The Trenches of the Kingdom

Roads under construction and endless traffic. Flat tire and no spare. Endless bills and limited income. The loss of a close family member. Detours and delays. None of us like them. If anything, we try to find ways to avoid them at all costs, and if we come upon one, we want to do whatever it takes to expedite it or minimize its impact on OUR TIMELINE. We want to protect OUR EXPECTATIONS of our journey, and make sure that it goes as smoothly as possible. When we reach a bumpy stretch, we immediately look for an alternate route, even if the bumpy road is the intended path to help us to address key obstacles in our paths to our purpose. Many times, we confuse our Purpose with our Preferred Outcome. Many of us will allow our circumstances, our experiences, our perspective to define our potential, but we forget that only GOD defines our purpose. We are not here to reach a level of potential defined by this earth. We are only here to live out the purpose God has intended for us, and for His people. How many times do WE pause our Purpose, to chase after our dreams and desires? How many times are we easily distracted by what looks good or feels good, versus what IS GOOD?

Like the Israelites found out in Exodus, when we rely on our own understanding and wants, we will spend longer than intended in a place of lacking. In a place that only enslaves us to a counterfeit version of the real “Promised Land”. We pray so hard for God to take us to that next level, or to release us from pain and bondage yet we sometimes put that journey on pause ourselves chasing counterfeit gods and distractions that imitate those things that may feel good and look good on the surface, but they only extend the length of time we must be held captive. Our doubts and our lack of trust in God’s plan for us, and the path He takes us to get to our Purpose, will cause us more pain and will lengthen that time of agony all caused by our own choices. Let us read more about how the Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the desert instead of spending that time in the Promised Land that was prepared for them.

Before we go into the story of the Israelites it is important, we know their beginnings. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob later renamed as Israel by God, Joseph: multiple generations that received the promise of God, a covenant with God, that they would have blessings over their families and that God would never forsake them. They all had mighty purpose on their lives, but they also wrestled with God because like us today, they had their own perspective of what their future should look like and what they wanted from their lives. When God began working with Abram (his name was later changed to Abraham), God gave him a command and an amazing promise.

“Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.”

Genesis 12:1

Explaining the promise He would give Abraham in exchange for his obedience, God continued: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (verses 2-3). When Abraham left his country for the land God promised to show him, “he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8). After Abraham arrived in the land God wanted him to see, God announced that He would give this land to his descendants. As Abraham obeyed and grew in faith, God continued to reveal to him the blessings he and his descendants would receive.

How many of us know we have had generations of grandmothers or grandparents praying for us? Blessings over generations and generations? God made promises to Abraham, that I believe have continued to be passed down even today, yet God never promised Abraham that the journey would be easy. He just said it would be prosperous. Then 2 generations later we have Jacob, who was later renamed Israel in Genesis 32.

And He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.’

Genesis 32:28

The Israelites had a mighty purpose on their lives many, many, years before they were born. Others saw this mighty purpose and wanted to enslave them. Put them in bondage so that they could not see nor grow into that mighty place God had prepared for them. How many of us also have that mighty purpose on our lives but will allow lies of the enemy to distract us or tell us we are not capable of achieving a certain level of promise because of our mistakes or because of our circumstances?

Fast forward to the years after the Israelites had been enslaved by the Egyptians and God sends Moses, a man who the devil tried to have killed as a baby, to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. God performs many miracles to show the Israelites that He had the power to do what He said he would. All He needed from them was obedience and trust. Sounds easy right? Sure, until the road gets bumpy, until we can’t see the end in sight, until its no longer fun or no longer mirrors where we THOUGHT we were going, and/or until it takes longer than we had planned. See obedience and trust should not have limitations on them nor should they have stipulations. When the Israelites started their escape from Egypt toward the Red Sea, they cried out to Moses and God, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.

“The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”

Be STILL and KNOW. Be STILL and KNOW. You can’t say “God I will trust and obey, until it gets too hard.”, or “God I will trust and obey until I no longer like where you are taking me.” How can we pray for deliverance from Hell/slavery, yet not be willing to follow God’s lead however long it takes, to get to the place we prayed for and that was promised to us generations before our existence. Can you imagine standing in front of a raging sea, watching a man you barely know in Moses, stand on a hill and part the sea in half, and be told “cross to the other side”? How much fear and insecurity would fill your body in that moment? We must assume that when the Israelites were freed from the Egyptians, they had to of believed that they would reach this so-called “Promised Land” soon. That their times of suffering was over, but they quickly began to doubt if God truly had their best interests at heart. Is following Moses to the place God has promised truly what is best, vs being in slavery where at least you knew you would be fed? You knew what to expect? How many of us will stay in abusive relationships, at miserable jobs, or in a skeleton church, because it is comfortable, even though we are mentally and emotionally starving to death? But it’s comfortable and predictable. At least we know what is coming, right? The Israelites, similar to us, did not get stuck outside the Promised Land ahead of their purpose. They stopped.

