Look Up! Look Down! in 2022

With 2021 in the rear-view mirror, and 2022 stretching out before us, we all know we are in a very different season. Perhaps that is a monumental understatement! As I prayed about the coming year and asked God for a word, as many of us do, my initial impression didn’t seem very encouraging, but I pressed in for more. Here is the sense I have for the coming year.

In the world, we’re not in for an easier ride than we’ve had the past two years. In fact, I sense the pressure may increase on all sides:

The Level is Rising

·      The pandemic and continued strains of Covid;

·      Government restrictions and intrusion into personal lives;

·      Unprecedented inflation, financial stress, personally and nationally;

·      Lawlessness abounding and becoming a way of life;

·      Evil being called good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).

BUT GOD!

Jesus said: I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you](AMP) (John 16:33).

The Greek word, thlipsis, translated tribulation, means:

Pressure, oppression, affliction, squashing, squeezing, distress. 

Have you felt “squashed or squeezed” these past two years? I have!

The word pictures placing your hand on a stack of loose items, say a stack of papers, then manually compressing them. That is thlipsis. It’s putting a lot of pressure on something that is free and unfettered. It’s like spiritual bench-pressing, as one refence put it. The word is used for crushing grapes or olives in a press. 

Amid the thlipsis in our lives and in our world, Jesus tells us to be of good cheer. Why? Because He promises His peace – a peace that assures us of rest, quietness, prosperity. A set of favorable circumstances involving peace and tranquility. To be without trouble or to have no worries or to sit down in one’s heart (Louw, Nida: Greek Lexicon).

I like that – “sit down in one’s heart.” Not standing, wringing the proverbial hands. Not standing, anxiously anticipating the next bad thing. But sitting down in our hearts – a settled place of peace on the inside, even if the outside is raging. 

Isaiah 26:3 encourages us:

    You will keep him in perfect peace,

    Whose mind is stayed on You,

    Because he trusts in You. (NKJV)

PEACE

Perfect peace? When the world feels like it’s spinning out of control? When the Good News is daily drowned out by the bad news on every television station? When a pandemic is raging that has changed the course of our lives? When parental authority over their children is being usurped by an agenda to indoctrinate them in gender fluidity, Critical Race Theory, and attempting to rewrite our national history? When it seems our government officials are hell-bent on destroying our country? Perfect peace? Really Jesus?

But He knows something we don’t. The peace He’s talking about is not based on circumstantial realities; rather, His peace is based on eternal truth. There is a vast difference between facts and truth. The fact is that the world is very different from what it was just a few decades ago. But the truth is that we have a source of peace the world doesn’t have access to. In John 14:27 Jesus said:

Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled] (AMP).

I think of the peace Jesus had when He stood before the Sanhedrin being falsely accused. Or when questioned by Pilate, knowing that He was about to go through an excruciating death and be separated from His Father for the first and only time in all of eternity. It is that kind of peace that He not only gives us, but that He bequeaths to us. Bequeath means to leave or give something to someone by a will after one’s death. In other words, His peace is our inheritance. 

Our English word peace inadequately expresses the richness of the Hebrew word – shalom. It means completeness, wholeness, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, and the absence of agitation or discord. That is so much more than the absence of conflict! That is the inheritance Jesus has left us.

Then He says, “be of good cheer.” Again, are you serious Jesus? Not only be at peace while thlipsis swirls around us, but be of good cheer?  Be happy, joyful, and glad? I think He had something deeper in mind. “To be of good cheer” means to have confidence and firmness of purpose in the face of danger or testing—to be confident, to have courage, to be bold. It’s also defined as being immovable or deaf to threats (Louw). A far cry from a Pollyana perspective where everything is wonderful and it will all turn out alright. I’m not saying we don’t need a positive attitude, but sometimes our emotions and even our beliefs do not line up with a glass half-full mentality.

How can that be our stance when facing trial or testing? Only by looking up! Lifting our eyes from the natural circumstances to the Source of our peace, confidence, and boldness. Jesus said: I have overcome the world. In the Greek, overcome means… overcome! To be victorious! To conquer and to prevail! Jesus already won the victory over every circumstance we face – whether in our personal lives or the world around us. And because He has overcome, we, too have overcome. 

Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us (Romans 8:37, AMP).

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5).

THE LEVEL IS RISING

As tribulation abounds, I believe God is raising our level of faith and authority as a people. Here in Seattle, we have “water locks” that connect two bodies of water with differing sea levels. The water level in the Puget Sound is lower than that of Lake Washington, so when a boat moves from the Sound to the Lake, it must be positioned in the lock. A gate closes off the water from the Puget Sound and raises the water level in the lock to that of Lake Washington, allowing the boat to pass through. That’s a picture of what I see the Lord doing with His people in this season: He is, in a sense, cutting off the level of faith we had in the previous season, and He is raising the level so we can move into a higher degree of faith and authority. The key is being positioned in the “lock” – with our eyes “locked” on the Lord.

LOOK UP!

We get what we focus on. We become what we behold. To navigate to a higher level, we must look up and focus our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). In our day-to-day living, we must engage our eyes of faith more than our natural eyes. Our natural eyes will betray us, in a sense, because there is a vast spiritual realm that can only be accessed through eyes of faith. Holy Spirit instructed John in Revelation 4:1 to “Ascend into this realm, I want to reveal to you what must happen after this” (TPT). God invites us to look up to Him, to the realm He lives in, for He is where our help comes from (Psalm 121:1-2). 

The enemy wants to unsettle us. God wants to secure us. The enemy provokes fear and uncertainty. God provides safety and rest.

Now I will arise, says the Lord. I will set him in the safety he years for (Psalm 12:5).

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] 

Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. 

For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne (Matthew 11:28-30 AMP).

When an anxious thought comes up, over the world situation, or fear creeps in concerning something in your personal life – Look up! Position yourself in the “lock” of His grace, lift your faith, and step into His peace.

LOOK DOWN!

When once we lift our eyes of faith to Jesus, then we must look down on our earthly circumstances with His heavenly perspective: Set your mind on things which are above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 2:2). In an upside-down world like ours, what is God’s viewpoint? Is He wringing His hands because His truth has been dismissed by a cancel culture? Is He worried about the liberal agenda that tears at the fabric of this nation? Is He distressed that the economy is suffering unprecedented inflation or that there is a new Covid variant? I think not. That is not to say He doesn’t care about how these things affect His children. He does. But He is in control. He has not relinquished His sovereign power and dominion. He is on the throne, and He still reigns, no matter how things look. He has given us the ability to view our earthly circumstances through the lens of His peace, His shalom. Confident and courageous because we know that He holds the whole world in His hands, as the song goes.

So, in the year ahead:

1.     LOOK UP! Lift your eyes of faith to His throne of grace and expect your faith level to rise as you position yourself before Him. 

2.     LOOK DOWN! Activate your spiritual eyes on the realm that God lives in and see things from His perspective. He has already overcome. Declare with the spiritual authority Jesus has given you, His purposes for yourself, your family, city, community, and nation (Luke 10:19). 

 Prayer:

Father, I thank you that you hold all things in the palm of your hand. You are not taken off guard by the activity of the enemy in this world; rather, you have him on a very short leash. We declare the peace that Jesus bequeathed to us is a mighty weapon against the enemy’s schemes. We declare that in every circumstance we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. We declare that we will fix our eyes on the realm above and receive your perspective and strategy for prayer. We declare that we will look down, not with our natural eyes, but with eyes of faith. You are a great and mighty God and there is nothing too difficult for you! We praise and honor you. We echo David’s words when he said:

Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. 

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness,

The power and the glory, 

The victory and the majesty;

For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; 

Yours is the kingdom, O Lord,

And You are exalted as head over all.

Both riches and honor come from You,

And You reign over all.

In Your hand is power and might; 

In Your hand it is to make great

And to give strength to all.

Now therefore, our God,

We thank You

And praise Your glorious name.

(1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

Amen!.

A Psalm of Praise...for His great love

In a devotional by Max Lucado, he tells the story of a New York City firefighter who lost his son, also a firefighter, in the tragedy of September 11, 2001. As the Twin Towers fell, his son was there. For three months, this father searched through the rubble, determined to find his son’s body. Finally, on December 11, his son was found and he carried his body out of the debris. The father didn’t quit. “Why?” asks Lucado. “Because the love for his son was greater than the pain of the search.” Jesus withstood the pain of the Cross because His love for us was greater than the pain of the journey. Lucado encourages us to write a psalm of praise to Christ for His great love. Here is mine.

