Category: From the Author

When Christians Make You Want To Run From Jesus!

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Photo Credit: Sermon Quotes

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples,~John 13:35.

The title of this post is long, but I hope to help those who have been wounded by Christians. I listened to a sermon this morning about people abandoning faith in Jesus. The behavior of those claiming to represent God is the number one reason why people choose to forego church, faith, & God. I wasn’t startled by the pastors statistics. I’ve heard and lived some of the painful stories. There were quite a few other reasons why people abandon faith, but I wanted to address this one.

The problem:

Christians (followers of Jesus) are human, and humans are flawed. Also our disappointment is often directly proportional to our expectation.

Maybe you believe every person who claims Christ will act like Him.

Maybe you’ve been wounded, betrayed, rejected, hurt, or mistreated by Christians.

Maybe those in authority over you have abused that power, neglected their responsibilities to God or the flock, or you’ve been manipulated or controlled.

Here’s some freeing news:

1. Every person in church or claiming Christ is not following Jesus or Spirit filled. Going to church doesn’t save anyone or make them better. Faith in Christ and conversion opens the door for life transformation. If you don’t believe me, read Jesus’s parable of the wheat and tare (See Matthew 13:24-30). Tare is a weed that looks like wheat when it’s growing. The wheat (true believers) and tare (non believers) grow up together. The point for us isn’t to go around inspecting people’s lives. God will separate the wheat from the tare. Some people will come to church for years and not have a conversion. Our job is to focus on our walk with God, extend grace and mercy, and allow God to transform lives. We teach and live the Gospel. We leave the transformation up to God.

2. Only God is perfect! There’s trouble brewing when we expect perfection from people. People will blow it. People will fail you. Saved, delivered, and Spirit filled people may or will disappoint you. Some great examples come from the disciples. They blew it all the time. Peter denied Jesus three times. Judas betrayed Jesus for a bag of silver. The night before Jesus was betrayed, the disciples went to sleep instead of praying with Him. They often failed to believe Him. They fought over petty things. People are not perfect. Hence the beauty of grace!

3. Spiritual growth is a process. Jesus grew in favor. He was perfect, yet walked out obedience. He began His public ministry at age 30. We learn over time. We grow to become like Jesus over time, experience, and relationship. So, even though we are transformed by faith in Christ, we are being transformed into His likeness (character) by the power of the Holy Spirit. In church you will encounter spiritual adults, teens, and babies and natural age is not always an indication of spiritual maturity. Babies are selfish, & can make messes. We don’t all grow at the same rate and every person has a unique walk with God. We all have struggles, weaknesses, and things God is working on.

Lastly I will say God wants us to love one another. That doesn’t always happen. Scandals, people failing, hurt, offense, and division are all a possibility. God does not delight in our sinning against Him or others. As someone who’s had to walk it out, I won’t tell you it doesn’t hurt when you’re attacked or mistreated or betrayed by people who are supposed to love you. I will say, God heals.

Hopefully these points brought some freedom. Don’t run from God, run to Him. Jesus knows how you feel. He’s walked it out too! The Father knows how you feel. He’s been mistreated since man sinned. You have an Advocate who will stand strong for you! You have Someone who will bring about perfect justice. God loves you and only His love never fails.

We will talk about steps to healing next post. Bless you friends.

God-The Promise Keeper

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The Call of Abram

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there,~Genesis 12:1-5.

Can you imagine what it would be like to be Abraham? You are in your mid 70s, childless, and God promises to make you a great nation. He’s also asking you to leave what you know and go someplace new. I don’t know about you, but I might start asking questions…

Have you questioned God’s promises for your life?

Have you ever questioned what He was asking you to do?

Have you ever doubted His promises for your life or your loved ones?

Have you ever looked at your circumstances and then dismissed God’s promises for you?

Have you clung to a promises for what seems like an eternity and wondered if God forgot you?

Have you ever been discouraged because you felt as though God was handing out gifts and blessings to everyone but you?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, know God is 100 percent faithful and understands better than you do how you feel. He knows we are human and prone to doubt Him. Trust develops over time. We learn to trust through relationship. It’s impossible to trust someone we are not close to or don’t know well.

God offers us relationship through His Son. We are invited into a deep, personal, and intimate relationship. It’s not only learning about God, it’s about knowing Him personally. He gave us His Spirit so we could know Him in greater ways. It’s more than reading about Him in His Word; it’s getting to know the Author.