In Exodus 32: 1-4, we see the Israelites turn to fake gods and idols in hopes to speed up the process. When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” Sometimes for us those fake gods may show up in the form of relationships, our jobs, money, achievements, etc. We need quick satisfaction and validation, and rarely do we want to put in the time required to get the return.

Later in Numbers, we see the Israelites doubt God again by sending spies in to check the land God has promised, before they enter, because they are unsure if God truly has their best interest at heart. I know many times in my life I have asked God for a preview of what’s to come. I have asked him to show me the “why”. We don’t like to lean on God fully, we want God to tell us what His plan is and let us approve of the details before we follow His lead. I believe a lot of our tests and learning trials are God’s way to seeing how long it will take until we FULLY surrender to Him and trust and obey His direction for our lives.

Because of their inability to trust and obey God, God delayed the Israelites entry into the promised land for 40 years. Numbers 32:13 says, “The Lord was angry with Israel and made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until the entire generation that sinned in the Lord’s sight had died.” In Number 32, God and Moses are instructing the Israelites NOT to lean on their own understanding and perspective of the land they see and finish the Lord’s mission for them and cross into the Jordan to defeat those who stand against the Lord. It is then, when we have done what God has called them to do, that they will inherit everything that was promised to them and their ancestors. They can’t see that what they will get from God is way more than they can get on their own. Three words stood out to me most in Numbers 32:16, “We simply want….”. Are quick wins simple in the long run? Are the things we get without the Lord things that will satisfy our thirst for a lifetime, or are they temporary? Moses pleads with them to see that God’s will only requires obedience and will lead to a lifetime of plenty. Numbers 32:20 says, “Then Moses said, “If you keep your word and arm yourselves for the Lord’s battles, and if your troops cross the Jordan and keep fighting until the Lord has driven out his enemies, then you may return when the Lord has conquered the land. You will have fulfilled your duty to the Lord and to the rest of the people of Israel. And the land on the east side of the Jordan will be your property from the Lord.”

A key thing I must point out though, is that even with the tug of war between the people of Israel and God, God STILL provided. Years of watching His people lean on their own understanding, yet He provided just what they needed in the time in which they needed it. We may see God as the 11^th hour God and wonder when the pain we are enduring will be over, but we must understand that in most cases WE are pausing our purpose and blessings by doing things our way. God knew the desert was temporary but necessary for His people to grow and truly be willing to surrender. In our lifetime, like the Israelites, we will have battles along the way. We will enter what appears like a never-ending drought. We expect that the process to the place that God has promised for us will come easy and fast, but we must understand that sometimes getting to that place times time and refinement to be able to appreciate the blessings God has provided for us along the way. God wants us to learn some lessons along the way about trusting him, and that he fights for us when we are surrounded by a great number of enemies on our way to the Promised Land. It’s the Journey of Refinement that has the greatest purpose, and in that obedience and journey of faith, we will reach not only our purpose for the Kingdom, but the Promised Land God has waiting for us. If we just surrender it all, and trust God’s timeline and not our own.

“After he had said this, he went on to tell them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.’ His disciples replied, ‘Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.’ Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So, then he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’”

John 11:11-15 NLT

Have you ever heard someone say, “You may feel like God is the ‘11^th hour God’, but His timing is always perfect”? I have really been trying to understand what this means on a deeper level. Some real-world examples of this is like a championship game that is tied in the last quarter or the last inning. Or a person who is on their death bed and only has hours to live. What are the emotions or thoughts you may have in that moment?

Today I want to speak from a perspective of the two thieves that hung on the crosses beside Christ on the day of His crucifixion. These two men were very different, but I think we all have a choice throughout our lives, not just in the ‘last hour’, to choose which one we will be. The story of Christ’s crucifixion along side these two thieves is talked about in Luke. The one to Christ’s right has become known as the “Good Thief,” while the one to His left is referred to as the “Unrepentant Thief.” These two men had spent a lifetime in a place of dishonor, deceit, and sin. They were given the same sentence as Christ: the innocent one.

“Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23: 32-43 NLT

Both of the thieves were in their last hour prior to crucifixion and ultimate death. They both could have kept a mindset that there was no Hope for them. That their lives were over, and Nothing could save them now. But God. How many times do you look at your life and feel hopeless? Guilt and sadness for choices you’ve made or the pain you have caused others. The enemy will try to tell you in the middle of the struggles that there is No Redemption for you. The enemy will whisper over and over that there is no way that you will ever overcome or that your mistakes are what will define you for the rest of your life. You may begin to believe that your identity is now your mistakes. But all of this is LIES! The enemy knows that if he can get you to forget your identity in Christ, he can steal your confidence and faith that God isn’t finished with you yet. God NEVER gives up on you, and He will do a good work in and through you even when you fail. But we have to make the choice that the “Good Thief” made. He could have allowed his feeling of defeat and hopelessness to take him to his grave after a life of emptiness. He could have also been like the “Unrepentant Thief” and chosen to question Christ’s authority in his last hour. He says to Jesus, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself-and us, too, while you’re at it”. Christ’s love for us appears to be so reckless that its hard for the “Unrepentant Thief” to believe that Jesus would choose to to die when He could have taken Himself down and proven to everyone, He was who He said he was. But He knew that His Resurrection and His selflessness to die for all, was going to be way more powerful. He had the power and potential to do anything, even to save Himself. Yet He didn’t focus on his Potential, He died for a much greater Purpose! Just like in the story of Lazarus, Jesus knew that it is in the “last hour” or when time seems to be running out, we begin to feel desperation. In John Chapter 11 the story of Lazarus’ “11^th hour” plays out. “Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

The question is will the desperation turn into submission or surrender to the one that is truly in control? Or will we waste precious time trying to do things our way, knowing that we are not the ones that are in control? I believe this is why Jesus says, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” God can do much more with our circumstances and our lives than we can ever dream possible, but yet sometimes we can be so stubborn. We will wait until it gets extremely dark along our paths before we beg God to intervene. We could have the light to guide us the whole way if we are willing to have faith and trust in Him alone, yet when we wait until the 11th hour to submit our lives to His will and control we begin to stumble because we do not have His light to guide us. Then we want to question as to why God has forsaken us. Why was God not there when we needed Him most? Lazarus’ sister Martha said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” John 11: 21-22. Jesus knew that His Father would be glorified more by what seemed like a miracle, than for Him to just to be the hero similar to Him choosing not to save Himself from the cross.

            The “Good Thief” and the “Unrepentant Thief” both were in their “11^th hour”. They had the almighty power beside them, yet they had a choice. Do they acknowledge their mistakes and turn them over to God’s control, and submit the time they have left to the Lord’s care and control, or do they just assume that it’s too late for them and die with those heavy burdens on their lives? 

I leave you with this statement today. It is in the 11^th Hour that God’s Power is the greatest! It’s in those “miracle moments” that God will be glorified for the changes and healing in your life, and not yourself. It is in that period of time that restoration and true healing is possible. But we have to KNOW that it is never too late. God’s grace and mercy does not have a time limit on it. Our faith is what aligns us with our purpose for the Kingdom of Heaven. We also have to learn to submit sooner. Don’t let the path get so dark that we suffer longer. The darkness will have light shined on it again when our death occurs, only for our lives in Christ to be restored and set ablaze for Him and Him alone. We have to TRUST that all good things come to those to trust in our Lord and Savior. The “Good Thief” said this before his death, “We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23: 41-43 I say it one more time, please hear me, it is in that “11^th Hour” that you will find God’s greatest power, His unconditional love, and all of His grace and mercy for us. Trust Him. Submit all of your burdens and trials to him and wait for Him.

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“Solitude is the creation of an open, empty space in our lives by purposely abstaining from interaction with other human beings, so that, freed from competing loyalties, we can be found by God” (Life with God Bible, p. 531).

How many of you can remember a time, where our grandparents would talk about working in the field as children? A time without the World Wide Web at their finger tips. A time where the loudest sounds they heard were of God’s creation around them or the sounds of their moms’ blender making bread. My grandmother would have old hymns or classical music in the background and everything was so relaxed. I sometimes wonder if our anxiety has been amplified because we have more distractions and disruptions?

Scriptural solitude is defined as withdrawing from the world around you, for a spiritual purpose. Generally it is sought in order to engage in other spiritual disciplines without the distractions typical in the presence of people. Why is it critical in our journey to regularly seek out a time of solitude? To answer that question, who better to imitate than Jesus?

Many times in scripture Jesus would seek out solitude. Jesus often got alone, not just for rest and a change of pace, but also that He might spend time in communion with His heavenly Father.

• “And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone” (Matthew 14:23).
• “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35).

