God Has Always Had a People

As relentless as I am to be optimistic, I know there will be plenty of opportunities to go rogue and get caught up in the whirlwinds of negativity that will, no doubt, get even more ferocious in 2020. After all, it’s a presidential election year, and, well, if you’ve paid any attention at all to the rancor and nausea-inducing negativity, you’ll know 2020 will not be for the faint of heart.

That’s why we must shift our mindsets and our thinking from falling prey to that darkness. Our true colors will be revealed this year. We’re going to witness just how Christian we really are. How kind. How compassionate. How courageous. How committed. How fervent we are in prayer and absolute certainty that God is in control. The real questions are “What kind of representatives of Christ are we?” How deep is our faith? How different is our voice than the mean-spirited voices that surround us and bombard us 24/7, if we let them?

The key to UNLOCKING the PLENTY in 2020 of God’s grace and love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.– the fruit of the Spirit -- is letting our lights shine so much brighter than the darkness that permeates the other side. It doesn’t take going to see a Star Wars movie to realize that we are in a constant battle of darkness (the dark side) and the light side.

The crazier (and darker) things get, the more clearly our light MUST shine. I sincerely believe God has always had a people – a people who represent Him as His non-compromising followers. There’s a shaking about to occur. I believe it’s going to be a time when God's people rise up with wisdom and insight and courage, and live above the political fray.

When I was writing this blog and typed the words “God has always had a people”, I remembered that was a line in the song, “The Church Triumphant” written by Bill and Gloria Gaither. I googled it. Just take a look at these words in the interlude. They nail it – nail the hand-writing on the wall of WHO we are and WHOSE we are:

"God has always had a people. Many a foolish conqueror has made the mistake of thinking that because he'd driven the Church of Jesus Christ out of sight, that he had stilled its voice and snuffed out its life, but God has always had a people. The powerful current of a river is not diminished because it is forced to flow underground. The purest water is the stream that bursts crystal clear into the sunlight after it has forced its way through solid rock. There are charlatans, who like Simon the magician sought to barter on the open market this power which cannot be bought or sold but God has always had a people; men who could not be bought and women who were beyond purchase. God has always had a people.There have been times of affluence and prosperity where the Church's message has been nearly diluted into oblivion by those who sought to make it socially attractive, re-organized and financially profitable. It's been gold plated, draped in purple and encrusted in jewels. It's been misrepresented, ridiculed, lauded and scorned. These followers of Jesus Christ have been, according to the whim of the times, elevated as sacred leaders and martyred as heretics. Yet through it all, there marches on this powerful army. God's chosen people who cannot be bought, flattered, murdered or stilled. On through the ages they march. This church, God's church is ALIVE and WELL.

And, yes, my friend and fellow believers in the Church and the Cross of Jesus Christ, let us STAND tall, knowing that we are on the LIGHT side – the Church Triumphant side -- and we know, based on the end of the book – WE WIN!

"You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame." Joel 2:26-27

Mercy Me! Bring on the Light!

It's my annual rant time! That expletive isn’t about the Christian vocal group, Mercy Me! It’s about the ghosts, goblins, zombies, witches, and other Halloween paraphernalia that “haunts” us at retail stores and homes this time of year.

Wait! Before you Halloween enthusiasts stop reading this blog, please know I'm not judging anyone who celebrates Halloween! I know what Jesus said "Do not judge, or you too will be judged!" (Matthew 7:1) If I judge people who celebrate Halloween then those people can judge me for celebrating my birthday. Yikes! A whole day to celebrate ME? To bring me gifts and light a candle on a sugary idol with my name on it?

Honestly, my awareness of seeking THE LIGHT and being a light has come from years of growth in my walk with Jesus.
I was a trick or treater and, as you can see in these cute photos, we celebrated Halloween along with everyone else. (That first one is my son and the others are grandchildren). And, October 31st is a day we love because it's Mom's (my mom-in-law's) birthday. And, I know there are hundreds of things worse than cute kids dressed like Elsa or Buzz Lightyear.

Heaven forbid that I sound like a kill-joy! It's a heart matter for me. I don't want to rain on anyone’s Halloween Parade, but this chick prefers the "light" side. I have long removed myself from horror flicks that I watched as a kid. I wondered why I couldn’t sleep at night. Well, duh? I don’t read books that cause me to entertain thoughts of darkness, and neither do I put myself into situations that draw me into darkness or create darkness – anger, envy, strife, jealousy, sadness, grief, etc. If I find myself getting close to those places -- I look for the closest “escape hatch” that I can find. My motto scripture is “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8.

