Tag Archives: trust

The Rock of Faith, Pt IV

05 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by in Believe, Faith, Sacrifice, Salvation

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I just can’t take it anymore.

The bombardment of emotions wars against man’s own soul. From morning until night, the world, the flesh and the devil pull and tug and yank and tear until nothing but a frazzled disaster of a human being remains. If we are called to bear the mark of that solid, immovable faith that Peter exercised in a moment of Spirit-filled exuberance, how are we to maintain it? The disciple himself was hurled headlong into a gaping pit of emotional frays only days (or was it moments?) later!

As the chapter of stark contrasts comes to a close, Jesus turns to his confused disciples with a calmness that arrests their attention. I see them, in my mind, leaning forward, daring to hope that there is a lasting answer to their question: “Lord, how can we walk in faith and not be overcome by what seems so right to our human instinct? What’s the key?”

What could possibly have guarded Peter’s mind that day as all his dreams were seemingly dashed by talk of death – and the death of the Son of the Living God, no less?! What could have halted his runaway emotions that were nothing short of a lie from satan himself? He had, after all, full access to the keys of the kingdom of heaven! He didn’t have to listen to full-blown lies…or half-truths.

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever shall save his life will lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall save it. or what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mt. 16:23-26

It was simple, yet profound truth. Have you heard it before? Did you read the verses above? Or did you skim them…because you know them already by heart? Dear believer, you may quote them backwards and forwards. But do you live them? These words are the seal of guarantee on faith such as Peter’s words revealed. They are salvation from the hasty mistake he uttered when his faith failed. And they are the sure path to completeness in your own life:

  • Deny the emotional feelings that dictate what is right, comfortable, desirable, etc. God’s ways are above our ways – fathomless, understood only when obeyed by faith.
  • Face the reality of God’s will and embrace it as reality instead of trying to change or reverse it. The crosses we are called to bear must be born in faith, not replaced by our own ideas of right and wrong.
  • Totally abandon your earthly values for Christ’s sake. Is your life important to you? Pursue Christ until His glory is worth more to you than 10,000 of your lives combined into one.

Do you believe that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God? A young woman ached to know this Christ as her own, but as she saw the sacrifices of believers around her, she said to herself that she could never make them. What she did not realize was that she was already sacrificing far more precious things, for no cause and with no friend to walk by her side.

To stand on the rock, Faith, is indeed a difficult place. Storms come…but never so dangerously as on the sand. For, those who bank their lives on reason sink into the mire, rarely to be seen in their right mind again.

Don’t sacrifice a glorious eternity. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and your faith will make you whole.

~Hannah S.

 

The Rock of Faith, Pt. II

27 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by in Blessed, Faith, Holy Spirit, Power, Uncategorized, Victory

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“And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Mt. 16:19

At the end of the last post, we left Peter standing before Jesus. Did he know the impact of the words he had just spoken, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God!”? Did he realize the blessing it would invoke on his life and all other Christian lives who chose to follow in his footsteps?

Biblical philosophers have argued for centuries about this little verse and they will continue to do so. But as I read these words, there was one, pure truth that warmed my heart and I know it is true: Friends, we are not at the mercy of satan and his host of evil ones. Praise the Lord!

To those of us who believe on the precious Name above all names, is given the keys to the kingdom of heaven. This means free access. When Peter proclaimed the truth in pure, unadulterated faith, Jesus announced with radiant joy that such a simple act had indeed opened up a real, glorious eternity to Peter. In fact, the very keys to the door were now his. Faith will fling us into realms we have never known. On that day, two became one. Peter’s faith collided with the eternal desire of the heart of God. The Holy of Holies that had once been erected as a stone fortress indwelt Peter because of his belief. He had access – 24/7 access. He owned faith and therefore, faith owned him.

Dear believer, have you owned faith? Because when you do – not just because mom or dad or pastor or neighbor or girlfriend do – you are no longer torn between life and death, obedience and disobedience, good and evil. You are arrested by holiness. You are empowered to open your mouth against evil – your words are backed up by the Final Word – by Jesus Christ.

Do you believe He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God?

~Hannah S.