God is faithful to keep His Word. He cannot lie. The promises God made to Abraham are just one example. God made so many promises that were fulfilled in scripture. God kept and keeps His word 100 percent of the time. He’s also made promises to me and to you through His Son Jesus and His Word.

What can we learn about God from Abraham?

God kept His promise even though Abraham and Sarah decided to bypass His plan. They grew tired of waiting on God and tried to make the promises of heirs come via Hagar. Their decision has impacted the world in so many negative ways. Sarah did not believe God, and we probably wouldn’t either. She and Abraham were way past the years of having kids! Today we’d say it was medically impossible. However, when God makes a promise-He keeps His Word.

God specializes in miracles! He can do anything He wants. When He makes a promise, you can bet your life on His ability to make it happen. Just look at Jesus and you see a miracle! Jesus was born to virgin. He resurrected from the dead. He healed the sick, raised the dead, and so much more. God is beyond able.

God is our sure hope!

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Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Hope is also a feeling of trust.

If you live in the world long enough, you’ll find there’s an enemy of hope. Unbelief is the greatest enemy of hope. The voice that cries out, “Nothing good is going to happen to you. Life will always be this way. Nothing is ever going to change. You have nothing to look forward to. God is not listening to you; He won’t come through for you.” All of those statements are geared towards destroying hope.

If we are not hopeless, we can have misplaced hope. Some place hope in a spouse or family, friends, bank accounts, pastors, political party, the government, their appearance, abilities, or themselves. The problem with hope placed in people or things is that it always leads to disappointment. There is nothing more secure than a relationship with God.

God is filled with hope. He has great things to say. His Word is filled with promises to deposit hope.

Here are some sweet promises from God’s Word:

My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am, John 14:2-3.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus, Phil 4:6-7.

What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;…If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:11,13.

It’s challenging to be hopeful in this world. It is challenging to be hopeful if you’ve had a series of disappointments. It’s challenging to be hopeful when circumstances don’t align with God’s goodness. Here’s what I can say…

Don’t give up on God. God is 100% faithful. He cannot lie. He is good. He keeps His promises. He has given us His Holy Spirit as a guarantee that we are His. We have a sure hope, not in something, but in Someone! My prayer is that we cling to the One who is secure. He is our strength, hope, & joy!

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God-The Burden Bearer

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” Matthew 11:28.

Beautiful friends, we live in a sinful world. Since we live in a sinful world, we are not immune from burdens. Jesus said, “In the world you will have trouble; take heart I have already overcome the world.”
He warned us ahead of time there would be suffering in this world. Aside from challenges and burdens, there can be stress.

We may have sick or needy relatives. We may have challenging coworkers. You may have family demands, obligations, or small children to care for. We may have church family that have burdens we help carry. The stress or burden may be a result of our unbelief in God’s promises.

Regardless of the burden, there are a few things to remember:

1: God is strong enough to carry everyone’s burdens, we are not.

Even though the Holy Spirit is our strength, He still calls us to cast our cares, burdens, and concerns on Him. If we try to carry the weight of the world, we will be destroyed. Even Jesus retreated for seasons to be alone with the Father. He knew His source. We are not God, we are empowered by Him. We (by ourselves), are not strong enough and we are limited.

2. God cares enough to carry our burdens.

I love this verse: Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens (carries us in His arms),~Psalm 68:19. People get overwhelmed when you rely on them too much, God does not. He does not grow tired or weary. You can approach Him at any time and unload your burdens. He is not limited; He is not human.

3. People are not God. Therefore, seek God first.

God invites us into His family and most people have a biological or adopted family. God designed us for relationship. We get into trouble when we seek people first. People are not God. They can help, but God goes to the root and heals. Anything or anyone we put in the place of God becomes our idol. Idols will always disappoint. I truly believe sometimes God allows people to let us down so we stop putting them in His place. Only God saves. Jesus is the Hero!

No matter what we face friends, we can rely on Jesus. Don’t place your hopes in yourself or other people. It may seem unbearable today, but I promise God is strong enough to carry your burdens. May we rest in His arms, the burden bearer.

Believe God Can Do Anything!

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The Women of Faith Conference this year is entitled Believe God Can Do Anything! There will be amazing encounters with God, great speakers, and wonderful worship. If you have the opportunity to go, it will be a blessing. Check it out Women of Faith.

