Road Work Ahead

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

All week I have been redirected by construction signs all over my neighborhood. The road is ripped up; furniture trucks are making deliveries; all kinds of re-routing going on!

What if I did not know how to get to work?  But,  the truth is that the signs are letting me know how to get back on the right road that will lead me to my destination.

Whether young old, the more we walk with the Lord the more we recognize how the "road less traveled" is often intercepted so as not to allow us to reach our end, our purpose.

The Apostle Paul said that he "fixed" his eyes on Jesus--he had every intention to finish this race; to arrive at this glorious destination.

The construction signs on the road this week were intended to point me in the right direction.  If I choose to leave the route; if I begin to complain that the road is bumpy or that I have to  make to many turns--I might miss my destination or at the very least arrive frustrated.

Again, in the Book of Hebrews we read "for the joy set before him" speaking of Jesus; He stood the course. He was tempted by the devil, disowned by the disciples, mocked by men and his own Father turned his back on him. If there were not enough--he was crucified for sinful men! But, glory to God, he stood the course! 

We learn from the Master; the Apostle Paul gleaned from his Lord and was able to remain.

How is the road you are traveling on today?  Are their bumps, redirection signs, closed roads, perhaps their are flags waving letting you know you are going to fast--slow down, stay the course.  Look closely, the Author & Perfecter of our faith is motioning us toward the finish line.

Good thing we know where we are going, right? 

He has made it so that no matter the bumps, if we stay the course we will indeed be welcomed  home. 

God bless you!~Liz

www.lizrod,com

Yard Sale

1 Thessalonians 4:16 (NIV)

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Sunday on my way to church I noticed a sign that seemed to point toward a cemetery and it read, "yard sale".  Yard Sale--what on earth would they have to sell? 

What do we have that God has not given to us?  Is there something you possess or enjoy that has not been provided by the Lord?  Well if we understand that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above (James 1:17) then we can surely say the answer is NO.  Everything is provided by our Creator.

What do the dead have to sell?  Obviously, I am being silly for we know when we leave this earth we take nothing with us.  So if indeed this sign was pointing toward the grave yard--the profits of the day would be pretty poor.

Ah, but wait until the Lord returns and a worth that has been poured into lives is revealed-- then that grave yard will be hopping!  The dead in Christ rising as the Lord makes his entrance!  Yeah....now we have something of worth that has kept us during the days we were alive.  Mortal flesh being transformed; "for the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).The Redeemer poured out his life on us--literally his blood to purchase mankind for himself.

See, we really possess nothing--but if we have surrendered ourselves --God possess us! 

While on earth, all that he has entrusted to us is for us to share; to make sure no one around us is naked or going hungry.  We can't fix the entire world, but we can just start with the ones God has put within our reach. 

Bring someone lunch today; give away some clothes--not the one with rips, but the ones you really like.  Let nothing possess us!  Someone needs a day of rest--if you can, set it up and bless them.

On a personal note, I am looking forward to spending time with my two sisters, Betty & Iris.  It seems we never spend time together--life continues to move and we don't stop.  Well, if God wills, we are stopping and I am looking forward for a time to rest and laughter with my sisters.

My mom has been called to glory so we want to celebrate her memory.  Ooooo I can't wait!

A yard sale at the cemetery has nothing to sell.  What we find is a hidden treasure that no man can buy.  We discover that the dead in Christ have had a transformation that redeemed their lives; One who paid  the price and has made sure we are his forever!  We are not for sale--we have been purchased by the Master!

The next time you drive by a cemetery, remember--soon there will be a party going on! The dead in Christ have taken this gift of eternal life with them and soon the transformation will be evident to all!  The dead bones will rise!

Have you been transformed? 

God bless you!~Liz
www.lizrod.com

It's Viral

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

At first it could not be identified.  I’m marked by an ugly red stripe.  Once you take a closer look you realize its bringing destruction to the flesh, along with pain and shooting electrical stings. As the blisters appeared and the red patch surfaced more clearly it was finally diagnosed as shingles.    That’s me—this week!  It’s possible that I was infected as early as last week.  But it took time to emerge and by then it’s too late, you must let it run its course.

At first I just endured it.  Now that I know what it is I am on the attack mode!

When Sin visits at first we may not be able to identify it. Sometimes we can be tricked into thinking it’s no big deal. We may entertain the thought that we can handle it and that no harm will come of it.  If we leave it to infiltrate our lives soon this "soul eating - spirit diminishing - peace devouring " disease will consume us.  There will be pain and regret if we let it travel and make itself at home.  It’s viral; a virus spreading information for your demise.

