The Glory of God in the Heart of a Man

Have you ever stopped to meditate upon the truth that God Himself entered into our world and lived as a man? This is the most fantastic thing to happen in the history of the world. God became tangible, a Person, one whom you could touch, hug, and speak with directly. Have you ever had trouble holding someone's eye contact? How about eye contact with the Son of God? To know with certainty the One you're looking at knows every little thing about you?

This makes me swoon. It is overwhelming. Christ would have been so magnetic, and yet, I think I might have avoided Him a little bit if I had lived then. His eyes would have skewered you where you stood. I can't even imagine the weight of that look He gave Peter when Peter denied Him.

O, a heart shattered to pieces by a mere glance!

And yet, gazing into the eyes of Christ is what I'm most looking forward to in Glory. There is no wrath in them for me. Even so, the weight of such stunning love could not be withstood by my tissue-paper heart until His work was finished in me, until Heaven. If those eyes gazed at me now, I think I might fall over dead.

The more I come to know who Jesus was as a man through reading His Word, the more I can relate to the women who ministered to Him, who anointed Him, who collapsed at His feet weeping. He is the most magnificent man who has ever lived. As a woman myself, I cannot help but be overcome by His glory, even veiled in flesh. I often wonder how many women were secretly in love with Him? He had to have had some hearts following along behind Him in this way. I think it's impossible to be faced with literal perfection and not want to possess it as your own. There certainly was a level of devotion given to Christ these women didn't seem to give their own men.

Even now, two thousand years removed, Christ remains the most magnetic man to ever live. He stands head and shoulders above the best of men, the greatest of kings, the wisest of the wise. Of course, the lion's share of our adoration for Jesus comes from His indwelling Holy Spirit, who is the Witness of His majesty. How amazing, Christ lived for us so that by His Spirit, He could live in us and through us. Christ, through His Spirit, is still on this earth, through the hearts, and the eyes, of His children, the Body of Christ.

Christ became a man, to indwell men. Here I am, swooning again. Every son, every daughter, to a certain degree, have the eyes of Christ. I do not think there is a greater truth than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I do not think there is a higher honor than to have Christ alive in me.

This magnificent God, alive in me! That someone can look at me and see Him; that I can look at my brethren and see Him... O, how this overwhelms me!

"Do not look upon me, for I am black!"

And yet He replies:

"There is no flaw in you."

There is no flaw in HIM, therefore, in Him, there is no flaw in me. He is not apart from me, He is a part of me. He is all of me. He is in me. This is glory. The Son of God has united Himself to me, He lives through me, He looks out through my eyes. This is Glory!

God in a man... God in Christ... Christ in me...

Glory of glories, the most magnificent man is alive in me! I cannot fathom the depths of this bountiful treasure. It lays me out on the floor. And to see Christ in my brethren takes my literal breath away. It is often hard to look upon even them. He is so good to all of us, to shine His light through these jars of wretched clay.

Delight upon Christ this Christmas season and ponder these weighty things. What great and mighty majesty has He clothed us with by clothing us with Himself? What fear can conquer? What enemy can overcome? What evil can destroy? Nothing, and no one, can ever overcome Him. Take heart, dear one, He has overcome the world. And in Him, so shall you.

Lord Jesus, I ask that You shine the light of Your countenance upon us all. Ravish our hearts by one glance from Your eye. Give us this perspective, that You are absolutely glorious, the fairest among the sons of men. Lift our souls to You, soar us to the heights of Your fierce, yet sweet devotion. And by Your Spirit, let us come to know the fullness of You, to know the wonder of Your love, and the great lengths that God went to show Himself to us, to live in us, to save us, and to be with us.

Dear one, come to Jesus, look into His eyes, and find no condemnation there, only acceptance in the Beloved. 

O, a heart in pieces made whole by a mere glance!

Praise the Lord!

Corporate Prayer for My Pastors

Recently, God gave me the opportunity to pray with, for, and over my pastors and my church. I am not being facetious in saying this was likely the greatest honor of my life. I spent about two weeks preparing for this, in prayer, asking Christ what I should ask for, and how He wanted to bless this church. 

Considering men in ministry who have apostatized or taken their own lives over the past year, I believe it is vitally important to pray for our pastors, elders, and leaders. I approached my own elders with the need to pray for them corporately, with the entire congregation, and praise God, they enthusiastically agreed. I did not expect anything from them, leaving them to figure out how they would bring it to pass. But our lead pastor contacted me and personally asked me to pray for, with, and over them. I was overwhelmed. The Lord Jesus had just given me faithful men and a beautiful church to pray for. 

How could I possibly say no?

I decided if my pastors were going to give me the mic, I was going to make it a good and meaty prayer. I had to read this prayer from paper, because I'm a better writer than a public speaker, but I think, I hope, I pray, it blessed one and all. Many people approached me afterward to tell me they were greatly blessed and wanted copies of it to continue in prayer with me. Therefore, I decided to put it up on my blog to bless the whole world, and if you would like to pray this prayer over your own church, you are more than welcome to pray these words for your leaders as well.

I'm excited to watch how God's going to move at Sonrise Church, and His Church worldwide, through this prayer. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for this blessing and this gift, for trusting me with upholding Your church before You, and for allowing me to love on my pastors, who have so often loved on me.

~*~*~*~

Lord Jesus, we come before You today to lift up our brothers, these precious men whom You have chosen to lead this precious flock, the pastors and shepherds of Sonrise Church. Lord, You have told us that if we love You, we must feed Your sheep. These men feed us day after day with service - and music - and prayer - and sermons. And yet, who feeds them? Today, it is our desire as the congregation of Sonrise to lift them to You and feed them through the love of our prayers.

Song of Solomon 1:6 says, “They made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept!” Never let this be said of these brothers. Our pastors love and care for us. We ask that You love and care for them as well, by helping them to keep their own vineyards. You have given them a Sabbath rest, and that is very good. We thank You for nourishing their souls by resting in You.

