The Real Deal

"Trust in the LORD
with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones."
(Proverbs 3:5-8)

I wavered before publishing today's post. I prayed. And prayed some more. For my purpose at "Fan into Flame" is to focus on the Lord and to reflect Him through the living waters of His Word.

My worldview is eternal: Bible-based, Jesus-focused, and Holy Spirit-driven. I believe that the common denominator behind all of our societal ills is a failure to live, work, serve, and govern for Him and through Him. (Reference Ephesians 6:7-8). "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD ..." (Psalm 33:12) and/but "... the nation or kingdom that will not serve (Him) will perish; it will be utterly ruined." (Isaiah 60:12).

Therefore, although I am aware of all (well, most!) of the issues with the potential to affect and effect our country and our world, I tend not to latch on to individual causes or trends. As I watch the unfolding of the ever-increasing evil in our world, however, I find myself increasingly alarmed at the true state of our nation. I discern our presidential administration to be dangerous, reckless, and, frankly, indifferent to (and ignorant of) the true long-term best interests of Americans.

While I am not an alarmist, I consider the currently proposed health care bill, for example, to be dangerous, in more ways than one, and I believe this address from former president Ronald Reagan, posted by the American Family Association (AFA), to be unfortunately prophetic.

On another level, I am watching the rapid weakening of Christ's Body, the Church. Dismay follows dismay as I witness individual Christians making seemingly benign but truly dangerous choices, such investing in the current secular book and movie sensation, Twilight. Some say it's "just" a love story ... except, of course, for the vampires. Others attempt to justify it by saying that it contains redeemable material and life lessons. Whatever.

I say it is evil and birthed by the father of lies (reference John 8:44), the same liar who craftily preyed upon Eve in the Garden of Eden--not blatantly denying the Lord's instructions to the first of His creation but subtly defying them. "Did God really say 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden.' ?" (reference Genesis 3:1; my highlighted emphasis) satan murmured, thereby omitting facts, creating doubt, and inciting rebellion against the Holy God and Creator.

"Did God really say (fill in the blank)?"

"Did He really?"

"Really?"

The enemy asks: "Did God really say ... that a government shouldn't decide what is best for the people?"

I respond: "God says, " 'I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you what is best for you, Who directs you in the way you should go.' " " (Isaiah 48:17; reference also Isaiah 58:11; Psalm 32:8).

The enemy asks: "Did God really say ... that you couldn't enjoy a little fictional love story?"

I respond: "God says, "... whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." " (Philippians 4:8).

There's not enough time and space here to refute all the lies the enemy plants. But, the ammunition is all contained in God's Word, the Holy Bible. When tempted by the enemy during His 40 days in the wilderness, Jesus' winning weapon was the Word of God (reference Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Our must be the same.

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:17). "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:12-13).

God doesn't compromise His righteousness. God doesn't weaken His justice. God doesn't play favorites.

To truly honor, glorify, and please Him, we must choose to speak out and stand up. He demands that all things (and all people) devoted to destruction within His Body be identified and removed (reference, among others, Joshua 7:12-13; 1 Corinthians 5).

The enemy's plays may change, but his game remains the same: to undermine the one and only Most High God. Our individual, national, and international defense (and offense!) is also unchanging: to stand firm and straight upon the Word of the Lord.

"... Jesus said, 'If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples.' " (John 8:31)

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the One Who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-7)

"For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 3:8)

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. ..." (1 John 2:18-19)

"... the reality, however, is found in Christ." (Colossians 2:17)

He's the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth (reference John 1:17, 5:19, 14:6, 18:37; Ephesians 4:21; 1 Timothy 4:6; Titus 1:1; 1 John 5:6; 2 John 1:3). He's the real deal. Really.

Precious Father, You are holy, righteous, and blameless. Forgive us for failing to honor You in our every thought, word, and deed. Purify our hearts and our minds, O Lord, and align them with Yours. "Create in [us] a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within [us]." (Psalm 51:10). Let us meditate on Your Word as our unfailing plumbline and our unending delight (reference Psalm 119). Let us view one another in love, seeing all people as You created them to be, but never let us compromise Your standards in the process. I pray, Precious Father, in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, "the Author and Perfecter of our faith" (reference Hebrews 12:2). Amen.

"... let the one who has My Word
speak it faithfully."
(Jeremiah 23:28)

For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "Calculating Correct Change"
• "Wishing Well: Be Careful What You Wish For"
• "Unmasking & Illuminating Halloween: Trick or Treat?"
• "Rising Waters"
• "Believer or Deceiver?"
• "Fools for Christ"
• "A Battle Rages; Stand Firm!"
• 
  

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

A Declaration of Dependence

"So if the Son sets you free,
you will be free indeed."
(John 8:36)
Saturday, July 4th, is America's 233rd birthday, an annual celebration and commemoration of our country's "Independence Day".