The Rock of Faith

22 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by in Faith, Hell, Power, Trust

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“Upon this rock, I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Mt. 16:18

In bold, unreserved faith, Peter proclaims, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” And perhaps one of the greatest promises in all of history is laid upon him by the very One he has abandoned himself to: “I will build my church on the boulder-like faith you have proven by your words. Even hell will not be able to overcome this kind of trust in Me.”

Peter was called a “rock” because of his faith. His words laid the foundation for generations of believers after himself. He was not a super hero…actually, he has been looked upon as a rather shaky disciple at times by the Christian world. And perhaps before the beginning of time, God predestined Peter to speak these words so that you and I could know that we too – despite all our failures and weaknesses – are called to make the same monumental statement that will give us power over death and hell.

Do you believe that He is the Christ?

~Hannah S.

The “Where” of the Foundation Pt. 1

10 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Example, Obedience, Patience, Readiness, Waiting

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It was a quiet weekday afternoon and I must have been about seven years old. If you had been a fly on my wall, you would have observed me holding a cookbook in one hand and giving orders while pointing with the other hand. My younger sister, Sarah (who faithfully followed me everywhere) was laying out the ingredients for our special treat. I was going to make granola bars.

You have to understand that Sarah was the predicable “good” child. She rarely got in trouble because almost everything she did wrong was my fault. What I mean is, I convinced her to do what was “in question” and reaped the appropriate consequences. This afternoon was no exception. I knew I was not supposed to be baking alone. Furthermore, I had waited until our babysitter had gone to take a nap to carry out my plan.

What could possibly go wrong?

I hastily mixed up my ingredients, substituting here and there where we were missing an ingredient. I quickly spooned the lumpy batter into the muffin tins, stuck them in the oven for the required amount of time, and waited. Sarah was a little anxious. She had already advised me to wait and now she was practically biting her five-year old nails off in worry. I just know she was waiting for me to blow something up (and just for the record, it’s a miracle that she and I are both still alive!).

The minutes passed like hours and I worried that the babysitter would wake up! My plan was to make the bars, turn them out on the counter to cool, clean up my mess, and disappear. When the babysitter woke up, she would be pleasantly surprised and too pleased with my seven-year old abilities to get mad. But…that’s not exactly what happened.

After what seemed like eternity, the timer went off and I proudly pulled my prized treat out of the oven. However, when I went to turn them onto the counter, I discovered that I had forgotten a most vital ingredient (especially for sticky, dried fruit bars). Cooking spray. They were stuck fast, and they would not come out of the pan, no matter what! I tried sticking my fingers down the side…and yanked them out just as quickly as they’d gone in. It was hot! 400 degrees hot! Next, I tried a butter knife, but to no avail. It was getting late and the stubborn things wouldn’t budge. The tops tasted just fine, but I finally gave up. It was no use. The babysitter was going to find out. I heard the door at the end of the hall open. I grabbed Sarah’s hand and headed for the backdoor. The screen door slammed behind me and we dashed down our deck steps and crouched underneath…waiting.

The granola bars were not the problem. The timing was.

Sometimes the Christian life is like this. Had I waited until I had the proper permission and supervision, my project would have turned out better! Even if I hadn’t been given permission, the time for me to bake on my own would have come! I cook more meals now than I ever thought I’d cook – more than I’d like to!

We hear God’s call on our lives: missions, charity work, counseling, marriage, starting a Bible study…the list could go on. They’re wonderful things. We get excited about the opportunities before us and we launch out into the deep. We view these opportunities as the foundation we’re building, when in reality, they’re simply tools we can utilize in God’s timing. Then there is that quiet voice that halts our steps – even if just for a moment:

“My child, wait.”

“Wait.” How I’ve hated that word so many times in my life…but it’s a word God uses to test. I’ve stopped at times, and heard this: “You’re not ready yet. I want to give it to you, but you’re not ready yet.” Oh…but the process of getting ready is NOT fun! – I want to yell it out. “Look Lord – the thing you’ve called me to is so much greater! So much more could be accomplished!” And God says, “Wait.”

It’s easy to believe we’re “not doing anything worthwhile” if we’re not involved in the work we want. The true test lies in if you can lay a godly foundation – set a godly example – when things aren’t going exactly as you want them to!

