The Book of James

Reading the book of James is a little like listening to a sermon with multiple points and no outline. Trying to read it directly after reading Paul's very organized epistles is almost frustrating for me. Nevertheless, each point in the book is powerful and there are key lessons to be learned from this very short New Testament epistle. I have chosen one point from each chapter to focus on for this blog post. Doing this was difficult as there are many verses that beg to be shared. Here are the verses I have chosen:

James 1:2-4: "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

There is nothing more humbling than being tempted. Sometimes, I feel so guilty after facing temptation, even if I did not give into it. It is interesting to me that Satan will bring a spirit of condemnation, even if I did not give into his ploy. Temptation is a great struggle for Christians. We face it just as every other human. We are forced to make choices between right and wrong. We are forced to decide if we will tell the truth or lie. We are forced to decided if we will love or hate. Being a Christian doesn't take away your choices; it doesn't mean you make the right choice every time.

When I read this verse, it makes me ask myself, "How does temptation teach me patience?" I think there are probably several ways, but the first thing that comes to my mind is that it teaches me patience for myself. Temptation forces me to stop holding myself to perfection that I haven't achieved. I am not saying that I face temptations that I am unable to fight (1 Cor. 10:13). I am saying that temptations teach me to have patience with my spiritual growth and to not expect everything to be perfect because I prayed today.

Another way temptation teaches us patience is by forcing us to put down our lust. You may want that position you are applying for TODAY, and maybe if you lied on your application, you could get it. That's a temptation. When we refuse to obey that lust, we force ourselves to wait for something we want "right now", which is patience. It gives God time to bring about his "perfect work" and to leave us "wanting nothing."

James 2:14-18: "What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, "Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;" notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doeth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, "Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith BY my works."

In chapter 2 we shift gears very rapidly. We go from discussing temptation to discussing faith and works. I love the way the passage above lays it out for us. Sometimes, it helps to just look at an example. When you read the passage above, you can see the ridiculousness of it. "Go! Be warm and filled!" and never give the pour soul a scrap of clothing or food. Remember that the outward expression of your faith in Jesus Christ is found in loving your neighbor as yourself. Would you let yourself go hungry? Would you let yourself be cold?

James 3:17: "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."

Chapter 3 changes gears again and talks about the tongue. It challenges us to refrain from complaining with the same mouth we use to bless God. It points out the hypocrisy of such actions. Then it finishes with the Scripture above. Do you want heavenly wisdom in your situation? Here's how:

Come to the situation with a pure heart. Give both sides the benefit of the doubt.

Next, be peaceable, gentle, and easily intreated as you handle the situation. Remember, you are not God. You are not "large and in charge." Your lack of self-pride shows Heavenly wisdom.

Finally, be full of mercy and good fruits, don't show partiality, and don't counsel others with hypocrisy. 

If we could remember this Scripture when a friend calls us for advice or to share a juicy piece of gossip, we would be much better off.

James 4:12: "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?"

I chose this Scripture because it is one of the most over-used Scriptures of the Bible. Almost all groups who are living in sin misuse this Scripture and scream, "Don't judge me!" While I agree that this Scripture is telling us that we are not the ultimate say and that we do not decide who goes to Hell and who goes to Heaven, it must be used in conjunction with Scriptures that teach about certain lifestyles. You can grab this one Scripture and say, "Ha! Only God can judge me!" However, you neglect to notice the rest of the Bible where God states very clearly how He feels about sin. Remember, Hebrews 10:31: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

James 5:8: "Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."

Finally, I end with a Scripture that called to me as soon as I read it. I, like so many others, am looking at the world around me with apprehension and concern. I am concerned by this election. I am concerned by the state of many countries around the world. I am concerned about the frequent displays of violence and blatant division in our human race. I know that this means that the coming of the Lord is at hand, and that knowledge both fills me with excitement and dread.

As I study the signs, I must remember the Scripture above. "Stablish your hearts." Remember Who is in control and don't let fear influence your decisions. He is coming. He draweth nigh.

Are you ready?

What are the Requirements?

Life has requirements. We know a lot of them up front. Job requirements are listed out and gone over before the job is taken. Legal requirements are explained and understood. Financial requirements are evaluated before a home is purchased or credit is given. Activities have fitness requirements. Rides have height requirementents. Parents have age requirements.

A requirement simply asks this, "Do you have what it takes to be involved?" It asks you to take a look at who you are and weigh yourself against what it will cost. Can you pay that? Can you give that?

Sometimes, we are quick to confirm that we meet those requirements in our pride and desires. We hurry through the roller coaster line without stopping to check height at the gate. We borrow money for a new car without checking our budget to see if we can afford it. We apply for jobs we aren't qualified for because the pay is attractive. As kids, we jumped at the chance to do something with an older group to prove that we could handle ourselves.

If we do not consider the requirements, our decisions can cost us a lot.

There are also things that we are not told up front. We are not told at the beginning of the year how much we will owe in taxes at the end of it. A police officer does not hold up a sign as he pulls up behind you with the amount of money the fine for the ticket will be. Many times, a doctor's office cannot tell you up front how much a procedure will cost you, before or after insurance.

Even in my short adulthood, I have learned to fear all three of those examples. I do not like not knowing what is required of me. I want to be told up front what something will cost.

God asks us to walk by faith, and He doesn't list out what will happen in our lives in advance. However, He is not unfair or unreasonable. He does tell us in advance what pleasing Him will cost.

Micah 6:8: "What does the Lord require of you? To act justly. To love mercy. To walk humbly with your God."

I like to call verses like this "Sum-up Scriptures." They take philsophies and ideas that are lengthily explained throughout the rest of the Bible and just say it. "This is what the Lord requires of you."

On the surface, it looks too easy. In fact, when you consider what God has done to have this relationship with us, it is too easy. However, as my pastor is fond of reminding us, "The harder you live for God, the easier it is." While it takes only a few seconds to read that sentence, a close examination of it is in order. After all, it is God's requirements of us.

Act Justly

This speaks to our outward actions and inward thoughts. It asks us to search us. It asks us to put our own hearts and minds under a microscope and evaluate our motives and incentives for doing what we do. Are we just? Are we fair? Are we honest? God sees every decision we make and every thought we think. He is simply asking us to take a hard look at each one. This other Sum-Up Scripture applies here as well:

Titus 2:12: "We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."

Don't get your cues on how to respond from how others act. You don't decide how to respond to a situation because of what your neighbor did. "I'm going to go burn down her house because she burned down mine!" NO! Your actions procede from your heart. YOU choose how you act! Choose to act justly.

