The Divine Dance

 

 

Jennifer Slattery, cbn.com

When my husband and I were first married, we took up country dancing. Well, we tried, anyway. A local club offered free lessons one afternoon a week, so each week we’d go and do our best to scurry across the dance floor, preferably in time to the music. We weren’t very good. Actually, we stunk, so I decided to practice at home. I went to our local library and checked out dance instruction videos; and while my husband was at work, I practiced. Then I met him at the door with arms positioned, ready to dance.

The more I “learned” the worse I got. I stepped on his feet, jerked left when he wanted to go right; and combined, we created a robotic display that was anything but romantic. You see, the problem was I was so convinced I knew how to dance, I lost sight of my dance partner.

Often, I’m like that with God. I’m so focused on what I know to do, whether that be reading my Bible, teaching a Sunday school class, or fulfilling various responsibilities, it’s easy to take my eyes off the dancer. It’s easy to turn what should be an act of intimate surrender into rote behavior which ultimately leads to burn-out and ineffectiveness. But when I surrender to the dancer, forsaking my ideas and agendas, clearing my vision of everything but my Lead Dancer, everything flows.

Have you ever watched professional ballroom dancers or skating partners? There’s an intimate dynamic that occurs between them. The crowd can scream and holler, cameras can flash, but they don’t see it. They are focused 100 percent on their partner, attuned to the slightest signal, responding instantly, beautifully, effortlessly.

What if we knew God that intimately? What if we were so focused on Him, so in tune with Him, like Jesus we could say, “I do only what my Father wills.”? And what keeps us from that? What keeps us angsting, striving, and experiencing burn-out?

One Sunday, I spent the afternoon studying the Holy Spirit. Throughout Scripture, we are told the Holy Spirit guides us, has fellowship with us, teaches us, fills us, prays for us, and overshadows us.

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14 NASB) ~ Fellowship–intimate interaction.

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” (John 6:63 NASB) ~ Life-giving.

Apart from Him, apart from full submission to Him, our efforts lead to futility. No matter how great our ministry, how in-depth our Bible study time, or how devoted our service, if it’s not ignited, guided and sustained by the Holy Spirit, it will be nothing but the effort of man operating on the wisdom of man to do the things of man. But we were called to more!

“The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.” (2 Samuel 23:2 NIV)

Our ultimate goal as Christians should be to be cleansed and open vessels, ready to do God’s will. Like funnels, conduits of God’s power and grace.

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18 NIV)

To be filled, we must first be emptied — of ourselves, our sin, our wants, our desires. I believe anytime we cling to anything – even good things – other than God, they become a hindrance to the working of the Holy Spirit. That job we fear losing, the ministry we can’t let fail, whatever it is … when we begin to strive for it, hold tight to it, we begin to operate in our own will. To be overshadowed, we need to stay surrendered completely, focused on our Dancer, not the dance. Otherwise, I believe, our actions lack power. Why? Because we’ve left our dancer behind.

Lord, may we so driven by Your Spirit, so infused by Your presence, that Your love compels us. Remove all expectations and obligations except that of drawing near to You in full surrender, listening to Your voice, and obeying. Draw us into Your Dance, Oh, Lord.

Flash, Magic, and Bread

 

 

Jill Richardson, cbn.com

Before leaving for Las Vegas for my niece’s wedding, I received tourist advice from previous visitors. Several insisted I see the Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, and Grand Canal of Venice on The Strip. “Awesome! Just like the real thing!” they promised. So I went. I saw.

The problem with their advice is, I have seen the real Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, and Grand Canal in Europe. And, I’m sorry, but the Vegas replicas are not just like the real thing. Visitors who have never experienced the real thing may accept them, but they are unaware of the true majesty they’re missing.

Jesus felt a similar frustration with the people who followed him after his miracle of feeding over 5000 with a bit of bread and fish. He knew they sought him for the flash and magic and food, not the Kingdom he offered.

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

Jesus replied,“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:32-35 NLT

His words in John 6 promised they might never hunger again. Their response throughout the whole encounter? Free food I don’t have to work for? Sign me up, Jesus! They saw their own imitation version of the Grand Canal – Jesus would effectively take away that curse on the first man to have to work and sweat for daily bread. It sounded like a great deal.

But Jesus held out the real thing. He offered the majesty of The curse reversal –the one that had to do with destroying sin and death. He offered His sacrificed body for a kingdom of new life. And they were happy with the quick show of bread crumbs.

