Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas!

May the peace of our savior be with you during this Christmas. As you spend time with family and friends, remember His birth--The Greatest Gift Of All.



The Light

Behold the Lamb of God has come
The light of the world
The bright and morning star
Jesus, Yeshua, Adonai

Arise, shine for your light has come
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you
From the north, south, east and west
He is calling His own to arise and shine

The light is breaking through the darkness
Healing, delivering, restoring all that are His
Come all who are weary and heavy laden
And He will give you rest

Open wide your gates
and let the King of Glory come in
Let Him fill you with His light
And let His light shine forth                                               -Sherri Scott, 12.17.17


A little gift from my friend, Melissa Houtz. . .

I wrote this song many years ago at Christmas time. I have always been amazed that the virgin Mary didn't really question or defy God's plan even though she didn't understand, but instead she just pondered everything that was happening to her and treasured her place in it. How beautiful...

 

Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas,

Kim

God WITH Us

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7.14  NLT)

Immanuel. Hebrew for “God with us.” Jesus as foretold by the prophets hundreds of years before His birth. And who He is to us as believers today. But it’s more than that. . .

He’s not just with us. . .He’s WITH us. Jesus is invested. Cares about us. He’s got our back. 

“. . .And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28.20 NLT)

This quote from Jesus is so we know in our knower. Convinced. With no doubt so our lives will be lived standing on rock-solid assertion. Confidant assurance that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are truly WITH us.

“. . .For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’ So we can say with confidence, ’The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. . .” (Hebrews 13.5-6 NLT)

Yet we struggle.

The enemy slings confidant assurance interrupters our way. Whether it's core lies of the past or circumstances from the present, satan will do anything to make us cower in fear.

Yet Hebrews 3.6 assures us that God is our helper. That we can stand with confidence. So why is it I often end up in the fetal position, trembling with fear?



The Cowardly Lion (of Wizard of Oz fame) is known for his lack of courage. But he was his own worst enemy. In this example, he talked himself into a fear-filled frenzy over spooks in the woods that were a figment of his imagination.

Don't we do the same?

We let fear supersede our good judgment and firm resolve. Then the belief of ‘God WITH us’ goes out the window faster than flying monkeys after Dorothy. 

Like the Cowardly Lion, I can slip into fear mode in a nanosecond. When faced with the choice to either go down the path of panic or reach out in faith, often I choose the latter.

Jesus’ mother, Mary, certainly found herself at a crossroad with a choice to make. How easily she could have given into panic. . .

“Gabriel appeared to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!’ 

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 

(She must’ve been quivering in her sandals.)

‘Don’t be afraid, Mary,’ the angel told her, ‘for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1:28-33 NLT)

Oh dear.

Here was a young girl (mid-teens), recently engaged to the love of her life, and gets a visit from an angel (enough to freak anybody out) who delivers the worst possible news.

“Mary asked the angel, ‘But how can this happen? I am a virgin."

"The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.”  (Luke 1.34-35 NLT)

The implications of this dilemma surely had Mary in a tailspin:

• What would her parents say? Such shame and embarrassment for her family. . .
• And what about the local gossip-mongers?
• Oh, good grief. Joseph. Would he cast her aside? He could even have her stoned!
• Would everyone think her crazy?

She was faced with a choice:  Faith or fear.

“Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.’ And then the angel left her. (Luke 1.38  NLT)

Without hesitation, she chose to not give in to fear but stand on faith and believe God was WITH her.

We can learn much from a humble teenage girl.

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31.8 NLT)

On The Prowl

During a recent TNT (Time-Limited, Narrowed Training) class, Paul discussed forgiveness.

Forgiveness is central to God’s love and He expects us to do so with a sincere heart—not just give it lip service.

In Matthew 18, Jesus was asked how many times we’re required to forgive. His response was to tell a story. (I love it when He does that—makes this writer’s heart sing.)