While I am grateful for the blessings and privileges that have resulted from my American citizenship, I am not heralding my country's independence in this post. Instead, I am proclaiming complete and total dependence ... on the Lord Jesus Christ. The liberty that interests me is the freedom found in Him.

Our earthly homes and temporal circumstances are just that: earthly and temporal. Yet, where we live and what we face are neither random nor insignificant. Acts 17:24-28 reveals the purposeful eternal kingdom plan of God: "The God Who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.' For in Him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are His offspring.' "

There's a fine line but an imperative distinction between independence and freedom. As my associate pastor illustrated in his message this past Sunday, independence implies self-sufficiency--the ability to stand alone and the exemption from reliance on or control by others. Freedom, in contrast, intimates a deliverance from bondage and oppression, including full and unrestricted access to accompanying rights and privileges. Just consider: those who proclaim Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord are His heirs (reference, among others, Acts 3:25; Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29, 4:7). Therefore, we have every legal right and freedom to His full and gracious inheritance (reference, among others, Ephesians 1:13-23; Colossians 1:12, 3:24; Hebrews 9:15; 1 Peter 1:4)!

An individual who--and a nation which--attempts to live independently of the Lord Jesus Christ is choosing a proverbial hard row to hoe, risking current freedom in Him as well as eternal freedom with Him. Why would we choose self-sufficiency when His grace is sufficient (reference 2 Corinthians 12:9)? Why would we choose independence when our salvation and honor depend upon Him (reference Psalm 62:7)?

"This is what the LORD says: 'Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.' " (Jeremiah 17:5-8)

That principle applies to nations as well as to inviduals. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD ... no king is saved by the size of his army," extols Psalm 33:12, 16.

Dependence is defined as "the state of relying upon someone or something". The Someone on Whom every nation and all of creation must rely is the Lord Jesus Christ. Job 8 recounts: "Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? ... Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass. Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. What he trusts in is fragile; what he relies on is a spider's web. He leans on his web, but it gives way; he clings to it, but it does not hold." (verses 3, 11-15). Now in this particular passage of Scripture, Bildad, in attempt to explain Job's suffering, wrongly accuses him. However, the generalization of Bildad's words ring true: those who forget (or outright reject) God are deceived and will eventually find themselves groundless.

Precious ones, time is short. Independence is inconsequential. What matters is freedom, eternal liberty in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our glorious inheritance in Him hinges upon our humble dependence on Him. Let's declare it.

Precious Father, thank You for being our depender and our defender (reference Psalm 68:5)! Thank You for the freedom You provide through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord, forgive us for failing to depend upon You. Forgive us for striving in self-sufficiency when You have promised to provide our every need (reference Philippians 4:19). Forgive us for remaining in self-inflicted bondage when You have set us free (reference Psalm 81:6, 119:32, 146:7; Romans 6:18-22; Galatians 5:1). Forgive us for preferring to stay in our little corner of the world when You have given us the keys to the kingdom (reference Matthew 16:19)! We depend upon You. We declare it, Lord, and we ask for boldness as we share it. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, My Savior, and "Heir of all things" (reference Hebrews 1:2). Amen.

"I have declared to both Jews and Greeks
that they must turn to God in repentance
and have faith in our Lord Jesus."
(Acts 20:21)
For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "Don't Forget to Remember"
• "There's a Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On"
• "In God We Trust"
• "The Great Depression"
• "Blessed is the Nation ..."

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

Don't Forget to Remember ...

"... they were longing for a better country--
a heavenly one."
(Hebrews 11:16)
Beloved, today is Memorial Day in the United States of America, a day when Americans pay tribute to the men and women who have served--and are serving--in our country's military forces. It's also a day when we memorialize those who have died in their service.

My father and husband have served in this nation's armed forces, and even as I lift prayers and give thanks for the lives and service of all in our military, my heart is longing for a country of my own, the one in which I, and all Christians, will eternally dwell (reference Hebrews 11:13-16).

And, as I remember our American troops, I am also interceding for those serving the country of Israel, God's chosen land. My spirit is grieved for the battle-weary state, and the words of the Lord as recorded by the prophet, Joel, have been on my heart this past week: "In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter in judgment against them concerning My inheritance, My people Israel, for they scattered My people among the nations and divided up My land." (Joel 3:1-2).

This morning, I was also drawn to remember a different kind of memorial, that which Aaron, the high priest, wore on his shoulders and over his heart (reference Exodus 28): " 'Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.' ... 'Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD.' " (verses 12b and 29).

Beloved, even as we give thanks and praise for the abundant and gracious blessings, which the Lord has bestowed upon us in our temporary residence, let us never forget that this earth is not our home. "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20).