You withstood the false accusations,

Silent, before your accusers you stood.

With a word you could have destroyed them

But silent, they were free to say what they would.

Like a sheep to the slaughter you went

Led by hands that would harm you, torture you,

Hands that would kill you and never repent.

On a cross of shame and pain you hung,

No longer silent…

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

“Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

“Mother, behold your son. Son, behold your mother.”

“My God, why have you abandoned me?”

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Last words - not for yourself, but for others…

Your murderers, a thief, your mother…

A heart that gave - your life, your all.

My mind cannot comprehend that kind of love -

The width and length and depth and height of it.

Unsure at times, how to fully receive it,

To live in it, day by day, week by week, year by year.

Oh, I feel glimpses of it, but I want more!

Much, much more!

Today, I offer you the only thing I have to give -

My praise, my worship.

I join with David and the psalmists and say -

You are good and your mercy endures forever!

You are my strength and my salvation,

You are the place of safety for which my heart yearns.

I lift up my heart, I lift up my voice, and all that I am

In worship to the Lamb,

To the One Who is holy…to the One Who is worthy…to the One Who is glorious

To the One Who is exalted over all.

You are seated on the Throne as you lavish your love upon us…

Without condition

Unrelenting

Non-negotiable

Never ending

Always available

LOVE!

My heart worships You!

Let us return...

Hosea 6:1-3 HCSB

Come, let us return to the Lord.
For He has torn us,
and He will heal us;
He has wounded us,
and He will bind up our wounds.
2 He will revive us after two days,
and on the third day He will raise us up
so we can live in His presence.
3 Let us strive to know the Lord.
His appearance is as sure as the dawn.
He will come to us like the rain,
like the spring showers that water the land.

The days that we are living in seem unprecedented. The division in our nation, and in the nations of the world, is striking. The Books of Hosea and Habakkuk contain unmistakable parallels to the world today. Some passages read as if they were ripped from the headlines. I believe these books have wisdom for us personally and corporately.

Let us return…

Return to our first love. The love and attraction we had when we first met Him. Like the bride for her bridegroom on the wedding day. Total affection, eyes only for him. Enfolded in the experience of his love, not just the knowledge of it (Eph 3:17-20). 

The Father is radically committed to giving His Son a bride worthy of the King. He is not coming back for a bride who yawns in His face on Sunday morning, or who has other affections. He’s coming back for a bride who wants Him as much as He wants her! (Bob Sorge)

Return to the foundation of our salvation…the ancient paths. The foundations of Jesus’ teachings. The Sermon on the Mount. Prayer. Right relationships within the body. Proper attitudes and mindsets toward Him, toward ourselves, toward our world. 

He has torn, and he will heal

He has wounded, and he will bind up our wounds…

Certainly, we have experienced a tearing and wounding in our current world circumstances. COVID, riots, political and racial division, cultural conflict, vitriolic opinions and arguments pour over the airwaves and on social medial in unprecedented proportions. No one is untouched by it personally, or corporately, whether in the church, business, schools, cities, communities, and nations. I believe we have brought much of it on ourselves by stepping out from under His grace and covering in our culture. We find in the Word, times when the people cried to God and He gave them what they wanted, even when it wasn’t His will. The Israelites wanted a king and God gave them Saul (1 Sam.8:19-22). The end result was a divided kingdom. God’s ultimate desire is always redemption, but it may come in a way we would not choose. 

The reality is, we are engaged in a fierce spiritual war. We are in a battle between darkness and light, evil and good. And the line is getting clearer and clearer. Darkness covers the earth and deep darkness the people (Isaiah 60:2). But we have His promise that His glory will be seen upon us! 

In Hosea’s day, the nation of Israel had just come through a period of peace, prosperity, and plenty. The shift and decline came when they began worshipping idols and looking to other nations, like Assyria, for the security, protection, and provision that God would have provided. In turning away from God, they set the stage for the nation’s collapse. As you read through Hosea, the parallels to our world are unmistakable. We don’t bow down before idols of gold or wood, but we do bow before idols of convenience, political correctness, power, money, and control. A depressing situation to be sure, as was Israel’s condition in the mid-700s BC.