Lord, along with much needed rest, we also ask that You give these men wisdom, that they might speak the truth of God by knowing and studying Your doctrine. Grow their love for You, for Your Word, and for Your people, that all might know we are Your disciples when we love one another. We ask for obedience to Your Word and to all that You have commanded, even if it goes against the tide of our culture. In John 14, You have linked obedience to Your commands as true love for God. May our brothers truly love You by obeying all that You have spoken.

We ask that You grow their devotion to You, that their secret prayers be many, not only for this congregation, but also for their families and for themselves. Inspire them to ask You for what they need, whether it be more faith, more passion, more knowledge. Keep their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus through Your peace that surpasses all understanding.

Along with wisdom and devotion, we ask for sharp discernment, that they know how to rightly divide Your Word and spot errors easily and efficiently. Protect this church from false teaching, and make these men the wall against which error is dashed. Do not allow error to take hold here, and may we all edify each other and build one another up.

We ask for boldness and power, that our brothers will never waver, but stand firmly upon Your Rock with the unction and fullness of Your Holy Spirit. Move through these men, Lord, and through this church, as in the first century, and build our pastors into strong and brave men of God, as You did with Your Apostles, Peter, John, and Paul.

Yet we ask You to temper their boldness with humility, that they might always speak the truth in love by getting out of Your way, and making themselves as nothing in order to exalt You, the Lord Jesus Christ, to Your church, for their good, and Your glory.

We ask for holiness, as these men represent not only Sonrise, but You as Your ambassadors. You have told us we must be holy as You are holy. Grow each of these men into role models for this flock and for our community, that each man standing upon this stage can stand upon his own integrity as an example of a godly life.

We ask You for Your favor, that our Father, Almighty God, would approve of their leadership and open doors of opportunity for this church in Hillsboro, the Pacific Northwest, and perhaps even the world. Nothing is impossible for You, Lord Jesus. You have told us to take Your Gospel into all the world. Please help us to that end.

We ask for a deep reverence to settle upon their hearts, that when they speak, they do so with a sense of awe, knowing they have been hand-picked by the Head of the Church to do His work at Sonrise. Lord, eternity is at stake. These men and women of our congregation, our brothers and sisters who gather to hear our pastors every week, are those for whom You died. Let these men never be flippant or apathetic when it comes to the work of God.

And finally, Lord Jesus, we ask You to give our pastors a healthy fear of God, that along with their reverence, they tremble when they stand in Your presence, and never lose sight of just how glorious and magnificent You are. You are the God of Sinai, of Zion, of Calvary. Your history teaches us that You are not merely the God of Americanized Evangelicalism. You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Prince of Peace, and the Lion of Judah. One day, You are coming back in great power and glory, and we must make ourselves ready. We ask as Your church that You make Sonrise ready, by equipping not only her pastors, but her congregation as well, with all wisdom, obedience, devotion, discernment, boldness, power, humility, holiness, favor, reverence, and the fear of God.

Present Sonrise Church to Yourself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish before You.

Thank You for the glory of Your grace, Lord Jesus. This is what we ask the King of Heaven.

In Jesus’ magnificent name,
AMEN

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The Glorious Grace of God

What do you think of when you think on the grace of God? Salvation? Christ? Obviously grace is God's undeserved favor. He gives us His grace when we don't deserve it. He has decided to love us from Heaven and rescue us from the grave, that we might live forever with Him in Glory. The grace of God is surely a wondrous subject to ponder, and His kindness toward us is what compels us to repentance and turn to Him in love (Romans 2:4).

However, there is an aspect of God's grace that not many believers understand or know. Not only does His grace have the power to save, it also has the power to uphold and sustain. We are saved from the penalty of sin, as well as its power. We are now dead to sin and alive to Christ; no longer slaves to sin, rather, we are slaves to righteousness (Romans 6).

The Bible is full of amazing promises that God gives us strength in our weakness and allows us to press on toward the goal. These graces aren't inherent within a believer, these gifts of God are given by the Holy Spirit; they are "every spiritual blessing in heavenly places" spoken of in Ephesians 1:3.

The whole point of regeneration - the Holy Spirit coming to live within the heart of man - is to make him a new creation, the old has gone, behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are born again the moment we first believe. This is not merely "Christianese", some antiquated Christian vernacular, being "born again" is a spiritual reality. When the Holy Spirit takes residence in the heart of man, he becomes a brand new man, and his heart has changed from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). It is a literal rebirth of one's soul out of the grave and into the family of God (Colossians 1:12-13).

For we have died, and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). The Holy Spirit indwells us as the earnest of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:14). The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the Christian life possible. No unbeliever can be obedient to Scripture on their own (1 Corinthians 2:14). It is only the one who has God's Spirit living within them (which according to Galatians 2:20, is Christ Himself living within them) who can endure to the end in faith (Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13).

In light of these realities, we come to realize the grace of God is not just pardon from Hell and death, it is also the power of God to enable His children to live in obedience to Him. This obedience manifests in holiness, godliness, and the fruits of the Spirit in the life of the believer. As the Apostle Paul says, it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). In Ephesians 2:10, Paul says we've been "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Therefore, not only has God ordained our works, He then created us anew in Christ, and also gives us the grace to will and work for Him. That simply means God's grace not only gives us the work, but the will to do the work.

Let's take a look at something else the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Here, he mentions a thorn in his flesh that he asked God to remove three times. Each time, God told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Paul goes on to declare he would then glory all the more in his weakness, for that's when the power of Christ rests on him.

Since we know God's grace is power to endure and also the will to do the work, then it makes absolute sense that God's grace would be sufficient in Paul's weakness. This is not some flippant reply of God, nor is it merely God's grace in salvation. God is telling Paul that by His grace, His strength is made perfect in his weakness. Why? Because when we, as broken jars of clay, do the magnificent work of Christ, the whole world will know it wasn't on our own strength, but by the power of God (2 Corinthians 4:7). Our Lord has specifically set up His work to be obvious to one and all, and He consistently uses the weak things of this world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27).

