Can He Deliver?

‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ (Numbers 14:16)

Have you ever wondered if God can deliver?

In the true account of the deliverance of God's people into the Promise Land, this statement was uttered to God by Moses. "If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’" (Numbers 14:15-16)

God's reputation, who he says he is, has always been interlaced in all the accounts of His Word. "God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14)

Can God deliver?

The people had grumbled against God because in their eyes the difficulties of their deliverance was intolerable in comparison to their enslaved lives in Egypt, an enemy now to God's people under the rule of Pharaoh.

Who are we under?

If we serve the Lord, why do we complain of life's difficulties? Is God able to deliver?

In God's mercy, he inclines his ear to his Moses as he pleads for God's hand to be held back. The Israelite's preferred to be enslaved instead of on the road to freedom, the promise of God!

God heard their grumbling hearts and was about to remove them from the face of the earth.

Moses pleads for his mercy to act!

What is it that we think that God can not do? Is he able to save? Can he bring us out of bondage into a place of freedom and liberty? Can he deliver on what he said he would do?

We struggle with doubt, perhaps are uncomfortable as God is moving us into freedom. We at times prefer to stay in chaos, sadness, depression and all sorts of bondage because we are familiar with it. We have become "one" with our infirmities and bondage. We speak death over ourselves like the Israelites, "If only we had died in Egypt! or in this wilderness!" (v2)

Change makes us feel like we are loosing control. We move with hesitation toward uncertainty. We don't want to let go of the past even if it has removed our joy, peace and well-being from us. We trust our bondage and not the road to freedom.

Who is our Master?

Is it "Pharaoh" the representative of bondage, or is it Jesus, "The Lion of the Tribe of Judah" who has come to set the captives free? He came in humility, surrendered to the cross, died but did not remain in the ground! "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)

Can he deliver?

God's hand relented as Moses pleaded with his face to the ground. They were kept alive but those 20 years and older died in the wilderness for their disobedience.

"The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. " (v20-23)

He is able to set free! Trust his character! In the difficulties, trust his hand of change and deliverance!

Father, we fall on our face and ask that you forgive us for our rebellion. Help us and guide us Holy Spirit to see your mighty hand and strength as you deliver us from bondage into a place of freedom. Let our confidence in you rise up! May our dependence rest on You, Lord! Let your Kingdom come! We are moving according to your command and your great mercy toward us. Amen


God bless you!~Liz

Do it again...

A time of worship.

Elijah a Prophet of God calls together a time of reckoning as Ahab the king of Israel took Israel deeper and deeper away from the Lord and from worshiping the One True God!

Elijah commands Ahab to summon the people from all over Israel and to meet him on Mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18:19) He asks him to bring the fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.

Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. (v20)

This showdown was intense.

Elijah will not only make a spectacle of the prophets but will very methodically begin to give honor to God in front of the entire assembly.

Israel had failed to serve the God who delivered them from Egypt. The God who revealed himself to  repeatedly.

Look how the Lord uses Elijah to call their attention to the past and to the present.

Elijah says to the people “come to me.” He begins to repair the altar of the Lord which had been torn down. (v30)

Elijah is setting the stage for a worship service!

Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” (v31)

He reminds them where they came from. Twelve tribes scattered, with descendants looking at Elijah minister life to them again. A wake-up call! He reminds them they had an identity and repeats it to them. God knows your name. Actually, he gave you the name!

He takes the sacrifice, a bull cut into pieces and arranges it on the alter. (v33)

Here is the opportunity presented to them. Draw close to God!  With every stone placed I believe the reminder is clear.  God's people who had been called out of bondage and given the the land which they occupied had misrepresented God.

God’s people had become defiled by choosing to bow down to idols.

In our contemporary world, we enter sanctuaries and gather in our beautifully decorated buildings. But the call is the same.

Draw near to me. Come close my child whom I have called by name. Repent and turn back to me.

“Then the fire of the lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.” (v38) 

And today, as the Holy Spirit makes his presence known and we allow our hearts to be convicted, restored and renewed we too will fall prostrate and cry, “The Lord he is God.” (v30)

When we have strayed and somehow feel like there is a chasm between us and the Lord, what must we do?

Cry out to God repent and let him remind us again that we are his. His mercy today reached us a long time ago and continues to draw us to himself today.

Nothing else can satisfy. This world will lure us and have us bow down to the lust of our flesh, the lust of our eyes and the pride of life that reaps destruction.