If you stop by the Thomas Nelson/Westbow Press Author Gallery, they will be giving away 50 free ebook downloads of my book. Get your free copy of I Thought I Knew What Love Was.

Now that I’ve given you info on this great conference and how to get free ebooks, I want to talk to you a little about faith. What does it mean to have faith, to believe God can do anything? Is faith blind? Or does faith see beyond what is visible? I will challenge you to ponder that faith sees beyond what is visible with the natural eye. Faith is not blind or without vision.

Faith does not deny reality, it opens the door for God to create a new reality.

Faith sees God moving mountains that we cannot move.

Faith sees God working things together for good even when we don’t feel good.

Faith relies on the power of the Holy Spirit to impart hope and vision where there seems to be nothing.

Faith is confident in the abilities of God.

I leave you with the words of Jesus.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

http://bible.com/111/mat.19.26.niv

God cannot fail. Our role isn’t to try to manufacture faith or confidence in Him. Our role is to rest in Him, to confess our unbelief to Him, and to rely on the faith of Jesus! We abide and there is fruit that grows on the vine. Jesus has limitless faith.

Sweet friends, God is working on your behalf. God loves you. May this week overflow with a deeper revelation of what Jesus paid for! You are deeply loved ( John. 3:16).

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Encountering God in the Midst of Tragedy, Disappointment, & Pain

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“Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress…Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. “ Psalm 36:3-11.

We live in a sinful world. It is a world not immune to tragedy. It is a world that if studied for long periods of time can bring great grief, pain, and hurt. If that is where the story ended, we could cry and live depressed lives. Life will hurt. Disappointments will come. No person is immune from the potential of disaster or a tragedy striking. Jesus said, “In the world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”

I would not be able to write this post if I had not walked through my own personal tragedies with God. The unexpected phone call. The friends who have betrayed me. The loved one who didn’t get healed. The loss of something held dear. Or even an accident that changes life forever. I’ve been there. For seven years I felt I lived there. Year after year it seemed someone was dying or a part of my life was dying. I spent most of my teens and early twenties trying to survive. My life is still not immune from trials, hardships, or pain. This year alone I’ve lost three aunts, was in a car accident that totaled my car, and have had some overwhelming disappointments.

Looking back:

I recall the day my mum died. I prayed like my life depended on it that she would live. We lived at the hospital, and I knew God healed. I had seen it with my own eyes. I went to work the day she died. I worked a full day. They told me to come home instead of go to the hospital. I knew something went wrong. I arrived home and felt like the bottom of my chest ripped open. One of my best friends was gone. Where was God in the midst of my pain? He was was holding a fragile 20 something together. I had just graduated college and life was changing forever. God flooded my heart with worship. During those moments and even after her death, I did not have anyone to hold me. Everyone had their own grief; I had God.

People have called me independent, but I’ve learned to lean on God. I know what it’s like to try to lean on people who cannot help you and some don’t want to. They don’t like their own pain, let alone yours. I knew and know there is no better source than Jesus. In moments of suffering with God, I can confidently say, “God is able!”

What God showed me through grief:


He’s bigger than any disappointment or pain and God’s ways are higher. My mum told God she wanted to go home. She had her own personal relationship with God. Her life belonged to Him. She was tired of being sick. Her life had already touched so many for Jesus. We all have an appointed time to die. This life is but a whisper. I was hurting, sad, and thought of all the ways God could have done things differently. Looking back, the more I surrendered my pain to God, the more comfort He provided.

God doesn’t watch our pain, He enters into our pain. He doesn’t watch His children suffer and provide comfort from a distance. He stands right in the middle of the fire with us. We hurt, God hurts.

God is good and can handle our doubts of His goodness. It’s impossible, at least in my thoughts, to go through a tragedy, betrayal, or trauma and not have the thought pop up, “If God is so good, why did He allow this to happen?” I think of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Lazarus died and Jesus stayed where He was. Jesus waited until Lazarus was good and dead before showing up to resurrect him. It was for the glory of God. In our situations God can use anything for His glory. I am not saying God causes the pain and suffering. I am saying He can use it.

Suffering builds compassion. I truly believe compassion is a much needed trait. And not the pat the person on the head ministry. I mean the ability to enter into someone else’s pain like it is your own. Jesus entered into people’s pain. He had compassion on the sick & healed them.