Love Mercy

This is where the "others" come into play. Though we search our hearts and act justly, not everyone around us will do the same. We still must respond with mercy. We must treat others the way we want to be treated. We must be kind. We must be forgiving. We must shove the indignation that rises within us back down, remember we are all family, and treat those around us with respect.

I would like to say that this "Love Mercy" command does not mean that you allow people to walk all over you and you never stand up for yourself. That is not "acting justly" to yourself. People's actions should have consequences. Here's a scenario for example:

Friend A and Friend B are close. Friend A develops a drug problem and goes through all of their money. Friend B knows that Friend A is living on the street and gives Friend A money to buy groceries. Friend A doesn't buy groceries. Instead, Friend A buys drugs. Friend B finds out, but says nothing. Friend A then repeatedly comes to Friend B for more money.

Most of us would immediately say, "Friend B! Stop giving them more money! You're just enabling them!"  We would be correct, however, the black and white we see right now becomes more gray when it is our friend or family member who is using us. We struggle to find that balance between MERCY and ENABLING. May I quietly suggest that if you find yourself unable to find the line, ask your pastor for help.

Moving on.

Walk Humbly With Your God

In my twenty-two years of living for God, I have learned this: it's a daily walk. There's never a day that I wake up and say, "Ah, I have arrived!" Until I reach Heaven, there is no day that I don't have to get up and walk.

So first we must walk: a dogged, committed, daily, whatever-it-takes walk.

We must also walk HUMBLY. Our biggest enemy is pride. One of my favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis is this: "Forget your pride. What have you to be proud of?" Too often, we find ourselves getting puffed up about inconsequential things. Too often, we allow pride to come in the back door in forms we do not immediately recognize. 

Competition: I'M as good as they are! 

Anger: How dare they do that to ME! 

Judgmentalism: I would have done it like this!

Self-consciousness: I can't let them see ME like this.

Fear: What if I can't measure up?

Each of these problems stem from pride. Maybe that is why, of all the adverbs God could have used to describe this walk, HE chose "Humbly." Keep your pride in check.

Finally, we must also walk WITH God. 

Not in front of Him. 

Not behind Him. 

Not away from Him. 

Putting your feet where His feet are leading. 

Being involved in what He is involved in (MINISTRY!).

Caring about what He cares about. 

Holding tightly to His hand through it all. 

We cannot get distracted and foget Who we are walking beside. We cannot forget Who brought us this far and will take us farther still. We must keep the main thing the main thing and not allow distractions to pull us away from what really matters.

So, can you meet His requirements? Only you can search your heart and answer that question. Only you can decide to put your hand to the plough and not look back (Luke 9:62). The beautiful thing about serving God is that you are not required to do this alone. Remember, He is walking with you. He is both our lawyer (advocate) and our judge. He will not only defend you, but He will judge in your favor. You must, however, keep walking with your hand gripping tightly to His.

Free from Sin!

Salvation is such a beautiful gift! The way that God covered all bases and made sure that no question we could think of was left unanswered is incredible to me! Every time I read the Bible I find something else about His plan that I hadn't noticed before. I discover another piece of the huge quilt God has made and called "Salvation." The other day, that piece was this passage from Romans:

Romans 6:6-11: "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in he that liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

So many times in my life I have fallen into the trap of believing that I am powerless against sin in my life. I hear Satan whispering to me in moments of temptation, "You are flesh. You were born into sin. You cannot fight this. It is your nature. There is no victory." Satan uses half-truths and forms them into complete lies. In truth, we are born in sin and shapen in iniquity. (Psalm 51:5) It is true that our flesh is naturally attracted to sinful things and that we do not have to learn to lust after evil. (Psalm 103:14) However, God did not just come to this Earth and die to cover our sins whenever we sin. His blood is not just our Bandaid. It is so much more!
When we read the passage above, we can form these equations in our mind:

Dead through repentance = dead to our sinful ways = free to live a new life

Filled with the Holy Ghost = filled with the Power to overcome sin

As Paul states above, if you are dead you are free from sin. When Adam fell, he transferred control of his desires from God to Sin. He allowed Sin to reign as king in his mind and life. The only way to be free from Sin's control is to die. You cannot do enough charity work or memorize enough Scriptures. In order for Sin to lose its grip on you, you must die.

When Jesus Christ became the Living Gospel, he showed us the way to Salvation. His death on the cross, burial, and resurrection are the pattern by which we are saved. Through repentance, we die. Through Baptism, we are buried. Through the Holy Ghost, we are resurrected. If we have followed this pattern, how can sin still reign as king in our minds and lives? It cannot. We are dead, and therefore, we are loosed from Sin's grip.

Buried deep inside each of us is the desire to do and say what is right. If we do not snuff out that conscience, as we call it, it will correct us and chastise us when we do the wrong thing. God uses that voice to help us curb our sinful appetites. We cannot, however, be free from that sinful appetite until we die. While some choose to die physically because they cannot handle their sinful appetite anymore, Christians choose to accept the death of Jesus Christ and die spiritually. As Adam transferred his desires from God to Sin, Christians make the conscious effort and choice to transfer their desires back from Sin to God. It is not an easy task. However, it is completely achievable. As Paul states in the next few verses:

Romans 6:12-13: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."

In other words, don't yield that control back to Sin after you have given it to God. Believe that you are dead to those ways, and combat Satan's attacks with the Holy Ghost. Use your new life in Christ to be an instrument in the kingdom of Heaven. Idle hands are the devil's playthings. Keep busy doing things for the kingdom and don't give yourself time to obey the lusts of the sin.

Only through God's provision of Salvation can any Christian hope to make that transfer, and only though His renewed mercies are we able to get back up after we fall. I want to encourage you that you are more than just an average, sinful human formed from dust. You have been remade and reborn, and Jesus Christ lives on the inside of you! Walk in purity in His power today!

Hearing God's Voice

Reading through the Book of Acts this last month, the story of Philip being translated to the desert to meet the Ethiopian eunuch stuck out to me. I don't remember every noticing the wording in Acts 8:29-35. It says: 

"Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Phili ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgement was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus."

God knew when Isaiah wrote those words hundreds of years before that that man would read them in the desert that day. God knew that Philip would be able to use that Scripture to preach unto him Jesus. (After all, it was Isaiah!!)