The Scriptures says that we are the ones that make Sin feel at home.  There is a desire that gives birth to sin and sin when full-grown gives birth to death (James 1:12-16).

As I look back, one of my first thoughts was that it might be shingles; even my first emergency doctors’ visit noted that.  But there was a second guessing which purchased me two more days of grief.  On Monday, I visited my personal doctor who knows me well; she said, “You have shingles”.  She quickly put me on an anti-viral medicated to halt the process of this virus in my system.

When it comes to sin, second-guessing leads us further down the path of destruction.  Not sure if it’s sin? The Bible says, that the Holy Spirit will tell us.  But what if our sensors are dull; lost their ability to hear from God because of the state we’re in?  Ask a friend or someone you trust to help you identify the sin. 

We may not have a red mark or blisters spelling it out—“you’re in sin”!  But often the identifying markers are a withdrawal from church involvement, reading the Bible, praying and worshiping.  We find ourselves distant from the Doctor, Jesus himself!

Before the sin virus continues to spread and destroy our flesh and spirit—get the antidote.  Confession will set us free.  Run to the Doctor there is no waiting line.  He’ll take us right in to his presence.

The antidote will free us even though the marks of sin may remain for a while.  In time, the flesh, the heart, the mind and spirit will be fully restored.  He makes all things new, we just have to ask and confess.

The Shingles have halted.  The flesh is healing, may take another couple of weeks.  I am reminded once again that God has given men wisdom and all healing comes from him.  He is Jehovah-Rophe.  He not only heals, healing is what He is!  He is the Healer!

God bless you!~Liz

www.lizrod.com

Happy Birthday Mike!

Psalm 139:13-18 (NIV)

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body;  all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them,they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.

Today my son, Michael is 31 years old.  Happy birthday son.  Every year I find the perfect morning hours and begin to tell my son of the day he was born.  The great joy his dad and I experienced when this little life was entrusted to us. 

Even with my mistakes, which I'm sure I did, I pray that God can continue to shape this life and impress the very heart of God in  Michael.

I have been questioned, "you mean you tell your son this story every year"?  The answer is yes!  I am 52 years old and if my mom was alive and recounted the day I came into this world, I would be glued to her voice and to the story of when God chose to give me breath.  Life is precious and it goes by quickly.  

Mike, Happy birthday!  We love you and are proud of the man that God has shaped you to be and all that he continues to do in your life.  Stay close to the Lord, know his ways and seek to please him.  Listen for the quiet direction of the Spirit of God which does not contradict his Word.  Happy birthday son, I love you!

God bless you!~Liz

www.lizrod.com

The Table

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).

Wikipedia says that hospitality is the relationship between the guest and the host. I remember growing up as a young girl in the Bronx, visiting family especially my aunt Myrna and my grandma. No matter when you arrived the host (my aunt & grandma) would always bring out a pot of coffee. Often crackers would follow with a little butter or perhaps some grape jelly.

The same atmosphere was established in my home, with my mom. Come and visit and my mom would quickly make you feel like royalty. The coffee is brewing, the bread is coming out. You see it was not necessarily what was brought out, but the spirit of hospitality that was at work. I have learned much from my mom.

It was a delight to be welcomed to sit and chat for a while. If we lingered then the sandwiches would follow. Sometimes this became an all day affair and dinner scents, a pleasant aroma would soon be in the background as savory beans and rice would begin to simmer. The Hispanic spices would permeate the entire home!

Sitting at a table and reclining is a welcomed pastime I'm sure in many cultures. We have been made for relationships.

Lately I have been meditating on the table; the place where we meet, recline, meet eye-to-eye and share.

On Saturday, May 23rd, just a few weeks ago, I went to visit my cousin Hector Alvarez. Hector was sick and in the hospital. I can't bring Hector to my home and I can't go to his, but can we both meet at the table. The table I am referring to is a place where we can recline and pour out my heart with Jesus.

Jesus is always drawing men to himself almost as to say, sit here, stay a while, let's talk. Even though my Father in Heaven owns everything, he is gentle, meek and humble. He could bring out a "spread" that would be second to none, but what he is after is the relationship; the broken relationship that needs restoration. In the book of Isaiah the prophet writes; 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).

