Summer is here, and with the warmer weather comes the opportunity for many American Christians to go overseas on short-term mission trips. I suspect large numbers of believers will travel out of the country because COVID kept us so isolated during the past two years. One of the greatest joys in my life is ministering overseas. Since I surrendered to a call to missions, I've visited 36 nations and developed relationships with dozens of pastors and leaders who now consider me their friend and brother.
But everything exposed by the light becomes visible - and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: "Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Ephesians 5:13-14 NIV The Lord is waking you up spiritually and He is going to reveal things you need. Ask for His light to shine on areas where you need wisdom and understanding! The spirit of wisdom and understanding are powerful gifts that many are not aware of. My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding. Psalm 49:3 NIV
When you grasp how you have been created it helps you to better navigate your relationship with God. The dynamics of the inward battle and how you can fully commit yourself to the purposes of God are easier once you understand that you are a new creation. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 When we look at the language of Paul or even from the angle of a Hebraic mindset, we can see there is a clear understanding of how God has created us - spirit, soul, and body.
One moment in the presence of the Almighty can radically alter our world. It dispels fear instantly, strengthens a weary soul and changes an eternal destination. How powerful is our God! Look at the demon-possessed man who used to roam in the graveyard. One encounter with Jesus, and he was in his right mind (Mark 5:1-20). How about blind Bartimaeus? One moment with Jesus, and he regained his sight (Mark 10:46-52). Can you imagine the shame the adulteress felt in front of all the men who wanted to stone her?
As I write this, Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been hit with a massive snowstorm. I know, right? It's May. My husband, Steve, got stuck in Denver because his flight couldn't get into the Springs. Early the next morning I was supposed to leave from the Springs to get to Jacksonville, Florida. My drive to the airport was perilous at best, but I finally got there. When we boarded the plane, the pilot said the weight of the plane was off. So flight attendants started rearranging suitcases. Then the pilot announced that we still had too much weight so they needed to sit on the runway and burn off some fuel. An hour later they needed to de-ice the plane.
And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you heed the voice of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 28:2, AMP Today, despite whatever you are facing in life, take time to hear Jesus. If you are concerned about symptoms in your body, keep hearing and hearing about how our Lord Jesus loved to heal and still heals today. Hear how He bore the cruel Roman lashes for you, so that by His stripes, you are healed (see Isa. 53:5). Hear how He went about doing good and healing ALL who were oppressed (bodily, emotionally, and mentally) by the devil (see Acts 10:38, Matt. 9:35).
Assumption is the lowest form of knowledge. This is because when we assume, we view situations, make decisions and lead others from a basis of what may not be entirely true. My assumptions become my bias and are the foundation of my decisions, knowledge, thoughts and feelings. By my own determination, this positions me to be the standard through which everything is arbitrated. There is also a leadership pitfall that can emerge from an assumption; that is that others should know what we know while disregarding the understanding of our subordinates.
Everyone has a race to run. That just means we all have a life to live. The apostle Paul says in Hebrews 12:1 (NIV) "Therefore ... let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Part of what that means is to keep going even in the midst of the difficulties in life. Hard times happen to us all, but it's how we handle them that matters most. And when the time comes, I want to be able to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7).
Do you have promises from God that you are believing for that have not yet come to pass? As daughters and sons of the Most-High King, we stand in faith on what the Word of God says and the individual promises He has spoken over each one of our lives. Standing in faith isn't always easy, so I want to encourage you today from a specific passage in Scripture. In the Book of Joshua, right after Caleb and Joshua explored the land that God had promised them, they quickly started to face backlash from the Israelites.
Our God is a covenant-keeping God! He keeps His promises from generation to generation. He wants you to be faithful to Him and keep your covenants or contracts too. On Monday, May 30th, at sundown starts the very special Hebrew month of Sivan. This is the month when the Lord came upon Mount Sinai and gave the Ten Commandments. It's an important time to understand that the Word of God is representative of who God is and His heart for us, His treasured people. On Mount Sinai, the Lord shared His flawless character of who He is. He is a God of justice, righteousness and love. He longs for you to follow after the covenant commandments He gave way back then.
Follow Up