“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life.” (I John 2:20-25)

We repent. Restore us again.

“I know the night won't last . Your Word will come to pass. My heart will sing Your praise again/ 
Jesus, You're still enough. Keep me within Your love. My heart will sing Your praise again. 
Your promise still stands.  Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness. 
I'm still in Your hands. This is my confidence, You never failed me yet. 
I've seen You move, come move the mountains. And I believe, I'll see You do it again .
You made a way, where there was no way. And I believe, I'll see You do it again.”

(Lyrics by Elevation Worship, Do it Again)

God bless you!~Liz

Thorns & Thistles - Oh My!

Yesterday my friend took me to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.
We walked and were able to observe,

touch and smell different types of flowers and plants in different environments from dessert to tropical settings.

When we traveled through the dessert plants, let’s say there was a lot less touching! The thorns kept my hands and fingers at a distance.

As we were leaving, I whispered to my friend, I wonder if thorns were around at the time of creation.

And that quickly the Holy Spirit reminded me of God’s Word that reads, “To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.”

Amazing! A product of the fall, the sin of man. God completed his creation and then rested. The sin of man brought a change to landscape of God’s creation and to us!

Death came along with every prickly plant.

It brings a different perspective to the thorn of crowns placed on the head of Jesus.

“They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.” (Matthew 27:28-31)

This is the Creator of the World who made everything perfect. He is crowned with the “sin” of man causing his very blood to be shed!

Can you feel that? Our worst condition placed upon him. It hits the very core of my soul!

Thorns and thistles the very image and product of our disobedience, always likened to separation from God, associated with sin in the Scriptures. This crown is placed on Jesus, and he took it!

They hurled insults at him. (2 Peter 2:23) He was despised and rejected by mankind. (Isaiah 53)

They taunted him. Mocked him. But as the blood drips from his forehead, this would be the way of redemption. He would make all things new again.

He did it because of us; our rebellion. Yet because of his unlimited love for us he will go to Calvary and give up his life.

A corrupted, sick world waiting for renewal.

“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:20-21)

Without sin, there would be no need for redemption.

Without sin, thorns and thistles would not have been “produced.”

Redemption has come! He gladly took the thorns, the mocking, the beating because his love for us is grand, without limits!

Today, he offers this gift to you! Salvation is free!

The cost has already been paid by Jesus.

“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:12-3)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Come, smell the flowers again. He is bringing restoration soon! It’s already been paid for.

God bless you!~Liz

I stumbled over the light!

This past Saturday I was at a gathering with my husband. I arrived early because it was a surprise

party for my friend.

As I moved around the beautifully decorated tables I came around some chairs aiming toward the venue’s double doors to place my gift on the table.

In a blink of an eye my foot was caught, and I stumbled over a mood light that was placed on the floor behind one of the chairs. I thought I could catch myself and not fall. But like a slow-moving film I found my hand slipping off the chair and my knees hitting the hardwood floor. And hard indeed it was!

I quickly turned over and just sat on the floor holding my knees. Help quickly came to me as I requested that someone get ice. I was trying to alleviate any swelling on my knees. I have rheumatoid arthritis and I did not want to aggravate my body anymore.

Why tell you this story? I must admit that shortly after I was helped off the floor all I could think about was the scriptures. The Bible speaks about men stumbling over the cornerstone, men not recognizing the Light that has come into the world. “The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John 1:5)

Moses wondered what was happening to the bush that was on fire but not consumed. The Lord revealed himself to Moses and told him, tell them, “I AM WHO I AM.” (Exodus 3:14)

Abraham chose to be uprooted from what was familiar. He held on to a promise that God would give him a son; the very one he told Abraham to sacrifice. The Lord revealed himself as JEHOVAH-JIRAH, the one who provides.

King David often stumbled and sinned against God but learn to quickly repent and restore his heart to the God he served. “Have mercy on me oh God according to your unfailing love according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.“ (Psalm 51:1-2)

Nicodemus, a pharisee who knew the law of God well wondered how he could see the Kingdom of God. Jesus responded to him that he must be born again, born of the Spirit of God.

Humanity has been tripping over the Light since the Fall of Adam and Eve in the garden. 