Today, as you pause to remember American veterans, remember, too, those soldiers in the Lord's army, serving the cause of Christ (reference 2 Timothy 2:1-7). And, don't forget to remember the source of our true freedom, for "... the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:25; see also 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:1).

Precious Father, thank You for the gift of this day. Let us never forget to remember You and Your eternal kingdom plan; may our every thought, word, and deed be in accordance with Your good will, purpose, and pleasure. Keep our eyes eternally focused, precious Lord, and keep our hearts heaven-bound. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the great High Priest in Whom I confess (reference Hebrews 3:1, 4:14, 6:20). Amen.

"I will perpetuate Your memory
through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise You
for ever and ever."
(Psalm 45:17)
For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "There's a Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On"
• "In God We Trust"
• "Blessed is the Nation ..."

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

Every Day is Mother's Day!

"Fix these words of Mine
in your hearts and minds;
tie them as symbols on your hands
and bind them on your foreheads.
Teach them to your children,
talking about them when you sit at home
and when you walk along the road,
when you lie down and when you get up.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses
and on your gates,
so that your days and the days of your children
may be many in the land
that the LORD swore to give your forefathers,
as many as the days
that the heavens are above the earth."
(Deuteronomy 11:18-21)

"Mom, I'll Need You ..."


(This video clip is brief but powerful.
If you're receiving this post via e-mail or blog subscription,
click here to view.)

May the Lord richly bless you and your family on Mother's Day
... and every day!
"Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old
he will not turn from it."
(Proverbs 22:6)
For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "Because He Says So"
• "Righteousness Rules"
• "In the Shadow of His Wings"

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Prayer (in the Name of Jesus Christ) ... America's Hope

"May Your unfailing love
rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in You."
(Psalm 33:22)
Today is the 58th annual observance of the National Day of Prayer. This year's theme is "Prayer ... America's Hope", and it is based upon the above Scripture from Psalm 33:22.

In 1775, the Continental Congress first called the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, and the call to prayer has continued throughout American history. President George Washington first proclaimed a day of public thanksgiving on February 19, 1795. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a day of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" in 1863. President John Adams declared May 9, 1798 as "a day of solemn humiliation, fasting, and prayer," during which citizens were asked to pray "that our country may be protected from all the dangers which threaten it". In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Harry Truman, officially established an annual National Day of Prayer, and, in 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed an amended law, which permanently designated the first Thursday in May to be the annual National Day of Prayer. Since the birth of our country, many other US presidents have publicly called for national prayer and repentance. This year, the White House will not publicly participate in the National Day of Prayer.

Regardless, for Christians, the time for mere observance is over. It's time to act. It's time to wake up, rise up, and speak up. It's time to cry out to the One and Only Most High God ... in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Let's not be generic in our prayers, privately or publicly. I intend absolutely no dishonor or irreverence to my Holy God, Yahweh, as I note that people of different faiths with different beliefs can conveniently convince themselves that my God is the equivalent of their god, whomever or whatever that might be.

So, brothers and sisters in Christ, as you faithfully pray--today and every day--make sure to invoke the Name of the One Who is unmistakable: the One Who divides, the One Who reigns, the One Who saves ... the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Through Jesus, therefore,
let us continually offer to God
a sacrifice of praise—
the fruit of lips that confess His name.
(Hebrews 13:15)
For more information on the National Day of Prayer, please visit the NDoP official website. For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "T.G.I.F. (Do You Know Him?)"
  
• "The Power of Prayer"

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

Rising Waters

"I tell you,
now is the time of God's favor,
now is the day of salvation."
(2 Corinthians 6:2b)
Beloved, I've missed you! Those precious few of you who regularly stoke "Fan into Flame" know that the posts here are often irregular. I don't write daily or weekly but only when prompted by the Holy Spirit ... only when the Lord gives me something to say. Sometimes, it flows like a flood! Sometimes ... {insert sound of chirping crickets here} ... it doesn't.

The times of stillness are a glorious gift from the Lord. Be assured that He is graciously and wondrously speaking. I'm just listening to Him. And learning from Him. And leaning on Him. And loving Him. I pray that you are, too, during this Harvest journey.

In the three weeks since Good Friday, I've been watching. Observing. Listening. Grieving. Rejoicing.

I am an alien and stranger here on earth (reference Psalms 39:12; Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 2:11), but, as time passes, I acutely feel even more alienated ... and stranger than ever before! I discern in my spirit--and witness in my flesh--waves of deception washing over the earth. They once were fewer and farther apart, but, like the labor pains immediately preceding childbirth, they are greater, faster, and unrelenting. The shock is drowning some, who haven't accepted the Lord's safe harbor. The turbulence is neutralizing some, who haven't learned to navigate enemy waters. The impact is knocking some to their spiritual senses, all glory to God! And the tumult is bringing some to the surface, who stand amidst the storm, rising confidently and firmly in the power of the Lord.