Cry it out, scream it out, let it out. God is not afraid or offended by our emotions. Some pain or grief is quickly healed. Some grief or pain lingers for years. And some grief and pain seems to go on with us for a lifetime. We will never forget the people we’ve lost. We may never forget how we felt the day the bad news came or the trauma occurred. I can say, though we may not forget, God heals memories. He brings comfort to them. He is the Healer.

God’s plan is good even when it doesn’t feel good. God has our best interests at heart. It does not always seem that way. Some things we will not understand until heaven when we see Him face to face.

There is always hope in Jesus. It’s easy to get jaded by life and say, “If God didn’t do this, then He won’t do that.” Disappointment is a horrible thing to be our foundation for what God can or will do. He can do anything. Just because He does not answer the way you or I would like, does not mean He is limited in any way. God is God. He is all powerful.

As someone who’s walking through this sinful world with you, I say these words of encouragement; there’s no better friend, Healer, or Savior than Jesus. God loves you! No matter how bad it hurts, He will never leave or forsake you!! This I can promise. May you invite Him into the pain. He will give you beauty for ashes and joy for your mourning. I’m practicing what I teach as I continue to invite God into my own pain, hurts, and disappointments. God bless you. You’re in my prayers.

When Reality Does Not Match God’s Promises

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“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the Holy Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny],
” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10.

We live in a world that is flooded with negativity and fear. I normally cannot stomach the news, not because I like to stick my head in the sand, but because they normally don’t have anything good to say. Fear has replaced love and hope. Cynicism has replaced optimism. Sarcasm has replaced encouragement. And we call it all normal.

In this often upside down world, it can be challenging to look with the eyes of faith. I had someone call me Pollyanna once because for the most part I’m looking for something to be thankful for. There’s a difference between denying reality, and praying or expecting God to create a new reality. Even if God’s answer is no, He is still good. Either God is who He says He is and can do everything His word says He can do, or we need to throw in the towel and close all the churches.

If God no longer heals, let’s stop praying for the sick.

If God no longer delivers, let’s stopping pursuing breakthrough.

If our circumstances or what we see determine the ability of God, we have created a demi-god. The God we create is powerless. We make our circumstances and what we see more impressive than God.

The truth is, nothing is ever impossible with God. He is the One who spoke and it was. He is the One who formed Adam from the ground and breathed life into him. He is the One who came as a child, walked among us, was crucified for all sin, and was resurrected on the third day. This is the same God we are crying out to today. God has not changed. Our expectations of what He will do have changed. We’ve put God in a box.

On missions and hearing from missionary friends, there are more miracles and radical encounters with God. People are desperate for God and not the Jesus painted on the stained glass windows. It’s not for show, money, or entertainment. People come hungry and leave fed.

God change my situation:

I am no fan of bossing God around. We don’t tell God what to do. He can do as He pleases. I do believe unbelief blocks us from the richness and fullness of God’s presence. He never promised us a trouble free life. He did promise to never leave or forsake us. He did promise to be faithful to His word. He never ceases to be God. Sometimes He changes our situations, sometimes He gives us strength to walk through them, and sometimes we remain where we are because we choose complaining over praise.

No matter the circumstances, what is true of God:

God is love.

God is good.

God does not fail.

God saves, heals, and delivers.

God has already won and will be victorious again over all evil.

God’s saving power is greater than our capacity to sin.

God is faithful and keeps His word.

God cannot lie.

God’s perfect love casts out fear.

God will always love you!

God is not surprised by what’s happening in the world or ill equipped to deal with it.

God is all powerful. Nothing and no one trumps His power.

God will bring perfect justice in His time.

When your circumstances don’t match God’s word, I encourage you to dig into His Word. Pull out verses about His character. I’ve cried many nights and had great comfort in God’s presence. What’s helped the most was to look to who He is and remind myself of who my Father is.

Yes, life will hurt. Gosh, I know all too well. There are some things I’m surprised I lived through. I counted, I’ve almost died or could have died at least a half dozen times. As a young person, I feel I’ve lived a 100 years. I look back and see countless miracles. Despite it all, I’ve found none more faithful than God. He can be trusted. When we are faithless, He is still faithful.

Bless you. Praying for you. You are deeply loved.

Why Love?