My dad and I used to play a game when we rode in the car together. We would try to find patterns in each license plate we saw. For instance, the license plate 84404. One would notice that each numeral is the difference between the two previous. In other words: 8-4=4; 4-4=0; 4-0=4. This was our game, and on occasion, we would each see a different patter, sparking a discussion about the intricacies of the human mind.

Reading through the Bible can sometimes, in a small way, be like plaything that game. When reading the Scriptures, I sometimes have to stop and ask myself, "Ok, what is God trying to say here?" The Holy Ghost inside of me leads me into all truth (John 16:13), but I am still required to use the intellect and understanding that God has given me in order to understand what I am reading.

For instance, I was asked by a fellow student at Texas Bible College why I thought the geneologies were listed and saved in the Bible and why it could possibly be important for the New Testament church to read that. My answer was, "Maybe God was trying to remind us that every single person is inportant to Him and that He knows us each by name."

Being able to hear Jesus' voice while reading the Scriptures is very important. It is also important to be able to hear His voice when going through our day. Sometimes we don't hear from God through Scripture. Sometimes it is something simple. (See this song by 33Miles)

The Bible says in Romans 1:20:

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse."

While this is talking about nature, it could also be said about living our daily lives. Fine-tuning our ears to hear His voice in the every day events will help us keep Him first in our minds. Some examples of this would be finding a coupon in the grocery store for an item you were about to buy, or cathching every light green on your way to work, or perhaps catching a red light and then coming up on an accident that you may have been part of if you hadn't been delayed. I had a God-moment like this the other day when I was able to hear my hometown's Christian radio station on the way to work (3 hours away from the tower!). I believe God delights in doing little things to remind us of His love so that we can more clearly hear His voice. When we stop to notice these God-Moments, we truly are "without excuse" as the Scripture above puts it.

The final lesson that I took from the story of Philip is that we need to not only be able to hear Jesus, but we also need to be able to preach Jesus. I am speaking of preaching from Scriptures. If someone knows you are a Christian and asks you about a certain Scripture in the Bible, you should do your best to preach Jesus to them from that Scripture or Bible story. You should also be able to preach Jesus from YOUR story. You should testify of Jesus' grace and provision throughout whatever situation in which you find yourself. You should be able to "preach Jesus" from unanswered prayers, hard situations, and times of great need, JUST AS MUCH as you preach Jesus when you land the job of your dreams, have a miracle baby, and have the best day of your life. Jesus allows you to hear His voice so that you can BE His voice to others. Remember, Peter's (and our) calling from the Lord was, "Feed my sheep." We are His sheep and we must learn to hear His voice for ourselves, but others around us who are not familiar with His voice need us to preach to them so that they might hear. As Romans 10:14b asks:

"How shall they hear without a preacher?"

The Ethiopian in the story in Acts was reading the words of God, but he needed someone to preach to him so that he might hear the VOICE of God.

Be Philip today and preach Jesus to someone. The world around you is teeming with opportunities to do it! You just have to choose one and go!

Shield Maidens

Our history is riddled with the idea of women breaking tradition and secretly becoming soldiers. From Mulan to Roza Shanina , stories abound of women who broke protocol and fought for the cause in which they believed. Perhaps the most literary term for these ladies comes from Norse history. Women have been exhumed and found to be buried with swords and shields. This has caused historians to look deeper into the literature of that time period. They have found a word that seems to depict these warrior women: Shield Maidens. The term “Shield Maiden” seems to depict a strong, yet humble, woman who knows her duty to her family and does it with the elegance and grace befitting a maiden.

In the world we live in today, we are facing a different kind of battle front. We are no longer discouraged from joining military ranks. Instead, we are discouraged from taking part in a battle that everyone seems to have forgotten. Our men are not fighting this battle. Our children are not fighting this battle. Our political leaders are not fighting this battle. It has been forgotten and pushed away as a “thing of the past” and “irrelevant.” This battle front needs shield maidens who will stand up and bear arms against the enemy. This battle front is not a physical battle. It is a spiritual one.

How can we fight in this battle? How can we be shield maidens in this realm?

A shield is a unique weapon. It is used primarily for defense, but it is also used, at times, for the offensive. If you have seen any sort of fencing, you will see that when the sword is knocked from a combatant’s hands, he lifts his shield to protect his body. His assailant, thinking he is now defenseless, begins to swing at him wildly, hoping to crush him beneath the fury of his blows. He has forgotten, however, that the shield is large, blunt, and usually quite heavy. When swung with strength and power, the shield becomes a heavy club, able of knocking a man back and away from its carrier. It is time for us, as women of God, to pick up our shields and carry them into this battle. It is time to use them to protect our families from the attack of this world and its prince, Satan. It is time to use them to fight back when our weapons have fallen from our hands.

Do you feel powerless as you watch your family fall to pieces? Do you feel hopeless as you watch your husband sink into frustrated depression?

It is time to pick up your shields, women of God! It is time to be a Shield Maiden.

Our shield is prayer. It is covering our husband, children, community, neighbors, pastor, church, and decisions in a shield called prayer. Spiritual protection has been lost too long in our society. The Shield of Prayer is no longer protecting our homes from the attack of Satan. The Shield of Prayer is missing from our decision making. The Shield of Prayer is our first form of defense when we feel hopeless. The Shield of Prayer will cover us when it looks like all is lost.

Our shield is faith. It is believing when all is dark. My pastor recently preached a message about the shield of faith that shredded my view of the shield. He shared how when Paul wrote about the shield of faith in Ephesians 4:16, he was speaking of the “SCOTUM” of the Roman army. These shields were about 3.5 feet tall, 16 inches across, and weighed about 22 pounds. It was an advantage over the enemies of the Roman soldier because of its size. The shield was large enough for a full grown man to hunker behind when arrows, javelins, and swords were thrust at him. However, when you are covering yourself with something that large, it can sometimes be hard to see around it. We may find ourselves “quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked,” but we are unable to see it happening because we are hunkered down behind a shield. The Shield of Faith impedes our view, but the Shield of Faith is believing that even though we cannot see what God is doing, He is working all to our good. A Shield Maiden of God will hold high her shield of faith when her family has lost faith. Her faith may be the last thing holding her family together, but her Shield of Faith will not let her give up hope.

Our shield is hope. Tied closely with faith, this hope inside of us is what keeps our faith strong. It is the constant watching with positivity for God to work out our situation. It is believing because of something inside of you that says, “it will happen” and not because something visible says, “It is happening.” The Shield of Hope is what sustains our faith to keep believing, no matter what. Our Shield of Hope is what gives us patience with God, our husbands, and our children. We hope for what we see not and with patience, we wait for it.