I scorned replicas of the great European landmarks because I knew their counterparts. And settling for the fakes seemed as hollow and false as the rest of that strip of buildings when one had experienced the real thing.

But I wonder how often I settle for a replica of the life God has offered me. Sustenance for feast. Security for trust. Achievement for acceptance. Pleasure for joy. Existence for adventure. The fakes of this world are made to look very convincing. It takes knowing the real thing to know the facade when we see it.

Jesus, don’t always give me bread. Don’t always give me safety, security, and sustenance. Always, give me You. Nothing else will ever be real.

Faith Starts Where Logic Fails

 

 

Nina Keegan,  cbn.com

Faith is defined as complete trust or confidence.

Have you ever read the Bible and envisioned yourself there, at that moment in time, watching events take place? Can you imagine being in those stories which became the Living Word of God?

What has become the Bible was once someone’s reality; people like you and me who had no idea their lives and events would ultimately change the world.

I often think about what it would have been like to personally witness the impossibly amazing wonders, miracles, and events that took place. I could not watch a sea part and walk through walls of water on dry land and not be forever changed.

We would not be able to comprehend how such a mind-blowing event could happen. It defies logic. Our human sophistication and limited mindset can’t wrap itself around such a miracle. It is beyond any worldly explanation.

Faith is the opposite of logic. In all the Bible stories where there was great faith, logic was disproved. There is no room for logic where mountain-moving faith exists. Faith takes over where logic can no longer tread.

Logic could not cause a little boy’s lunch of five loaves of bread and two fish to feed thousands and thousands. It was faith that fed everyone until they were full and then collected 12 baskets of leftovers, a tangible visual of having more in the end than in the beginning.

Food unlimited. Food multiplied. The food would not run out. It overflowed into possibility, not the logic of impossibility where there was not enough food in a boy’s basket to feed such a vast crowd.

Faith poured out as obedience, daring to believe and stepping out to feed the multitudes. In the simple act of saying “Yes” to what made no sense, God was able to work through them and do the miraculous.

God first needed the believer and faith. God needed to be “Amened.” He needed the simple act of someone agreeing with God Almighty that He can do all things, He alone is sovereign, and with Him nothing is impossible!

Through our obedience and faith in what we cannot see, God will do so much more than just enough. He wants to do exceedingly, abundantly more. God will meet our needs and then give us leftovers, overflow, dry land in the middle of oceans, leveled mountains and demolished walls that once locked out our victories.

God succeeds where logic fails.

He will take what seemed impossible and make it exceed our need and surpass understanding. Believe!

Act out of faith and be audacious for God. We have not because we ask not. Ask big and think huge. Don’t put God in a box. Don’t set limits on our omnipotent, omnipresent, supernatural God!

What’s in your basket?

Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”

Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves. John 6:5-13 (NLT)

The Past Is Dead

 

 

Scott Presson  cbn.com

The past is dead. It is done. It is over. It is finished. It is dust. It is a new day today. How will you choose to respond? There are issues from the past that we still have to contend with, but God allows us to be part of the solution. Yes, God allows us to walk through many things so we will be part of His answer. We have all experienced hurts and pains that we probably wished would have never happened.

It’s always amazing to hear testimonies of Christians who walked through deep valleys and yet they honestly say, “If I had to do it all over again, I would not change a thing.” That’s seeing God’s hand in our life and knowing who we are in HIM.

Recently, God had a dear sister speak a word over me. It was, “You have to know who you are in God.”

We do have to know who we are in God. We have to know that the past is part of who we are and helped shape us into what we are; but it doesn’t have to define the rest of our lives. In fact, if we dwell on it and let it define the rest of our lives, bitterness and anger and the weeds will take root and choke out what God is doing in us. That’s not to deny His power, but we have to relinquish control and let God heal us and move on!

The past is dead. Yesterday is already in the past. There are things from yesterday that still need to be addressed today, but God allowed us to walk through the problems of yesterday so that we can be part of His solution today. God’s power is all-encompassing. He is more than able to take the issues and hurts and pains and make it all right today, but we have to trust Him.

He wants us to be overcomers, but we have to know it’s through His will that we are overcomers. I’m not talking about an identity issue — it’s an opportunity to see God’s power at work today! It’s the chance to see God do new things, new ways. It’s a chance to be formed once again on the potter’s wheel by our Creator so that we can be a vessel He can use today.

Release the past. Release it once and for all. Know who you are in God. You are an heir and a joint heir. You are His co-worker and laborer in the harvest. You are a friend of the King of all Kings! You have worth. You have a place. You have God-ordained authority. Rest in God. Trust in God. Lean on God. Let Him take control of your life and use you today.

