Philippians 3:12-14, “ I don’t mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That’s what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason he made me his.  Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me.  I keep running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven.”

You know what I love about this passage? I love that Paul is a forward thinker. I’ve often commented that you can’t go anywhere looking in the rearview mirror, but I would also like to point out that your past will always try to keep you there, stuck in reasons why you can’t move forward. Paul lived his life as if his goal was just out of reach, yet he kept reaching for it as hard as he could. “Running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven.” In all he endured, he never got stuck there. 

Saul was a persecutor of the early church, having Christians stoned, thrown in prison and beaten until one day Jesus met him, changed his life and his name. He could have lived the rest of his life in regret, unable to move forward, focused on what he had done instead of what he was sent to do. Most of the New Testament would have remained unwritten if that had happened. But Paul wrote, “I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me.”

Many of us allow the accuser to speak more to us than the Holy Spirit. Be careful which voice you’re listening to. Is that voice you’re focused on in your future or your past? The Holy Spirit will lead you but the enemy will hold you back with accusations, fear and intimidation. Don’t get stuck there! You may have been traumatized, persecuted, violated, criticized and beaten physically, emotionally or both, but allow yourself time in the presence of the Lord to heal and move forward. God never intended for you to stay there indefinitely. Allow the Lord to be your navigator out of your pit into the palace where he’s destined you to live. 

Just as Paul, I refuse to allow my past to dictate my future. If I allowed those failures to hold me back, I would never be a public speaker, never be a leader, never be a writer, an encourager or an intercessor. If I listened to the accuser, I would have let my lack of education keep me contained in a much smaller place. But I hear a voice, the voice of the one I love, calling my name. He’s saying, ‘Keep reaching, Sandy! I’m here. If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.’ 

I’m running after you, Father. I may be tired, but I will pick up my weary bones and run yet again. I will run like the wind for a glimpse of your face. I have tasted of your water and I thirst for more. This world is not my home and can’t hold me here. I’m merely a traveler on assignment, commissioned to carry the light of your love to a thirsty world. If I lose my life, you have already redeemed it, what is that to you? I want to be a forward thinker too, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of my faith. I will reach for you until I am in your arms. It’s for your glory that I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I’m going to share briefly some thoughts the Lord has put on my mind today. It’s interesting to watch the things that people post on Facebook, particularly with so much happening in the Middle East. I’m reminded of Luke 21:25-26, “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

But there is, or should be, no fear for the children of God. This should instill hope in our hearts, that the Word of God is true and Jesus is coming soon. This is a time of harvest, when the glory or power of God is being poured out in the earth. This is the season for signs, wonders and miracles to take place. We as blood bought children of God are carriers of hope to those who have no hope. These things will follow those who believe, they will speak in tongues, they will cast out devils, heal the sick and raise the dead.

That’s pretty radical right there, but don’t you think it’s going to take radical miracles to awaken those who have lost faith in God? I believe that as Christians, our hour is very near! We must prepare ourselves by seeking the face of God, shaking ourselves awake from our slumber, filling our lamps with the oil of the Holy Spirit and walk in the living love of God. What we have in us must be demonstrated in love or it will have absolutely no value to the Kingdom of God. God is Love! It only makes sense that He uses love to change the nations. Just as faith is the enemy to fear, love is the enemy to hate. If we want to be true carriers of the grace of God, we must first learn to operate in the Love of God.

Father, make us lovers just as Jesus loved. This is the only way you can project yourself on the earth, through us. Help us to patiently, persistently love today and show the world who you really are, loving them into the Kingdom. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Romans 12:4-5 ERV, “Each one of us has one body, and that body has many parts. These parts don’t all do the same thing.  In the same way, we are many people, but in Christ we are all one body. We are the parts of that body, and each part belongs to all the others.”

Let’s think about this for a moment. If you take one cell from a body, how long would it live on it’s own? What about a finger? I heard of a man who lost his finger and they found it and sewed it back on. As long as it hasn’t been apart from the hand for too many hours, it can be reattached and actually work again. Amazing, right? We are fearfully and wonderfully made indeed.

But what about people? What if they separate themselves from the body of Christ? How long will they survive on their own without soon losing hope? Without the love of God waxing cold, becoming a distant memory? How many times have we witnessed a sister or brother in the Lord becoming discouraged and disconnecting from the body?