I can’t speak for others, but I have always been someone who had a fear of being alone. I have also had a hard time being “Still”, because when I’m still the enemy would play mind games and try to grab a hold of me. So I felt I needed to keep moving. Stay busy. But that busyness only allowed the enemy to distract me more from the true Kingdom Purpose my God was trying to bring me to. This “Social Distancing” order has really tested me and created a void within me. But what if that void was for the purpose of me to go into the spiritual solitude finally and let the voids I had always filled with those around me or work, finally be filled by that Kingdom Purpose and my Lord’s likeness?

Withdrawing from the presence of all but God gives us an excellent opportunity for focused thinking about gospel truths and realities. We are able to soak in His grace and mercy. Reflect on His promises and freshly apply the gospel to our souls again. We are able to look back and reflect on the blessings that have been given to us before. The ones the enemy tries to get us to forget.

I was talking with a spiritual advisor of mine the other day, and I said “I feel like the closer I get to God, the more the enemy tries to amplify the thorns of my flesh,”. She said, “Absolutely he will. That is why we have to do everything we can to ‘Stay in the Spirit at All times’”. I began to think about that. I didn’t know why my desire was to be in the Spirit at all times, yet I truly was leaving so many open doors for the enemy to distract me. Talk about conviction. If we look at our schedules before “Social Distancing”, what percentage of our day was spent in Solitude with God surrendering to Him so that He could refill our spirits and prepare us for the seasons to come in our lives? If I’m honest, I would say less than 10% of my day. I spent more time on social media sites or texting friends than I did reading scripture or worshiping Him. In the times I was still, God would share mighty words with me. Like now. I was seeking Peace, Closeness, Companionship, Purpose, etc. yet I was looking for it everywhere but from our Lord.

Even Christ, in the middle of healing the sick and casting out Demons, He stopped and went into Solitude in order to be Refilled by His Father. Making sure they were still aligned and that the Father was pleased.

Paul is another example of where He received many revelations in His quiet time with God. In Ephesians where Paul is speaking to the Gentiles about the Lord’s plan he said, “As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:3‬ ‭NLT‬

When Paul is writing His letter to Corinth in Romans 1:12, I can hear myself saying similar words now. I feel it is a lot of the reason that this “Social Distancing” has been so hard for me. The scripture says, “When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.” Can’t really get together when there is a deadly virus going around. That is where my depression wants to flare up. But God… God is ready to use this time to refill us, to refine us, and to restore us for the next Season.

During this time when the distractions have been minimized and our Faith is tested, may we be reminded of the true value of solitude in the “Secret Place” with our Lord and Savior. As Jonathan Edwards put it, “True religion disposes persons to be much alone in solitary places for holy meditation and prayer . . . True grace delights in secret converse with God.”

True grace comes through faith in Jesus Christ when we take pleasure in being alone with God. Lord I want to be in the Highlands with you! In that secret place Lord! I will Praise you Lord even in the valleys because I know you are there with me in the shadows!

And the train of His Robe filled the Temple.

Did you know that in ancient times when a king won a great victory and defeated an enemy, the king’s greatest recognition was signified when he would have a piece of the defeated king’s robe cut off and then sewn onto the bottom or the train of his own robe.

So in Old Testament times, the length of your robe was a symbol of how victorious you had been in battle(s). The longer the train of your robe the more kings you had defeated.

Man I just got chills even writing that. The other day I asked friends what this scripture symbolized for them. They said things like, “Righteousness. Protection for His people. A filling of the Spirit. His Radiant Glory.” But the summary of all of that, was that He is our All and All. He is our Alpha and our Omega. When doing some more research I found that the Robe of Righteousness is not just a mantle or covering of our salvation, but it also is a symbol of Power and Authority. He gives us His robe of authority that He once wore, so we can be reminded of ALL the battles He already Won! If you see a team that is undefeated, do you want to play a pick up game against them or with them?

To have His authority means that nothing can change the steps He has ordered in your life. No one can defeat the King or His Kingdom.

There are two specific people in scripture who’s lives’ were truly impacted by the Robe of Christ. One was Joseph and one was a woman who’s name is not mention but who had struggled with bleeding sores for 12 years with no relief.

What Faith! Scripture in Matthew 9 doesn’t tell if this woman had heard or seen the miracles that Jesus had done before, but it does say that she had SUFFERED for 12 years. 12 years! Is there something in your life you have held onto and said, some how “I will figure this out”, or you’ve gone to doctor/therapist time after time. You’ve tried medicine after medicine with no relief. I find that the times where I was the strongest in my Faith were when I was at my lowest point of my life because I had tried to do it alone for too long. The woman says “If ONLY I can just touch His robe, I know I will be Healed”. Just touch it. Not wear it. Not bathe with it. Just touch the train of it. There is so much power and healing found in the Robe of Christ that it was a symbol of Hope to those who saw Christ wearing it.