We are called to be warriors, Shield Maidens, who will carry our shields into war. We are called to protect and strengthen our families. When the sword is knocked from our hands and the wind is knocked from our sails, we must not quit. We must hold high our shield!

King Hezekiah's Letter

One of my favorite characters in the Old Testament is King Hezekiah of Judah. He always interested me, but his story really came to life after reading Lynn Austin's "Chronicles of the Kings" book series. He is one of those characters that did his best to live the right way his whole life. The Bible shares with us his mistakes and his victories and paints the picture of a good, down-to-earth type man who was just trying to do the right thing. He struggled with his pride, but then, doesn't everyone?

My favorite part of his story is found in 2 Kings 18 and 19. In this passage, we see the king of Assyria come up and take over Judah's sister country, Israel. Feeling heady after his victory, the king of Assyria sends a man named Rabshekah to Judah's capital, Jerusalem, with a message for the country. He said, "Pay tribute or be destroyed." Unfortunately for him, though, he decided that just attacking the King of Judah with his words wasn't enough. He took it a step further and said, "Your God told me to come destroy you. Don't count on Him to save you from me. None of the other gods have been able to stop us from destroying their countries. Even the Israelites' gods didn't give them the victory. Who does your God think He is to be able to do what no other gods have done?"

When the Assyrian message reached King Hezekiah, he did what any normal tiny country being bullied by a larger country would do. He became afraid. He rent his clothes, covered himself with burlap and went to the House of the Lord. He sent his messengers to give the news to Prophet Isaiah and ask him to seek the counsel of God. God answered Hezekiah.

"Do not be afraid of the words the King of Assyria spoke. I'm going to send a rumor that will send him and his army away from you. When he goes, he's going to be killed and never bother you again."

Sure enough, it happened just as the Lord said. Rabshekah heard that his king was battling against the Egyptians and took his army over to help. Before he left, though, he wrote a letter to King Hezekiah. He reiterated his former threats and challenges against God. He knew enough to know that King Hezekiah's God was invisible, so he battle Hezekiah's faith in the invisible with a visible reminder of a problem. He hoped to shake Hezekiah's faith so bad that he would break down and deny the power of God.

His plan, however, backfired badly. 

King Hezekiah's reaction was far from pulling his hair out, having a nervous breakdown, and quitting. Instead, he did something that will always fascinate me. He took the visible reminder, the letter, and took it to the altar of his invisible God. He laid it out on that altar and started praying.

"God, you made all the kingdoms of eath. You made Heaven and earth. Listen to my prayer with your ears. See the problem with your eyes. This man hasn't attacked me; he has attacked you. The Assyrians have destroyed many people and nations. They have cast many gods into the fire, but you and I both know that those were not real gods. They were no-gods, just works of stone and wood and of no consequence. That's how they could destroy them so easily. But I know my God. My God created the materials of which those no-gods were made. My God has the power to save us from the Assyrians. So, show up! Save us and show them and every other country that YOU are the only true God!"

In essence, he laid that letter before God and said, "What are you going to do about this?"

The Bible doesn't tell us how long he waited for God to answer, but something tells me that it wasn't very long. Isaiah sent a message to Hezekiah that said, "God has heard your prayers. He says, 'I am going to absolutely decimate the king of Assyria. It will be so bad that the young girls of Jerusalem are going to joke and laugh at him. Who do you think you are, human king, to reproach and blaspheme ME? I am bringing a multitude of my chariots against you. I know where you live. I know when you wake up in the morning and when you go to bed at night, and I can see everything you do in between. I hear your voice raging at me and challenging me, and no, I'm not just going to let that go. I'm going to put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your lips. I'm going to remind you that I am the Creator, and you are just the created. Your pride fills my nostrils with a stomach-turning stench, and I'm going to make sure the whole earth knows how I feel about what you have done.

"I'm not going to let a single Assyrian arrow strike Jerusalem. He's not going to penetrate the wall or make it close enough to need a shield for your arrows. He's going to leave the way that he came."

2 Kings 19:35: "And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses."

1 angel of God. 185,000 dead Assyrians. 

And in the next two verses, the King of Assyria is killed by his own sons. God answered...suddenly.

Now, put a pin in that story and walk with me for a moment.

When we are baptized, we put on Jesus Christ. When we are filled with the Holy Ghost, we have Jesus living inside of us. This means that your life becomes Jesus' life. He lives inside of you. This is why Christians say they are the "Hands and Feet" of Jesus. He is alive inside of me, therefore, my life is not my own. It is His.

If this is His life, not mine, then these are His problems, not mine. They are not my problems because it is not my life.

Now that we understand that, let's go back to the story of King Hezekiah. Because these are His probelms, I can, like King Hezekiah, turn to God and boldy ask, "What are you going to do about this?"

"For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God, we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever." (Psalm 44:6-8)

In prayer, I lay that letter out on the altar. I say, "Lord, this is what I am facing. I am living for you and serving you. I know that you are living inside of me and that makes these problems Your problems. I am leaving these in your presence. I am not taking them with me. I am not carrying them on my shoulders anymore. What are you going to do about this?"

Jesus told us to do this when He said, "Cast your burdens on me, for I care for you." (1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 55:22) He allows us to do this for many reasons, but these are the 4 that He impressed upon me while I was praying today:

Reason 1: It shows surrender. It reminds you that you are not in control, but He is. It takes away the pressure of trying to be in control. It shows your faith in Him.

Reason 2: It frees you to worship and it battles depression.

"Why art though cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." 

When you cast those cares upon Him and leave that letter on the altar, you free yourself to lift your hands and worship. You cannot be consumed by a problem that you have given to someone else. Your faith battles the depression and you are freed.

Reason 3: It frees you from fear. Along with the depression, fear is removed. You are no longer bound to fear. You are not going to make rash decisions based on your fear because it is no longer your decision to make.

Reason 4: It frees God to work in His way and His timing. God will not share authority, and when you constantly hold onto control of your problem or situation, you push God out. Open your hand and THROW (cast) it to Jesus. Allow Him to have the complete authority and answer the way that He wants to. Hezekiah may have been expecting God to say, "Go out and fight. I will give you the victory." But instead, God answered in an even greater way. His 1 angel was all it took to bring a mighty victory because Hezekiah allowed God to work in His way!