God who has come in the flesh to reconcile mankind to himself wants to talk with me, with you. It's as if he has invited me to this table so that his enemy (me) can be made right with Him (God). He does not have to communicate with me after all what does the holy and the unholy have in common? But his love draws us.

There is this great love that God has for us and we often miss it. He has asked me to sit and talk it out. Me? Yes, me and you.

So on Saturday, my cousin and I took the invitation from Jesus and sat together for a while; yes in the hospital room the invitation was extended. We prayed, we cried, we called  out to God. We sang and we could hear the invitation come quietly. Hector, will you come and sit, let's talk, let's reason together.

When Jesus invites us a few things often happen; if pride has a grip on us and won't let us go, we will argue that we are o.k.; we are good; I got this Jesus, I'm not so bad. Truly we are the ones holding to the pride.

Jesus who humbled himself and came to earth in the flesh to rescue us from death has made the invitation. If you look closely, he is a King. The King of kings has extended the invitation, the one who can pardon and who operates in reconciliation.

My cousin began to express that he had done a lot of bad things in his life. I said, me too and the rest of the world as well. For there is no one good, not one (Romans 3:10)!

As the Spirit of the Lord began to minister to our hearts, I gently reminded him that he needed to call out to God himself. As he begins to ask the Lord to help him, we are both crying, and I begin to worship the Lord in song for he is worthy to be praised!  

He has come and swept Hector off his feet. He has made him whole, not holding his wrong-doings against him but reconciling my cousin back to himself. It's not about how much wrong we have done but about how much wrong he can wipe away. The Bible says that when we are reconciled to God he chooses to remember our sins no more and will not hold them against us (Hebrews 8:12). He will take our sins on himself, a sacrifice that will pay for it all; the Son of God on a Cross; resurrected and now sits at the right hand of God.

See, an invitation to sit at the table does not have to be complicated. It's a table and two chairs. It's God and its us. It's forgiveness requested, forgiveness extended. An acknowledgement that I need a Savior and one indeed has come.

At this table there is no food for my stomach; what I find is rest for my soul. He has satisfied a yearning to be accepted, to be forgiven, to be made new.

The Bible says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him".
I will loose and hide myself in Him that I indeed may be found (Psalm 34:8)!

One table, two chairs, a King, and a prisoner being set free! Oh yes, he is GOOD!

Do you smell the sweet scent of the Spirit of God making restoration, reconciling souls to himself? It's an aroma that can sweep through the entire house if we allow it.

This invitation is always being extended, have you sat with him yet? 

 He has a table for two with your name on it.

On Thursday, June 11th Hector went home to be with his Lord!

Tonight's the wake and I pray that all who hear the invitation would sit at the table and experience reconciliation as the Host pulls out the chair and asks us to sit with Him.

God bless you!~Liz

ww.lizrod.com

No Service

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

Psalm 139:7 (NKJV)

Wednesday evening my husband asked me to go fishing with him.  I am not a "fisherman", don’t even own a license, but the invitation was for company; a pass-time with my husband.

A 45-minute ride and we arrive.  We are setback off Seven Lakes Drive, a beautiful view. 

We unpack his fishing gear, my chair and my book.  Suddenly I hear, "no service".  I asked my husband, "What was that"?  It seems his phone announces when he is out of the Verizon Wireless service area. 

About every 10 minutes or so it would make the announcement over and over again; pretty annoying.  Not sure if it's because he has an antiquated phone (sorry sweetheart) but you could not hush this thing! 

So here we are in this quiet, beautiful piece of God's earth and I begin to think.  Here we go! 

How often did Adam and Eve hear "the sound", perhaps not audibly but in their spirit?  No service!  No communication! Disconnect!

Thoughts going through their minds or perhaps bickering, “We should not have eaten from the tree; it was your fault; and the blame game continued. 

They have been cast out of the beautiful garden; a place of freedom and continual worship and conversation with GOD. No service-No provision.

An echo that reverberated in the very core of their being; it can't be turned off.  Its Manufacturer embed; a reminder of their disobedience but if you listen closer it tells a deeper story of a Redeemer that is to come; a Hope of restoration.

Everywhere I looked yesterday there was such beauty.  The water reflected the trees.  The trees swayed in the mild breeze. Rocks and twigs of every size crunched under my feet as I walked the trails.  A quiet place--only the sounds of creation echoing from mountain to mountain.  Oh, I forgot, and the "no service" sounds from my husband’s annoying phone periodically interrupting the quiet evening.