But from the beginning of time God has chosen to reveal himself, one man at a time. Every heart and soul precious to the creator of all things. “He was in the world and all the world was made through him the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own but his own did not receive him.” (John 1:10-11)

The pride of humanity is deaf to the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He offered his life as a ransom. God himself providing his own son to pay for our own transgressions and iniquities, our own sin against God. But we have rejected him.

We are born and do not look for the Light. We are content walking around in darkness even enjoying our own sinful state. But God whose love is immeasurable continues to put before us this Light that can illuminate our own darkness.

Jesus said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Falling on a hardwood floor left me no recourse but to turn over and hold on to my throbbing knees. I asked for help and indeed the ice held off the swelling. Throughout the night my shoulder and wrist also began to reflect the hit that I had encountered. But I am so thankful to the Lord for keeping my bones from shattering or breaking. He has been merciful to me!

Salvation was similar. I indeed tripped over the Light that had come into the world. He found me broken on the floor and came to my aid. I began to recognize that the brokenness was an issue of my heart. Every part of me was affected. Every part of me in need of a healer, a deliver.

He came in his gentleness and saved me. Like a gentle breeze, I heard its sound. I heard the word and believed that God sent his son for me.

I have remnants of my past like the bruise on my knee from this weekend. But I know that the healer has come not only to protect my bones but to the secure my soul for eternity.

Thank you, Lord, for the reminder again that you have come into this dark world to be the Light, that we may no longer have to live in the darkness of sin.

God bless you!~Liz

When Trouble was Calling

The wind blows, and I can feel the ocean mist on my face. From a distance I hear screaming, a command to stop! The voice got my attention. A little boy about 2 years old ran innocently after a blue ball that was bouncing openly into the waves. The ocean pulled at it as the little boy ran after it.

I began to yell to myself, “No!”, “stop!”. I left my husband on the shoreline as I ran to intersect toward this little life before imminent danger arrived first.

Behind this little boy was a relative with fully loaded arms also running behind him. But this little boy was oblivious to the threat. She made it to him before I arrived but not without a cost.

They must have been packing to leave the beach. In her arms, she carried flip-flops, clothing, and other valuable property including her cell phone. As she ran into the dangerous waters that were luring this little boy, she lost her footing. Her sandals are now floating in the water being rocked by every wave. She managed to keep most of her belongings in her arms, but the cell phone was forever lost!

The little boy is escorted back to his family. I grabbed the flip-flops and gave them to her along with the ball. But other family members just stared at the waves hitting the sand knowing that the cell phone was forever lost.

She would have given it all I’m sure just to secure these little boy's safety.

“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” (John 10:18) 

These were Jesus’ words.

Jesus knowing full well that it would cost him his life ran after me! He would lose it all! He set aside the privileges of deity and took on flesh. He walked with us, taught us, and then died for us. (Philippians 2)

When life’s troubled waters lured me in, he did not hesitate but was willing to lose it all to save my life!

The girl stared at the water knowing that she would never be able to rescue the phone from the depths of the ocean. Nevertheless, her dearest possession was now safe by her side.

Jesus knew he had to finish the work. The anguish of the cross before him and the separation from his Father, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) could not keep him from rushing in to save me!

This girl, me, will stare at the cross knowing that he paid it all for me! Nothing could keep him from me, and nothing will ever separate me from him. (Romans 8)
Feel the wind of his Spirit!

WALKING ON WATER by Needtobreathe  Song Video

I was sinking like a stone again
I was halfway in the grave and then
I looked up and saw Your face again
You pulled me out of the water, water, water

There's no turning back
Nothing in the past
My eyes on You again
Can't see nothing at all
But Your outstretched arms
Help me believe it
Though I falter
You got me walking on water

Though I falter
You got me walking on water, water, water
You got me walking on water, water, water, water

God bless you!~Liz

Out of the Darkness

Going about 70 miles an hour on the highway last night I heard a faint buzzing sound in the distance.

At first, I second guessed what I heard. But I have keen hearing.

My body went into fight and flight mode. In my head something was in my car that I could not see it. The heartbeat in my chest now competing with the buzzing sound.

What do I do? I am in the dark without any idea where this sound is coming from. Worst yet, what its coming from!

What if this noise maker flies into my face? What if it gets tangled in my hair? What if, what if!

I know the statistics about people losing their lives over an insect flying into their vehicle.

I called on the Lord, “Lord, help me!” I began to talk to myself. Liz, calm down!

I rolled down all my windows and opened the sunroof. It was like a tornado in my car.