Nevertheless God. 

His Promise. Our Hope.

He will heal us, bind us, restore us, raise us up on the third day

So we can live in His presence.

Even in the midst of the chaos of our world, we can trust God to heal and restore us…so that we may live in His presence. I am convinced we can go through anything if we have the conscious awareness of His presence. Psalm 145:16: You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Oh, that we might know the Lord!

Let us strive to know the Lord.

This is the part I feel the most emphasis on. To know Him, to see things from His perspective, to allow Him to shift our mindsets and perceptions, so that we can know how to live and respond to the circumstances around us. Be still and know that I am God (Ps 46:10). So great is the need to silence the cacophony of voices vying for our attention and get quiet enough to hear His still small voice. Father, help us to do that!

And finally, the cry of my heart for my own life and for the nations…

His going forth is established as the morning.

He will come to us like the rain, 

Like the latter and the former rain to the earth.

He will respond to us! He has orchestrated a movement of prayer in our nation that is extraordinary. Churches and ministries across the land have come together to pray and intercede for the United States. It is a concert of prayer being orchestrated by the Master, and He will respond. It just may not be in the way we expect. When Jesus came, they were expecting a Messiah who was a strong, military hero that would deliver them from oppressive Roman rule. Instead, He came as a baby. Let us be open to His response, in whatever way He sends it.

Father, come to us and pour out Your Spirit upon us. We need the rain of Your presence to flood our world, to heal the brokenness and division and raise up Your church as a voice in our times. Raise us up to reflect You. Raise us up to be the light You intended us to be.

Three instructions for us I see in this passage:

1)    Promise. Hope. Do not let the enemy or the world drag you into a place of darkness or despair. Hope in God’s Promise! 

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  3And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 1:1-5).

 2)    Pursue. Seek. The knowledge of God. Paul resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2).

Jeremiah said: Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the Lord (Jer. 9:23-24).

3)    Pray. Trust. We have confidence that when we pray, when we intercede for our own needs or the needs of the world, He hears us and will come to us as the rain.

And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know that he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15, NLT).

You will answer me, God; I know you always will,

Like you always do as you listen with love to my every prayer (Ps. 17:6, TPT).

Amen!

I believe the Book of Habakkuk is relevant for us and contains many parallels, even as Hosea does. In these trying times, the last few verses seem an appropriate declaration for us to make:

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, 

and there are no grapes on the vines; 

even though the olive crop fails, 

and the fields lie empty and barren; 

even though the flocks die in the fields, 

and the cattle barns are empty…

[Even though things may not have turned out the way you expected or wanted; even though your circumstances seem more that you can bear; even though the future is uncertain…]

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord! 

I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 

The Sovereign Lord is my strength! 

He makes me as surefooted as a deer, 

able to tread upon the heights. Hab 3:17-19 NLT

No matter the challenges we face in the days ahead, our stance is to rejoice in the Lord, for He is our strength! 

Diane M. Fink

diane.fink@frontier.com

Restore the wonder...

As I ponder these next few days leading up to Christmas, I realize we are in need of a fresh revelation of wonder this holiday season. Holiday joy seems to have been muted by the weight of Covid shutdowns, traditions forfeited, political and social upheaval, and fear abounding. 

There’s an old saying that “familiarity breeds contempt.” While we may not feel contempt as we read the Christmas story of a baby born in Bethlehem, the familiarity of it can steal the wonder of that night. A young, unwed mother about to give birth. A fiancé desperately trying to find a hotel, even a Motel 6 would do. But no, a smelly, dirty stable full of animals would have to do. Then there were the shepherds. Unremarkable, normal guys, sitting around a fire telling stories while their sheep graze nearby. The players in this story would not have made it into the “Who’s Who of Bethlehem.” 

Suddenly, everything changes. The ordinary becomes extraordinary. A baby cries. An angel appears. A heavenly choir splits the night. “Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” Nothing will ever be the same.

A Savior came. The Son of God stepped out of His place in heavenly glory into a world dark with brokenness and sin. Wrapped in human flesh, Emmanuel, God with us, offered His life to ransom ours. The wonder…the hope…the joy…how we need those this Christmas. May we see with new eyes the miracle in the manger. 