Jesus said Her Faith is what healed her! But the Robe was a symbol for her that if ANYONE had the power and authority to heal her, Jesus did.

The second person who has a powerful story that include a Robe of many colors, was Joseph, son of Jacob.

Have you ever felt hated or that people you loved or that surrounded you each day were either envious of you or they hated who you were and your potential? They weren’t the cheerleader types. Joseph’s brothers hated him because they felt their father Jacob loved Joseph more than them. It’s such a difficult situation to be in when you only try to help others and do your best, but those same people want to crucify you. Imagine being in Jesus’ shoes. He came to DIE for those that hated him! Who killed him! Joseph was thrown into a well to die. He was sold to Potiphar. He was thrown in jail. Can you imagine the defeat Joseph must have felt, just because He wanted to live up to his full potential. He probably feels like all of His life was now over. But God…

In Genesis 39:21-23, while Joseph is in prison the scripture states, “But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love….The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.”
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There have been many times in my life that I have allowed my circumstance or those around me cause me to feel defeated. To feel as all the work I had done, wasn’t good enough. That I was the problem. Then I read this scripture and I am reassured that even if those around us persecute us and push us away, God WILL make a way! He will comfort us even more in that season. He will make a way when there seems that there isn’t a way. He will show us His never-ending faithfulness in the midst of it all. The thing is that we have to stay focused on His goodness and His love, or else we will allow the circumstance to define the ending to the story. This wasn’t the end for Joseph. It was the beginning. It was the time that actually was pivotal to His blessings. Had he not been in jail he wouldn’t have been able to interpret a man’s dreams, which would eventually end up with him interpreting the King’s dreams. His faith led him to his authority in Christ, and His authority given by Christ led him to His power over the land and for the Kingdom.

We must FORGET those that cause trouble or the feeling of failure in our lives, and Focus on the plans God has for us. Trusting that He will make our lives fruitful even in the very circumstance or place where we find the darkest moments.

So I go back, to the Train of our Lord‘s Robe filling the temple. When we are in the midst of those times that feel like we are being crushed. Like we just can’t take one more step. We must go to the temple, or bring the temple to us. Because when God enters the temple the Robe will be filled with al that we need to keep moving forward. The undefeated King will have a robe for you. A robe that has a patch from every battle that He won for you in your life. Every mountain He helped you climb once before. You will be clothed in His authority, and have His power to overcome. Those around us do not qualify us. Only our God can.

“It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭

Today I ask you to listen to the song below. Call on the Temple of our Lord to enter your home and your presence. Close your eyes and imagine Christ with a beautiful Robe of many different size patches, different colors, some with more wear than others, but that fills the room. The angels are around Him. They sing His praises and they cry “You are Holy Lord! Oh so Holy Lord!”. Think of the patches of your robe. What makes this battle any harder than the ones God has already won and those He has helped you win in your life. He said, “It is Finished”. We don’t have to fight the battle, we just have to trust Him through it. Nothing is more powerful than our Lord! Allow your faith in Him to be what heals you and what gives you strength to keep moving in the midst. Your robe is longer than you think!

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Imagine yourself in some churches today on a Sunday morning. You come walking in with addicts, prostitutes, atheists, felons… Non-believers. What reaction would they get? Would it be inviting, or could it be like what Jesus experienced in Luke Chapter 15?

The Pharisees were angry and disgusted that Jesus would spend His time loving and spending His time with those they found as Unworthy. Why would you even want to be around “Those” people?

The Church is meant to be the People. The People that have been chosen by God to be Shepherd’s for the Kingdom. Yet so often we look around and those parts of the body that Jesus so desperately wanted to share hope and restoration with, are not welcomed. They are not a part of the “Mission”.

In Luke 15: 3-7, Jesus tells the Pharisees a story. A story where a Shepherd has a herd of sheep, say worth $50,000 ($5,000 per sheep). One of those sheep wander off. The shepherd has to decide, do I stay and protect the $45,000 investment, or do I sacrifice that for the 1, less valuable sheep.

And Jesus says, EVERY-TIME, He would choose to leave the 99, for the 1! To business people that would be Insane! That would be Reckless! But that’s our God’s love. He doesn’t want us to be so comfortable with the 99, that we will sacrifice the life of 1 who is just as valuable as the 99 together. Jesus said, “…there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

But do we follow Jesus’ lead when it comes to our daily ministry? Or is it more about how many people attend on Sunday morning?