God highly prizes humility. In fact, He opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). All too often we believers think of God giving us grace as some kind of hand-waving or a smile from Heaven. No. God's grace is literal power from the Throne to live our Christian lives.

I am a believer in the doctrines of grace, those doctrines which conclude that God's grace is irresistible. Here is a link to an article at Ligonier Ministries written by Dr. Steven Lawson that further fleshes out what these doctrines teach us about the grace of God. What does it mean that His grace is irresistible? It means just that - God's grace cannot be resisted or overridden. His will is sovereign to ours, and thus, His will shall come to pass, regardless of what we will. Remember the words of the Apostle John in 1 John 5:14-15 - it is only those who pray according to the will of God who have their prayers answered. Even James, the brother of Christ, told us in James 4:3 that we ask and do not receive because we ask wrongly, to spend it on our passions.

It is God's grace, therefore, that reaches down from Heaven, turns a heart of stone into a heart of flesh, gives the new believer the will and the work, and upholds, sustains, and strengthens him throughout the course of His Christian life. If God upholds the universe by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3), how much more His children?

Recently in the news, there have been reports of pastors and worship leaders both apostatizing and committing suicide. I will not link to articles, but suffice it to say we have a problem in Christian circles. First of all, I do not believe those who apostatize (walk away from the faith) were ever true Christians to begin with (Hebrews 6:4-6, 1 John 2:19). According to the doctrine of regeneration (rebirth) as well as the doctrines of grace (irresistible), God cannot, and will not, lose His true sons and daughters. One cannot be reborn, and then NOT reborn. The Holy Spirit does not desert a child of God. Union with Christ is permanent. One cannot be upheld, strengthened, and sustained by the grace of God and be lost. Nothing can snatch you out of God's hands (John 10:28-29), and nothing in all creation can ever separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39).

Christ came to give life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10), it is the enemy who comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Christ completes His work in us (Philippians 1:6) - notice it is HIS work in us. Notice we are not to throw away our confidence; we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed (Hebrews 10:35-39). God is faithful to complete our sanctification (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). This is the grace of God. All of it, from beginning to end. Never once in the Bible are we given credit for our works for God after regeneration - it is all HIS work, HIS grace, for HIS glory.

In short, God's grace never fails. As surely as He upholds His universe, He upholds His children. He gives them pardon from Hell and death, as well as power to abstain from sin. God's grace is sufficient to sustain and strengthen those who are weak, and He will not allow us to fall away or perish in the flesh, even by our own hand, until our work, His work, is done. God's grace is irresistible. God's will is sovereign. Those who shrink back, those who give up, are not living in the power of the Spirit, nor in the will of God. God's grace is a subtle work, but it has great power as it is working. It is not tangible, but rather, like the wind (John 3:8). You might not be able to see where it comes from or where it goes, but you can see it's effects on the Christians, and the world, around you.

God's grace is His power to save, sustain, strengthen, and uphold His children. How many of us have testimonies of our lives before and after Christ? Do you now resemble the person you once were? Of course not, and likely, you wouldn't want to be in the company of your old self. A Christian who walks by the Spirit is walking in the glorious power of God's grace. We cannot forget this, Church. Those who belong to God are upheld by God. They will not, and cannot, fail while God holds them, which is as long as He sits upon His Throne.

Amazing grace indeed.

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Ask, Seek, Knock - A Study on Matthew 7:7-8

Ever since I was a young girl, this passage in Matthew 7:7-8 has fascinated me. These words were spoken by Christ at the Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached. I am convinced a pastor could preach for the rest of his life on the glorious truths our Lord revealed in the Sermon on the Mount. What has always struck me about these specific words of Christ is the absolute "unlimitedness" our Lord promises to those who love Him.

All one must do for this "unlimitedness" is so simple, any child, any elderly, any able-bodied, can ask, seek, and knock. Christ's words are an illustration rather than something we must physically do. These are spoken of spiritual truths, therefore even if one should be blind, bedridden, ill, young, immature, feeble, or frail, they are able, with equal measure, to ask, seek, and knock as fervently as someone in the prime of their lives.

In meditating on this passage, I noticed our Lord repeats the same thing twice. Why? Seems redundant to say the same thing even if worded a little differently. The reason is subtle, but it is genius in its execution. First, Christ makes these things a command. Ask, seek, and knock are all imperative words; they compel you to do these things. Imperative sentences command someone to do something, such as, "Bring me my jacket" or "Clean up your mess". In verse seven, we see Christ is giving imperative commands.

But in verse eight, He switches from commands -- to promises. The promise can be seen in the command, but Jesus restates His message from "shall be" to a more solid "will be" to make His case even stronger. He changes His tactics so as not to be preaching mere proverbs. You could likely imagine opening a fortune cookie and getting a message like in verse seven, "Ask, and it shall be given you." Very philosophical and profound, but any guru can say that. However, in restating the same as promises, He has now bound the Lord God to uphold them. These are not mere platitudes, these are absolute truths. "For everyone who asks receives."

Now let's take a look at this same passage in Luke's Gospel. The entire passage is a lesson that God gives good gifts to His children. Yet the same passage in Luke gives us a deeper understanding of Christ's commands to ask, seek, and knock.

The key verse above is verse 13. This passage is not about some nebulous "good gifts" God bestows but something - Someone - quite specific. The Holy Spirit Himself.

Armed with that knowledge, we can now open the passage and see the spiritual truth Christ is conveying through His commands. Asking, seeking, and knocking, therefore, refers to the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. Christ does not give us carte blanche in prayer to spend our requests upon our lusts (James 4:3), but He does give us carte blanche with the giving of Himself.

Let's break down the passage so we can see this more clearly.

Ask - Asking of God assumes a certain humility. The child of God comes before Him and asks Him, he does not demand, command, or assume. He asks, like a little child going to his father, which Christ fleshes out with the bread and a fish illustration. The humble child will also be the obedient child. Ask any parent on earth and they are not likely to reward the rebellious child. The same is true for God. There are many other Scriptures that outline answered prayer is directly tied to obedience to the will of God (John 14:23, 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:14-15). Obedience to Christ's commands is truly loving Him (John 14:15, John 15:10, 1 John 5:3). Therefore, in asking and receiving, we must first seek the Kingdom of God before all these things be added unto us (Matthew 6:33). In asking and receiving, we also see the majesty of God's grace toward sinful men, for unless He binds Himself to this promise, He is under no obligation to keep it for any of us.