Beloved, the side effects of polluted waters abound. I don't need to list them here. There's neither time nor space to exhaust the list of ills weakening our country and our world. They make me sick. I know they make you sick, too. And, you know I'm not talking about swine flu.

Let's just call a spade a spade here. Let's address the cause beyond the symptoms. The common denominator behind every perversion of the Lord's goodness, holiness, and righteousness is the enemy of the one and only Most High God. He is a counterfeiter and a liar, and those who don't recognize that truth are, sadly, floating in the filthy waters of his deception.

"... Jesus ... said, 'I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of Life.' The Pharisees challenged Him, 'Here You are, appearing as Your own witness; Your testimony is not valid.' Jesus answered, 'Even if I testify on My own behalf, My testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, Who sent Me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am One Who testifies for Myself; My other witness is the Father, Who sent Me.' Then they asked Him, 'Where is Your Father?' 'You do not know Me or My Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.' ... 'You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the One I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.' 'Who are you?' they asked. 'Just what I have been claiming all along,' Jesus replied. 'I have much to say in judgment of you. But He who sent Me is reliable, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world.' They did not understand that He was telling them about His Father. So Jesus said, 'When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the One I claim to be and that I do nothing on My Own but speak just what the Father has taught Me. The One who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.' Even as He spoke, many put their faith in Him. To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.' They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can You say that we shall be set free?' Jesus replied, 'I tell you the Truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill Me, because you have no room for My Word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.' 'Abraham is our father,' they answered. 'If you were Abraham's children,' said Jesus, 'then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill Me, a man Who has told you the Truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does.' 'We are not illegitimate children,' they protested. 'The only Father we have is God Himself.' Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on My own; but He sent Me. Why is My language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the Truth, you do not believe Me! Can any of you prove Me guilty of sin? If I am telling the Truth, why don't you believe Me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.' "
(John 8:12-47)
Beloved, this post is not what I intended it to be today. It never is. All thanks and glory to God! I planned an exhortation about the freedom, power, and authority you have in Christ. Perhaps that's another post (or series of posts!) for another day.

In the meantime, know that the waters of deception will continue heighten. They just will. Godlessness will continue to increase. It just will.

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."
(2 Timothy 3:1-5)
But, most of all, precious ones, know this: The enemy's days are numbered--they are! Jesus Christ reigns--He does! He's returning--He is! And, when He does, He will replace the seas of sickness with the River of Life (reference Revelation 22). He will. He just will. And we who know Him will dwell with Him in the house of the Lord ... forever.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations He has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear, He burns the shields with fire. 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."
(Psalm 46)
Precious Father, how wondrous it is to live in the embrace of Your grace! You sit enthroned over the flood (reference Psalm 29:10). All glory to You! Thank You for strengthening Your children during the storm; thank You for the protection of Your peace in the midst of the turbulence. Your Living Water refreshes us, sustains us, and keeps us afloat. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ--Your perfect Son and my precious Savior. Amen.

"Therefore let everyone who is godly
pray to You
while You may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him."
(Psalm 32:6)

For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "Believer or Deceiver"
• "There's a Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On"
  
• "Resolute in Absolute Truth"
• "The Great Depression"
• "In God We Trust"
• "No Flood is Greater Than His Blood"
• "A Storm is Coming ..."
• "The Battle Rages"

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

Written in RED

" 'For God so loved
the world
that He gave
His one and only Son,
that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish
but have eternal life.' "
(John 3:16)


May your Resurrection SONday be glorious, joyous, and richly blessed!

For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "T.G.I.F" -- Thank God It's Friday! (Do You Know Him?)
  

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

T.G.I.F. --Thank God It's Friday! (Do You Know Him?)

"... 'Look, the Lamb of God,
Who takes away
the sin of the world!' "
(John 1:29)
Thank God it's Friday! Thank God it's GOOD Friday!

Words fail to adequately express the significance of this day. On this very good Friday, we remember an unimaginable offering. A self-inflicted sacrifice. A Divinely designed death. A triumphant trial over sin and evil.

We remember the perfect Son of God, purposefully made flesh to dwell among us. Deliberately sacrificed to save us from eternal separation from the one living God.

And, in the darkness of this Friday, we anticipate SONday ... the celebration of His glorious resurrection and victory over death.

Do you know Him?


(Please note that there is a 20-second delay before the video's audio begins. If you're receiving the post via e-mail, click over to the website to view/hear the video/audio.)