All sheep have fallen. All of our sin fell on the shoulders of Christ when He died for us. So why is the sin of the one sheep too heavy for us not to find it worth fighting for?

Blind, Handicapped, Addicted, Disabled, Non-Believer…

I have seen so many people either leave the Church or be unable to attend Church because they either do not feel welcomed, or where they are is so condemned by the righteous that there is no place for them in the body of the Church. I have seen non-believers asked not to come back. I have seen loved ones be stripped of their ability to lead in ministry after committing their lives to divinity and the kingdom, only because their spouses decided they wanted to walk away. No fault of their own.

I have seen children that are handicapped, who have behavior issues, who are “Hard” to accommodate be excluded because it wasn’t a big enough need in the grand scheme of things.

Have we left the 99 for the 1? Or are we choosing to be “OK” with the 99 because we have served the majority?

We all fall short. Myself included. But when do we decide to love people the way Christ did and love them where they are. Show them that they are just as important, if not more, to the body of Christ? Why don’t we leave the church building in search of the sheep that so desperately need the Hope of our Lord and the Breaking of Chains that only Out God can do? When our God has so freely given us healing and victory, why not exclaim from the roof tops that God loved us EVEN WHEN we were yet still sinners. Stop being religious, and start being Christ’s shepherds.

Just like us, God has each one of his sheep’s’ paths ordered. He won’t leave them. But He is calling for us to be OK to leave the comfortable hill top, and be willing to go into the valley and walk with his lost sheep until it is ready to return to the flock.

Are you ready to have reckless love for your neighbor the way your Father has had for you, so many times? Are you ready to stop allowing hypocrisy to keep you for sharing His victory?

Believers have been taught that the shepherd, our Father, would have to punish us in order for us to see our wrong doing and to come back to the flock. He isn’t going to break our leg so we have to lean on Him.

Our God said “It is finished!”. He just wants us to turn around so He can put us back on His shoulders. He carried our sin to the cross! He loves us. He celebrates with us when we are ready to step out of denial and allow Him to make us anew! Why does society tell us we have to strive to please God? Most don’t think their is hope for their lives because they are “too far gone”. They have “sinned too much”. NEVER.

We WERE lost, but Now we are Found. But to acts as Shepherds for the kingdom we have to be ready to go looking for the 1. No matter what.

It’s ok to be Cold, Tired, Broken, Messy… because our God is a Way-maker! Chain-breaker. Redeemer. Protector. Light among its path. Sheep don’t know what Pharisees require of them. They only know they can’t do it alone anymore.

It’s time church; time to just focus on the ONE. Not the lights. Not the programs. Not the majority. God’s sheep that just want to be welcomed. We don’t deserve it. Yet He did it for us. May we follow in the steps of our Father. Recklessly.

In Isaiah 48:10 the Lord says, “I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”

Why is it that we pray for God to change us, and to make us anew, yet when we are faced with our lives entering the Crucible of God, we are conflicted as to whether or not the heat and the pain are worth it?

When you look up the word Crucible it has two meanings:

1. A container in which metals or other substances can be melted or subjected to VERY HIGH temperatures.

OR…

2. A situation of severe trial, in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new.

Creation of something new! Yes! Sign me up!

Wait… Severe Trial?? Yes. It is required to make something New.

Unseen Value of the Rocks

Gold, when extracted from the earth, does not look like gold we find in a jewelry store. In fact, it is not always recognizable due to the impurities that make it look like it’s not valuable at all. Sound familiar? The world we live in, and the lies of the enemy that tend to create an outside shell on us, make us like unrefined gold. Yet, for the person searching for it, (God), the ugliest lump of gold is of great value, and the potential for beauty is evident. God sees our potential before we are even born. He made us not only in His image, but for His purpose. He loves us and picks us way before we see our own potential. He loved us while we were still Sinners!

In my life I have always been one to avoid controversy. To avoid conflict at all costs. Being in the trenches or in the midst of battle and saying, “God?! How long must I suffer? How long will this last?” We want to be changed but we don’t want the transformational process that is required to reach that place God has for us. June Hunt shares there are 5 steps to the Refinement of God.

1. The Breaking of Our Flesh

For silver or gold to be refined, they must take hardened rock called ore and break it, so that it can then be heated. So often this is a symbol of God breaking our habits or even our hearts from being hardened to the ways of our flesh, and being willing to submit to His will for our lives. Unless this process happens, God cannot, nor can the refiner begin the process of refinement into something far greater.