THE PAST IS DEAD.

One Glance

 

 

Daphne Delay, cbn.com

One thing that makes Jesus so endearing— what draws people to Him— is His mercy. I know it’s what captivated my heart. As undeserving as I felt, I needed the mercy He offered. I was lost, and then I was found— just like the man at the pool of Bethesda.

This story has been preached in countless churches by countless pastors, but I want to challenge us to look at this man through a different lens. Here is someone sitting in what we would call today a homeless shelter. The Bible says it was called “The House of Loving Kindness” in Aramaic (John 5:2 TPT). Its name sounds welcoming, especially to the “Hundreds of sick people [who] were lying under the covered porches—the paralyzed, the blind, and the crippled—all of them waiting for their healing” (John 5:3 TPT).

I’ve been to this location in Israel. It still stands today. And all these years later, you can still picture the beauty and serenity of it. With its many alcoves and shaded areas surrounding a deep chasm in the rock, it’s easy to imagine people lying all around it. But much like our modern-day homeless, it was likely a natural mess with people’s belongings, bed mats, and sheer disillusionment, as many had been there a very long time in their condition.

This is the case of the man Jesus encountered.

But I want to point out one aspect of his story that could easily get lost, yet I believe plays a dramatic role in his healing that day.

“Among the many sick people lying there was a man who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, he knew that the man had been crippled for a long time. Jesus said to him, ‘Do you truly long to be well?’ The sick man answered, ‘Sir, there’s no way I can get healed, for I have no one to lower me into the water when the angel comes. As soon as I try to crawl to the edge of the pool, someone else jumps in ahead of me’” (John 5:5-7 TPT).

I’ve heard ministers read this story in a tone insinuating the man was whining. But I want to ask, why this man? Why not any of the other hundred people lying at the pool that day? I believe it started with eye contact. In every other account of Jesus healing someone, there was contact.

As Jesus approached the House of Loving Kindness, I have no doubt His heart was moved with compassion. But all of them were intently watching the water— hoping, praying, the waters would be stirred again. Only one man caught Jesus’ eye because his eyes were elsewhere. Catching his glance, Jesus said, “Do you want to be made well?”

The man could easily have answered sarcastically: “Well duh, that’s why I’ve been sitting here all these years!” But instead, he answered naturally. He didn’t know who Jesus was or what Jesus offered, so he answered in the only faith he had— but it was enough.

And this is where you and I enter the story.

I didn’t know what Jesus had to offer when I came to Him for salvation. I was just so tired of my life. I was desperate for healing— heart healing. And the world made many promises that seemed to work for some, but left me empty. And like the man near the pool, I started to look elsewhere. In fact, like him, I looked up and heard Jesus whisper to my heart, “Do you want to be made well?”

“I’ve tried everything. It’s no use.”

“Jesus said, ‘Get up, take your bedroll, start walking.’ The man was healed on the spot. He picked up his bedroll and walked off” (John 5:8 MSG).

One word from the Savior changed everything.

But it started with focus.

What are you looking at? If you want change in your life, you’re going to have to make eye contact with Jesus— with His Word. If desperation was all that was needed for healing, everyone at the pool that day would’ve been healed. But Jesus saw a glimmer of faith— from one who was looking up.

Be that one today.

Consider the Lilies

 

 

Missey Butler, cbn.com

You can almost hear it in the air. Like the fine-tuning of stringed instruments on opening night, so also the great symphony of nature as she finds her pitch and makes ready her praises. She watches closely as the Heavenly Maestro lifts his baton, poised and ready to resound forth the light-hearted melodies of spring as she makes her glorious debut!

A few weeks ago I was reminiscing as I sat on top of a large fallen oak tree in the middle of a wooded lot. It felt like home to me. As a young tomboy, you could always find me scavenging among the tall pines or bent over some trickling ravine, gazing at the tiny tadpoles, and fast-moving minnows as they dodged the prodding of my stick. I loved the woods.

My mom and grandma could vouch for my love of nature, as I walked through the kitchen door with parts of it still attached to me in the forms of poison ivy, chiggers, mosquito bites, and ticks. My brothers would laugh at me when I sat down for dinner speckled from head to toe with the lovely pink dots of calamine lotion.