I baked my granola bars. They were still granola bars, but they weren’t as good as they could have been. If God calls me to the mission field and I go right now when I hear Him say “Wait!” I’ll still be a missionary! I might even have the privilege of winning souls to the Lord, or making a difference in lives…but oh, how much better if I had waited? How much stronger a foundation might I have laid? I may never know.

“Wait” does not mean “No”. God will never withhold from us a desire He’s given when it is the right time.

God gives us desires: HIS desires. A passion to do His work, His way…and we miss the last part: His time. His work and His way are so glorious, but sometimes His time, to our fleshly hearts and mortal minds, is not. How I am learning the truth of Jim Elliot’s words, “Wherever you are, be all there.” Dear believer, if you cannot serve God on the mission field of waiting – if you cannot lay a foundation where it’s difficult – you will never serve Him on the mission field of running. Waiting seems so very hard to the heart and soul, but running requires an endurance that is built by waiting – waiting on the Lord.

They that wait upon the Lord…shall run and not grow weary.

As I crouched under that deck, I felt the misery of not waiting. I heard my name being called and I crept out, guilty face, hands thrust deep in the pockets of my blue jeans, my sneakers scuffing the ground as I walked up the stairs again. Sarah tagged along behind me, half-hiding. My parents were out of town. They’d be gone for a week. I met the disapproving eyes that seemed to bore holes in me. “Why didn’t you wait?” She asked me.

For the next five days, I scrubbed the bottom of that muffin tin. Not only had I failed to grease the pan, but I had baked the small bars for the longest allotted time instead of the shortest. I hadn’t filled the cups all the way, and the bottoms were black and charred – stuck for life, it seemed, on that pan! I still have the recipe and the muffin tin and whenever I open our family’s cook-book cabinet, my eye falls on the spine of that dreadful cookie-book, and I remember, “Wait.”

Be anxious for nothing, dear believer. When God gives you His desires, His plans to be carried out, yield them right back to Him. He can care for them better than you, for they are, after all, HIS plans. Will the generation that follows you see the burnt, stuck-on remains of impatience and regret – a foundation you built where you wanted to build it…running ahead? Or will they reap the beautiful rewards of one who waited for God’s best and began to build where it was hard – in the waiting – in His designated plan?

Start building NOW, in the waiting.

~Hannah

Running from, or Abiding in?

11 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by in Abiding, Consequences, discipline, Obedience

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Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. – Jonah 1: 2-3

How many of us are guilty of this very thing? God calls, we run. I recently discovered that Tarshish was actually located in Spain, which at that time was one of the farthest known places on the earth. It’s amazing to what lengths we’ll go as believers to try and avoid God’s call for our lives. We’d rather turn away and run from the presence of God than simply obey Him, trusting that He’ll take care of our needs and silence our fears.

“But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea. So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us that we may not perish.” – Jonah 1:4,6

God decides to make it easier for Jonah to return to Him: He puts an obstacle in between Jonah and his foolish decision to run from God’s presence, and also directs him through the ship’s captain’s council. It’s incredible how many opportunities God gives us to return to Him and turn our lives around. He’s not restricted to prayer and His Word! When He wants to get our attention, He will – and we then have to make a conscious decision to accept or decline yet another proposal.

“And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” – Jonah 1:17

Jonah makes his decision: instead of crying out to God and coming back to his Savior, he tells them to throw him overboard because he knows he’s the cause of the problem. But God does not allow Jonah to die. He provides a “great fish” to swallow, and ultimately save him, from certain death. It’s crazy what we, as believers, will do to avoid that awkwardness that God has called us to, that task we feel ourselves unqualified for. Yet God does not give up on us! He sends a lifeboat (“great fish”) time and time again, and time and time again we refuse to humble ourselves before the Almighty, continuing to wallow in the filthiness of our sin, (or in this case, the “belly of a fish”).

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.” And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.” – Jonah 2: 1,2,10

All it took was for Jonah to humble himself, ask God’s forgiveness, and surrender to the Father – And immediately God answered! I find this to be rather easy to grasp: trust and abide in Him. But often it’s so much harder than it sounds, and we make it harder than it really is through our pride, fear and doubt.

What is God’s call for you? Are you running from Him, or abiding in Him?

-Adam

Do You Recognize Resistance?