Finally, it may not be "That night" like it was for Hezekiah. While we are waiting for God to SUDDENLY answer, we must keep our faith. We must not let ourselves take control of those problems again. We must leave them in His hands and remember who He is.

"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know WHOM I have believed, and am persuaded that HE is able to keep that which I have committed unto HIM against that day."

If you have committed something to Him, He will not fail you. He cares for you!

Over My Head

If you have ever been in water with young children, you are probably familiar with the incredible terror that they experience when the water approaches their head. I will never forget teaching my siblings how to swim. My baby brother would get in the water by himself with his floaties, but if I took them off of him, he would only cling to me in the water. He had to learn to trust that he was going to be fine, even if the water went over his head.

One of the most terrifying experiences of my life was the time my baby sister jumped into the water, forgetting she had just taken her float vest off. I will never forget the desperation and fear in her eyes as she silently pleaded with me to save her. I have never jumped in after someone so fast. She was shaking with fear when I pulled her out of the water, and the tears were sudden.

I have always been comfortable in water, but I still don't like to be in over my head very often. I like to be able to swim beneath the surface if I want to, but then be able to put my feet on the ground and know that I can still stand in the water. I like to feel safe.

Sometimes, if we aren't careful, we are that way with God. The prophet Ezekiel talked about the river that flowed out of the House of God. He described the progression of the depth of the water. It advanced from his ankles to his knees, to his waist, and finally, so deep that he could not pass over: waters to swim in. (Ez. 47:1-5) When God begins a work in your life, He starts at the ankle level. For someone who has never even been in water, getting in to the ankle-depth takes great faith. It takes trusting in God.

When we master that level, God calls us deeper. We walk in to where the water crests our knees, then our waist, then our shoulders, and finally we stand right on the edge of the scariest part of all: Waters over our head.

There is no control anymore. You've lost the ground beneath your feet. You have to trust that He has His hand beneath you, even though you can't feel it. The waters slip over your head, and its overwhelming. You have to make yourself breathe because you are too strained to do it naturally.

In other words: Your hours get cut at work and you stay faithful in your giving. The water slips over your head. You face depression in faith and determine not to let it beat you this time. The water slips over your head. You take a step of faith and go talk to your pastor about the addiction you are fighting. The water slips over your head. You reach a place in prayer where you no longer care about your needs; you are too filled with a desire to see God save the city that you are called to. The water slips over your head. You stop fighting the calling that God has placed on your life and begin to pursue the ministry God has for you. The water slips over your head.

I have learned in the last few years of serving God that I hardly ever feel in control. In fact, if I am seeking to feel in control, I am probably not seeking the will of God. God's will is for me to serve Him, no matter what I face.

"Whether I sink, whether I swim, it makes no difference when I am beautifully in over my head."

That terror that children face is something I have been feeling myself lately. I've been turning desperate, silent eyes to God, pleading with Him to help me. I know He stands with me, though, because every once in a while there will be a gentle lift. When I think I can't take another day, His hand comes beneath my feet for a moment, and I can breathe again. My trust in Him grows day by day. Just as my baby brother had to learn to trust himself, I have to learn to trust in my Maker and the Holder of my every moment.

"Would you come and tear down the boxes that I have tried to put you in? Let love come teach me who you are again?"

Sometimes I have to just tell myself, "You trust Him, Ariqua. You are in His hands." I know that even when I have lost control, I am free. Even when the water goes over my head, I am right where He wants me to be.

My story

There is an awesome song out there by Big Daddy Weave called "My Story." Every time I hear it, I have to pause and think for a few minutes about just how awesome my God is.

I've shared on this blog before of my fascination with people's stories. I love it when people take time out to tell me their past and what they have been through. When I worked my previous customer service job, many customers stopped in and would begin to talk to me. Before long, they were telling me their story. Sometimes it left me in amazement. Sometimes it broke my heart. Sometimes I walked around the counter and gave them a big hug when they finished and invited them to my church. I shared my own story once or twice with the people who asked. I hope mine sounded different to them.

The lyrics of that song walk you through my life, and, I think, every true believer's life. To tell you anything about myself goes back to Jesus Christ.

"If I told you my story, you would hear Hope that wouldn't let go. If I told you my story, you would hear Love that never gave up. If I told you my story, you would hear Life, but it wasn't mine."

I wish I could take all of you back to the place where I first experienced the pure love of Jesus. Even though I was just a toddler, I remember the moments very clearly. I was at a school chapel service, and our school principal had just finished speaking about how God loves us, no matter what we have done. She led us all in a prayer of repentance, and within seconds, I was speaking in tongues.

I remember curling into my Kindergarten teacher and just crying and speaking in tongues. They had to carry me back to class after chapel service ended and I spoke in tongues until I fell asleep for nap time. I remember the other kids staring at me, and I remember not even being able to care what they were thinking. I was 4, and the emotion of that moment was so real to me.

That experience was amazing, but it was bought for me on a cross thousands of years before. 

"If I should speak, then let it be of the grace that is greater than all my sin, of when justice was served and when mercy wins, of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in. Oh to tell you my story, is to tell of Him!"

You may say, "But how much grace did four-year-old Ariqua need?" But I did. I was born in sin and shapen in iniquity. I was old enough even then to know that I had done things that weren't good. I knew I disobeyed my parents sometimes. I definitely had lied a few times. I needed forgiveness for that. However, before all of that, I was born a sinner, as is each human who enters this world. Everyone that is, except Jesus Christ. He gave his perfect, sinless life as a ransom so that you and I could claim His cleanliness as our own. My story is nothing without His sacrifice and the gift of salvation!

"If I told you my story, you would hear victory over the enemy. If I told you my story, you would hear freedom that was won for me. If I told you my story, you would hear Life that overcame the grave!"

I grew beyond four-years-old and faced many things growing up. Through it all, I remained in awe of the presence of God. I know Jesus was keeping me close to His heart. I did almost nothing to deserve His love. I only read my Bible sparingly. I hardly ever took time to commit to a daily prayer life. I sought him weekly in an altar and sang songs of praise to Him whenever I could. I know that young children depend almost solely on their parent's relationship with God. I was blessed that mine upheld the full doctrine in our home while I was growing up.

However, the day came when it was up to me. That came during my 18th year. All of a sudden, there wasn't pressure from my parents to go to church, and I had a decision to make. I decided to follow hard after God. I have asked myself many times why, and I think it is best explained with this line from that song, "If I told you my story, you would hear Love that never gave up."