In the midst of all this, I found time to talk with God.

The Spirit of God is always reminding us if we wander off course.  If somehow I have left the "safe" zone, the Holy Spirit speaks and gently reminds me to turn back.  If I leave the place of safety, I will be reminded, “you are approaching the ‘no service’ zone”.  Turn back!  Run to the place of safety!

Phone companies can only service you if you stay within their "coverage areas". 

The Lord also has provided a way for us to communicate with him. 

When we disobeyed we loss connection with our Creator, but He quickly sent a team to help us! 

Jesus died to bring restoration. 

The Holy Spirit was sent to keep the communication. 

He is our help when we are in trouble.

A fine-tuned Help Center!

Find yourself in a "no service" zone; quickly there is one that can restore service even if it seems you have wondered off too far.

His blood has "covered" us.

He can reach you and is willing.

He finds pleasure in your fellowship.

Call on the Name of Jesus! He knows how to bring restoration.

God bless you!~Liz

www.lizrod.com

An Invitation Extended

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”Revelation 4:1


I'm reading a book called the Hallelujah Factor, it's the second time around. It describes the importance and even the imperative state of worship that I must be in. God is worthy of praise and praise makes a way for God to work! Hallelujah!

The description of Satan needs to be highlighted so we can see how much God inhabits our praises (Psalm 22:3) and how much Satan despises it.

A created being made to worship God. He has not always existed, he was created like everything else God has made. His task was to worship God, but when pride settled in, this creature decided he wanted not only to be like God--he wanted to be God.

The bible describes him as having precious stones that adorned him and his body was so that even every moment produced if you will a sound (Ezekiel 28:12-17) that brought worship to God who sits on the throne and is forever praised.

As we move forward we see Satan fall (Isaiah 14:12).

We have been created by God to worship him. It's the creation made in HIS likeness (Genesis 1:27).

I'm going now straight to the Throne Room of God (Revelation 4).

John the Apostle who has been exiled to the Island of Patmos has received a revelation from God that is part of this great manuscript that God has left us; we find his testimony in the book of Revelation.

This is what the Lord revealed to me.

I wondered what John was feeling, what emotions and thoughts were going through his mind. Was John ever depressed at times or in despair; did he wonder about the other disciples and their demise? He is alone on this island. I assume fishing alone must have reminded him of the time he walked with Jesus. He walked with Jesus, saw him beaten, crucified, and put in a tomb. He saw him resurrected, walked and ate with him again and saw him taken into glory. Could he still be despondent?

I wonder this because we all go through times that are challenging. We hold on to the promises of God and search within to cling to hope.  

There is a Door, take a peak. Hallelujah!

John sees a door that compels him to enter. This door was not closed but beckoned him to come in. As John takes a peek and walks through this door he sees things that were even difficult to describe. He sees creatures and elders bowing before the Throne; flashes of lighting and thunder; the sound of praise being lifted up to the one who sits on the Throne. 

You see, this throne is not empty---on it is a King who's Kingdom has no end!

I have often heard this scripture quoted with many who have elaborated on it. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). What the Lord ministered to me is that the Lord gave John a revelation that he wrote down for us to read over and over again. This door that was open, John got a glimpse at EVIDENCE that the invisible world is REAL!

See, John who was alone and afflicted has now seen the invisible Kingdom that is the reality that we hold on too. This prisoner has now been encouraged one more time. 

Hold on John, I'm coming again (Acts 1:11)

Therefore, if I find myself downcast, if my countenance has been afflicted and Satan has come to bring discouragement and torment, I MUST remember that the same open door that John saw is available to me. I take my focus off this temporary world and look to the invisible which is my reality and begin to praise my God. I join all creation to bring God glory! 

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6). I have been reminded one more time that praise releases my God to work; to cause my focus to shift; to cause every part of my body to bring God praise. 

It's not Satan who stands before God in worship. No, it's me the one created in HIS image; the one that was redeemed by his precious blood. The child that was rescued and given a new song to sing. 

Who will separate us from the love of  Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35)

Nothing!

When life seems difficult, when Satan is trying to steal my joy, I am reminded that God himself, the fullness of who he is lives in me! 

I will praise him with all I have. 
The invisible Kingdom that is eternal is what I will fix my eyes on! 
This world that I see with my natural eyes is fallen and temporal. 
God is eternal and is worthy to be forever praised!

Walk through the door--there's a celebration going on!

The invisible it our reality!

God bless you!~Liz