Seek - Seeking and asking seem to go hand-in-hand. But seeking goes beyond mere asking. This is a pursuit, not only of Christ, but of knowledge, wisdom, and truth. God has many promises throughout Scripture that those who seek Him shall find Him when they seek Him with all of their hearts. This is not a half-hearted endeavor, this is all-in. This seeking echoes the words of Jacob: "I will not let You go unless You bless me." You might say this seeking is hungering and thirsting for righteousness. This life cannot be all there is. There must be something bigger, something truer, something good, Someone bigger, Someone truer, Someone good, and I will not rest until I find Him. Praise the Lord, to these who truly wish to find, God promises He will be found. Within this promise, God displays His faithfulness to fulfill the promises of His Word.

Knock - Knocking assumes a certain curiosity. Perhaps one has doubts and doesn't presume to barge through the door, but knocks instead. Is this the way? Is this the right door? No one but family or a close friend walks right into one's house. Knocking also assumes a certain humility not to walk right in, lest they be trespassing. What's interesting in this particular illustration is that Christ called Himself "the Door" (John 10:9). To the one who knocks on this Door in humility, and with a hunger to know the truth, the Door shall open.

Returning to what we learned about the Holy Spirit in the Luke passage, let's apply Him to the text now, and see what it reveals.

Whatever we ask of God with regards to the Holy Spirit, He will give us. What does that mean? What is God's will for your Christian life? To know more? To love more? To serve more? To seek more? To be more wise? To be strong in faith? To be led to sound doctrine? To know our Bibles? To study our Bibles? To pray more? To shine Christ all around us? YES TO ALL. These are the carte blanche prayers. More of God, more of Christ, more of the Spirit. Yes, ask, and ye shall receive.

Consider this: those who are seeking... are being led. They are actively being drawn to the Father by the Spirit of God. It is Christ who seeks and saves the lost. The seeking child is being drawn by irresistible grace. If the Spirit leads one to seek, they shall find, for He who began a good work in you shall be faithful to complete it.

With regards to knocking and the Holy Spirit, one truth shines in this passage that not many have seen. When I saw it, I sat back in awe. "Knock, and it shall be opened." It shall be opened. What does the Holy Spirit open, beloved? Take a minute to think on that question. What does He open?

Our minds to the Scriptures (Psalm 119:18, Luke 24:45). YES! He opens our minds, He opens His Book, and we are able to see wondrous things from His Law. God's Word is "locked" until it is opened by the Holy Spirit. Anyone can read the words, but the wisdom of God and knowledge of His doctrine comes by spiritual discernment (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Can you see the beauty and the majesty of what Christ is teaching in this passage? Ask of Me, and I will give you Myself in My unlimitedness. You will find Me when you seek Me, and I will open My secrets to you.

Now that we know the full weight of these words, let's consider another passage in John's Gospel. Ask, seek, and knock was given on the Sermon on the Mount to the throng who had gathered to hear Him. But these words were spoken intimately to those whom He loved, His disciples in the Upper Room.

Since we've fleshed out this passage, I want you to see Matthew 7:7-8 in these words in the book of John. Keep ask, seek, knock in your back pocket as you read these familiar words:

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me." - ASK - Receive

"And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father," - SEEK - Find

"And I will love him and manifest Myself to him." - KNOCK - Open

John 14:21 is Christ's own exposition to Matthew 7:7-8 and Luke 11:9-13. The obedient child is the one whose prayers are answered. The one who loves Christ is loved by the Father, and will find Him. Christ opens His mysteries by His Spirit, manifesting Himself, to those who love Him.

What glory! What majesty! What magnificent truth! He gives us freely of Himself in His "unlimitedness" if we but ask Him. He promises to be found and He will open His mysteries to all those who love Him!

Ask what you will, seek where you will, knock as you will and He will provide every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. They are ours already, we have but to ask, seek, and knock! (Ephesians 1:3) Seek Christ for more of Christ through the power of His Holy Spirit, and you shall have carte blanche to possess all the riches of Almighty God Himself.

PRAISE THE LORD!!


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To What Can I Compare the Love of God?

To what can I compare the love of God? It is a vast sea, no bottom nor brim, no shore and no end. It simply IS, throughout all ages and all eternity.

His love is mighty yet tender, fierce yet gentle. He is a Conqueror, but also a Lover. His delight is in mercy, and His heart is full of grace.

God is a selfless Sovereign, and His glory shines brightest in His humility. We cannot comprehend it, as our flesh desires glory of self, yet our God has taught us that true love is giving ourselves away.

True love is being a servant of all.

His heart is infinite, and those who are His children will never know His absence. In love, He teaches and leads and guides; He seeks and saves and sanctifies.

He is the Good Shepherd, and He laid down His life for His sheep, that they might know Him, be with Him, and forever adore Him.

God in Christ; what magnificent love that leaves the Throne of Glory to suffer death for His people! He has promised eternal life for those whom He loves, and He lavishes His radiant love upon them.

What splendor adorns this Almighty God, that He hears - and moves - at the prayers of His people? What dignity does He bestow upon sinners to so clothe them in His own righteousness?

This glorious God, for all that He has done, is doing, and has promised to do, how can I not stand in awe of Him and fall down upon my knees? He has the power to snuff out my life, and yet, He does not. He gives me another day and says, "Come to Me and I will give you rest."

What sweet cordial is this? What great promise? In this world of evil and sin, He is our Safe Harbor, our Fortress, our Shield. Our cloud by day; our fire by night.

O, Lord Christ, come and love me. Wash me, clothe me, and present me to Yourself without spot or wrinkle. Chase all other gods from my heart and give me one resounding song: CHRIST!

