What is Dead That Needs Resurrection in Your Life?

Saw this article yesterday. “Israel’s Blessed Rains Cause Dead Sea to be Surrounded by Miraculous Wildflowers.” BOOM! I had an epiphany! An acronym for BOOM is often “Breaking Out of Old Mindsets”. It can apply to being dead long before we’re actually dead. That “old” mindset is a part of those who give up on life even though there’s life in them that just needs to be rejuvenated. This article reminded me of that.

“Visitors are flocking to Israel’s southern region to see the desert bloom.” Israel’s extraordinary winter rains have not only replenished the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) but also made the desert bloom. Visitors are flocking to see the budding desert landscape. Ira Kholmyansky noted that for nearly two decades water levels in the Dead Sea, which is the lowest place on earth, was depleted. But, hallelujah! The rains replenished the desert and it is blooming!

I remember my Israel trip back in 2017 and being in that dry desert. This article caused me pause because we have entered into the Lenten season where we journey towards the cruelty, the crucifixion, the cross and the crescendo of our Lord’s resurrection from the dead. I’m keenly aware that death is not death at all for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. So why on earth would we let ourselves die ahead of death?

Our Lord LIVES, and so do we. Everyday can be a new, bright resurrection morning, because of Christ's death, burial and rising to live forevermore. Only God can bring life out of a season of death. God just can't leave death well enough alone, can He?

Perhaps, today, you are alive only because you have a heartbeat, but I’m trying to speak into you today and say: BOOM – Break out of that Mindset! Don’t live in the ashes of defeat, brokenness, depression and anything else that makes you feel life is over. You are still alive. Go ahead and put your hand over your heart. If it's beating, God has a destiny and mission for you to fulfill. You could have been born sometime in history, but you weren't. You're here now, so the resurrection power of Jesus Christ lives big in you. He is the Spring and Summer rain that can replenish you and you can blossom again just like those flowers in the desert. Let Him pour His rain into you today!

"The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you!" Romans 8:11

Let Those Leaves Fall – Once and for All

Yesterday, for the first time this year, I had to sweep yellow, brown, and orange leaves from my front porch. Company was coming. I wanted a clean, welcoming porch. I realize that in a matter of days, my porch will be overladen with leaves. It seems I must be in a wind tunnel because my neighbors’ leaves somehow make their way to my front porch and bushes.

As their bright green color fades, it seems the leaves fall almost as quickly as they change. Part of me longs for the leaves to hold on a little longer. "Come on. You’ve got this. Think green!” But graciously the tree only listens to its Maker rather than my senseless longings. In order to flourish in the new season, the tree must let go of its decayed leaves. They’ve done their job well for their season, but their time has drawn to a close.

I am reminded that the leaves display an important lesson for all of us to follow. Just as the trees don’t stubbornly hold on to their dead leaves, so we shouldn’t hold on to the unnecessary weights of negativity that has clung on way too long in our lives. I am so ready to move on to a new season when the old one has been filled with stinking thinking, poor self-image, mistakes made, regrets and disappointments. It’s time to move on to a new season and let go of the past. So, I’m getting my game plan ready for “shaking my tree” to get all those “hanging on” negative leaves to let go and fall – especially the ones that try to impede my peace and joy.

Oh, how God longs to empower and strengthen us for the new season ahead! So much awaits us when we let the past go. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18,19

It’s time for us to release the grasp of the “dead and unfruitful” leaves that prevent a freshness to the season ahead. Could it be that the decayed leaves have piled up and our heart needs to discard them for good – once and for all? God longs to help us let go. All we have to do is go to Him in prayer and ask Him to shine His light on any thoughts, circumstances, habits or other “decayed leaves” we might be clinging to.

As you and I watch the leaves fall this season, my prayer is that you are reminded to let go of anything that would hinder a fresh relationship with God. I’m praying that prayer for me, too! I’m “letting go” and letting God have His way in me in this blessed new season.

How BIG is Easter?

Tomorrow is Easter! And, of course, the reason Easter is the most important day on the Christian calendar is because of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, from the dead. It is the most important event in the history of this world and the entire universe. True HOPE was established by the resurrection and it wasn't just some hocus-pocus magic trick or exercise in wishful thinking. If it were, then the whole thing would have fizzled out, but here we are 2,000+ years later celebrating that incredible day of all days. The resurrection of Christ is so big that it's the answer to everything that was, and is and is to come. I can vouch for it -- it is MY EVERYTHING. I'm already getting giddy about tomorrow morning -- for it's not just about another sunrise, but it's about the rising of the LIGHT of all LIGHTS, and that LIGHT brings with Him, mercies and hope and love EVERY morning -- not just Easter morning! So how BIG is Easter? Oh, it's only the answer to EVERYTHING!

Holy Saturday = Miracle in the Making

Holy Saturday! Today it seemed all hope was gone. Jesus was dead. He was laid to rest. His body was anointed and wrapped in clean linens, then was laid in a tomb. The stone was rolled over the entrance and now it surely seemed to be the end.

Up to this point, death was final. But while those He lived with, laughed with, and cried with, were in their deepest sorrow – the GREATEST of all MIRACLES was

taking place. Jesus was conquering death, hell and the grave, and this tomb would soon be empty and Jesus would soon show Himself alive to His disciples. I love this. Dumb devil! He thought he had won, but 1 Corinthians 2:8 says "None of the rulers of this world understood it, because if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." And, from that point to today.....we continue to give that dumb devil the reminder that "We know the rest of the story, and the end of the BOOK, and WE WIN!"