Jesus knew what I was going to face at 18, and He allowed His sweet love to remain constant in my life during all of those years leading up to my decision. He loved me loudly throughout those years to make sure I knew who He was and what He would offer me when the time came to decide.

I went to church for weeks on end without my family. If the doors were open, I was there, even if I sat on the "family pew" alone. I went to Texas Bible College because I knew there was a call on my life and that I wanted to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I wanted to be effective in helping the church, and I wanted to be effective in reaching the lost. I married my husband and for the first time in my life I experienced full time ministry.

My story is still being written, and there is much that God will still do with my life, but I said all that to say this: 

You don't have to backslide to have a story.

When you live for Jesus, your story isn't really about you anyway. Your story is about Him. However He chooses to write your story, you need to let Him. Don't take the pen out of His hand.

I never imagined that I would be where I am today. If you had told me when I received the Holy Ghost that I would be doing all of these things, you would have overwhelmed my little mind. That's not how God works (which is sometimes frustrating). He develops your life like a story. If yours doesn't look that great, you have taken the pen out of His hand too soon.

If you look at your story and can't find anything in it that you know was God's doing, you haven't let Him write your story. God doesn't share glory with anyone, and most of the time, He writes stories that are only possible with Him.

That song ends with a throwback to one of my favorite hymns, "Blessed Assurance." The words simply say, "This is my story: Praising my Savior all the day long."

God deserves our praise and adoration, and He created us all the way back in the beginning to praise Him. You were made to worship Him. As you go through your life and he writes your story, there will be days when you face something bigger than you and you get overwhelmed. I speak from experience when I say that if you will leave the pen in God's hands, you will call that the best part of your story in a few years time.

When I moved to New Jersey from Louisiana, it was the hardest decision I had faced in my 19 years of living. I left behind my family and everything I had known up to that point. I dumpster dived for boxes to pack my things in, packed them up, and with the help of 2 friends loaded them and shipped them to my boyfriend's house. I packed anything breakable and enough clothes to get me through until the boxes arrived into my 2-seater MR2 spyder. I kissed my big sister and my niece goodbye and drove, by myself the 26 hours to the east coast.

I'll be honest. I was scared out of my mind.

"God, I know this is you and not me, but what are you doing?"

I'll never forget stopping to get my oil changed 30 minutes from my house. The mechanic asked me where I was going, and when I told him, he shook his head. "Not on those tires, you aren't. You'll be lucky to make it a few hundred miles."

I got in my car and started driving and praying. Rick started calling all the tire shops along I-20 that he could. He found out pretty quickly that my tires were a unique size and not many places stocked them. Finally, he found me a place to stop an hour or so away. I stopped and pulled in to a very sketchy looking mechanic shop. It may have been fine, but to this young girl traveling alone, something didn't feel right. I drove two blocks down the street and saw a much cleaner looking shop. I pulled in and told the lady at the desk what I needed. She looked them up on her computer and said in surprise, "Actually, we have those! 2 of them in stock, and they are $75 apiece."

The man who put them on was a Christian and said he would be praying for me as I traveled. I look back on that whole experience and I don't even really remember how stressed I was. I remember the feeling of peace that washed over me as I realized that God had me right in the center of His palm. I knew right then that all was well and that He would take care of me.

"This is my story..."

Let Him write your story however He chooses to. Don't take the pen out of His hand, and remember that your praise is part of your story.

Just Cry Holy

From bathroom policies changing to the hostile feeling of the 2016 elections, it is apparent that the society around us is rapidly adapting to include more immorality than ever before. This blog post is not meant to discuss politics or the frightening decline we are seeing in our country. This blog post is meant to discuss the culture that becomes more appealing to me with every passing day: the culture of Heaven.

A lot of my focus has been on the Celestial City lately, more focus than I remember having at any other time. I feel a draw deep in my spirit, and can only describe it as C.S. Lewis did when he said, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

For being as young as I am, I have had many wonderful experiences in this world. I have walked the edge of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. I have seen the Grand Canyon in Arizona. I have walked the beaches of Virginia at sunrise. I have sailed on the Maid of the Mist to the edge of Niagra Falls and heard and felt the thunder of millions of gallons of water crashing into each other. I have loved deeply. I have lost much. I have known what it is to heal slowly. I have rebuilt my life after moving multiple times. I have written books. I have clumbed mountains, both figuratively and literally. Yet, deep inside of my is a desire that no experience in this world can satisfy.

I have felt the "earnest" of this experience many times in my life (Eph. 1:13-14). I have experienced the Holy Spirit moving in me and through me, and it has given me a deeper hunger for the actual inheritance to come. What is this experience I am desiring? It is Heaven.

It is to view the gates of pearls, see the walls of gems surrounding the Great City, and know that I can walk through those gates. It is to be dressed in white with the saints of God at the general assembly. It is to find the mansion my God built for me and to dwell there for all eternity. It is to dance across streets of gold and listen to the stories of God's strength and glory from the other Citizens. It is to rewind time and view the battle of Jericho and to cheer with Israel as the walls come down. It is to eat at the Table of the King. It is to cast my crown at His feet. It is to finally know what it feels like to be physically held by my Father and Creator. It is to have no more tears, or death, or pain. It is to see God and to learn of Him in new ways. It is to bask in the glow of His light and to feel the warmth of His presence.

Just writing down these thoughts fills me with longing and joy. When I think of the Great I Am and all that He has in store for me, the troubles of this life seem to fade away and I look to Him with great expectation. I will live my life however I have to in order to make it to that Place. Today, I long for Heaven. I long to join the elders and the angels and just cry holy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-Xqg5A4dKM

Why I Pray

Why I Pray

or

When God Doesn't Answer

Before you read any further I want to say 2 things: 1) I am not an expert on anything, much less living for God. I have been seeking God as an adult for only 4 years and every God-moment I had before that was simply His mercy made evident in my life. 2) This article was written with tears in my eyes and pain in my heart. This article was written because I am having a hard time remembering this, not because I have it all figured out.

So, with that said...

Prayer is hard. Beyond the "getting yourself to do it" moments that accompany the first few weeks of setting up an every day prayer life, prayer is hard. Sometimes you feel like you are talking to the air, which is very hard to get through. What's worse though is feeling like you touched Heaven and God heard you, and then watching the situation you prayed about get even worse.

"But, God? We talked about this..."