Always fill these eyes with love for You. Fill me up with fullness of Your Spirit. Yeshua! I want no other love in my heart or my life than love for my God and His magnificent Love for me.

You are so great and I am not, but my being is laid bare before You; You can see it all. Blow on the ember of my love, until it roars forth with a most vehement flame. If it should consume me, then so be it, for I would rather journey to Glory on a fiery chariot than be swept away on a chariot of Pharaoh. 

Plunge me to the depths and soar me to the heights of Your love. Let me know You in Your majesty and keep my eyes focused on You. Love me and lead me, great God of my heart.

Come, Thou King of Kings, and crown Your heart with mine. Take all of me, for I will have no other gods before You. Words cannot adequately express my love for You. Come and see! Open my soul and look, precious Lord. It is not much, but it is true, and it is Yours.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

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Sisters, Do You Pursue Christ?

I have spoken with many brothers in the faith who outline their daily routine with the Lord. They get up early, they read Scripture for a time, they pray in the quiet and enjoy perhaps an hour or two of uninterrupted communion with Christ.

Sisters, how about you?

Undoubtedly we women are busy, perhaps caring for young children or getting ready for our shift at work. Maybe we're chronically ill and just getting out of bed is a chore. But I ask you sisters anyway, do you pursue Christ? On your own? Apart from your husband?

Allow me to be blunt for a moment. No one can know Christ by being Christ-adjacent. We cannot ride to Heaven on the coat-tails of our husbands. Perhaps they might lead us spiritually, but that does not mean we have no responsibility to pursue Christ for ourselves.

Daily devotions don't count, in my opinion. It's too easy for a woman to get wrapped up in her favorite author's 365 daily devotionals that talk about being "Christ's princess" or that "we matter" rather than getting our noses deep in real, actual, meaty Bible study. Why do we do this, sisters?

Why is Christ's banquet table for the men, while the women are content at the kiddie table? No, not me. Christ has spread His table for one and all. Pardon me, ladies; I am going to His feast.

If there's one thing Christ Himself proved during His ministry, it's that women have been given a profound privilege in His church. We are allowed to come directly to Him, to sit at His feet, and to learn of Him. Do not see your husband as your go-between, nor allow yourself to treat him as such. There is no mediator between Jesus and women. Christ has always been close with His daughters; He has given us dignity, and He is specifically tender toward us. Why would we deny ourselves from chasing after this glorious God-man who beckons us to come to Him freely and boldly?

I have often wondered why our Lord Jesus has seen fit to mold me into a woman who pursues Him. But the more I ponder it, the more I believe He wants all of us to come. This isn't some privilege given to a few, but to all! I can tell you from first-hand knowledge that experiencing the presence of Christ through diligent prayer and study is the closest we can get to Heaven in this flesh. We are starving ourselves, sisters, if we reach for the crumbs of devotions rather than the True Bread of Heaven. We are wasting away reading devotions written in "Christ's voice" rather than what He has proclaimed Himself in His True and Living Word!

It would seem publishers and Christian authors have tapped into a deep-seated need within women to know they are loved and valuable. These particular books (written by other women, mind) have tender words, encouraging stories, and make us feel good about ourselves. I'll tell you straight up, if all you eat is sweets, you will not be nourished beyond the sugar rush. Ladies, put down the milk. Chew on the meat of the Word! All you need can be found in Christ. What you are so longing for is HIM, His tenderness, His worth, His strength, His beauty, His mercy, His grace.

As a woman myself, who is also a former author of romance novels before I was saved, I honestly believe women are "wired", for lack of a better word, to search for the romance in relationships. But often what daily devotions and books for women do is romance the woman about HERSELF. How great you are, how much you matter, how you're Christ's princess, the value you have in God's eyes.

True pursuit of Christ is simply this:

More of Him; less of me.

Get yourself out of the way and fix your eyes upon Christ! See how Great He is. Understand how much He matters. Behold the glory of His worth. This is the ONLY food that will nourish us, sisters, no matter if we are married or single, in a godly marriage or unequally yoked, widowed or abandoned.

My precious sisters in Christ, look unto Him and be ye saved, for He is God, and there is no other.

In the magnificent name of my lovely Lord Christ,
Amen.

Sisters, Do You Know Your Bible?

If there's one thing for which our Lord Jesus Christ has given me a great passion, I would say it's getting to know Him, by any means, at any cost. If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you'll know I have had a long history with Christ, but I believe I didn't become a Christian in truth until 2011. Looking back over the course of my life, I can see a certain "structure", as if Christ Himself had been building me up until the very moment He swooped down and claimed me for Himself as I sat crying and lost on some crag of despair.

During my lonely childhood, I learned how to pray to Him. I journaled to Him all the time, jotting down my pathetic teenage dramas. During my high school years, I learned the keyboard so I could type and realize my dream of becoming a published author. As an adult, I accomplished my dream, and spent many hours reading, and many hours researching facts and history for book plots. What kind of books did I write? Romance.

When Christ called me to Himself, He had me lay down my career as a romance author and turned my heart to chase after another Love - Himself. But here's the thing. Can you see what He was building up in me? I loved to read. My heart adored research. I enjoyed digging in and getting to know things I didn't know before. I had experience with writing and editing my work to make it a more cohesive story. I had been swept away by true love and all that it entails, not knowing that one day, I'd be swept away by the Greatest Love Story of All.

Now that I am a Christian, Jesus has sanctified all these things for Himself. He has trained me for prayer, for journaling, for reading, for writing, for research, and for being starry-eyed about the power of True Love. This is not the same trajectory for every Christian's life. We each have our own place in His Body, and I believe He equips each of His children in various ways for His glory. I firmly believe He has a plan for all of us, and that plan includes building us up to showcase Himself in our lives.

The great glory of a Christian's life is letting our light so shine before men that they will see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. Since my conversion, I have worked toward that goal in my own life. I have a drive in me, given by Christ, to share what I learn of Him with the world. I do believe there are varying degrees to which a Christian can share Christ with others, in their homes, their churches, or their communities. However ultimately, I do believe every Christian should be teaching and discipling other Christians in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That brings me to the point of this post. I am not an anomaly. My Christian walk is not odd or other. Different Christians are at different points in their sanctification; one might be mature, while the other is still a babe in Christ. But this is no excuse to neglect our Bibles.