" 'Now this is eternal life:
that they may know You,
the only true God,
and Jesus Christ,
Whom You have sent.' "
(John 17:3)
For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "Once and For All"
• "The Cost of Priceless Love"
• "Time is Short"

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Fools for Christ

" We are fools for Christ ...
For the message of the cross
is foolishness
to those who are perishing,
but to us
who are being saved
it is the power of God."
(1 Corinthians 4:10; 1:18)
Today is April Fool's Day. I don't know the origin of this day, nor do I know why we are supposed to randomly trick, fool, and prank each other. Quite frankly, I do not really care to know because today, I am finding the state of the world around me to be no laughing matter.

I had not intended to write today, but the Lord gave me an assignment this morning, so I am obediently and expectantly sitting down to my keyboard.

My mind is swimming with knowledge that I wish I didn't possess today ... bits and pieces of others' broken lives are swirling around in my head. Death. Disease. Deception. Dissension. Details of things I wish I didn't know. Desperations that I wish I could relieve. Serious things. Life-and-death things. Heaven-or-hell kind of things.

And, in the midst of the burdens that I carry for these others--some of whom I know and some of whom I have never met--, I am feeling rather impatient with the foolishness of the world ... and many in it. Today, I am not in the mood to gladly suffer fools.

Yesterday morning, the Lord led me to Scriptures about wisdom and discernment, and I ended up in an online dialog with someone--whom I do not know--who did not appreciate my Christian views. After the fact, I received some information that explained her extreme vitriol. During the course of our brief communication, my spirit properly responded in love, but my heart cried out, "Is this the way you repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, your Creator, Who made you and formed you?" (Deuteronomy 32:6). Probably didn't help that just prior to this dialog, I learned that a friend's infant daughter died in the night of a brain hemorrhage after a valiant battle with a whole host of health issues. The entire few months of her precious life was spent in the hospital. Her family's faith was unshakeable through the unimaginable trial, and their witness for Christ, even in her death, revealed the depth of His love that dwells within them.

And, as I sit this morning, praying for the Lord to guide the writing of this humble servant, I am transfixed between the faith of those who remain firmly fixed in Christ, unflinching in the fire, (reference Daniel 3) and the foolishness of those who ... well, who don't. This morning, the Lord has me meditating on Scriptures about fools and foolishness, and, beloved, I. am. NOT. amused.

We're all foolish from time to time. I think of Samson (reference Judges 16), the strong man whose one weakness cost him greatly, even though he was set apart by the Lord from birth. I think of Moses, the chosen leader whose momentary lapse of wisdom cost him permission to enter the promised land, even though he otherwise faithfully obeyed the Lord all of his life (reference Numbers 20). I think of David, whose indiscretion and subsequent cover-up created heartache and pain for himself and for others, even though he was a divinely anointed man after God's own heart (reference Acts 13:22).

Our repentance restores our relationship with God, and the Lord uses the faithful in spite of our foolishness, but precious ones, my heart is most burdened today for those who are imprudently abandoning Him altogether. "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' " (Psalm 14:1a).

Time is short, my friends. Earthly, temporal pleasures and pursuits are meaningless, even if our intentions are good and our causes are noble (reference Ecclesiastes). Our earthly focus must remain on our eternal future; there is no time for judgment lapses or journey languishes. " 'For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to Me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.' " (Proverbs 1:32-33).

" 'My people are fools,' says the Lord in Jeremiah 4:22. "They do not know Me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding.' " Jeremiah responds, "O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain; You crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent. I thought, 'These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the LORD, so I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.' But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds." (5:3-5). See the rest of Jeremiah, as well the other Old Testaments prophets, for the consequences of that uniform--and high-ranking--folly and indifference.

" 'Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the Rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the Rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.' " (Matthew 7:24-27; see also Luke 6:47-49).

" 'At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the Bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The Bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the Bridegroom! Come out to meet Him!' Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the Bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with Him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' But He replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.' " (Matthew 25:1-13).

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the Truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man ... Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts ... They exchanged the Truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--Who is forever praised. Amen. ... Although they know God's righteous decree ... they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1:18-32).

"Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. ... We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. ... But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise ... the weak things of the world to shame the strong ... the lowly things of this world and the despised things-- ... so that no one may boast before Him ... so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." (1 Corinthians 1:20-2:5).

"We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him'—but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 'For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:6-16).

Oh, beloved, praise God that we have the mind of Christ! Praise Him that we have the revelations of His Spirit! A royal eternal inheritance awaits us (reference Romans 8:17 and Galatians 3:29), but, for now, the world may see us as court jesters. That's okay with me, because as long as I live on this earth, I have opportunities to be a fool for Christ. I have opportunities--big and small, but all significant--to reach those for whom heaven and hell hang in the balance. And, to me, my beloved, that's no joke.