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Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us, Romans 5:7-8.

So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:3-4.

The title of my book is I Thought I Knew What Love Was. God’s love is so much better than anyone told or demonstrated for me. I yielded my heart to God because of His great love and pursuit. The longer I know Him, the more my life is transformed.

I never wanted to write a book. I don’t like public speaking. I could contently live as mostly a hermit with Jesus. I’m an introvert who often retreats after long periods of time of human interaction. So, ministry was never something I longed for. God deposited His heart for people, and He’s the reason I share with others.

Over the course of many years the conversations with God were often documented and many turned into psalms, poems, and prayers. You’ll find 7 years worth in the book. Some from me to Him and many His responses to me. This book was put together after friends and family kept telling me to publish them. I walked through a year or so of hesitation. I don’t care if people know who I am. I do want people to encounter Jesus and know who He is.

So why love? That’s what God asked me to talk about and share with the world. In 2008 on mission to Brazil I was asked to preach in a tiny village. This place was a secluded village off the Amazon River. I prayed and asked God what topic or passage to cover. He responded with, “Tell them I love them.” How simple, yet so profound. I asked why such a simple message. His reply, “People do not know how much I love them.” So the message was John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son so whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. People who you’d probably see on National Geographic were the target of God’s incredible love. God’s love is on full blast 24:7 towards every person on the planet. Every person matters.

I’ve met some opposition from people saying I must talk about the wrath of God. Or God is not only loving, He’s angry with our sin. He’s sending His punishment and wrath on evil sinners.

Here’s my take on God’s love with biblical backing.

Love is who God is, it’s not simply what He does. It’s His identity (1 John 4:8).

God’s discipline is a result of love. You cannot separate love from discipline. Discipline is a fruit of love (Hebrews 12:6).

God invites people into relationship and out of relationship transformation happens (John 15:5).

Obedience to God is a result of love for God (John 14:5).

We cannot love God without first receiving His love (1 John 4:19). We cannot give God love He has not first given us. We can only give what we possess.

God knows that we are weak (Psalm 103:14) and prone to sin so He gives us His Holy Spirit (John 14:15-21).

Out of love Jesus came to save the world. He knew we could not save ourselves, John 3:17.

The penalty for sin is death and for the unrepentant eternal separation from God. However, God longs for no person to perish (1 Tim 2:4). Out of love, He sent His Son.

So why love? Love is who God is. It’s not our human love. It’s not a we get to claim God and live as we please ( see the Unconditional Love vs. Unconditional Approval post).

God is not weak, and He is not unmerciful. His mercy triumphs over judgement (James 2:3).

God is perfect in all His ways. He longs for none to perish. He is perfect in power, love, mercy, judgement, and He is holy.

I’ve seen the picket signs, “Turn or burn. God hates sinners.” I’ve seen people turned off from knowing God because those representing Him forsook love.

I’m thankful God is better than our understanding of Him. I’m thankful the Gospel is about redeeming sinful people. I’m thankful God didn’t offer me death, but an invitation to life. I respect, honor, and fear Him. However, I’m with Him not for fire insurance, but out of the great love He’s showed for me. If there were no hell, I’d still be pursuing His heart as He’s pursued mine. Out of love I serve and obey Him. There is no greater love! God’s love is beyond amazing.

The world needs to see and encounter God’s love, real love. Love that redeems, heals, tells the truth, corrects to restore, forgives, leads, helps, serves, honors, and empowers. Love that does not seek to dishonor, embarrass, or condemn people because those things are not really love.

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Humility or Insecurity

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I normally don’t post the same things on my personal blog and this site, but I felt led to for this topic. God longs for us to see ourselves and our circumstances through His eyes. Hope this post encourages you.

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you, Deuteronomy 31:6.

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong, 1 Corinthians 16:13.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline, 2 Timothy 1:7.

I’ve met numerous people who have mistaken insecurity with humility. Insecurity is one of those things we either glorify (that person is so humble) or pity, or we make excuses for.

The Bible does not link insecurity with humility. Jesus was perfect in humility and completely secure in His identity as the Son of God. He did not put Himself down, compare Himself to others, or doubt the Father’s love for Him. He knew who He was, why He came, and made no apologies for His confidence. Jesus was confident and bold, yet humble and compassionate. He was not filled with fear. He was filled with love.

What if I’m insecure?