This Bible thumper just can't help but use this season to share the good news of the One who was raised from the dead. I want to preach Jesus. I want to find people to encourage, call that family member who needs hope, pray for professed witches and satanists who need Jesus and use my tongue and social media to communicate life, joy and peace. And, I want to see evil become good: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

I live in the light -- on purpose. I lean toward the LIGHT – God and His Word. That’s why the scriptures are so vital to me – they’re my absolute statements of faith, peace, comfort and joy. ”You will keep him (her) in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he (she) trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3)

If you find yourself depressed, sad, afraid, doubting -- living in those places of darkness -- I lovingly encourage you to move toward THE LIGHT. Put light in your heart and home. I promise you…..you’ll find the SWEET SPOT…..where I live! There’s nothing like it!

Living on the Light Side

I'm down in the hills of Texas for a few weeks and when it's dark here....IT'S DARK. I keep a flashlight with me when I venture out at night. That made me think again about Star Wars. Two years in a row, my family and I caught the latest Star Wars flick. Star Wars is a big deal to us – so much so that my 10 year old grandson wanted to turn in his Christmas gift from me so he could order the latest Star Wars costume. We did. He loves his costumes and light sabers and even my 16-year old, Payton, is a Star Wars junkie – with his room in all kinds of Star Wars memorabilia. The Star Wars craze always makes me ponder the notion of the “Light Side” versus the “Dark Side”. The Jedi were major practitioners of the Light Side, and were the mortal enemies of the Dark Side of the Force. Light versus Dark – that’s been mankind’s opposing forces since the very beginning of time.

In the creation story in Genesis, God “speaks” things into existence “Let there be light….” It’s a sign of God’s creative power that every single word He utters, brings forth something new, vibrant, and wondrous. Then Adam and Eve fell to the voice of the “Dark Side” when the enemy tempted them and succeeded, that caused them to be banished from the beauty of the garden.

In 1 John 2:5-7, John writes “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is LIGHT and in Him is NO darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” That’s the difference between the LIGHT side and the DARK side. You can sure tell that jealousy, hate, bitterness and anger caused Anakin Skywalker to go wrong and turn to the Dark Side. It’s quite possible, when we examine our hearts, we won’t find that we hate anyone. But every little thing that we allow to remain in our hearts can have a “dark” effect on us. We might not be in darkness, but we certainly might find ourselves in the “shade”.

The beginning of this new year is the perfect time to clear out those things that hinder the LIGHT in us. Let’s open ourselves to His healing and empowering light. When we declare with the Psalmist in Psalm 21:1 “The Lord IS MY LIGHT and my salvation, who should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge, of whom should I be afraid?” – then there will never be a shadow of doubt which side we’re on, and all the dark forces that try to draw us to their side, will never win! The FORCE (the LIGHT source Whom lives within us) Who comes with peace and calm, will always be in us and with us.

May THE FORCE – God’s LIGHT Source -- be with you!

Living on the LIGHT SIDE

Living on the Light Side
I must be on Star Wars overload.  Watching the newest episode 3 times, as well as watching several of the earlier episodes with my two youngest grandsons, and seeing them donning their Star Wars costumes and light sabers over the last week, caused me to ponder the notion of the “Light Side” versus the “Dark Side”.  The Jedi were major practitioners of the Light Side, and were the mortal enemies of the Dark Side of the Force.  Light versus Dark.  Isn’t that mankind’s opposing forces since the very beginning of time?

In the creation story in Genesis, God “speaks” things into existence “Let there be light….”  It’s a sign of God’s creative power that every single word He utters, brings forth something new, vibrant, and wondrous.  Then Adam and Eve fell to the voice of the “Dark Side” when the enemy tempted them and succeeded, that caused them to be banished from the beauty of the garden.

In 1 John 2:5-7, John writes “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is LIGHT and in Him is NO darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”   That’s the difference between the LIGHT side and the DARK side.  You can sure tell that jealousy, hate, bitterness and anger caused Anakin Skywalker and Kylo Ren to go wrong and turn to the Dark Side.  It’s quite possible, when we examine our hearts, we won’t find that we hate anyone.  But every little thing that we allow to remain in our hearts can have a “dark” effect on us.  We might not be in darkness, but we certainly might find ourselves in the “shade”.

The beginning of this new year is the perfect time to clear out those things that hinder the LIGHT in us.  Let’s open ourselves to His healing and empowering light.  When we declare with the Psalmist, “The Lord IS MY LIGHT and my salvation, who should I fear?  The Lord is my life’s refuge, of whom should I be afraid?” – then there will never be a shadow of doubt which side we’re on, and all the dark forces that try to draw us to their side, will never win!  The FORCE (the LIGHT source) that comes with peace and calm will always be in us and with us.

May THE FORCE be with you!