Precious Father, thank You for Your wisdom! Thank You for the divine inspiration and spiritual perception that you provide for those who are willing to assume it. Keep us discerning, precious God. May we always "be wise in the way [we] act toward outsiders, mak[ing] the most of every opportunity. Let [our] conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that [we] may know how to answer everyone" (reference Colossians 4:5-6). I pray in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the Wisdom and Power of God (reference 1 Corinthians 1:18). Amen.

"Don't you know
that you yourselves
are God's temple
and that God's Spirit lives in you?
... Do not deceive yourselves
If any one of you
thinks he is wise
by the standards of this age,
he should become
a 'fool' so that
he may become wise.
for the wisdom
of this world
is foolishness
in God's sight."
(1 Corinthians 3:16-19a)

"I hope you
will put up with a little
of my foolishness;
but you are already
doing that.
I am jealous for you
with a godly jealousy..."
(2 Corinthians 11:1-2)

For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "There's a Whole Lot of Shakin' Going' On!"
• "Ready or Not ..."
  
• "Wishing Well ..."
• "Proclaiming the Proper Prescription"
• "Applying Amos"
• "A Holy Harvest"
• "Cling to the King"
• "Making Scents ..."
• "Time is Short"

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

The Power of Prayer

"The prayer of a righteous man
is powerful and effective."
(James 5:16)
Do you ever wonder if your prayers matter? If God hears them? And, if He does, if they really make a difference? I mean, considering that He is sovereign and all.

I used to. Wonder, that is. I prayed all the time, all throughout the day, about everything. But, even as I prayed, I wondered if my prayers really mattered. I believed that God heard them; I just didn't know if they made a difference.

Have you been there? If so, or, if you're there now, let me assure you and encourage you that your prayers do matter. God does hear them. And, yes, they do make a difference ... even under the reign of a sovereign God.

What the Lord has taught me over the years is that prayer is my privilege; it is a blessing, not an obligation. Prayer is powerful and effective, not a fruitless exercise. Simply put, prayer an ongoing conversation with an all-knowing, all-seeing, ever-present God. I talk; God listens. God speaks; I listen. And, the "I listen" part is the toughest--and most important--end of the dialog.

Ever been stuck with someone who monopolizes the conversation? Ever been face-to-face with someone who talks about "Me, Myself, & I" all the time, without thinking to ask about you? Ever spoken with someone who downloads a litany of complaints and concerns and then moves on to the next victim--I mean the next conversation? Exhausting, isn't it? Tiring. Wearying. Life-sucking.

When we pray, when we talk to Him, the most important part of the conversation is His response. And, we need to stick around to hear it. It may be "No". It may be "Yes". It may be "Later". (And, sometimes I wonder if it is "You have GOT to be kidding Me!") But, beloved, be assured that He does answer.

The Lord listens, hears, and responds to the prayers of the righteous, to those who are earnestly seeking Him, to those who are repenting and crying out to Him, to those who revere Him. The greatest example is Jesus Himself. "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One Who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission." (Hebrews 5:7).

Jesus was God in flesh, yet He still prayed to the Father. Beloved, meditate upon this side of the conversation, and then consider the answer the Father gave Him in response to Jesus' most earnest prayer! "Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.' He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then He said to them, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.' Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.' Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. 'Could you men not keep watch with Me for one hour?' He asked Peter. 'Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.' He went away a second time and prayed, 'My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done. When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing." (Matthew 26:36-44; see also Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46).

All thanks, honor, praise, and glory to God for His answer that prayer! Otherwise, we would be doomed to eternal separation from Him.

Precious ones, I love the description of what transpired during this particular prayer, as recorded in Luke's gospel: "An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him." (Luke 22:43). Luke writes that Jesus was "in anguish", praying "earnestly" to the point that His sweat "was like drops of blood falling to the ground" (v. 44). Talk about prayer warriors! That was some zealous prayer.

And, beloved, although the Lord's will prevailed (and, again, praise Him that it did!), it encourages me to read that the Lord strengthened Jesus to receive His answer and endure His plan. Just reflect upon how passage from Hebrews 5 continues: "Although He was a son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all Who obey Him and was designated by God to be High Priest in the order of Melchizedek." (v. 9-10).

Precious ones, there is so much be said about prayer; there is simply not enough room in one post to flesh it all out. And, today's writing certainly took a different direction that I had anticipated (which is a very good thing! Thank you, God!). Perhaps there will be additional posts on the subject; we will see how the Lord leads, but, as I close for today, I would like to leave you with some encouragement that I received from the Lord this week during my conversations with Him.

"I will extol the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. ... The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry; ... The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems His servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him."
(Psalm 34;
see also Psalm 55; 1 Peter 3:10-14)

Precious ones, the Lord's answer to your prayers may not be what you hope. But, you can be assured His answer is best. This side of heaven, we may not ever understand His response, but we can know for certain that He will strengthen us to live within it.