How well do you know the Scriptures? No matter how Christ has structured your life, no matter what your talent or skill in His Body, He still commands for His Word to abide in your heart. In fact, this command is directly linked to answered prayer (John 15:7). Those Christians who have answered prayer are those who abide in Christ, and who also have His Word abiding in them.

Let's get something clear, however. I'm not asking if you read your Bible. Many sisters in Christ read the Bible as a duty or something they must do on a reading schedule. What I am asking is how has what you've read influenced your life? How deeply has it seeped into your heart? How often does it direct your thoughts? How much has it influenced your devotion to Christ? Can you see an upward arch in yourself over the course of the years you've been reading Scripture to become more and more like Jesus?

All too often, we as women leave the deeper study to the men. That's for pastors, or for my husband. I'm fine with daily devotions. Any woman who strives to go deeper with God is seen as a "teacher" or "called" to ministry. Perhaps that is true, but that's not always the case. Some of us just really love Jesus!

The problem I see with letting our Bibles collect dust, sisters, is that we become easy pickins for the enemy. We must know Christ if we are to fight the enemy away from our hearts, and from the hearts of our children. We cannot rely on what we "feel" about Jesus. We must know Him! Even our Lord said that knowing Him, the true Christ of Scripture, is eternal life:

"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." ~~John 17:3

Daily devotions are not enough. Washing our hands every day in a bunch of Bible chapters isn't enough either. It is not quantity of Bible reading that is beneficial, it is the quality of it. Spiritual maturity and knowledge of Christ comes through two avenues. First, we pray and ask God to open His Word to us, and second, we slow down and meditate on His Word rather than worrying about reading it through in a year. Grab a pen and start jotting down some notes or thoughts as you read. Start in a book, any book, and read it through while taking notes and making note of things you see and read.

I began doing this in 2012, the year after I had become a Christian. I had many Bibles, so I picked a nondescript one to write in, while keeping the others pristine. I did a few of the smaller books in the New Testament, but then decided to keep going and eventually annotate the whole thing. I'm still not done even though I began years ago, however, I am almost finished. But I'm not sure I will ever be "finished". As I grow and mature in my faith, I see more in the pages, and the pen comes out to write new notes in older books I've already studied. This nondescript Bible I decided to mark up has now become one of my most treasured possessions. I want to hand it down to my son one day. What a remarkable heirloom it will become!

But creating an heirloom is not why I have written study notes in the margins of this Bible. I did it so I could know the Lord Jesus. Over the course of these years, He has given me many things I have asked of Him. I asked for His Word to open to me. I believe He has allowed it to do so. I asked to recall things I might have read in passing. He has allowed this as well. I might not remember chapter and verse, but a quick search in a Bible app finds the passage quickly. I have asked for Him to grow me in wisdom and to lead me to sound doctrine. I believe He has done this as well.

Again, this is the fruit of a child of God that asks, seeks, and knocks. If we don't have a heart such as this, we must pray and ask for it! We know we have what we've asked for if we ask according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). And what is His will? For us to become solid, mature Christians. Whatever we ask of Him in that regard He will answer in all the fullness of God!

I do not believe a life of daily devotions would have been enough for Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, or even Mary of Nazareth! No, these women followed our Lord Jesus wherever He went. They learned of Him, at His feet, from His own mouth. They poured out their devotion to Him in front of everyone, and they weren't ashamed to do so. These are the women I wish to emulate in my life. I want to know Christ for myself, not because I want to become some "teacher called to the ministry." If that is Christ's will for me, then amen; let's go! But I study because I love Him, and because I want to know Him. I want to count it all as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord!

Sisters, let me say that studying my Bible has been the most eye-opening and thrilling endeavor I have ever undertaken. Christ has taken a common housewife and made her shine with His glory! The knowledge of Heaven is in her heart, and His doctrine has dug deep roots within her soul. I am not an anomaly. My Christian walk is not odd or other. This is true, devoted, Biblical Christianity.

And this is my prayer for all my sisters in Christ. If you have no role-models in your life, determine yourself to be that role-model for others. If you know of no strong Christians, ask God to fashion you into one. If you don't know anyone to teach you these things, ask God to teach you. Do not deny yourself a rich, fulfilling, abundant life with Christ! He promises these things to every believer who worships Him in Spirit and in truth. Come to Him, ye women of God; drink from His fountain, eat from His table. Look unto our Lord Jesus Christ, sisters, for those who do are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

Amen.

The Preeminence of Christ is Now a Downloadable PDF!

Okay folks, here we go - my Preeminence of Christ study is now a downloadable PDF! Feel free to share it, download it, print it, read it, quote it, whatever. This is a free eBook you can use to study with your children, your spouse, your friends, your small group, or your church. It remains in the format of a six week study, with the discussion questions, the personal questions, and Scripture references intact.

I pray this PDF can "go into all the world" and bring glory to Christ as He wills. Praise the Lord!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14jxNlffTNwt_7CNACNSeKw6nVKnMvpqn/view

The Serious Christian

Ever notice that some Christians are more serious than others? Not that their countenance is stony and their heart is hard, rather, their pursuit of Christ is something that catches your eye. You want to be like them. They inspire you. Their easy, yet steadfast faith almost takes your breath away when compared to your own. What is it about these people that seems almost as if they’re clothed even now with the glory of Heaven?

Usually, when we think of a “serious” Christian, we might think of one who is legalistic or stern, someone who is more disciplinarian than disciple. Surely that seems to be the caricature of evangelicals by unbelievers. But I’m not talking about legalists or those who think having a tattoo sends you to Hell. I’m talking about those Christians who are so in love with Christ that their walk with Him is almost like a love affair. They seem to have an understanding of Jesus that the average pew-sitter does not have.