Prayer is waiting...a lot of waiting. My Mom reminded me of it this week. How many times did David say something about "Waiting on God"? I kind of always thought that David was trying to say, "Don't get ahead of Him by trying to fix it yourself! See what He will do!" I never realized that he was saying, "There's nothing you can do. You just have to wait for God to do something about it."

Prayer takes faith. It takes faith to keep going and stay faithful, even when you aren't seeing the answer. It takes active faith to keep believing and saying "I know you are going to take care of this, God!" when you've been praying the same prayer for months on months and nothing is changing. Sometimes, I feel like my faith is even smaller than a mustard seed (maybe the size of a microscopic germ), because some days I just get so hung up on why God hasn't answered instead of believing that He will answer.

Prayer shows our trust. Prayer reminds us that we have given God control over this and that it doesn't matter what our eyes see, we have already placed this in His hands. It takes complete trust to not take it back from Him after we have left it in His care.

And, sometimes, prayer is the most rewarding thing I can do. Sometimes I feel Him so strong... Sometimes I know He's standing right there with me and I drop to my knees in humble adoration. Sometimes I have encouraging Scriptures pressed into my mind and I know He is speaking to me. Sometimes, He says, "This is why I can't give you that. You need to fix this." Sometimes He convicts me. Sometimes He just loves me. I keep praying for those moments. I keep going because I need that peace that only His Presence brings. I keep seeking God because, just like the apostles told Jesus, "Where else can I go? You alone have the words of life!"

I keep praying because my germ-sized faith is just big enough to say, "Ok, God. I have no idea what you are doing, but I still trust you. It's Your breath in my lungs, so I will keep pouring out my praise." I keep praying because I don't know what else to do. I keep praying because there IS nothing else I can do. I keep praying because somewhere deep inside of me, I believe that God notices.

I have asked God, "Is there something inside of me that is keeping You from working?" He doesn't answer. I have asked Him, "Is there something you want me to do for you that I am not doing? Is that why you are not answering?" He doesn't answer. I have asked Him, "Are you not answering in order to keep me from something that would draw me off of Your path?" He doesn't answer.

Yet I keep going. I keep asking. I keep reaching. I keep finding Him. I keep seeking His face. I keep pushing my way past the doubt and fear, the anger and frustration, the helplessness and pain, until I finally find His sweet presence. It is there that I remember this, "I need you, God. Even if your presence is all I ever have, I will still come and find you. I can't live my life without you. I love you."

So, I keep praying.

But this man...

“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.”

Or

An Overview of the Book of Hebrews

There are few things that I like more than deep teaching. I remember sitting in my Texas Bible College classes eating up the words of each teacher. I felt as if they were pouring water into my dry soul. I had never really heard teaching quite like that before, and I was only a freshman!

Deep teaching is one thing you almost have to go out of your way to find. Most of the sermons at LifePoint are evangelistic, written to draw hearts to salvation. Though they are powerful and I always glean from them, they do not leave me in that state of quiet thought and meditation like deep teaching.

If you haven’t experienced that feeling, the book of Hebrews in the New Testament is a great place to get started.  Hebrews is thought to have been written by Paul, and I am inclined to agree. Many debate over this, though, because the writer never actually says who they are. However, Hebrews reads a lot like the other books that Paul wrote, especially the last chapter.  No matter who it was written by, though, Hebrews is a deep teaching book.

Hebrews is a book that must be read slowly and without any distractions. We less-than advanced millennials may have a harder time understanding the phrasing and even vocabulary used in the book. Even with its hearty wording, though, it is easy to recognize what a doctrinal jewel this book is.

Chapter One –

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

From the very first words of this book, we get the feeling that Paul has something important to say and he is not wasting any time getting there. He jumps right into his first main point:

                I.              Jesus was not an angel

His argument for this point is simply, how can Jesus be an angel when God would never tell an angel “Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies a footstool.”

Chapter Two –

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?”

Paul moves into chapter two and gets right to his second point:

                II.             Jesus’ words and life were extremely important

Paul argues that if the words spoken by an angel are held in such high regard, how much more should the words of Jesus be held in high regard. He begins to paint the picture of who Jesus really was and what his life really accomplished.

Chapter Three –

“For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.”

Paul’s third point is:

                III.           Don’t let your unbelief keep you from Jesus

Paul knew that readers were going to begin to get this picture of God reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus, and many would stop in incredulous unbelief. We still see this problem in many people today. They will ask us, “How can one man’s death take away the sins of the whole entire world?” or, "Why would God give Himself like that?" Paul responds to this by recounting the story of the Israelites being held back from the Promised Land because of their unbelief. He warns readers not to let their unbelief keep them from believing in the redemptive work of Jesus.

Chapter Four –

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”

Paul is still admonishing the reader not to let unbelief stop them, but now he gives an added incentive to believe.

                IV.          There is more of God than what you have experienced

I would sum up this chapter by saying, “There is rest, full understanding, and a throne of grace that are still yet to be gained! Keep believing!”

Chapter Five –

“For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God. And no man taketh this honour  (becoming a priest) unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

                V.            Jesus, a high priest of the order of Melchisedec

Now we start to feel the gears shift. He’s about to tell us who Jesus is. He’s gone through telling us that he wasn’t an angel. He warned us to keep unbelief out of our hearts. Now he’s about to drop the hammer.

Chapter Six –

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God, of the doctrine of baptism, and of laying on of hands and of resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgement.”

                VI.          Understanding what I am about to tell you is the next step

In my mind’s eye I can see Paul stop dictating, look his scribe in the eye and ask, “Do you think they are ready for this?” Then he shakes his head and says, “It’s time to move forward. It’s time to stop learning and relearning the same principles I’ve taught for the last 20 epistles. It’s time to keep doing those things, but put something new in your mouth to chew on.”

Chapter Seven –

“For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”

                VII.         Jesus was a different kind of high priest

Paul talks about Melchisedec and further explains why Jesus was a priest after the order of Melchisedec. I, Ariqua, am not going to try to explain the identity of Melchisedec. It is enough to know that God considered him a different order than the Levitical order that comes to mind when someone says “Priest.” Jesus was not just an average human high priest. He was of a different order. Personally, I think this is one of the reasons why Jesus wasn’t born a Levite. God wanted it to be very clear that this was something different altogether.

Chapter Eight –

“In that he saith “A new covenant”, he hath made the first old.”