Precious Father, what a blessing and a privilege it is to take everything to You in prayer! It is so glorious--and so humbling--that You have given us complete access to You ... anytime and anywhere ... all the time and everywhere! I thank You for the ever-deepening intimacy that develops during our prayer conversations, and I thank You that even when I don't know what or how to pray, Your Spirit intercedes for me (reference Romans 8:26-27). I pray now and always in the name of Your Son, Jesus, "Who died—more than that, Who was raised to life—{and} is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for {me}" (Romans 8:34). Amen.

"For this reason
I kneel before the Father,
from Whom His whole family
in heaven and on earth
derives its name.
I pray that out of
His glorious riches
He may strengthen you
with power through His Spirit
in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell
in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you,
being rooted and established
in love,
may have power,
together will all the saints,
to grasp how wide and long
and high and deep
is the love of Christ,
and to know this love
that surpasses knowledge--
that you may be filled
to the measure
of all the fullness of God.
Now to Him Who is able
to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine,
according to His power
that is at work within us,
to Him be the glory
in the church
and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations,
for ever and ever! Amen."
(Ephesians 3:14-21)

For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "Forsaking My Pace ..."

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

Hide and Seek

"Nothing in all creation
is hidden from God's sight.
Everything is uncovered
and laid bare
before the eyes of Him
to Whom we must give account."
(Hebrews 4:13)
As I reflect and write this morning, there is a bathtub on my front lawn. And a toilet. And a shower pan. And a pile of broken tile. There in broad daylight, for all my neighbors to see, the sun is shining on all the remnants from my master bathroom.

Today, there's a whole lot of shakin' going' on, but it's coming from inside my own house as two contractors (my new best friends!) demolish old cover-ups and lay a new foundation for fresh fixtures. This week will not be fun as we endure the dust, noise, and inconvenience of a much-needed renovation, but, oh, how I am looking forward to the end result!

Truthfully, the renovation is long overdue. For years now, we've been patching and covering up signs of some serious problems, whitewashing the inevitable, doing the equivalent of what my husband refers to as "putting lipstick on a pig". I'm really afraid to see what has been hiding underneath all the tile and drywall all these years! But, when the workmen break for lunch, I will most definitely run upstairs and take a peek.

Regardless of what horrifying things may appear, the good news is that I will now be able to see beneath the surface with new clarity and a fresh perspective. It will be an up-close view, unhindered by exterior decoration and excessive clutter.

The mess in my bathroom, I think, serves as a good analogy for the mess in my being. As a Christian, I must strive to be pure and clean from the inside out. Surface sanitation is not sufficient. Fully surrendering to Him requires stripping away my facade, digging deep below the surface, unearthing impurities lurking beneath my veneer, and throwing them out into the light of the sun ... and into the light of the Son. Only He can take my whitewash job (reference Matthew 23:25-28) and make it as white as snow (reference Psalm 51:7, Isaiah 1:18).

During each season of my sanctification, as I continually surrender to the Lord's rebuilding project in my life, He reveals unexpected treasures, things that I previously couldn't see through the layers of muck that covered them. Each step of obedience on my part yields additional clarity. Additional clarity enables greater understanding. Greater understanding initiates increased responsibility. Increased responsibility furthers His eternal kingdom plan.

Precious ones, the time is coming when hasty and deceptive whitewash jobs will not withstand the judgment of the Lord, and soon, the proverbial lipstick on the pig will be revealed for what it is: pure hogwash (reference Ezekiel 13). " 'Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, 'Who sees us? Who will know?' '." (Isaiah 29:15; see also Ecclesiastes 12:14; Jeremiah 16:17, 23:24; Amos 9:3; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Timothy 5:24-25).

It's time to focus less on hiding our own mess and to concentrate more on seeking the Lord's wisdom, for "He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him." (Daniel 2:22).

The Lord promises that " 'You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.' " (Jeremiah 29:13; see also Deuteronomy 4:29; 1 Chronicles 16:10, 22:19, 28:9; 2 Chronicles 11:16, 12:14, 15:12, 19:3, 30:18-20; Psalm 22:26, 27:8, 69:32, 105:3, 119:2, 10). And, beloved, His treasure is worth the search.

So, let's stop hiding. And, let's start seeking. And, let's prepare ourselves to receive His coming revelations.

Precious Father, thank You for the revelation of Your Truth! Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, "in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). I praise You for Your promise that though Your complete "revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false", and I thank You for Your encouragement that "though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay" (reference Habakkuk 2:3). In the meantime, precious Father, I pray to remain a pure and useful vessel for You, unhidden and in plain view before a watching world. I pray in the name of Your Son, Jesus, "for [I] died, and [my] life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). Amen.