He talked about a man who was forgiven all his debts by the king but showed no mercy to someone else indebted to him. What a double standard! Things didn’t end so well: When the king found out, the guy’s pardon was rescinded and he ended up in prison along with the man he showed no mercy to. Sure hope he didn’t end up as the guy’s bunkie (cellmate.) Talk about a bad day…

The moral of the story? If we don’t forgive, there will be consequences:

• God can’t forgive us if we don’t forgive others
• Unforgiving words can bind us
• It prevents the work of the Holy Spirit
• We are robbed of peace
• Opens the door for attacks from the enemy. (Guilt, shame, self-hatred, etc.) 

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1st Peter 5.8 NLT)

Scary.

My cat, Liberty, stalks when on the trail of unsuspecting prey. Low to the ground and razor-focused. On a mission. Then when he catches a mouse, bird, or baby bunny, he plays with it for a while and more often than not, does a "catch and release." (Or brings it to Mom as a present.*blech*)

Satan uses the same tricks. *shudder*



The Good News
  
Stand firm against him and be strong in your faith. 
(1st Peter 5.9 NLT)

We go on the offensive as opposed to being caught unaware. We pay attention when enemy stalks us. We do this by asking, "Is it a heart issue?"

Time for some self-evaluation.

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4.23  NLT)

Maybe there were wounds from the past that have festered over time, creating a bitter root judgment. Lingering resentment we haven't dealt with. Or did our flesh rise up and snatch the bait of offense? Do we need to establish heart boundaries to prevent negative reactions?

As we check ourselves, it becomes easier to show mercy and compassion to others. Forgiveness doesn’t let the other person off the hook for their stuff but we can stop an unforgiving spirit in its tracks with a preemptive strike.

 Or better yet, preemptive forgiveness.

Preemptive forgiveness is deciding to forgive before any offenses are leveled our way. It also helps us stay alert for the prowling enemy who’s looking for someone to devour. Whispering, "Father, I choose right now to forgive anyone who sins against me today," will help us restrain from acting in offense. And keep the devil off our trail.

Forgiveness is for us, not the other person. It frees the encumbrance of an unforgiving heart and brings peace to our spirit. The Father wants us reconciled to one another and forgiveness is the doorway. (See Matthew 5.21-26.) It's also about balance. Where one thing agrees with another to make views compatible and facts can exist simultaneously. On-going, forgiveness brings two willing people to a place where they can live in agreement while allowing each other the freedom to be different.

And I’m sure the enemy hates it.

Now who’s on the prowl?

What's in a Word?

Words fascinate me. How they look, feel, and roll off the tongue. They’re like buried treasure, just waiting to be dug up, polished and put on display. I tuck them away in my brain for future reference and sometimes make lists so I don’t forget a fav.

People collect all kinds of things. I collect words. Yeah, I’m weird.

I so appreciate that Paul, Marsha, and Dawn often give Greek and Hebrew definitions when they teach. It helps me understand scripture better and I’m always amazed at how often what I thought was being said wasn’t even close to the intended meaning. Like a few weeks ago when we were talking about love.

Our text was from Matthew 22.37-39:
You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. (NLT)

It’s pretty obvious that God wants us to love. Love Him with heart, soul, and mind. And equally important, love others. Love’s a big deal. But do we really understand it?

A simple Google search nets a gazillion results on the subject. A few of the basics include:
Eros-    Sensual or romantic love
Storge- Family love
Philia-   Deep emotional bond of friendships.
Agape- God's love for humankind.

I’ll admit to tossing around the concept recklessly. I’ve blurted it out in regards to everything from electronics to chocolate to my furbaby, Toby. We love shopping (for most women-I'm just not one of them), our children, and plush carpet.

What's not to love?

But in order to answer the burning question of how to love God and others, Paul shared the Greek meaning in this passage. It’s the word agapao, (a VERY cool sounding word) and is the verb form of agape. It means to love dearly, in large quantity. To treat with high value. With affection.