07 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by in choices, Obedience, Surrender, Uncategorized

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“…and there will I plead with you face to face.” Ezekiel 20:35

This is not impatience, frustration, or anger, this is a father who is desperate for the heart of his child! This is an agony which is unmatched by any other grief known to man: that the Almighty God would plead with mankind, and do so face to face (is unthinkable) and yet, that it is what God promised.

Moses, the meekest man who ever lived, was not permitted to see the face of God. But now, Jesus Christ has paid the penalty of man’s sin, and not only can we look our Savior in the face, but we can be clothed in His very self. Can you look Him in the face and resist? Do you recognize your resistance? God so often pleads with mankind, and is so often missed. Moses could not have missed the presence of God if he had tried, but to us, the very face of God has become just another passing shadow on a dulled and hardened conscience.

This pleading of God is personal, because He wants not just a portion, but our very whole selves. I remember the day I sat my “sixteen-year-old, confused self” down on a swing and in utter frustration and desire to be free, cried out “Okay, I will surrender everything if you will let me keep _________.” God said “No. I want it ALL – everything you’ve got!” He would not let me go. His grip grew tighter until I felt I could not go on any longer in this suffocation. He was pleading with me face to face, and when at last I opened my eyes, there He was, and He was so glorious, I felt ashamed that I had not recognized His worth from the beginning. He was worth so much more than anything I could desire to hang onto.

Dear believer, when God pleads with you, look at His face – do not avoid His gaze – and give in to all that He requires.

~Hannah

“…that they may believe…”

01 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in Moses, Obedience, Power, Reward, Sacrifice, Surrender

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“And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And He said, Cast it on the ground…that [Israel] may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.” ~Ex. 4:2-5

The rod: it represented Moses’ livelihood, his protection, his stability, his security, his very life. God said “Cast it on the ground.” It had no power. It was just a rod, but it was everything Moses had – totaled up in one.

Only after Moses chose to cast it down, was it taken up with power.

My life and your life – they are much the same: we cling to what we have because it is all we have, not realizing what we could have if we gave it up, cast it down, released it. The rod was taken up again with the power of God. It was not the rod itself that had power, but the trust of one man, who laid the very thing he held closest, down at the feet of his God as a sacrifice.

Personal sacrifice will reap eternal salvation for other souls

“…that they may believe.” What greater calling? Moses could have clung to the rod, and life would have gone on…the same life he had lived for so many years. There was nothing wrong with shepherding, but there was nothing dynamic about it either. The simple act of surrender – the turn of attention off of self and onto God – it opened up an avenue of belief for those who would have been faithless.

If God is not enough for me, I cannot tell the world that He is enough for them.

When I cling to my “rod”, I hinder God from giving me His power; I hinder myself from being used to bring others to faith in His all-sufficiency.

We  must understand that the pain that is felt as the rod slips from our grasp cannot begin to compare to the joy of taking it up again.

The apostle John, known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”, so carefully penned these words: “Unless a corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.” Death will always require pain and loneliness. It will leave an empty, aching void…and yet when it is felt, it must be filled with the only thing that can truly satisfy: Jesus Christ. Will you cast your “rod” upon the ground, “…that they may believe…”?

We release our grip upon the rod so that God can secure His grip upon us.

“Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee to be Thine forever. Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit. Use me as Thou wilt, work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever.” ~Betty Stam

“…at any cost…” - Lay down your rod!

~Hannah

The “Me” Mirror, Pt. II

27 Sunday May 2012

Posted by in Death, God Loving Me, God's Love, Peace, Power, Trust, Trusting God

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Remember the man I told you about – the one who took me up on the mountain and told me about Jesus Christ and His gift of love in exchange for Pride and Self-pity – that would set me free?

I chose love that day.

I was afraid, but somehow I could trust him – he spoke the truth. I hated what I had seen in that mirror, and I wanted to be different. Being with him, I felt (for the first time) truly, wonderfully happy. I received the love by simply asking, and when I had finished, a wonderful peace flooded my soul. I was free!

The man reached for the mirror again – I winced – but as he held it out to me, I caught my breath. “This,” he said with great joy, “is what you look like when you are robed in the righteousness of Christ. As long as you walk in the Spirit, you will always look like this. But beware – your old enemies will try to take it from you.”