I am of the opinion these Christians are forged by Christ Himself to stir up His church to look unto Him. For reasons only Jesus knows, He gives some Christians a fuller measure of grace to chase after Him as He skips across the mountains like a young stag. The Spirit does a work in their hearts so that they adore studying Scripture and never forsake their prayer closets. They have no distractions in their lives, or if they do, they don’t let these distractions distract them from their pursuit of Christ.

Part of how Christ shapes these Christians is through their own prayers. I believe He inspires these to pray for Him to make them into serious Christians. “Lord, I believe. Please help my unbelief!” This is the prayer of those who chase after Jesus. They seem to instinctively know the will of God is for them to be a strong and faithful believer. The Spirit inspires them to pray in that direction. They ask God for more faith, more drive, more desire for Him. They know they cannot love Him in the way He commands in Scripture, with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, without His help. So they ask for Him to help them love Him.

Serious Christians have a deeper communion with the Spirit of God because of this. They know the fruit of their lives is the result of their pleading prayers, and therefore they take no credit for their demeanor, and know the work in their hearts is God’s alone. It is this mark of the Spirit upon them that others recognize. Old theologians call this mark “unction”, and it’s what allows the serious Christian to also be a fruitful Christian.

When a believer seeks after God with all their heart, they begin to see and understand the depths of God’s truth in Scripture. When they explain these things to others, they are seen as having gifts of wisdom, discernment, and often teaching. Scripture recall is easy for these, as they have meditated on God’s Word, and His Spirit brings the Word into their remembrance. Often, God gifts them with various ways to communicate these truths in deep, yet simple ways, sometimes via sermons, writing, speeches, art, or song.

God uses these serious children of His to raise the spiritual temperature of the believers around them. He gifts them to various churches, and often, the congregations they fellowship with transition from superficial teaching to deep, meaty doctrine over the course of a few years. It’s also possible God cleans house within these congregations and removes sinning or unbelieving leadership. This happens not necessarily due to direct involvement by the serious Christian, rather, it is due to their prayers for their church and for their pastors, and God hears them.

Very often what is done in secret is rewarded openly. Church leadership might not know why God is moving so mightily in their congregations, but the serious Christian knows. The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

However, these serious Christians are the ones you wouldn’t expect. They have no pomp or circumstance. They are often the widows, the orphans, or the ones bent over in pain. They are the ones God has mightily humbled, the soft-spoken ones, with easy smiles and warm hearts. Their faith shines from them like the sun, and you cannot help but want to stand in these rays, hoping for some of their warmth to warm your own heart.

Like a lit match, these Christians are the ones who ignite others and inspire them to likewise be serious about their faith. This is how God incites revival. Rarely does revival come to the big tent meeting; revival comes to the heart of the serious Christian, and that passion for Christ spreads to the hearts and minds of those around them. Due to this, God makes sure the vessels He uses are the weak, the broken, the downtrodden, the overlooked, in order to show the world the glory of His great power to move among the hearts of men.

You do not need to be around a serious Christian for long to know they are being used mightily of God. They have an air about them, a fragrance of Christ, and often you find yourself glancing over at them in curiosity. It is even possible to recognize these Christians with “unction” of the Holy Spirit in history. Their lives shined so brightly in their day and age, the unction is obvious. Men like Jonathan Edwards or Charles Spurgeon. Women like Amy Carmichael or Corrie Ten Boom.

How can one become one of these serious Christians? How can one come to pursue the Living God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength? Do you recognize superficiality in yourself? Do you notice a certain boredom when reading Scripture? Does your mind wander in prayer? Are you always tired in church? Do you feel cold and at times shut off from God? The good news is there is a cure for these maladies. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

God forges serious Christians on the anvil of humility. He will not reveal Himself to anyone who wishes these gifts for their own gain, to be seen as “mighty” in their church. He only moves in the heart of the believer who wants to adore Christ for Christ’s own sake, not their own. Cater your prayers to ask God for what you do not have. Drive. Passion. A heart on fire. Ask God for a strong desire to study, to pray, to know Him above all things lest you die!

These are the prayers of those who shine forth like the sun at full strength. Ask God for the unction of His Holy Spirit, not for your glory, but for His. But be advised, these are dangerous prayers. The serious Christian does not have dry eyes. They often have broken hearts. They weep and cry like Jeremiah, wondering why no one listens to the things they have to say. The sad truth of the serious Christian is they are sometimes overlooked by other Christians. They’re not understood, they can be seen as morose, or perhaps the more superficial believers feel threatened in their presence. Conviction of their thin faith isn’t welcome, and this pains those who are lovers of God.

Just as in Scripture, God conforms these children in the wilderness - on their own. It matters not if they have fellow believers in their family. The serious Christian is often required to walk this road alone, without family, friends, or even their own spouse. In this way, God tests their resolve. Do they love their spouse, their family, or their friends more than they love Christ? Or are they willing to lay them all aside to chase after the all-consuming fire of the King of Glory?

Ultimately, the greatest test to give yourself to know whether or not you are a serious Christian, or that God is about to mold you into one, is this: How much do you love and adore the Lord Jesus Christ? Who is He to you? Does your heart take flight at His name alone? Do you fall at His feet as though dead when you meditate on all that He has given to you through His crucifixion, death, and resurrection? Does this literally take your breath away? Is your mind drawn to Him again and again throughout the day, no matter what you’re doing? Does Christ seem to be the great obsession of your heart? Do you have a secret inner life of prayer that no one knows a thing about? Do you often find yourself weeping to Jesus that no one else around you is as serious about their faith as you are about yours?

These are the marks of a serious Christian. While it can be terrifying to know you’ll be required to walk this road alone, I daresay there is no more fulfilling road to walk this side of Glory. You will have a communion with Christ other Christians don’t share. You will have wisdom rooted in His Word that He only reveals to those who humbly seek Him. You’ll have a greater sense of His presence and love upon you. He will become your all, your everything, the One for whom your heart beats. If this is God’s calling upon your life, you cannot run from it. He will chase you down until you submit to Him lavishing this grace upon you.

