Photo  courtesy of Baylee VerSteeg/baylorlariat.com

This may come as a surprise to some, but God is not affiliated with any specific political party.  However, people try to associate God to a political party to condone their own specific beliefs.

Our God is omnipotent and much too busy to play the petty mind games which man would want to involve Him.  His word, teachings and messages are for all to glean insight. God will  allow, direct and use special circumstances, catastrophic events or specific behaviors of individuals to show us the heart of people, organizations, businesses and administrations that surround us. In the infamous words of the poet Maya Angelou, “When people show you who they are, believe them.”  I may not always be happy with the actions of some public figures, but I’m always thankful when God reveals their heart through their actions or words spoken. That lets me know who can be trusted to have my back.  Then  I can show my support through voting.

There have been natural disasters, insurrections, protests for social justice and other political causes. During each of these events, God has revealed the heart of those there to assist, support, and to show genuine care for those hurting, suffering and in need.  Then there are others who you would expect or wish were there, and were not.

God gives us all wisdom to make the right decisions and to guide our paths. Shame on us if we disregard the revelations He has given us.

The Oxford Dictionary defines truth as that which is true in accordance with fact or reality. The Meriam -Webster definition states truth as the body of real things, events, and facts; actuality. As children, we were taught the importance of always telling the truth. We grew up in a society where being truthful created social bonds that were built upon trust.  Truthfulness was respected and valued. Truthfulness mattered.

If we look further, truth, in the biblical perspective, has a direct correlation to God. God is truth, meaning it is absolute and unquestionable. I like to picture ‘truth’ as being the palm of the hand, where the fingers represent the elements of truth, or characteristics of God – love, joy, peace, hope and faith.

So, what happens when we remove the palm, the truth or God?  There will be five fingers behaving independently, acting on their own will.  Love could present in any form including pedophilia.  Joy could turn into anxiousness, and peace could include chaos or any justified uprising. Our hope would disappear while our faith could be transferred to statues or idols. Then truth becomes anything that you choose to believe, which would make lying meaningless.

What is apparent is that today’s culture no longer values truth.  We are beginning to hear stories and witness events supposedly cloaked in truth, with no evidence of facts or actuality. Truth is being distorted to whatever one  wants to believe, and relationships, activities and events are being built around fallacies. Society has become intolerant of God’s word and His truth, and seems to disregard accountability.

A world that lacks accountability and logic becomes disorderly, lawless and ungodly.  Attitudes become distorted, believing we can always get what we want. We tell ourselves it is deserved or owed to us. Relationships become tenuous, as they are not built on any foundation of truth, but rather lies and hypocrisy. We slip further and further away from the core values and the word of God.

As our society moves further away from being Christ-centered and no longer aligning its beliefs with God’s truth, Christians will have to choose sides. They can follow along and become complicit with the current environment of falsehood or they can choose God’s truth. II Thessalonians 2:3 warns, ‘Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.’ We are encouraged in II Thessalonians 2:15 to stand firm and hold fast to the teachings passed on to us. Anything that contradicts the Word of God or the Spirit of God is of the enemy and should be avoided.

So, choose wisely.  He who walks with integrity, and does what is righteous, and speaks truth in his heart…will never be shaken. Psalm 15:2-5

I recently attended the Sight and Sound production, Jonah, which is a musical adaptation of the Biblical story of Jonah.

The book of Jonah demonstrates the consequences we suffer when we are disobedient and fail to follow God’s instructions. The book also demonstrates God’s patience and love for us despite our disobedience.

In the story of Jonah, God gave Jonah instructions to deliver a message to the city of Nineveh, that they must repent or Nineveh would be destroyed in forty days. Jonah had no love for Nineveh and feared its leaders, so he decided to run away rather than go to Nineveh to deliver the message. Jonah escaped by setting sail on a boat headed to Tarshish. After being tossed overboard by his ship mates, God sent a gigantic fish to swallow Jonah to prevent him from drowning. Jonah remained in the belly of the fish for three days, allowing him ample time to ponder over his plight. After being released by the fish, Jonah knew that God was giving him a second chance to obey his instructions.