I was worried. “How will I fight them?” I said, my voice trembling. “The power of the Holy Spirit will enable you to do all things through Christ Jesus.” He reassured me. “Come now, it’s getting late. We must go on.” I got up to follow him, I wondered where he was taking me now. The scenery was still beautiful and I was enjoying my newfound contentment. But as evening drew near, we began to descend into a valley. It seemed to grow gradually darker until at last, I realized I couldn’t see the man anymore, nor could I see my own hand when I held it in front of my face.

It was then that I heard a familiar voice…it was the voice of one of my old “besties”, Self Pity. “What are you doing down here?” Her voice was almost soothing. “You are all alone. See? The one you were walking with has forsaken you! You will probably never see him again! Go back!” At the same time, I heard Pride’s voice and immediately, a nervousness welled up in my heart. “This is not the life you deserve. A life of darkness and loneliness? You were better off with me for a friend!” His voice was scornful. They were right…weren’t they? I was alone, and I probably never would see the man again! Where had he gone anyways?

I got up to go back, though I don’t know how I would have – it was too dark to see – when suddenly I heard a whisper, but only a faint one. I froze, straining to make out the words. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” It was a voice I recognized, but not because I’d heard it before. I wondered at the sweetness of them. No one had ever said anything like this to me. Yet this was what I truly wanted: to be always with someone, never forsaken.

“You have changed your mind so quickly? If you stay, you’ll wind up dying down here alone. No one will even know you’re gone.” Self-Pity’s voice jerked me back. Where had the whispering voice gone? There it was again…”Call unto me, and I will answer…” Call? My heart raced. This stranger that was speaking so wonderfully to me had invited me to call upon him? I opened my mouth, but in the instant, a lantern was whisked to my side. Pride flipped open a familiar mirror. It looked like the one the man had shown me earlier that day. “Look at yourself. You think anyone would help you if they knew what a wretch you looked like?” I gasped. What had happened to me? It must have been the long day of travel. I was dirty and smudged, cut and bruised, and my face – it was sad.  I snapped the mirror shut. I couldn’t bear to look. It was then that I became aware of the presence of all the ones I had walked with formerly…some closer, and some not so close…but all were there. There was Pride, leaning on Anger who had Lust by the hand. Self Pity was standing in a tight circle with Greed and Envy. I felt overcome by filth. I was torn. Where should I go? What should I do? Who would truly help me?

It was then I remembered the man’s words from earlier in the day:

“He loves you just the way you are.” If he loved me before I even chose Him, would He not love me now, as I was struggling between what seemed like life and death? I turned away from the mocking crowd of old friends and raised my voice to call for the One who had whispered in my ear only moments before. As the words left my mouth, He was by my side. I felt a warmth rush over me. I was at peace again. He took my hand and began to lead me out, and as we walked, these words escaped my mouth: “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”

I could see the path now, dimly, swirling up, up, up into the next mountain. The light grew brighter, and soon we were on a firm path. I could not see the One I had called out to, but I was sure His hand was still in mine – He was still leading me. And then I saw the one who had told me about him in the first place. He was sitting not far off up the road a ways, waiting for me. I ran eagerly towards him, and seeing me coming, he made room for me to sit.

Then I began to tell him all that had happened to me, and as I finished, I tilted my head curiously. “The mirror…” I said, almost afraid to ask. “Why did I look so different last night?” He smiled, almost knowingly. “You were not walking in the Spirit.” He said gently. “When you are in the dark valleys – and there will be many of them – you must always know the truth in your heart, and you will remain pure and spotless.” I think I understood. I had wandered back to my old life…lost faith in the One who could really help me, and waited too long to call out to Him!

“Some of the valleys before you,“ the man continued, “you will have to walk through alone. But in your heart, you must trust the love of Jesus Christ. Come, I want to show you.” I went with him, my heart beating in my chest. I wondered what he wanted to show me. There was a door ahead, through which we walked. We were inside now, a palace of sorts. We stopped, and he motioned for me to be quiet. “Listen.” He whispered.