I encountered a similar person awhile ago at a memorial service. They said they were happier than they’d ever been, pursuing money instead of God, they had found they didn’t need church or that scene anymore to be happy. Really? Then why were they trying to convince everyone they were ‘happier than they’d ever been’? Whatever you choose to feed will grow, but it will also absorb all of your time and effort to maintain it.

Here are somethings that money cannot buy; health, peace, joy, unconditional love, goodness, mercy, grace. All of these things cannot be bought with money, they are a free gift from a God who loves us. When we’re dissatisfied, our flesh wants, but if we feed our spirit and deny our flesh, we will find extreme satisfaction in serving God. I will always have a choice to serve my flesh or my spirit, I chose my spirit.

Father, thank you for showing this to me this morning. Your Word tells me to seek you with all my heart and I will find you. You said that if I give it will be given back to me in abundance. I know that when I pursue you and what is dear to your heart, I will never be disappointed. Matthew 6:33 tells me, “What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need.” I believe that, God. I believe that you seek to restore what is lost, so I call back those whose love has waxed cold. Those who have lost hope, lost their way, come back! The body is waiting for you. It’s never been too long for God to restore you back to your rightful place. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Ephesians 1:18-23, ^“I pray that God will open your minds to see his truth. Then you will know the hope that he has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised his holy people are rich and glorious.  And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. It is the same as the mighty power  he used to raise Christ from death and put him at his right side in the heavenly places.  He put Christ over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings. He gave him authority over everything that has power in this world or in the next world. God put everything under Christ’s power and made him head over everything for the church.  The church is Christ’s body. It is filled with him. He makes everything complete in every way.”

What a beautiful passage of scripture this is. Paul prayed that we would see Gods truth so we would be filled with the hope he chose us to have. What is that hope? Jesus. It’s knowing who is in us and the power we possess because of that indwelling. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. But just like anything else, if you don’t understand and know what you have access to, it’s of no value to you.

If my name is on a shared checking account, it automatically gives me access with proper identification to that account, but if I don’t understand my rights to that account, I would never access it or use the money in it.  In other words, it wouldn’t benefit me in anyway, shape or form to have my name on something that I don’t know about or have the understanding of how to use it. It’s like that with what Jesus has given us access to. He paid the price so that we could have access to the very power that raised him from the dead. Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel, healing the sick and raising the dead, followed by the words, “I am with you always.” So what are we waiting for?

He is in us, we are his body and he makes us complete in every way, that’s what Paul said, didn’t he? So perhaps it’s time to start believing what Gods Word says and take back our authority, sign our name to the check and use this power in us for His glory. In that account is healing and life, we just need to know that God backs us with the same power He gave to Jesus. It’s in the account, why not use it?

Father, we place our hope in you, knowing that you will cover us when we step out in faith. Faith in your promises. Faith in your Word. Help us to trust you more and us less. It’s in your name and for your glory that we ask this, in Jesus’ Name. Amen

Long ago, about 40 years now, I sat at a table talking with a young man about the Word. Right in the middle of the exchange, I heard the Lord clearly say to me, “This is the man you will marry.” Seriously? Just like that? I don’t even love this guy! Then, just as if God opened me up and poured something warm on me, he filled me with His love toward Walt. Yes, that’s right, I married that man one year and 5 months later. Let me add to this story that I was in Haiti at the time and Walt was led to visit us with a friend who had canceled on him at the last moment.

Now, here’s the part many don’t know. Our marriage was hell for the first 7 years. At one point, I left him for a month and argued with God about not going back. I questioned whether I heard from God or not. There was no love in our marriage, no good communication. I felt alone, neglected and may I add, very sorry for myself. God was patient with me but my great moment of change was when He showed me that I wasn’t perfect either. His words to me were, “You work on you and let me work on Walt.”

Matthew 7:3-5 says, “Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood that is in your own?  Why do you say to your friend, ‘Let me take that piece of dust out of your eye’? Look at yourself first! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye.  You are a hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to get the dust out of your friend’s eye.”  Thats what God was saying to me. You change you. You work on you. 

When I began to see Walt as God saw him and began building him up instead of tearing him down, he changed. Is he perfect? Does it matter? None of us are perfect, but God works with what we have to offer and makes us into His image and likeness and that happens in it’s own time for His own purpose. Just like sandpaper, God adds people to our life to refine us. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s necessary. Why do we always have unrealistic expectations of others when we ourselves don’t even measure up. God gave us one command, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Not with our puny human love but with His big unconditional lavish love. He didn’t say they’d deserve it, but we didn’t deserve His love either.