“On earth, peace” – His peace for weary hearts today.

“Goodwill toward men” – His favor in the form of a newborn. 

May His peace and goodwill move us to extend the same toward those who cross our paths, whether they believe as we do, or not. Maybe especially those who do not. 

My prayer this Christmas is that God would restore the wonder, in my heart and yours.

Merry Christmas

In Step with Holy Spirit

We must live in the Holy Spirit and follow after him. Galatians 5:25 TPT

It’s been a hard morning. Lots of tears over a recent loss in my life. As I listened to a meditation on Galatians 5:25, I poured my heart out to God and asked for His help to walk with Holy Spirit and be conscious of HIs presence.

Just then, I looked up from my tears, and from my window I could see a grandmother with a little toddler across the street. With her arms extended, she bent down, clapped her hands, and reached out to her grandson who was a few feet away, encouraging him to come to her. A little unsteady, he moved toward her with his newly-learned skill of walking. She scooped him up in her arms, gave him a hug, then set him down as they continued their walk. Something would catch his eye, and he would stop, turn, and change direction for a few steps. All the while, she was steadfast by his side with every stop and start.

It was then I heard Holy Spirit’s voice speak to my spirit.

“I’m giving you a picture of us, dear one. I am here, arms outstretched, encouraging you to walk in the spirit and not in your understanding. I am always beside you. When you are distracted, hurting, and even when you start and stop in your pursuit of Me, I am here…waiting with arms outstretched. Even from a distance you could see the love of the grandmother for her little one, as she waited and walked closely with him. Such is my love for you…I love watching you take steps into new and perhaps unknown, pathways. Just as she delighted in being with her grandchild, so I delight in time spent with you. I am here, by your side, every moment of your day, to walk with you, lead you, guide you, and always, yes always, love you.”

Maybe like me, you need Holy Spirit’s presence with you today. You need only reach out your hand and take hold of His, because He loves you and is as close as your breath.

Holy Spirit, will you take me for a walk in the spirit with You today?

Strategies from the Chess Board

Prophetic word received by Diane M. Fink, 2004

It was one of those mornings when your conscious mind coaxes you out of that place of deep sleep, nudging you along toward full waking. But you’re not quite there yet. It was in that state that I saw, in my mind’s eye, a picture. Some might call it a vision. What unfolded before me was a huge chess board with most of the pieces standing at attention, ready to begin. Other pieces waited to be put in play, positioned on the sidelines. As I surveyed the scene, I wondered, “Why chess?” I pondered the meaning of this picture and asked the Lord what He might want to speak through it.

The first thought that came was that chess was a game of strategy. It was a game of war. Unlike other contests, like tug of war, winning at chess was not about strength and might. Rather, it required an understanding of the all the players on the board as well as a clear strategy to win. Checkmate.

Having been years removed from my last game of chess, I found myself googling the rules and practices involved in winning. It was then I began to hear insights from the Lord that apply to the our lives personally and corporately as the body of Christ.

The right moves

Each piece on the board moves in a certain path, in a particular pattern.  Every path is individual, unlike checkers where all the pieces move across the board in the same way.  While each chess piece has a unique direction in which it moves, all the pieces work together to accomplish the goal: reach the other side and capture the opponent’s king.

The Knight moves in an “L” shape pattern and is the only piece allowed to jump over other pieces. 

The Bishop moves on the diagonal, backwards and forwards. 

The Rook moves horizontally and vertically, also backwards and forwards. 

The Pawn is unique. It is like the foot soldier and can only move forward, one square at a time.

• Unlike the other pieces, a pawn never retreats – it never moves backward.

• On its first move, it can advance 2 spaces.

• Its purpose is to defend the king and queen.

• Pawns are most effective when positioned together on the board. Separated from the others, they become weak and vulnerable to attack, and the security of the king and queen is compromised.

• Pawns are the foundation and wall of protection for the game. They open up diagonals for bishops, protect other pieces, and lead the way for attacks.

• A pawn can retrieve pieces previously lost in the game by penetrating the opponent’s territory. 