I saw a young girl, beautifully dressed. She stood in front of two more doors and waited. Her head lowered and her eyes closed. I knew she was praying. As she lifted her head again, I caught her words to an elderly man sitting nearby. They were simple and honest, and they tore my heart in two: “If I perish, I perish.” The doors swung open wide. Everyone inside froze as she began her long, slow walk towards the man at the other end. I wanted to wait and see what happened, but the one with me motioned for me to follow him. We went out another door and now I was watching an old man and a young boy. They were standing at what seemed to be an alter. The old man was tying the young one to the wood. I realized in horror what was happening as his trembling hands raised a knife over the helpless figure on the platform. Again, the one I was with moved on. I had to follow. We were in a rocky wilderness now, and I could see a middle-aged shepherd with a rod. He was leaning heavily on it, and it looked to be something very dear to him, but then I heard saw his lips moving and realized he was talking to someone, and then he did the strangest thing: he raised the rod in his hand, and cast it onto the ground. As quickly as he had appeared, he was gone, and I was sitting with the one who had first led me into all of this, on the same rock I had met him on only an hour before.

“What were those three people doing?” I cried, wanting to go back and see what became of them.

He smiled and thought for a moment. “Esther…a young queen, forbidden to enter the court of the King, but required by God to do so. She laid down her life that day for her people who were condemned to die.” I was shocked. “He killed her?” I could not hide the surprise in my voice. He shook his head. “No, but she was willing to die.” He continued, “Abraham – waited for a son for 25 years. God gave him Isaac in his old age, and ten asked him to sacrifice his son. Abraham believed that God would provide a better sacrifice, and he did. Before the knife came down, the angel of the Lord stopped him.” I let out a sight of relief. “And the man with the rod?” I asked. “Moses. Yes – a man who made his living by shepherding. He was called to Egypt to deliver God’s chosen people from slavery. God asked him to cast down that rod that represented his entire life, to the end that those in Egypt might believe in the one true God.” He paused, and then looked me squarely in the eyes. “The path ahead is full of many difficulties for you. All who receive the Lord Jesus Christ must choose to trust Him even when they do not understand. What will your choice be, even if your life is required?”

I thought about that one.

It was a hard decision. As I sat there, the man slipped the mirror into my lap. “Keep it.” He said softly, and then he left me there to ponder. My fingers wanted to open it, but I was afraid. Slowly, ever so slowly, I lifted the lid – but it was not me that I saw this time. It was a cross, with a torn and bleeding man on it, and somewhere out across the valley, I heard a cry, and I knew it was His. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And I knew in my heart – His father had forsaken him, so that I might never be forsaken. I chose to trust in that moment, and when I looked back down at the mirror in my lap, it was me again, clothed in a scarlet robe, and I knew the blood of Jesus had cleansed me, never to be removed, for the rest of eternity. The path ahead would be hard, and there would be times that the ragged outfit of my past would be thrown over top of the righteousness I now wore, but by the grace of that One on the cross, I had an unshakable faith that He would never leave my side.

And with that, I got up and continued down the road, and I though I could not see him, I knew his hand was in mine.

What is your choice?

~Hannah

 

Unto the Uttermost

14 Monday May 2012

Posted by in Death, Devotion, Faith, Faithfulness, Sacrifice, Uncategorized

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“…take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest…and offer him for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” Gen. 22:2

Abraham – a man who waited nearly 26 years for the fulfillment of God’s promise that He would make him a great nation. The time must have crawled by, filled with disappointment after disappointment, and worse yet, the realization that Ishmael was not the promised son. I can almost imagine Abraham’s joy that day his beloved son was born and placed in his arms. That priceless gift – he would surely have given his own life for Isaac. Yet it was only a few years later that God asked him to sacrifice that very gift.

We will never find it convenient die, but the real question is, are we willing to die?

Convenient: accommodating, agreeable, comfortable, favorable, opportune, timely.

Willing: obedient, faithful, yielding, devoted, resigned.

The journey was three days (See Gen. 22:4). Every day must have grown more and more difficult as Abraham drew nearer to the place God had pre-ordained for the sacrifice of his son. He was looking for the mount God would show him – still in-tune with the direction of the Lord, yet no doubt struggling in his mind with this unbelievable request. He had waited for 26 long years – and now this? What about God’s promise of a great nation, of descendants like the sand on the sea and greater in number than the stars of the sky? What about blessing all nations through his lineage? What allowed Abraham to travel for three days with his only beloved, promised son, lay him on the alter, and raise a knife over that helpless form?