You may be hurt today because of what someone else has done. You can’t control them, but you can control what you think and what you say. You can allow God to take what satan meant for bad and use it for His good. You can allow Him to pick up the broken pieces of  your life and create something beautiful. You are a work of art. Don’t allow others to determine your destiny, that is for God alone to decide. Stop asking why. Start asking God to use you in new ways. Falling is less painful when you have someone to catch you. God is standing ready to catch you now.

Father, in all the hurt and frustrations we encounter, may we find we have you to run to. You care so much for us and we choose to trust in you. It seems that each time we get our eyes off you and onto someone or something else, we lose our sense of balance. We search for happiness in others instead of you. You are the foundation that we build our lives on. We are complete in you. May we always find you in the center of it all. Our lives are yours and we trust you. We trust you with our husbands, our children, even our grandchildren. Every relationship we have, may your will be done. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Psalm 46:1-3 says, “God is our protection and source of strength. He is always ready to help us in times of trouble.  So we are not afraid when the earth quakes and the mountains fall into the sea. We are not afraid when the seas become rough and dark and the mountains tremble.” 

There is only one thing we need to focus on and that is God. If we know Him as our protection and source of strength, we will not fear or question when things happen around us. That takes a lot of focus! That also takes discipline, because there will always be things happening around us that try to cause us to fear. Things that vie for our attention, like our children saying, “Mom! Mom! Mom!” while we’re talking on the phone. Man that used to irritate me!

Once again I hear God say, “Glance at the problem, focus on me!” That forces me to return to the secret place, where I rest in the tent of my God, listening to His plans for victory and success. I find myself dwelling there more and more as the world around me becomes less of a safe place. I rarely listen to the news or read articles about current events anymore. I simply can’t afford to lose sight of my assignment; to be a light in the darkness, a city set on a hill that cannot be hid. If I focus on my assignment, I can trustthat God goes before me to clear out the obstacles, making my path straight.

Is it easy? No. I’m sure that if you ask any of our soldiers going into battle just how they do it, they will tell you that they listen and obey. They know their assignment and they do what they’re told to do. They have one objective-to conquer the enemy. They obey the plans that have been set for them, whatever the cost. We also have one commander, Jesus Christ. He has given us marching orders, to make disciples. Ours is a mission of love, healing and serving others. Bringing them comfort at the cost of our own. We must not be distracted or driven off course by our own agendas or purposes. We are soldiers of the cross. We must be united in purpose-His, not ours.

Father, we repent of our own agendas. We have been silly children, running around, playing our games and asking for frivolous things. We have allowed ourselves to be self-centered and self-seeking instead of the self-less warriors you’ve called us to be. We’ve become full of fear from what we see around us instead of locking eyes with You and only listening to Your voice. Forgive us for our willful ways. Cause our hearts to trust in you again. Cause us to clear the cobwebs of distrust and remember it is You who made us, we are Yours. When the enemy comes in, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord raises up a standard (of recognized excellence or established authority) against them. No one is more powerful than You, Father. No one. We place our hope and trust in You. It’s in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

I was talking with my daughter Stacy, on the drive home from work last night, comparing notes on the crazy things that have been going on with both of us this week. One word came to mind as we spoke; weird warfare. Have you ever experienced weird warfare? Weird  stuff going on everywhere, trying to hijack your emotions, your attention, overwhelm you, make you feel inadequate, incapable, defeated?  It’s like PMS on steroids. You try to focus on the Word but the thoughts in your head are so loud, they drown out the Word.

I decided to turn off the noise in my head and just be still before the Lord. Sometimes just experiencing the peace and presence of God is what’s needed to get you to a place of victory. Psalm 16:8 ERV says, “I always remember that the Lord is with me. He is here, close by my side,  so nothing can defeat me.” There may be small battles going on around me, but the Lord is always with me. I may be in a fight for my peace, but nothing can defeat me. 

Perhaps this is you as well, feeling like you’re alone and God’s forgotten you. Never! He’s right in the middle of your mess, calling you to a place of victory only found in Him. Do you hear Him? You have to listen close. It’s not the loud voice that’s screaming for your attention, it’s the whisper, tune in on that voice. You can do it. Remember the time you were in that crowd but you heard your son/daughter call you above the noise of the crowd? It’s like that. Listen.