So how do we agapao God with heart, soul, and mind?

By turning to Him. Drawing near in order to come closer. Learning to depend on Him. 

Come close to God, and God will come close to you.  James 4.8 NLT

Turning to Him is a choice. God is a gentleman. He doesn’t foist himself upon us and allows us free-will to make decisions. It's up to us. But the good news is the promise: That if we come close to Him, He will come close to us.

So. . .

I can choose to consult Him on my plans—instead of asking Him to bless what I’ve already put into place.

I can learn to take a pause and ask Him what HE would have me do. Otherwise, I'm running ahead, bent on getting my own way.

I can make prayer my first response as opposed to my last resort so I will learn to depend on Him instead of myself.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4.6-7 NLT

Here's another promise: Turning to Him will bring us peace, something we all could use more of.

Then the heart will take action, stimulated by peaceful feelings. It can't be conjured but will naturally grow as a consequence of humble submission and obedience to Him.

Then we can agapao others, too.

Mission. . .Impossible?

We are a God-driven church, hosting His presence and seeking His will in everything we do. As God restores and equips us, we will be enabled to walk in wholeness and fulfill His destiny for us.

Jamestown Church Mission Statement

We often talk about God’s destiny and His plans for our lives. We each have a tailor-made assignment and He enables us to serve Him in obedience by responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

But moving forward into His plans often causes me to struggle. I yearn to forge ahead yet stubbornly cling to the familiar. I want to walk in wholeness but am paralyzed by fear.

I want to be part of His mission yet sometimes it feels. . . impossible.



I used to watch Mission Impossible with my dad. Who could forget that music. The lit fuse. An ominous voice, “. . .this tape will self-destruct in five seconds. . .”

And “Your mission, if you choose to accept it. . .”

Sometime I think God asks me the same thing.

Not very spiritual, I know, but it does lead me to question: Am I willing to step into His destiny for me? To make a choice to accept His assignment? Or will I run the other way into self-destruction?

I'd hope my answer would be a resounding, “I’m in.” But before I rush to Walmart to buy a stealthy black outfit, there’s work to be done.

Restored and Equipped
Training and preparation is mandatory for any mission. For believers, it involves restoration and equipping.

Restoration includes dealing with sin, stuff that weighs us down, attitudes. Things we’d rather not look at but must. It's about anything that might get in the way of the ultimate goal of moving into our assignment.

The process allows God to heal us from the inside out--not by our own strength. Philippians 2.13 says, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (NLT). This will return us to what He originally intended (before sin entered the world) and equip us for our destiny. But we must do our part and cooperate. Work with Him--not against.

We need to turn and submit to His authority. Trust Him to point out our flaws and address the issues as we confront our inner-uglies. Change our ways. Change our thoughts. Change our minds. Resistance will delay our destiny so we must face ourselves.

Being stripped down and exposed isn’t easy. It’s an on-going process involving sequential steps as opposed to a one and done. It is part of our journey—not the destination.

Restoration: It's a journey. . .not a destination

Fulfilling His Destiny and Plans
But as He chips away at the stony places in our hearts, amazing things begin to happen.

We become equipped for our mission, changed and transformed to move into our destiny, according to His purpose. (Romans 8.28)

So we move out. Dive in. Or cautiously take a step. Maybe several. We're like, "Okay, I got this. Here we go. . ."

Then it all goes sideways.

Suddenly, the path gets rough and bumps in the road shake our resolve. Things don't come as easily and we begin to question. We're left bewildered and confused. Unsure. And frightened.

Or maybe some of those issues we dealt with (or thought we had) come back to haunt us. We lose our temper. Make bad decisions. Or find ourselves acting independently of God, taking off on our own and leaving Him in the dust.

Abraham had some of the same problems.