“…And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:” Gen. 22:8

Faith. Abraham had mountainous faith. He believed in the sovereignty of God – that God is a God who keeps His promises, and that He works in mysterious ways to fulfill the wonders He has willed. This week I felt a little bit like Abraham – except I found myself saying “Lord, you can’t ask me to lay that down! If I lay that down, Your promises won’t come true!!!” And it was that still small voice that rebuked my heart… “Hannah, do you love me, even unto the uttermost – is your love for me extreme?” Such was Abraham’s love for his Lord. There was no other affection he more highly valued. Isaac was Abraham’s life…but would Abraham lay down his life? He who saves his life will lose it. But he who lays down his life allows God to give it back to him.

“…now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” Gen. 22:12

Abraham held nothing back. Did the thought “How will I live my life if I carry this out?” cross Abraham’s mind? Probably it did – yet there was one dominating truth that overcame – that God was sovereign over all. Abraham allowed God to grip his life in a way few men and women do – he gave unto the uttermost, unto the extreme – and Abraham was called “The Friend of God.”

Oh to obtain such a title as this! Are you a friend of God? Am I a friend of God? Whatever you are grasping in your hand, whatever fear is tightening your grip, know that your brethren who are in the world battle the same struggle – but in prayer and faith, we must press on, allow God to shatter our hopes, and then to bind them to His own ways and mend them according to His own will. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what He cannot lose” (Jim Elliot).

“When first affliction comes upon us, how everything gives way! Our clinging, tendril hopes are snapped, and our heart lies prostrate like a vine that the storm has torn from its trellis; but when the first shock is past, and we are able to look up, and say, “it is the Lord,” faith lifts the shattered hopes once more, and binds them fast to the feet of God. Thus the end is confidence, safety and peace.”
~Streams in the Desert, 5/11

Bind your sacrifice with cords to the alter!
Do not turn back!

~Hannah

“Wait” – a most vital element…

28 Saturday Apr 2012

Posted by in Prayer, Waiting

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Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! -Psalm 27:14

The waiting room: a place we’ve all been and a place each of us dread in one way or another. Waiting to hear the results on whether the cancer has spread, whether a loved one has survived surgery, or whether a new life will draw his/her first breath. We find ourselves breathlessly counting the seconds, as time itself seems to stand still.

“…waiting…is one of the most vital elements in our lives as Christians.”

Waiting is one of the hardest things for us to do, and yet it’s what we find ourselves having to do so often. We live in an age where life has progressed to a state of constant rush; there is simply too much to do in too little time. But waiting, despite our annoyance and abhorrence for it, is one of the most vital elements in our lives as Christians. God repeatedly calls on us in His word to wait on Him. Along with this call is a host of blessings He promises if we are simply willing to so. Despite this, waiting remains one of the hardest things for us to do.

Why is it so hard for us to wait? I think for us, in our modern society, we are so used to taking initiative and so prone to taking matters into our own hands that we become something of a superhero in our minds. We follow our instincts and live by our own methods. We rely on ourselves, and how we can fix a problem rather then going to The Almighty for His input. This is something I’ve seen repeatedly in the church today and in my own life.

Prayer has become something of a plan B; we tell ourselves we’ll go to God once we’ve exhausted all our own resources.

We are neglecting the fact that Jesus has given us the key to the most powerful arsenal in existence! Prayer and continual fellowship with Christ makes the waiting bearable. When God tells us to wait, it’s more than just waiting; it can be a time of renewal, bonding, rest, and above all hope for what He has planned for the future.

 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him. -Lamentations 3:25

There are various words used in the Hebrew for our English word “wait”. One of the most used in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word yachal, which means to “hope“, or “wait expectantly”. God is telling us to trust Him and to get excited about what He has planned for the future! To hope, pray, and wait expectantly on what He is going to do in and through each and every one of us!

But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. -Romans 8:25

My prayer is that God will grant each of us the strength and endurance to persevere through whatever stage of life we are going through at the moment. But above all that we will draw closer to Him through it and learn to hope and wait expectantly for the awesome things He has in store!

-Adam

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