Like the rush of a wind, a release of a dam, here it comes, washing over you, refreshing you, out with the old, in with the new. Welcome, Holy Spirit. You bring wisdom, strength, refreshing, I can do this! You even sort out my scrambled thoughts and put them in order so that I can do one thing at a time.  It’s kind of like the lists that Walt is so well known for! All numbered on a page, I know exactly what to do now.

Father, thank you for bringing order to chaos, peace to turmoil, hope to my hopelessness. Nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible for you. You have this. None of this is a surprise to you. You knew that we would face this long before it happened and have already made a way out. Thank you that you show me the way out, that you prove to me time and time again that I’m not in control at all. You are! I will hitch a ride on your wings through it all, above it all, where I find rest in the process of peace. Thank you Father! You have this all worked out and I will give you all the glory for it. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

I was reading in Hebrews this morning chapter 11, the great ‘hall of faith’. Love reading about how people in the bible believed God and He counted it, keeping track of those who had faith in Him. Amazing. So, as I’m reading (and I love it when the Lord does this), I ran across these verses that gave me pause. Perhaps it’s the translation, I don’t know, because I’ve read this many times, but this morning, it was different.

Verses 13-16 ERV; All these great people continued living with faith until they died. They did not get the things God promised his people. But they were happy just to see those promises coming far in the future. They accepted the fact that they were like visitors and strangers here on earth. When people accept something like that, they show they are waiting for a country that will be their own.  If they were thinking about the country they had left, they could have gone back.  But they were waiting for a better country—a heavenly country. So God is not ashamed to be called their God. And he has prepared a city for them.

“They did not get the things God promised his people. But they were happy just to see those promises coming far in the future.” I was thinking of all the things my grandmother used to talk about in the Word, the many promises that her children would serve the Lord. She didn’t get to see her great-grandchildren, my children serving the Lord, yet she believed God and is now enjoying the city that was prepared for her.

I’ve shared this before but I’ll share it again; You can’t go anywhere looking in the rearview mirror. You must look ahead, not behind. God has made it clear to us that this world is not our home, we don’t belong here. This is merely a place where we make disciples for Christ and leave a mark on the earth that can’t be erased. His intentions have always been clear, we are His servants, sent to do His bidding, not our own. When we become confused about our assignment, we will fail. We must keep the instruction book close and consult it whenever we lose sight of our task.

I had just come back from seeing my oldest daughter and enjoying the grandchildren. As we were talking on the phone, I was feeling a little melancholy and mentioned how much I long to be used of God but felt I was missing the mark. “I just don’t want to miss all God has for me to do,” I said. “Mom, you’re not looking at this right. If it weren’t for you, the words you’ve spoken, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Your grandchildren wouldn’t be what they are today. Shannon wouldn’t be who she is today.”

“But they were happy just to see those promises coming far in the future. They accepted the fact that they were like visitors and strangers here on earth.” My focus must remain on Jesus. My assignment is temporary. My home is not earth. I must remain faithful to the call to seek the face of God, to hear his voice, to obey his commands for me. If each of us did this, can you imagine the heritage of faith we would leave in the earth?

Father, forgive me for getting sidetracked, distracted, melancholy, downhearted, discouraged. I turn my face back to you, the lover of my soul, the face I long to see, the one who has a city prepared for me. Your Word, alive and powerful, will never return empty or lifeless. It brings hope to the hopeless, faith to the faithless, life to the lifeless. It’s what makes me get up early full of joy. I will enjoy this journey of faith. It will take me farther than I’ve ever traveled and lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.  You are well able to keep what I’ve committed to you. There’s no sense in both of us thinking about it. You have it, so I’ll let it go. In Jesus’ Name and for your glory. Amen

Revelation 2:1-7 ERV; “Write this to the angel of the church in Ephesus:

“Here is a message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.

 “I know what you do, how hard you work and never give up. I know that you don’t accept evil people. You have tested those who say they are apostles but are not. You found that they are liars.  You never stop trying. You have endured troubles for my name and have not given up.

“But I have this against you: You have left the love you had in the beginning.  So remember where you were before you fell. Change your hearts and do what you did at first. If you don’t change, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.  But there is something you do that is right—you hate the things that the Nicolaitans do. I also hate what they do.

