Jesus, the ONE Who was about to reveal Himself as The LIFE and The RESURRECTION, stood at the tomb of Lazarus and wept. He knew and loved Lazarus and now his lifeless body was isolated from those he loved, wrapped up, and enclosed in a tomb. The pain of it all wounded all those who knew and loved him-including Jesus. Jesus wept even though He knew He was about to resurrect Lazarus.

Why? I believe Jesus wept because in His humanity HE also experienced the sting of death in that moment. He wept because death hurts, and it hurt Him to see others hurt. Perhaps greater than any other reason, The Creator wept because death existed and its consequences were felt-and it was never meant to be. We were always created to live forever! Jesus came to make sure we’d have the opportunity to live with HIM forever-just as He had always planned. I’m so grateful for eternal life in Christ!

One of the greatest outcomes of the loss of a loved one is that it can lead one to truly consider and reflect on eternity. Death in the LORD’s economy can lead to life!

Jesus came, died for our sins, and resurrected on the 3^rd Day. He died for all your sins, and mine, so that once we believe, we die to our flesh and resurrect to new life. When we die physically it will simply be our means to arriving home in heaven forever!

Dwight L. Moody put it this way “Man will either be born once and die twice, or he will be born twice and die once.” This is sound Biblical doctrine, for if we reject Christ, we will experience physical death and then eternal death (which is eternal separation from GOD). But if we place our faith in the finished work Jesus did for us on the cross (we are saved by grace, through faith alone -Ephesians 2:8), we will be born once physically, and then born again spiritually and thus we will only experience death once-a physical death. (Well some of us will…I’m planning on being Raptured up!)

For those of us who Believe, we have a future secured for us which will be void of both sin and death. We will be reunited with our believing loved ones, and it will be forever! We will get to experience death being “swallowed up in victory,” and we will get to say “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 1^st Corinth 15:54b-55

The Greatest Act of LOVE was expressed when THE SON OF GOD became THE LAMB OF GOD to die for the sin of the world. His Resurrection proved He is who He claimed to be and He did what He came to do!

And now, one of the greatest acts of love we can express is to share the Gospel so that others will know of His great love and have a chance to accept His priceless gift. All Believers are called to The Great Commission -Matthew 28:19-20. Sharing the Gospel is truly a matter of life and death! Ultimately, one will either pass into eternal life through Christ, or one will live eternally separated from Him in hell. While it may be a difficult truth to accept, nothing was more difficult than the price JESUS paid to save us. The LORD “is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2^nd Peter 3:9 Every single person can have eternal life! The choice is ours to make!

Do you have a broken heart today? Loss, whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a relationship, or something familiar, can easily lead to a broken heart. If so, will you consider the Scripture above? Jesus wants you to know if your heart is broken and your spirit is contrite-He is near and ready to save!

HEART TO HEART: OUR SIN BREAKS JESUS’ HEART, BUT BECAUSE HE LOVES US, HE ALLOWED HIS BODY TO BE BROKEN FOR US.

Heart Matters

 “Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12

“Break up your fallow ground.” What is your fallow ground? What is that thing the LORD has been bringing up before you, insisting that it is now time for it to be gone from your life? In what area of your life has He intensified His call for you to walk in obedience to Him? Are you ready to allow Him to purge the thorns and thistles which have remained in your life up until now?

While it is true that our LORD is a long-suffering GOD, there comes a time, in His perfect timing, when He declares enough is enough. He has decided to move you forward in your spiritual growth and maturity, but first there are some things that simply gotta go!

In the Scripture above, the biblical principle of reaping and sowing is once again used to illustrate how blessings from the LORD will follow when we obey His will. In order to reap and sow, one must have ground on which to do so. The Israelites are told by the LORD to break up their fallow ground. There is ground to be had that isn’t being used. Fallow ground is land designated for rest in order to make it perfectly suitable for next seasons’ crops. When the ground is allowed to recuperate, the minerals and nutrients have time to replenish in the soil, increasing the possibility of a fruitful and bountiful harvest. But fallow ground is temporarily barren land. While the land lays stagnant, the weeds, thorns, and thistles take root and can eventually begin to take over. The farmer knows the first thing he must do is break up that fallow ground. He must cultivate the land by breaking, pulling, uprooting and removing all which is not conducive to the growth of the new seeds he’s planning to sow. That is, if he expects to successfully reap a harvest. Once the soil has been primed, and the seeds have been planted, he will only need to wait for the rains to come and water the land.

There comes a time or season when the LORD is ready to move us forward and make us more fruitful. He will cease being patient and silent regarding specific sins and strongholds. He will call us to action-He wants us to agree with Him about the areas that need to be broken up and to ask Him to give us the strength to do so. It’s a necessary work which has to be done in order to prepare us for the rain the LORD desires to pour out on us. The LORD purges us to bless and move us further into our purpose for Him.

There are blessings the LORD has for His own which He’s holding back until some much-needed work is done. It’s not a matter of working to be right with God. It’s a matter of obeying God so we can operate in the righteousness He has for us. Remember The real work has already been done on the Cross.

So what is your fallow ground? Is it a relationship that doesn’t glorify The LORD? Is it a matter of forgiveness? Is it a sin your guilt and shame has kept you from confessing? Is it a stronghold which keeps you from truly repenting? It can be so many things we struggle with: legalism, laziness, self-pity, self-righteousness, a judgmental spirit, etc. Things which, until they are gone, nothing more can grow. The LORD knows what they are and He knows what it is He is presently calling us to. When He begins telling us about it, then it’s time to break up that fallow ground. Once it is accomplished, we can expect to be renewed and refreshed! He will rain His righteousness upon us andshower us with His blessings. He will cause us to grow so we can be fruitful and multiply for His kingdom. It’s really too good to miss out on!

Are you listening intently for the voice of God? What has He been speaking to you lately? The LORD usually confirms what He says-over and over again. Will you agree with whatever HE is calling you to do? Just know if you do so, He will give you the strength to do it, and then He will bless you for it. It will be worth it every single time!

HEART TO HEART: THE LORD PURGES OUR LIVES TO PREPARE US FOR OUR PURPOSE!