As often as I can, I revisit my old friend, the woods. My favorite locations are usually far away from any of the intruding sounds of the nearby city. Whenever I’m there, it’s as if I’m in seventh heaven, completely captivated by the chirping, chattering, twiddles, and tweets. With so much to take in, I quietly watch as the scampering squirrels play tag with each other among the backdrop of cascading honeysuckle. I become startled by the rush of a host of blackbirds who suddenly exit in haste from high atop the leafy majestic crown of a huge grandfather Elm.

I am reminded that life is much more than the process of breathing or the pumping of a heart. It involves a sense of being. Implanted within every living creature is a purposed individual identity for which it was created, the total blueprint of its life form.

When a robin is born, no one has to tell it what it is supposed to be. It is fully conscious of the fact that it is a robin. No one has to teach it to behave like a robin, or how to eat worms or fly from branch to branch, for its behavior is imprinted in its LIFE.

The truth is, all of creation is like a great symphony being played by an orchestra, and somewhere, invisible to the naked eye, is the MASTER CONDUCTOR giving order and cohesion to the whole production.

Just think about it for a moment! Everything that has LIFE is totally dependent upon the God who created it, not just for its existence but for its form, its identity, and its destiny.

While sitting in the woods, I happen to look down at a tiny patch of lavender flowers peeking through the ground cover of ivy. I began to think about some other flowers spoken of by Jesus in the gospel of Matthew when he said:

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (Matthew 6:28-32 KJV)

What a promise! The God who created you, me and every living thing, has insured us that we have no need to worry. Everything has been provided, within and without. Like the lilies of the field, all we have to do is simply be.

The Message Behind the Voice

 

 

J. A. Marx, cbn.com

Decades ago, my sister told me a “funny” story about my niece who’d done something she shouldn’t. When my sister asked, “Why did you do that, Tammy?” Tammy said, “The devil made me do it.” To which my sister replied, “Well, then don’t listen to him next time.”

Have you ever paused and taken inventory of the myriad of voices speaking around you and at you? Family, friends, God, self, social media. And of course the devil—Don’t listen to him!

Why take inventory? Because unless we recognize the messenger behind the voice, we risk inadvertently “hearing” the wrong message and ending up a captive. Here’s a verse that reflects what still happens today and why we must make ourselves aware:

The most vicious enemy of Israel said this to God’s people:

“Say this to Hezekiah king of Judah, ‘Don’t let your God, whom you trust, deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria'” (2 Kings 19:10 HCSB).

Don’t let your God, whom you trust, deceive you! How often have we heard the devil say this covert, insidious message, particularly during seasons of trial and turmoil?

Don’t let your God, whom you trust, deceive you by promising … that you’re going to come through okay.

Don’t let your God, whom you trust, deceive you by promising … that He will restore all things if you stay faithful to Him.

Are you catching on?

Don’t let your God, whom you trust, deceive you by promising … that your life makes a difference.

Don’t let your God, whom you trust, deceive you by promising … that you’ve actually been forgiven for that horrible thing you did.

Do we recognize the voice of Fear, Shame, Pride, Arrogance, those blasphemous voices that thunder: “Don’t let the Lord God, whom you trust, deceive you with His promises.” These voices are making relentless attempts to exalt themselves above God’s Word. And the tone, or the emotion behind the voice, will alter to fit your circumstance. Their message attempts to fit you like a glove on a hand, making it sound like deep “wisdom” from your soul.

As if with a heavy sigh, Shame shakes his head at you, and whispers, “You know you’re guilty. If you tell anyone what you did, you’ll never live it down. Don’t let your God, whom you trust, deceive you by promising unconditional love. Don’t fall for the lie about finding freedom in confession.”

Yet, what does the Maker of heaven and earth, who cannot lie, and in whom there is no darkness say? Let what He says be your response:

When you hear Shame’s voice, fire back at your enemy, “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ! Instead of shame and dishonor, I’ll receive a double portion of honor!”

Tell Fear: “God has not given me a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

Tell Disappointment: “I will give thanks in all circumstances. I will choose joy.”

Tell Hopelessness: “I will return to the Lord. He has torn us all to pieces, but He will heal me and bind up my wounds. He will renew my strength and restore me to health.”

Tell Arrogance: “I am not too important to help someone else. I will dress myself in humility.”

Let’s wake up and take inventory of the voices.

Father in Heaven, forgive me for listening to the wrong messages. Cleanse my ears with the blood of Jesus and set me free! I believe Your Word that says,

“Every child of God overcomes the world, for our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world!” (1 John 5:4 TPT).

Upon this truth, I will stand, in Jesus’s name.