Friday, April 26, 2019

Safety Check!

The believer's complacency is a security or confidence we feel apart from God.
Our hearts say, “all is
well, we can rest now.” It’s a feeling of satisfaction and safety.

The Word of God says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

This warning was issued in the Book of Amos, “Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!” (Amos 6:1)

When the wars of life seem to cease often, we can let our guard down. The rampart is left open for the enemy to drop in. Once inside he begins to bring confusion and we begin to feel unsettled.

We ask questions like, “why do I feel like this?” Often the emptiness settles in and our purpose is blurred. These feelings have come on the heels of thoughts we’ve entertained that speak “security, relax, all is well!”

Indeed, the Lord has drawn lines for us in pleasant places. “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:1)

In this fallen world our only security and trust is in the Lord. We must “Devote ourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2)

Pleasant times don’t equate safety. Our hearts must be thankful for the Lord’s, protection, provision and promises. But, keep in mind what happened in the middle of the perfect Garden; the enemy made his entrance. He deceived Eve and the walls came down. He entered the safe haven that God had created for his children. His brazen deceit came during a time of security. His deception was entertained, and sin resulted in the Fall.

We must stay alert and continually ask the Father to make his Holy Spirit known in our mist. Our rest is in God alone!

“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing!”

Let’s examine our surroundings and take a deep look within. Stay alert! Let the Lord bring revival to us again. “Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matthew 24:42)

Hem me in Lord! Let my life be fruitful. He says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (John 15:16)

My confidence is this, “He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

Safety check!

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”
(Psalm 91:1-4)

God bless you!~Liz

Friday, April 19, 2019

Let Your Heart Beat Again

Was it "A" or type "O"? The urgency for a transfusion was here. If the correct match was not given he would die. The wrong kind would cause him to spiral deeper into sickness perhaps even death.

The atmosphere filled with the sound of foot steps, the medical team rushing to secure this life-saving process. It must be completed with accuracy! Restoration of this fragile boy was imperative lest he slip away never to see a sunrise again. We need the blood!

The Father was ready. He would give anything for their child.


He could have chosen not to go. His own life was now on the crossroads of a radical life-changing universal event. If he remained, they would die. If he left it would be to his own demise!

The deception that had crept in so effectively had darken the hearts of his creation. The separation that pulled at His heart would invoke an act of sacrifice. The Son would go. Yes, he would leave to restore harmony with the heart of the Father.

The Father had loved them - His very image was pressed into them.

The life is in the blood. (Leviticus 17:11)

Offer the sacrifice! I will draw them to myself! "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin." (Hebrews 9:22) It's the everlasting covenant of blood - the saving grace expressed at the Cross of Calvary!

Jesus, the only begotten son of the Father would go as a ransom for many. The Christ would suffer once for their sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring them back! (1 Peter 3:18)

It's the Father's love, the Son's sacrifice that would bring healing for those that would forever be separated from God's presence. They would be drawn and presented with the life-saving sacrifice of Jesus.

Lub-dub, lub-dub, the little boys heart beating again. The life-saving transfusion a success. Joy filled the room and life again would resume for this child. It was all in the blood, the transfusion for life.

The onlookers despair and hopelessness shadowed the cross. It spoke a deep pain as they reflected on their own sin.

Intertwined with this act of sacrifice was the gift; an opportunity for a heart-change; a redemption road. He gave his blood, life-saving blood that would bring restoration to this fragile, broken and sinful world.

The Son's sacrifice accepted. Jesus, overcoming death.The creation beating with life again. The life is in the blood. Let the transfer begin! The blood of Jesus for our sin-infested lives. The sacrifice of one for many. It's the Father calling us sons and daughters.

"Tell your heart to beat again. Close your eyes and breathe it in. Let the shadows fall away, step into the light of grace. Yesterday's a closing door. You don't live there anymore. Say goodbye to where you've been. And tell your heart to beat again." 
(Lyrics by Danny Gokey "Tell Your Heart to Beat Again")

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13-14)

It indeed is a Good Friday!  
Remembering the Sacrifice!
Restoration is offered today.

God bless you!~Liz

Monday, April 15, 2019

Oh Snap!

Before there were cameras I wonder if the subject would tell the painter which angel to highlight? “Please draw me from the left, it’s my better side.”

As cameras have developed over the years from the Pinhole Camera of the 1500s to current high-resolution cameras packaged with our mobile devices, what story are the images telling?

Have you looked in the Mirror lately?

Often, if we are not content with what the mirror reflects, we just add a little makeup or just the washing of the face can tweak the image we see to be more palatable.

But we are more than what we see, aren’t we?

The Word of God reveals and speaks about the intention of our hearts. It doesn’t matter what the outside looks like, God knows us deeper than our skin container.

Today we know exactly how to take our “selfie”. We can take weight off and make it so that we look as thin as we want to be. The filters we use can remove wrinkles that life has deposited or we lighten the image so that we look more refreshed. And on and on it goes.