"There is nothing concealed
that will not be disclosed,
or hidden
that will not be made known."
(Matthew 10:26b;
see also Mark 4:22,
Luke 8:17, 12:2)

For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "SON Light in the Dark Night"

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

Not Guilty ... by Association

"Then he showed me
Joshua the high priest
standing before the angel of the LORD,
and Satan standing at his right side
to accuse him."
(Zechariah 3:1)
For the better part of 20 years, I have suffered from chronic migraine headaches. My migraines begin with a shortness of breath, followed by a paralyzing and lingering pain on the right side of my shoulder, neck, and head. Just this week, I awoke on Monday with a migraine. Today is Saturday, and although the initial nausea and intense pain is gone, the stiffness, discomfort, and shortness of breath remain. In one dreadful instance, several years ago, the aftershocks lasted for over a month!

My head is so rarely completely clear, that I hardly remember what it feels like to function without pressing through the discomfort. As I've prayed through these debilitating headaches over the years, the Lord has led me to several Scriptures, but none have resonated like the one above from Zechariah 3.

As I mentioned, my migraines are always on my right side (with one exception in 2003). As I read Zechariah 3 last autumn, this portion hit me afresh: "Satan standing at his right side to accuse him".

Beloved, in the name, power, and authority of Jesus Christ, I rebuke Satan and any of his minions flanking and accusing me! We are free of condemnation in Christ Jesus. The righteous are innocent because of His shed blood. By association with Him, we are not guilty.

But, that doesn't stop our accuser. The big loser. Even if the enemy can not reverse the Lord's verdict, he will try to neutralize, paralyze, and terrorize us to the end. Try as he might, however, he can not condemn us. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2).

Jesus Christ, in His purity and righteousness as the Son of God, assumed every shred of our deserved condemnation, every bit of our warranted guilt, when He perished on the cross. And, He when He arose victoriously from the tomb three days later, we who live in Him were pronounced innocent ... not guilty by our association with the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Precious ones, let us live in that freedom! Let us not be depressed, oppressed, suppressed, or otherwise harassed by one who has no authority to judge us! Accuse as he may, the enemy is blowing hot air. "Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. He Who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! It is the Sovereign LORD Who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment the moths will eat them up." (Isaiah 50:8-9).

As I clung to the Lord and sought His comfort and reassurance during this latest attack, He led me to Psalms 34 and 37. "I will extol the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. ... The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. ... The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry ... The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all. ... Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems His servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him." (Psalm 34).

"... Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. ... For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. ... The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. But the wicked will perish: The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish--vanish like smoke. ... Those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off. If the LORD delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His hand. ... I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. ... For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake His faithful ones. They will be protected forever ... the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. ... The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives; but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial. Wait for the LORD and keep His way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it. ... The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him." (Psalm 37).

Beloved, I have prayed for insight into my headaches. I have pled for relief. I have begged for mercy, all the while considering those who truly live in chronic pain and disease exceeding the relative insignificance of my headaches. I have not yet received a reprieve, but I know that His "grace is sufficient" and His "power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Beyond that, I know that Christ Jesus and His indwelling Spirit are interceding on my behalf ... and on the behalf of all who put their trust and hope in Him. "... The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. ... Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" (Romans 8:26-27, 33-35).

Nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ. No one can prosecute us before Him. We are burning sticks, whom He has snatched from the fire. He has removed our filthy rags, clothing us in the richness of clean garments (reference Zechariah 3:2-5). We are free, and, soon, He will dwell among us. "He will wipe every tear from (our) eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain ..." (Revelation 21:4).

Beloved righteous ones of the Most High God, be free in the knowledge of your sentence and your status! No guilt; no guilty. No condemnation; no condemned. No accusations; no accused. Only innocence. Only innocent. By association.

Precious Father, thank You for being my Defender (reference Psalm 68:5-6), my Deliverer (reference 2 Samuel 22:2; Psalm 18:2, 40:17, 70:5, 140:7, 144:2), and my righteous Judge (reference Genesis 18:25; Psalm 7:8-11, 9:8, 50:6, 58:11, 72:2, 96:13, 98:9; Isaiah 11:4; Jeremiah 11:20; 2 Timothy 4:8; Hebrews 12:23). I trust in Your goodness, Your grace, and Your justice, and I long for the day when I will eternally dwell in Your house forever (reference Psalm 23:6). I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, for I know my Redeemer lives (reference Galatians 3:13-14)! Amen.

"... 'Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power
belong to our God,
for true and just
are His judgments...' "
(Revelation 19:1-2)

For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "Once ... and for All"
• "The Great Depression"
• "A Holy Harvest"
  

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.