2. Through the Fire by way of the Crucible

As I said earlier in the post, the crucible is a fireproof container in which metals or other substances can be melted or subjected to VERY HIGH temperatures. I see the crucible as the Hand of God. Yes we are put into the fire by way of the crucible yet the crucible cannot be destroyed. It is what will hold us together during the fire. It gently molds us and holds our shape as the refiner removes those things of us that are not of Him or His reflection.

3. Removing the Dross (Impurities)

As the ore/rock is heated in the crucible, the “dross” or impurities, begin to rise to the surface. In the midst of hard times, especially when no one else is around and we feel under fire, we begin to see those things about ourselves that are not very pretty. Anger or frustration. Dishonesty and disloyalties. We could go on. Anything that is keeping us from being a reflection of our Refiner, God, is exuded from our flesh/soul.

4. The Purifying

During this process, the refiner continues to scrape away the impurities and return the crucible back to the fire, up to 7 times, until those deeper impurities are released. God knows that our flesh is like an onion. He had to peel away the layers of who we have become and that some hurts/habits/or hang ups will take longer than others to be removed.

5. The Reflection of God

The process of purification will continue until God, our Refiner, can see a clear image of Himself. See our impurities, dross, will distort the reflection to where we don’t see an exact replication of God but some of the world. He wants to continue to transform us until we are no longer “of this world” but of His image.

Similar to Gold, when silver is refined it brings another valuable perspective of the refining process. In our Season of Refinement, God never leaves us. Here is story I saw online of a lady talking to a silversmith about this process.

“She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, ‘How do you know when the silver is fully refined?’ He smiled at her and answered, ‘Oh, that’s easy — when I see my image in it.’”

If the furnace/fire of affliction went too long, we would be destroyed. Wow. We talk about Gods perfect timing and here we see that again. He knows exactly how long we need to be in the fire so that He can see His reflection in us, but we are not destroyed. Isaiah 43:2, “When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” He also will pull us in and out, long enough for a set of impurities to arise out of us, and then will put us back in, in the next “season”, for the next phase(s) of refining.

God reminds me that even when the fire gets hotter, or the pressure on me gets stronger, He is still with me. Our Refiner stays with us. If you are willing to surrender your will to His will, God promises to produce, through your trials, He will transform you into something far more valuable than gold.

Watch this video and listen to this song, “The Refiner”, by Maverick City Music. Allow God to hold you, to refine you, and to prepare you for much greater than you ever thought possible. When we can’t see our potential He calls us more valuable than Gold! Glory be to God!

Peace. Revitalization. Life full of the Spirit.

Isn’t that what we all want? A life that is fruitful, where we are at peace and living out God’s purpose for our lives.

Yet we somehow find ourselves in the midst of chaos. Debilitating anxiety, depression, worry, where we are looking for something of the flesh to fill our emptiness.

What if we tried something new today? What do we have to lose?

So over the last year God has truly pulled me closer in more ways than one. His first pull was into His word. For the first time in my life I was intrigued by His word. I would sit on the edge of my seat as Pastor Ben would share the message each week. Hearing God’s messages in a way I had never heard it before. Finally viewing scripture from the Bible as more than just rules. It was a storybook of real life stories of battles, miracles, and of life lessons that I had never seen come alive like I did now.

I want to share two Greek words with you that were shared with me this week and they spoke so loud and connected perfectly to the message I felt God wanting me to share. Those two words are Logo and Rhema.

Logos is God’s written word. There is no speculation. No need to wonder. It represents God’s ways. It’s very personal.

Rhema is an instant personal connection to our Lord where He is speaking to us directly. He comes to us within our Spirit. This allows us to know God subjectively and exponentially. The word is more specific to us.

God communicates to us through His written word and him speaking to us directly in the Spirit form.

In this season of being Still, I have begun to hear God speak to my spirit more and more. Sometimes He would speak to me through others. He would speak through a whisper or in what felt like a confirmation into something I wasn’t even aware I would need confirmation on. Sometimes I have even had Him share a word that was for someone in the season with me. This was the first time I truly heard God speak. Not because He just showed up.

Nope. It was because this was the first time I was sitting at His feet. Listening to and soaking in His words. The logos. The written words. We receive the Rhema word as we are reading or praying through the written word.

This unlocked my Spirit to be able to receive. I was finally turning back to God and away from my fleshly desires. I wanted to KNOW Him more. I wanted to hear not only His promises for me, but to hear all the possibilities when you’re on the team that has NEVER been defeated! By giving Him my Spirit I was able to begin to see my emptiness and areas of lacking begin to be filled with peace and life everlasting.