In the musical production, there is a song that asks, ‘What is your Nineveh?’ It suggests that each of us, like Jonah, may have a challenge or something that we dread doing. I began thinking of possible Ninevehs one may be facing. It could be a challenge that we feel we’re not equipped for, an illness or treatments that we’re facing, pending changes in employment or even the demise of a relationship. Any one of these things can cause great stress and as a result, lead us along a path that God did not intend for us to follow.

The story of Jonah shares some beautiful lessons that provide hope when you encounter your Nineveh:

1. We serve a God of second chances. While you may initially run from God’s instructions, God always gives us a second, third, and sometime numerous chances to get it right. God didn’t give up on Jonah and He won’t give up on you.
2. He will give you instructions, if you ask. God will always give you direction when asked. God gave Jonah instructions to visit Nineveh. Jonah didn’t want to follow them. Had Jonah been obedient, he would not have spent three days in the belly of a fish!
3. It’s not as bad as you think it will be. You need to remember that God has gone before you and prepared the way. He knows what’s ahead of you. Jonah feared that he would be captured and killed if he went to Nineveh. However, when Jonah finally delivered the message to Nineveh, the people responded in a positive manner and were very grateful to Jonah for delivering the message and saving their city.
4. Despite our disobedience, God never stops loving us. Of all the cruel and vicious things Nineveh had done to people throughout its history, God loved them enough to give them a final warning before destroying their land. In other words, it takes a whole lot for God to give up on you.

So, what is your Nineveh? Rather than run, face your fear and know that God loves you and is there to carry you through it.

I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. ~ Proverbs 4:11-13

Have you ever had a dream and wondered what it meant?

I’ve had many. I recognize that dreams are one of the ways in which God communicates with me. So, I pay close attention to my dreams and try to decipher their meaning.

Recently, I dreamed that I was climbing a mountain. In this dream, several times I stopped to rest and look out, but I couldn’t see anything. Unable to see, the Holy Spirit would instruct me to keep climbing. Finally, I reached a point where I could look out and see the vast land of beauty that laid below the mountain. When I woke up, I immediately thought of Moses climbing Mt. Nebo and looking out to see the Promised Land. (Deut. 32:49-50) 

I did some research to explore the meaning of my dream. Climbing mountains often means pursuing a goal or challenge. There are goals and projects that I’ve undertaken which God has encouraged me to stay focused on and persevere. I strongly feel that this dream is an affirmation of that message.

What happens during the climb is also important. Does the dreamer fall or stumble? Do they complete the climb? Does the climber descend the mountain?   The multiple stops along my climb indicate periods of struggle, distraction or loss of focus. However, since I reached the mountain top where I could see the view, I feel optimistic about reaching my goal or completing my projects with a positive outcome.

Are you pursuing a goal or challenge and wondering about the outcome? Ask God to provide you with wisdom with regards to the steps you need to take.

And many peoples will come and say, “Come! Let us go up to the mountain of the LORD.  To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths.”  Isaiah 2: 3 NASB

Photo Courtesy of wordblessings.com

I was out walking one sunny morning, enjoying the unusually warm weather for a winter day.  The light breeze felt good on my face and I found it very peaceful. I began thinking about the large amount of fear and anxiety that exists in our society today. What exactly is causing so much fear? More importantly, why are people choosing certain ways to respond to this fear?

I find that people are consumed with fear when they feel threatened.  The perceived threat could be the result of something as simple as a ‘change’. Humans are creatures of habit, so a change in our routine, environment, or even what we may eat moves us into an unfamiliar territory, leading to mild or extreme stress. Not knowing what to expect can be as stressful as watching the change take place, and having to decide how to deal with the change. I find that fear, if left unchecked, can easily move into hysteria.