But do not fear this, beloved. Our Lord Jesus Christ has chosen you out of His other disciples to be one of His closest friends. This is a magnificent honor. Be a light unto your church and your brethren, and go forth clothed in the fragrance of Christ. Never, never be ashamed to wear His name, and know that His banner over you is love. The serious Christian is Christ’s own gift to His church. If you recognize these marks within yourself, then Jesus will guide you, lead you, and make you fruitful for His Kingdom.

Through your one passionate heart, O serious Christian, God is on the move. Praise the Lord.

Christ's Closest Friend

How many sermons have you heard that allegorize the story of David and Goliath, where David is you, and Goliath is some problem you must overcome? Despite the fact that this story isn't about you (it foreshadows Christ defeating sin, you're actually the trembling Israelites), one thing I haven't heard much from the pulpit is taking the lives of the disciples of Christ as our examples in our own walk with the Lord.

We know Christ was followed by many people. Some followed Him to get a handout, others were genuinely curious (John 6:24). More than just His disciples followed Him wherever He went. We know blind Bartimaeus from Jericho followed Him after his healing (Mark 10:52), and so too did Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna (Luke 8:1-3). Along with these, Christ had twelve specific disciples He hand-picked Himself. These were the men He revealed deeper secrets to, who were the recipients of His greater teachings. But even within the twelve, there were three who were His closest friends, Peter, James, and John. These three men were privileged to know and witness things the others did not.

Peter walked on water. John was allowed to rest his head on Christ's chest, and he called himself the disciple Jesus loved. Peter, James, and John all witnessed Jesus transfigured in glory upon the mountain, and not only that, they saw Moses and Elijah as well! These are incredible events these specific men were allowed to do and witness. The others were truly Christ's disciples as well, however, these three were favored by our Lord.

James was martyred early, the first of Christ's true original disciples to die for his faith. But Peter and John went on to become the leaders of the Apostles, and John was given the Revelation late in his life, the only Apostle to die of old age.

What made these men stand out in Christ's eye? And how can we be like them in our own walk with the Lord? First, I want to make it very clear that I'm not suggesting we try to emulate the gifts they had been given by the Lord as His Apostles. They built the foundation of the church, and as such, their gifts gave witness to their message. We are no longer laying the foundation of the church, therefore the apostolic gifts have ceased.

What I am suggesting is that we can decide for ourselves if we're going to get out of the boat, if we're going to lean upon Christ, if we want to see His glory.

Are we going to be periphery disciples following Christ for what He can give us? Adjacent disciples who hear His sermons and parables? Or Christ's closest friends who seek Him and pant after Him like a deer pants for the waterbrooks?

Even among the three men closest to Christ, there is one Apostle who stands out in Scripture, and I daresay he was Jesus's closest friend. You might think I'm referring to Peter. And Peter was indeed given many weighty responsibilities from the Lord. He was seen as a leader. Perhaps he was the most outspoken, or perhaps the most brave. Considering Peter is the one who stepped out of the boat in the midst of a storm and considering Peter is the one who first claimed Christ as the Son of God, I don't doubt these things to be true.

But no, I'm talking about the Apostle John.

All my life, I've heard men preach and assume that Peter was Christ's closest friend. But in thinking on this more and more, I don't believe he was. I believe Christ's best friend was John. John described himself as the "disciple Jesus loved". He is the one who laid his head on Christ's chest, and Peter asked John to ask the Lord who was the traitor at the Last Supper, Peter didn't ask Jesus outright. Perhaps he knew Christ would have a softer response to John than He would have to Peter. That idea seems to hold some weight, as Christ did seem to be more harsh with Peter than He was with John.

John would likely have been the youngest disciple. Perhaps he was young and impressionable. Maybe he was weaker than the others. Maybe he had a great faith. Perhaps he asked the Lord many searching questions. Maybe he was the first to recognize who the Lord was before the others. Maybe Christ took him aside and spoke with him often in a gentle and tender way. Considering he had felt at home lying on Jesus in the upper room, he was likely a tender man himself with a tender heart. I can only assume that John's heart was very much like Christ's, love for the Father, love for the lost, and a zealous devotion to Yeshua.

John's Gospel is the only one of the four to emphasize Christ's deity. John is the one who did not flee at Christ's crucifixion. Into John's hands Christ gave custody of Mary, His mother. John, along with Peter, ran to Christ's empty tomb. Perhaps here we can see the difference between these two men.

John did not enter the tomb, believing by sight alone. Peter, however, ran inside and had to handle the grave clothes. It's possible John's easy faith was well-beloved by Jesus. He did not need "evidence" to believe. It was John who was given the Revelation on the Isle of Patmos in his old age, and John alone who was allowed to die a natural death out of Christ's twelve original disciples.

Indeed, Peter was more bombastic, standing before the Pharisees and the High Priest Caiaphas in the book of Acts, accusing them to their face of crucifying their Messiah. That took great faith and great courage. But John was always with him, and I think Peter likewise had a soft spot for John the Apostle.

There is great evidence from Scripture that Christ favored the Apostle John over and above any of His other friends, including Peter. Yes, brethren, I believe John was our Lord's closest friend. Let us pray to love Jesus as John loved Him, whole-heartedly, not ashamed to lean upon Him, not afraid to learn of Him, to ask Him questions, to follow Him, to be seen with Him, not afraid to stand in boldness before the cross, not ashamed to claim Christ as his Lord and Messiah, faithful to the very end of his life.

The Apostle John was given the greatest privilege any Apostle had ever been given - the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. What glorious friendship did they share for Christ to bestow this magnificent honor? How great was their love for one another that our Lord allowed John a long life? How unshakable was John's faith in his God? How devoted was John's love for Christ? All-consuming, that's what I believe.

That is what we should strive to obtain, Church.

O, Lord Jesus, help us to love You as John loved You. Give us tender hearts, ignite our love for You to blaze forth, help us to be bold, allow us a great and mighty faith, and grant us the glory of being one of Your closest friends, seeking You in faithfulness for the rest of our days.

In Jesus' name,
Amen.