                VIII.        The need for change

It is in this chapter that we see more completely why a new covenant was needed. Paul explains that the old covenant (blood sacrifice in the temple) was not faultless. The sacrifice the priest of Israel made only rolled the sins forward year to year. It was merely a shadow of heavenly things. God knew that meant a greater sacrifice would have to be made to obliterate all of that past sin and pay the price for all the world’s future sins. He wanted to abolish this old way of doing things and create a new way, and this time, his plan was deeply personal. His laws would not just be on stone; they would be written in the minds and hearts of his people.

Chapter Nine –

“For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.”

                IX.           Not just a covenant, but a testament

This is one of my favorite chapters, not just in this book, but in the entire Bible. I love the portion that says, “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST?” This is oneness. This is the gospel. This is the doctrine of the true church. Jesus, who was God in flesh, paid for the sins of the world so that he could be the testator of a New Testament. When you write your will, it has no effect until you die. When God wrote the new testament, a personal relationship with his greatest creation, it had no effect until he died. So, Jesus became the high priest and perfect sacrifice of this new testament, and when he died on the cross that day, the NEW TESTAMENT began. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can have our sins remitted. We can have a personal relationship with God. God can write his laws in our heart. We can know him intimately now. Thank you, Jesus!

Chapter Ten –

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.”

                X.            If you are blood-bought, sin has no control over you.

This is the climax! Everything that has been said before has been leading up to this moment. If you understand who Jesus really was and what he really did that day on the cross, you will know that sin has no power over you. You have an advocate though Jesus’ blood. You don’t have to live in captivity to sin any longer. The price has been paid! The blood has purchased you. Jesus' blood is more than just a Band-Aid to cover your sin AFTER you have sinned! You are supposed to be washed that first time and then move forward AND NEVER SIN AGAIN! You cannot do that without recognizing the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice! He didn’t just die! He created something brand new: a New Testament that gives more power than just praying a few words when we mess up. He purchased you, adopted you, and made you his heir in the new testament so that you can live above the things that controlled you before. You are the heirs of a promise greater than any sin or devil. You have power over those things because Jesus claims you.

Chapter Eleven –

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

XI.           The Faith Factor

Paul knew the above revelation would blow your mind. And whenever your mind is left as wide open as your jaw when you fully understand that revelation, there is always room for a seed of unbelief. So insert the Faith Hall of Fame, as some Christians call it. Each of the people here did not have the full revelation of what Paul just explained. Each of these people were born and lived before Jesus. However, they believed in God so strongly that their faith saved them, even before Jesus had a chance to pay the price. What Paul is saying is, even though the price is paid, we still have to have the Faith to believe that Jesus has covered us. We still have to have the faith it takes to say “no” to temptation because we believe that God has something more for us than to just live and then die. Faith says, “Sin, you will not be a part of my earthly life, even if you satisfy my flesh, because I believe that I am going to a Heavenly City, whose builder and maker is God. Sin will have no place in that city, and therefore sin has no place in my earthly life.”

Chapter Twelve –

“But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”

                XII.         Remember where you are going

It is so easy to get sidetracked here on earth by the cares of this world. It is easy to pick up the weights of this life and let the sins of the world lay on our shoulder. Paul is shaking us out of that mode in this chapter. You can almost hear him crying out, “HEY! Put that down! Remember where you are going!” He forces us out of the stupor this earthly life shoves on us. He forces our eyes and mind upward to the pearly gates, to the point of it all. Yes, lift up the hands that hang down. Yes, strengthen the feeble knees. Yes, make straight paths for your feet. Yes, live for God on this earth. Yes, do the work of the ministry. Yes, help others find Jesus. Yes, provide for your family. Yes, make sure the laundry gets done every week. Yes, keep feeding your children. Yes, keep doing what you have to do to make it through this life. BUT IN ALL THAT, REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE GOING!

Chapter Thirteen –

“Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

                XIII.        Final thoughts

Remember to keep doing the things that God wants you to do. Keep Heaven first and let that be your incentive to not let sin back into your life.Jesus paid the price, yes, and he still desires good works from you. However, when you do those evey day life things that you know you have to do, keep Heaven on your mind. Remember to praise God continually and in all things.  Through those things, you will be made perfect in every good work to do his will, and Jesus will be pleased with your life. 

“Grace be with you all. Amen.”

Because this book has such an awesome message, I encourage you to read it for yourself! Don’t take my notes as the entirety of the book. I have only begun to scratch the surface of all that God reveals in this book. Pick it up and read it for yourself!

The Gospel According to Mark

The Gospel According to Mark is the second book of the New Testament and the sixty-eighth book of the Bible. It is the shortest of the four Gospels and it is thought to have been written by Mark, a close disciple of Peter who wrote down the stories that Peter told about Jesus. For some time it was believed to have been a summary of the Gospel of Matthew. However, Bible scholars now believe that it is the oldest of the four gospels, predating Matthew’s gospel by two to four years.

Mark begins with Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist and follows His story through to His ascension. While Matthew focuses keenly on the Davidic heritage and prophecy fulfillment of Jesus, Mark focuses on Jesus’ actions among the people as seen through miracles. The general feeling one has when reading the Gospel is that Jesus loved the world very much. Because it was likely written to a Gentile church, perhaps one in Rome, it is possible that Mark presents Jesus in this way as an assurance to the Gentile people of Jesus’ love for them. The incredible three year ministry of Jesus is presented in a matter-of-fact way that keeps Mark’s book short, but holds the reader’s interest from the beginning to the end.

A resounding quality of the gospel of Mark is the sense of urgency it instills in the heart of the reader. Jesus’ first words recorded in the book are, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” This sentence sets the scene for the rest of the book. The words of Jesus are not alone in their urgency. We are reacquainted with the emotion in chapter 5 when we read of the woman with the issue of blood. “When she had heard of Jesus, (she) came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, ‘If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.’” In fact, as we read through the gospel we see desperation in many of the characters we are introduced to, including the Syrophenician woman, Jarius, and the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet. Finally, the urgency of the book is epitomized in the final commission Jesus gives His disciples before he leaves the earth. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” With this ending, Mark does two things: 1) he reminds us of the urgency of the world’s need and tells us to be not idle but active, and 2) he empowers us to reach the world the same way Jesus did: with love and miracles.

In conclusion, although the Gospel According to Mark leaves out the birth, heritage, and early life of Jesus, it does not lose its power. Mark begins each story with a problem and shows what Jesus did to take care of it. Jesus is the anecdote to the world’s poisonous sin, sickness, deprivation, and depression. Mark presents Jesus to the reader as a healer and deliverer. Finally, he reminds us that if we follow Him, we have His power.