 “Everyone who hears this should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who win the victory I will give the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life, which is in God’s paradise.”

“You have left the love you had in the beginning,’ ‘Change your hearts and do what you did at first’.  I believe that time and trials causes our love to wax cold. I’ve seen it happen even in our own marriage; things you go through sometimes takes it’s toll on you, your circumstances create a distance between you that you must work at to get back together. I think back at how I felt when we were dating, the desire we had for one another and I allow those feelings to be refreshed.

Today, I reflect back on the day I gave my life to Jesus, accepted his deep love for me and realized the depth of his sacrifice. It was so personal, so complete, as if it consumed every bad thing I’d ever said or thought. That love, branded my heart with a brand unique to me. He gave me a new name, a new life, wiped away every evil, made me new. He released me from the prison of my own making, took me out of where I was and placed me in His Kingdom. Connected me to the Father by transfusing me with his own blood, the blood that brings healing, eternal life, everything needed for every test or trial I’d face. Done. Never to be undone.

“To those who win the victory I will give the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life, which is in God’s paradise.” I overcome because HE overcame. His victory is MY victory. He said he would never leave me, never forsake me, that he is with me always until the end and I believe that. Regardless of the daily struggle, He gives me the victory. He causes me to overcome. I will never forget what He did for me. Never.

So once again, I encourage you to reflect for yourself on what God has done in your life. If you’ve not yet begun your journey of love, simply say, “Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. I receive you as my Lord and Savior. I believe that you love me and will never leave me. I receive your peace and presence in my life and surrender my own plans and purposes to you. Take my life and use it for your own glory, In Jesus Name. Amen”

Now, begin to read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Learn what a wonderful plan the Father has for us from the beginning of time. Get to know the one you serve and set yourself for the best relationship you’ll ever have.

Sometimes I wonder what God is trying to say to me, when other times it’s very clear. Seems like the past few days has all been about love, which has made me aware of how much love is lacking in my life. I thought I loved, but I realize that if I don’t love those who aren’t nice to me, I don’t really have the love of the Father fully developed in me.  It’s easy to love those who love you and are nice to you, completely different animal with those who are nasty, say mean things and are just plain unkind.

I Corinthians 13:1-3 says, “I may speak in different languages, whether human or even of angels. But if I don’t have love, I am only a noisy bell or a ringing cymbal.  I may have the gift of prophecy, I may understand all secrets and know everything there is to know, and I may have faith so great that I can move mountains. But even with all this, if I don’t have love, I am nothing.  I may give away everything I have to help others, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing by doing all this if I don’t have love.”

As I finished reading this passage, another story Jesus told came to mind. It’s found in Matthew 25:31-46, I’ll let you read it on your own, but it was his last parable, his parting gift to his followers who had come to see him off. The separation of the sheep and goats, those who were lovers of others, who did all in the name of Love and as unto the Lord, those would inherit eternal life. It’s what’s done in love that matters most. Paul said it. Jesus said it. Love is the only way!

Imagine with me how different our world would be if everyone practiced love. In the day to day things and in the big life things. Going to the grocery store, helping someone find something and placing it in their cart. Buying groceries for a neighbor who the Lord shows you is struggling. There is nothing that opens people up to the gospel like love. I’m not talking conditional love, the love that says, “I’ll be nice to you if you’ll be nice to me!” I’m talking about a love that has no borders or bindings. It can’t be held in a book or a life, it’s just, well, it’s as big as God. The more you give, the larger your capacity to give. Your life becomes rich in ways that money can’t buy. You’re always looking for ways to bless someone around you.

That is a life rich in love and rich in God. Without God, you cannot know love and without love, you cannot truly know God. God loved us so much that He gave, it only makes sense that He would create us to do the same. God is the resource of love we draw from, like our very own bank account. It’s limitless, always ready for withdrawals. The more you love, the more love is available for you. You draw from God and give away, never expecting from others the love you can only get from God.

Oh Father, what great love you have for us. The only way I can love like you is to know that your DNA runs through my blood. I am your daughter, made rich in love because of you. Father, help me to love like you. To know the heights and depths of your love and to be so full of your love that it just naturally overflows to others. Not a dam or reserve. Not a lake or a pond, but a river that flows freely into the lives of all that surround me. May I be known as a giver of love. In Jesus’ Name. Amen