Most people have battled or battle with some insecurities. It may not be appearance, status, or age related. It could be insecurities about God’s love, insecurities about the future, or just plain fear of bad things happening (foreboding).

The cure is an identity rooted in Christ and a filling of God’s love! There is no fear in love, all insecurities are rooted in fear.

Insecurity is not only rooted in fear, but unbelief. It is refusing to fully believe and accept God’s truth about who He is, what He’s called us to do, and our identity as sons and daughters.

God does not want us to be insecure. He longs for us to trust Him and receive His great love.

The Bible tells us to be courageous, to trust God fully, to place our confidence in God’s abilities and not our own. Jesus changed our names and gave us new identities in Him. We are called to live out our God given identities. We have a reason to be confident; our hope is not in ourselves or something, but Someone great. We place no confidence in our flesh, but place all confidence in God.

What is humility?

Humility is being a servant, seeking what’s best for others.

Humility is rooted in love.

Humility gives God the credit and acknowledges dependence on God.

Humility is trusting God. Without Him, we can do nothing.

Humility is God centered. Insecurity is self centered (the focus is not God, but us).

Humility exalts God. Insecurity exalts our weaknesses or shortcomings.

Humility is acknowledging that greatness comes from God.

Humility is being able to be corrected or admit fault. Insecurity can’t handle being wrong.

Sweet friends, God longs for us to see ourselves and our situations the way He does. He loves us. Our feelings may not line up with His word. If we ask God for help, He will help us to be confident in Him. We are a chosen people, set apart for His glory!

Prayer:

Father help us to receive the fullness of Your love. Uproot all lies and unbelief. Replace them with Your truth. Your perfect love cast out fear. Help us to be bold, courageous, and humble. We need You. In Jesus name, amen.

From the Killing Insecurity Series http://morena242.wordpress.com.

Silenced Screams (A Response to Human Trafficking and Abuse)

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“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19.

Silenced Screams

Written by Erin Lamb

December 12, 2010

I hear the echoes of your silenced

screams piercing through my mind.

Screams from the forgotten,

abused, and misused.

Compassion overflows

for hearts and bodies tattered, worn,

wounds left open, and exposed.

The cries of your heart,

that you feel no one else seems

to hear,

reach high into the heavens.

God sees and understands.

The tears that flow like waterfalls,

that you think no one seems to see,

God sees them.

He hears them.

I must respond on bended knee.

On bended knee before my Father

there is a plea for your Deliverer to

come;

knowing only He can move the vast

mountains of oppression,

that have remained for way too long.

It is here,

I feel the earth shake,

in an outcry,

for justice,

for your freedom,

to live a life free of being someone’s

slave.

I see a light,

pierce through the darkness,

illuminating your tear stained face.

Your face is not forgotten,

God knows your name.

You are the King’s treasure,

and He longs to give you His very best.

You are not someone to be overlooked,

neglected,

ignored,

or clothed in shame.

You are a precious one,

one that God adores.

God hears the wailing of your heart,

and He is calling for the world to

respond.

We do not lose hope for justice,

for our help comes from above.

He is breaking our hearts,

with the pain that breaks yours.

No longer are your screams to be

silenced,

or your suffering ignored.

We cannot live your nightmares

or even heal your wounds,

but we can keep shouting from the

rooftops for deliverance to come.

We can fight for your freedom.

Your freedom is my passion,

for the world to see your plight.

Prayers will surround you,

until all the injustices are made right.

More than prayer,

there is rallying for you!

We cannot do everything,

but we can do something.

It starts here,

with the world hearing your silenced

screams.

There are so many hurting people in the world. So many children and women, who are being abused, or held against their will. My heart aches for every hurting person in the world. While I cannot carry each person’s individual burden, I can pray for the oppressed. I cannot forget those held captive and so my knee bends to pray. So please join me in praying for our friends held captive around the world. God loves them as much as He loves us.

Check our these great organizations who are fighting for freedom.

A21 Campaign: http://www.thea21campaign.org/

20 ways you can fight human trafficking:
http://www.state.gov/j/tip/id/help/

Not for Sale:

Homepage

Fight for Freedom:
http://www.thedailymuse.com/education/the-fight-for-freedom-7-organizations-combating-human-trafficking/

National Domestic Abuse Hotline:
1−800−799−SAFE(7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224.