Genesis 15 tells us that the Lord counted him righteous because of his faith even though he struggled with doubt, fear, and unbelief. God even made a covenant with him that he would be the father of many nations. His destiny was set. All he had to do was trust and obey, submit to the transformation and equipping process, and move forward.

Then things got messy.

Along the way, Abraham got sidetracked and sometimes took matters into his own hands. He  ended up in sticky situations by lying that Sarah was his sister (when she was actually his wife) and snickered when God said he would have a son in his old age.

Abraham allowed the enemy to distract and bully him into bad choices. His obedience lagged and he went off on his own instead of trusting God to direct him. His lapses in judgment could’ve jeopardized his destiny.

But God came through.

With infinite patience, Abraham was picked up and put back on the right path. Sometimes he had to circle around the same mountain but he always came out the other side.

God does the same for us.

Abraham may have thought his situation impossible at times. He made bad choices and often suffered the consequences of taking matters into his own hands. His restoration and equipping process was slow at times.

But with strength and courage, he pushed through.and became a great man of faith, able to withstand and fulfill his destiny.

Abraham figured out that his mission was NOT impossible.

And so can we. 

Lord, make me more than I am-your work in me, not mine. As I surrender, change me.

Focus Factor

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8.28-29, NLT)

We’ve been learning about how to become part of God’s governing body on earth, the Ekklesia. We do this by being the Lord’s mouthpiece in order to plant seeds and fulfill His purposes through living a life of holiness, conformed to the image of Christ, chosen by God.
Such a lofty goal. I yearn to be used for His purposes, but it seems I’m easily distracted. I hear His direction and feel the guidance of the Holy Spirit, yet struggle. I want so much to give Him permission to walk me into the new and cooperate, but my mind darts here and there like a bee after the sweetest nectar, buzzing off in a million directions.

My focus factor needs attention.

Colossians offers some insight into this problem. Paul was writing to the church at Colosse after he received a disturbing letter while imprisoned in Rome. He’d heard that non-Christian teaching was circulating and true Christianity was being forced out.

Must be they were having focus issues too.

Paul warned them about the dangers of drifting away. He advised them to continue to believe and the importance of maintaining their focus by depending on God's mighty power working in them. But he also noted that they needed to be responsible. To make concentrated, intentional efforts in order to stay focused. They needed to do their part.

As do we. . .but how?

Trusting Him
Psalm 18 has been my go-to lately. God's been using it to show me that in order to focus, I need to trust Him and His promises:

• He's a rock of protection, a shield, the power that saves, and place of safety.
• When you call, He hears and reaches down to rescue and save you from the enemy.
• He leads you to a safe place because He delights in you.
• He makes a wide path to keep you from slipping.

The more I trust Him, the more I can stay fixed on His purposes for me.

Draw Near
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. (James 4.7-8 NLT)

I’ve allowed Satan way too much space in my head, sometimes allowing him to move in and set up housekeeping. When I let him boss me around, I'm distracted from God’s plans.

Time to issue him an eviction notice.

The more I resist Satan, the sooner he’ll get the message that he is no longer welcome and must leave, which opens a path to drawing nearer to God. 

Build a Life on Him
As I learn to trust God and chase away the enemy, I can move forward and build a life with Him at the center.

“. . .you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness.”  (Colossians 2.6 NLT)

Our roots must grow deep, anchored in strength, stability, and longevity instead of growing shallowly sideways. When we build a life of faith and truth, we'll be able to withstand the storms of life.

I need to consider: Do I bend during the winds of adversity and topple under the weight of my cares because my roots are shallow from lack of focus?

Photo by Lissie Wilson

A Call to Action
This song really speaks to my heart:

Alive in Christ- dead to sin.

Eyes fixed, open ears, ready to live.

May my heart burn for You as Yours does for me.

My life enthroned with You.

("My Life Enthroned With You- By Shelley Hawver)

I need to be at the ready: Eyes fixed. Ears open. Ready to live a life enthroned with Him, totally focused.