The Lord uses the logos, constant written scripture, to speak instant Rhema word to us in our particular situations. It supplied me in the midst of my circumstance.

It imparts Christ on our life so that we can be filled with His spirit abundantly.

The more we read the written word the more we can hear his spoken word through Rhema. We are able to be inwardly transformed. Rhema will represent His Present word, and Logos will represent His never ending, constant word.

Our Lord’s Spirit is real but intangible. But His words are substantial. The words He speaks are the embodiment of the Spirit of Life.

When we exercise our spirit we get The spirit. By praying the words on the page we contact the spirit in the word. The words become spirit and life for us. It fills us. It replaces all negative thoughts and things of the flesh.

1st Corinthians 2: 10-12

“But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”

What an amazing feeling it is to see the written constant word, be the thing that stirs the Spirit and awakens the Rhema, or spoken word, which allows us to experience the Kingdom of God here on Earth!

Spirit of the Living God, Fall Afresh on Me.

With one breath, one touch, our God can SHIFT the atmosphere within our minds, bodies, and souls.

With a Whisper.

Reading scripture tonight I was reminded that many have had illnesses or “disabilities” that have caused them to feel disconnected from the world. And sometimes even God.

For me I have struggled with mental health issues for a long time. In a moment, out of no where, my mind shifts from a place of confidence and peace to a place I like to call “the Enemy’s playground”.

Lies of Rejection. Lies of my Worth. Lies of Failure. Just Lies.

They pierce my soul to a level where I feel like David in the Bible. “God I know you could stop this right now! Why? Why do I have to go through this?”

In Psalm 13 David says:

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?”

Have you ever asked God, “How much longer God?”

Can I be real? Have you ever had a moment where the lies made you feel like giving up would be better for those around you, versus you standing in your authority and NOT letting the enemy control your mind anymore?

David continued:

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But the best part is the end of this passage. The best part is knowing that David was being used by God, even in his times of weakness where the enemy and his flesh were in a battle. David knew that His God had helped him win many times before. Why would this time be any different?

He finishes by saying:

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

He has been GOOD to me! Yes God! (Enter praise dance here)

At 34 years old, as I have moments where the enemy tries to get a hold on my mind, I reflect back to the 18 year old girl who felt like life was over. My dreams of being a Clemson grad and continuing the family tradition were gone because I was weak. But God showed up and showed out and took me on a path that made me even stronger today.

He WHISPERS:

“Caroline remember that you’ve been here before. But the journey isn’t over. Because I have your steps ordered you just have to trust me. Great things will come. Every battle is won! Head up and carry my victory with you!”

He WILL do it again! He has always been so, so Good to me!

Listen for the Whispers of Triumph!

https://youtu.be/XtpJ7LSx2QQ

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. (1 Kings 19, NIV, bold mine).

Stop. Reflect. Breathe.

Have you ever been in the midst of a trial or chaos in your life?

Life seems to be in fast forward and you just wish for a moment you could press PAUSE. Stop all of the responsibilities. Stop all of the expectations. Just stop…

Shouldn’t be difficult right? WRONG.

As a mom who has struggled with codependency her whole life, if I’m not doing something for someone, then I’m not living for a purpose. But a purpose of the flesh, and not of the spirit.

Chaos begins to be the norm. Distractions and disruptions from our Kingdom Purpose. The more the enemy is able to distract us with the less time we are able to spend at the feet of our Lord. We feel abandoned. Abandoned by the one who said He would never forsake us.

We keep praying. We keep screaming in frustration. We’re exhausted. We’re empty. When does the refilling process begin? How can you even attempt to pour into others when your vessel is empty?

Crazy thing is our God could send a lightning strike to get our attention. He could in a moment breathe and cause a mighty wind. Yes that would show His power, but He isn’t here for that. He’s here to show us He is close.

Problem is that we can’t hear His whispers because we are distracted by the worldly purpose for our lives, and the kingdom purpose is drowned out. We fear our life is ending, when God is offering a new beginning. God is whispering to us. He has the answers. His voice calms the storm. The storm of chaos that circles our lives that we have been BEGGING Him to rescue us from, could in a MOMENT be silenced. Yet we won’t be quiet and still long enough to Let God be God. “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10 NLT)

What if you take a moment? Say 10 minutes. Invite God to Whisper. His Whisper can do ALL, and you can finally lean in and soak in His presence. Ceasing all distractions and beginning to bring the Kingdom closer daily.