The filters remove impurities that we don’t like!

We have become master artist, or should I say deceivers!

The Bible says that we can entrust our entire being, the good, the bad and the ugly to Almighty God. The transforming work he does begins on the inside. It indeed will reflect on the outside. No filters – just fellowship with the Father that brings the fabric of our lives to its fullness!

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) He knows us!

Remarkably even though he knows our flaws, he loves us the way we are with an undying love.

No need to pretend around our Father. Not only does he see the outside, his work begins on the inside leaving us changed.

So, are you ready? OK, sit, take out the Word of God and begin to apply it like a fine moisturizer, conditioning every fiber of your being.

He does not want us to deceive ourselves. He knows we are depleted and wants to bring a revolutionary change!

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

Ready? Look into the Light, snap-snap.

Did you have to pay?

Today is the day to settle your debt!

"There are two things that are certain in life, death & taxes." How many times have you heard that?

Indeed, today the account must be settled. Personally, I had to pay!

I tried to stay abreast of the laws that control how much money I have to surrender to the IRS. Because my financial status changed, I was a little unprepared for the debt that I would owe.
I had to make an educated guess at what my tax debt would be. I was pretty close, nevertheless, I came up short. I did not know.

Well that was my tax story. But, what about the other certainty in life, death? The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

I'm just trying to live! The truth is I was born in sin therefore my debt is stacked up against me upon arrival.

Not understanding the condition of my heart could leave me standing before God saying, "I did not know." But the truth is that the guidelines have been made available to me. Even creation testifies! (Romans 1:20)

I thank God for calling me to himself and exposing the condition of my heart. There is a lot of ugly stuff in there! Salvation is a gift; a gift I did not deserve but gladly and desperately clutched too.

It has been made know to me that my heart needed to be right with God. I did not want to stand empty handed before the Lord when the certainty of death knocked on my door.

I personally have nothing to give that would cancel my debt. I can't file an extension. No one else can pay it for me except for One. All that I have to offer in exchange are filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) Nevertheless, today is the day to settle the debt! So I will submit my heart to the One that can be trusted.

The day has arrived.

"Take care, brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin." (Hebrews 3:12-13)

"One of these days we all will stand in judgment for every single word that we have spoken.
One of these days we all will stand before the Lord Give a reason for everything we've done. 
What are you going to do when your time has come and your life is done and there's nothing you can stand on. What will you have to say at the judgment throne?  I already know the only thing that I can say....And what I've done is Trust in Jesus.  My great Deliverer.  My strong Defender.  The Son of God.  I trust in Jesus, Blessed Redeemer.  My Lord forever. The Holy One, the Holy One."
(Lyrics by Third Day)

We can be prepared!  

The IRS Tax Laws spell it out for us.  
The Word of God became flesh and has arrived.  He is the gift of Salvation!

God bless you!~Liz

Friday, April 5, 2019

My Offering | Unnecessary Death

What caused the death of Aaron's sons who were serving before the Lord?
After Nadab and Abihu offered "strange or unauthorized fire" before the Lord, scriptures says there were consumed. They were killed before a Holy God.

I'm writing today so that we may be encouraged and note, inquire within and ask ourselves, "what we are presenting" ourselves to. What is infiltrating our minds, our bodies and causing even rational, logic to escape us.

Often fear and anxiety strap us to a point of immobility. We can't function. The Voice of the Lord seems far away. The simplicity of life becomes so complicated, poisoned by the noise of the world. The distractions we engage in pull us from his peace!

Are we filled with his Spirit? Are we inviting
his Good Presence to be in our midst?

Nadab and Abihu who were serving before the Lord took casually their service to the Holy One. Though they had instructions on how to minister before the Lord, something happened and they brought to the Lord an unauthorized fire.

Was this an unnecessary death?  Scripture says that though they knew what was supposed to be brought to the Lord they choose something less than.  Scripture does not say for sure, but I wonder if these two sons of Aaron were under the influence of fermented drink?  

We do know that the Lord spoke to Aaron and the two brothers shortly afterwards. 

"Then the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come." (Lev. 10:8-9)

There should be nothing that clouds our mind.  We know that the enemy's war ground is the mind.  Why succumb, give control over to anything that would influence our thinking?  

The warning out of 1st Peter reads, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:10-13)

We are encouraged to protect our head, our mind, our thoughts with the "helmet of salvation."  God knows what we need!

Unnecessary death?  This could be in any area of our lives.  Take another look in the mirror of the Word of God and ask the Lord to reveal areas of compromise.  Then ask the Holy Spirit for his help.
Seek someone to trust in and pray, pray without ceasing.  God is faithful to help us in our weakness.

Compromise could be anything that leads us away from our Great God.

God bless you! Liz

"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:18-20)

CHANGE, WELCOME IT!

 Acts 9:32-34 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas,...