So how is your focus factor these days?  Are you walking in the purposes God has for you? Or do you struggle with trusting Him enough to draw near and build a life on Him with roots grown deep to withstand the storm?

It all starts with focus.

Ah-Ha

During the cold, winter months of 2017, I dreamed of retirement on a sunny beach somewhere.

God was preparing me to leave my state job. It was definitely time and I believed I had His blessing to do so. But as my parole date loomed (I’m former MDOC), I struggled.

It was a big decision with many things to consider. One of the most pressing issues was the question of what on earth I would do with myself.

I didn’t want to get a job and be at someone else’s mercy—I was all done with that. My hope for “New Normal” was less commitments, more R&R, and my own time frame.

Also, I had lots of things I wanted to do:  Lose weight and exercise. Travel. Catch up with friends and family. Clean closets. Play as much golf as possible. However, I knew that having fun for a living wasn’t for me. I needed purpose. Something meaningful.

God had always told me that He intended to use my writing skills in retirement, but the details remained sketchy, and I was starting to get anxious. I needed a plan. He wasn’t ready to share yet.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes He does that so we will trust Him? It’s a lesson I’ve had to endure many times—apparently I’m a slow learner.

Finally, a few months later, He tapped me on the shoulder. I sat straight up, anxious to listen to Holy Spirit's nudging. But when He whispered, “You need to do a blog,” I was left puzzled. Sure didn’t expect that.

Why are we always so surprised when we beg for answers and He comes through with an entirely different plan than we expected?

He began to download His thoughts and I finally jumped on board. What He had told me was about to come to pass, and I was so excited since it had to do with my new church.

God moved me to Jamestown Church in the spring of 2016. I guess He thought I was ready to take the next steps of my faith journey, and this tiny place of worship with a handful of sold-out believers was to be my next stop. He was moving mightily, and I soaked up the amazing teachings like a sponge—couldn’t get enough.

The Pastors, Paul and Marsha Metzger, are wonderful teachers. Their commitment to helping believers mature their faith and serve the Lord was like nothing I’d ever experienced. (Check out Jamestown Church.)

I especially liked the fact that they believe we should only do what God tells us to. There is no pressure to “perform” or “do tasks” and Paul often asks, “What is God saying?”

So when God started “saying” things to me, I knew I needed a sit-down with the Metzgers. We had already talked about the fact that I was a writer and that it would be part of my retirement world, but yet I hesitated: I was afraid.

Oh, how the enemy loves to zero in on our most vulnerable places.

I’d been a writer for a long time, blogged for several years, been published, etc., yet the thought of stepping into this new thing was somewhat intimidating. I've struggled with insecurity in the past--it's hard to dump your heart and soul for all the world to see. Kinda like standing in front of people with no clothes on. (Not a pretty picture but you get my drift.)

Time to put on my big-girl panties.

I met with the Metzgers so we could brainstorm ideas and it wasn’t long until Paul said, “We need a blog.” I love it when God does that.

We talked about mechanics, content, and concepts. I offered my thoughts about how the blog could be a synopsis of Jamestown teachings, a recap of the sermons, etc.

Imagine my surprise when Paul said, “They’ve already heard what I have to say. It should be your perspective. What God is saying to you.”

I stammered and stuttered. It was hard to grasp, the notion that I was being given free rein. When I asked, “But don’t you want to approve it?” he smiled and said, “You have my approval. Just do what God tells you.”

What a novel idea.

So I began to ask God for His help. He patiently prodded, whispering in His still, small voice. . .

Then. . .

Finally, I realized He was giving me a template for what He wanted: Listen to Him then pass it on. And provide a place for others to do the same.

Come back regularly, make a comment, and share the amazing things He has said. His whispers to you may be just what someone else needs.

Be sure to sign up for email notices about new posts over on the right and pass a link on to someone else.

Please join me on this adventure as we listen to His still, small voice. His Whispers From Above.