I thought back to Jesus, the Pharisees and the crucifixion. The Pharisees, a group of Jewish leaders that were fiercely devoted to keeping the laws of God, hated Jesus. Some of the reasons for their dislike were based on Jesus’s actions, but other reasons were based on the fear of what could happen. Jesus had no problem calling out the Pharisees for their hypocrisy and scruples about the law. The threat that Jesus posed to their traditions was very real to this religious group. As Jesus’s popularity among the Jewish people grew, they feared His influence would also grow, which would threaten the security, prestige and income of the Pharisees.

The Pharisees had a cozy relationship with the Roman government and now Jesus was threatening to upset life for them all. So when Jesus committed the ultimate offense of blasphemy, an offense punishable by death, the Pharisees’ anger and fear turned into hysteria.  Jesus proclaimed to be the Son of God. Do you know what this would have done to the status and authority of the Pharisees if the idea of Jesus being the Son of God permeated among the Jewish people? Case closed. Jesus had to go.

How many times do we let an idea or a thought drive our emotions to a heightened level? Often, our fears are backed with little substance – only a highly-charged imagination. The Pharisees did not have the discernment or faith to even consider that Jesus could be the son of God. Instead, they allowed their jealousy, anger and fear drive them to put an innocent man to death.

What things are threatening you today? Are you fearful of a change taking place? Do you feel like you’ve lost control and just want things to return to status quo? Once you discover the cause of your fear, you have a choice in how you react. You can embrace the change, grow and learn to appreciate the good in all things, situations and people. Or, like the Pharisees, you can remove anything or anyone that threatens your world or your peace, possibly eliminating that one perfect gift.

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but (He has given us a spirit) of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.” (II Timothy 1:7 AMP).

Photo Courtesy of Backpacker Guide New Zealand

I recently went through a period in my life when I experienced high levels of anxiety due to a series of unexpected life events. As usual, I leaned on God’s promises and relied on my faith to pull me through these troubled times. During this time, God gave me a vision that I was a passenger in a van, being driven along the highway of life. The driver was Jesus. We would drive a while, then pull off the road and stop. After some time, we would return to the road, moving towards our next destination. The stops represented the various times and life events when God took my through periods of testing and refining. I would eventually come to understand the purpose of each trial, and could humbly reflect on the spiritual growth that resulted from that trial.  Each time we resumed our journey, my fear and apprehension lessened as we approached future stops.  That’s how I knew my self-reliance was decreasing and my dependency on God was increasing.  Jesus reminded me that His grace was sufficient for me and that His strength and power showed themselves more effectively during my weakness. (II Corinthians 12:9 AMP)

So the next time you experience a ’blip’ in life and you’ve wandered along an unexpected path, remember the van. Reach over and grab the driver’s hand and relax. He’s an excellent driver and will steer you safely back onto the road towards your next destination.

It is easy to get caught up in our daily routine and not really appreciate the blessings God has bestowed on our lives…

• We complain about our job, yet there are 7.8 million Americans unemployed .
• We complain about our weight, yet there are some 795 million people in the world that do not have enough food to lead a healthy, active lifestyle.
• We complain that our home is too small, too old, needs repair, yet we forget there are over a half million people that are homeless in the U.S.
• Being a parent comes with added stress, but be grateful if your child is healthy, alive and drug free.

Regardless of your situation, there’s always someone experiencing more difficulties than you. Whenever I begin to feel overwhelmed, I’m reminded of the story called the Cross Room.  This story always humbles me and makes me very thankful for the burdens I carry.  God wants us to remember that He has a plan of each of us and to trust Him with the outcome.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – I Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Photo Courtesy of telegraph.co.uk

After experiencing a week of unsettling events, we now move into a season of unknown. The Serenity Prayer is such a wonderful reminder for us to not get caught up in the things we can’t change. Our God is an intentional God, and He has a plan for everything that happens. His ways are not our ways, so it’s always a test of faith and patience to wait for God to reveal His plan to us.

As we move into this season of Thanksgiving, rather than focusing on things out of our control, let’s focus on the blessings God has provided us. As we gather to spend time with friends and family, remember to give thanks for the love and joy shared among loved ones. When you are blessed to have the love of family and friends, the future is always brighter.