Its dark outside and I dare not pull to the side on the highway. That would have been more dangerous.

I began to take deep breaths and command my body not to panic.

Suddenly, the insect flew toward me, or perhaps this wind pulled it into the vortex I had created by the 70 mile per hour winds now in my car.

My peripheral vision and my skin alerted me that this bug had landed on my arm.

I began to swat like my life depended on it. It did!!

I know I hit it, but it came at me again. The devil is a liar!! I swatted again and again never taking my eyes of the road. I was determined to eliminate this threat that came at me in the dark.

Isn’t that just like the lives we live? We are minding our own business and out of the darkness here comes the enemy to cause chaos. We have choices. We either ignore it at the risk of getting stung by its poison. Or we call on the Name of the Lord and cry, “Lord, help me!”

Like a sheep in trouble, my cry gets the attention of the Shephard. “I will fear no evil for you are with me.” (Psalm 23:4)

The Book of Ephesians encourages the believer to “put on the armor of God.”

In the day of trouble. the Lord will instruct us what to do in that hour. Victory has already been won at the cross. These light and momentary troubles are but buzzing noise from the enemy.

I will call on my Father who has a Mighty hand!

Well, last night in the darkness as I battled, my weapon of choice was my arthritic afflicted hand. This flying creature had no chance of surviving!

Thank you, Lord for another victory and allowing me to get home safely.

Be prepared because out of the darkness trouble rises up. But my God is bigger!

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” Luke 10:19

That includes flying insects in my car!

God bless you!~Liz

When I am Afraid | FEAR

I'm usually a very stable, rational person. I would say that in the midst of chaos I am the one that is calm and can see beyond the situation. Chaos and confusion are often areas where I thrive.  I believe that's the way God has made me. I'm not saying I'd like chaos or areas of instability but that these situations don't paralyze me.

Yesterday from the corner of my eye I thought I saw something move on my shower curtain. At first I thought it was my own strand of hair through the side of my peripheral vision. When I got distracted again I took a second look to find out it was a fast moving long legged insect.

I don't know where this fear has come from. I do recall as a young girl my mom being afraid of certain insects and I believe that that fear became mine as well.

I decided to write about this today in an effort to confront this unrealistic paralyzing fear.  After all, I’m a pretty rational person!

As a life coach I can sit with anyone and bring them through step by step on how to achieve a certain goal. Today I am my own client.

This is a deep seated fear that I've had for decades; entomophobia, an abnormal and persistent fear of insects. It’s not all insects!  I can hold ladybugs, caterpillars, ants, butterflies, lightning bugs, but I can not handle insects that crawl fast have long legs and scurry.  Perhaps is the hiding part that really frightens me.  In my mind, I am afraid that they will surface again and so the cycle begins afresh.

The fear from these small insect caused me to stop all activity and left me unproductive for almost an hour yesterday. That's a wasted hour of life!

What else are we afraid off? 

There are hundreds and hundreds of known fears.  Alektorophobia, fear of chickens. Pogonophobia, fear of beards. Hypochondria, fear of illness.  Verminophobia, fear of germs.  Theophobia, an unhealthy fear of God or religion.  And on and on it goes!

It’s irrational but it feels real! 

I know that the Lord can help me.  The Scriptures speak about anxiety and all those things that grip us and cause us to be weighed down.  Often a phobia feels just as real as a true threat. 

I will cast my anxiety on the Lord, because he cares for me. (1 Peter 5:7)  I will present this fear to the Lord, ask him for direction and his peace.   I will remain in constant prayer to the one who is able to help me.  I will meditate on what is true.  

For me the anxiety is rooted in a false perception.  I know that these insects are not on me, chewing on me or causing me death.  The fear is the “what if?” 

Today,  I am asking myself, “what if, what?”

What are you afraid off?

The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. I have begun today with addressing the fear.  It already has lost some grip on me just by my confession.

So what are you afraid off?  Realistic or imagined.  God is able to help us.  Seek help, talk to someone who is qualified to help you overcome that which keeps us up at night. Confide in a friend.  Put it in your journal.  But, begin addressing it today!

Ironically I worked for an exterminating company for 10 years. Since my job was administrative I never really dealt with the insects themselves.

We can be in the midst of what we fear and yet never overcome it.  Today, I choose to face my fear one step at a time.

Chime in and let me know how you have overcome a phobia or how I can pray for you in your journey.

God bless you!~Liz