There are specific strategies for each piece that can either win or lose the game. Rooks belong on open files – lines where the squares are unobstructed by other pieces. Knights belong in the middle of the board – they are less effective on the outside of the board. Bishops can control a large area and are more successful towards the center of the board.

Strategies of the game reveal that there are 5 steps to victory (which have spiritual application):

1. Identify your own weakness. 

   We all have weaknesses; don’t be afraid to acknowledge areas of weakness.

2. Fix the weakness. 

   We do this not in our own strength or ability, but by submitting it to the Lord.

3. Look for your enemy’s weak area and attack there. 

   Your opponent will be forced to defend his weakness.

   The very place the enemy attacks you, such as intimidation or fear, becomes his place of weakness when you choose to let God work in that area of your life. Goliath tried to intimidate young David, but when David chose to trust God, he defeated his enemy using Goliath’s own sword. We need to shift the mindset that keeps us on the defensive to one that is on the offensive.

4. Finally, attack the weakness with a pawn.

It doesn’t require a knight or a bishop to take a king…a pawn will do!

Then there are the king and the queen. 

The King:  

We tend to think of the king as the most powerful piece on the board since “checkmate” spells game over. The king can move in any direction – forward, backward, diagonally, horizontally, vertically. But he moves only one space at a time. 

The Queen:  

It’s interesting that the queen is the only “female” piece on the board. Unlike the other pieces that move in a prescribed path, she can move in any direction – backward, forward, diagonally, horizontally, vertically. Unlike the king, the queen can sweep across the entire board and penetrate enemy territory in one move. When it comes to scoring each piece, the queen scores the most points. The Bishop gets 3 points, the Rook, 5 points, but the Queen…she scores 9 points! (Interesting that there are 9 gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit.)

The key strategy related to the queen is this: Don’t bring your queen out too early in the game. If you do and you lose your queen, you are likely to lose the game!

Playing without the queen

The church has, in a sense, been playing without the full force of the queen – the female gender – for many years. She has not been operating at full power. Therefore, the church has not had the full benefit of one of the most powerful pieces on the board.

As I mentioned, it is possible to regain pieces lost to your opponent and bring them back into play. I believe that is what God is doing with women – His queens – bringing them back into the game at full strength. 

Whether it is the traditions of men or the strategy of the enemy that has held the female gender back, the truth is, now is the time God is moving the queens out to the forefront for His purposes and His plan for the end time season in which we are living. The female gender is being re-positioned “for such a time as this.”

God is reclaiming some who have been on the sidelines…He’s putting them back into the game. 

Others who have been in certain positions on the board are being shifted into a different place.

Every piece is powerful when positioned in the right place. 

It is about positioning. It is about advancing.

As I pondered this word, in my mind’s eye, the chess board began to morph into a map of the world. I saw women being positioned in different cities and nations. Positioned to advance and take the Gospel into the dark regions of the world. The Lord is calling you back into the game, taking you from the sidelines, bringing you into the midst of the battle. 

It is a critical time. When you understand the power you have, you can advance regardless of the enemy’s tactics. You don’t know how much power your car has until put your foot on the accelerator pedal. It’s “pedal to the metal” time! You are moving forward in the power God has ordained, but not in an angry, strident, militarist way. Rather, you move out from a place of rest, knowing that you are loved by your Bridegroom…His beloved, His queen. You have the confidence of knowing that you war from a place of victory because the King has already secured the territory you are to occupy. So be confident, be encouraged, and step out clothed in the love of your Bridegroom.

If you lose your queen, you lose the game.

Seeing is believing?

Reading the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ passion, crucifixion and death, this Easter season I’m struck by something different this year as I’ve read. To be sure, this Easter is different from past years, due to the COVID-19 quarantine affording me a lot more time to think, ponder, and wonder. 

 At His crucifixion, as Jesus hung on the Cross barely recognizable for all the torture and beatings, the chief priests and religious scholars mocked Him saying:

He saved others, but he can’t even save himself. ‘Israel’s king,’ is he? Let the ‘Messiah,’ the ‘king of Israel,’ come down from the cross right now. We’ll believe it when we see it! (Mark 15:31-32, TPT).

 But would they have believed even if He had come down from the Cross? They had ample evidence of His true nature by the sheer number of miracles He performed. Healing the sick, the blind, and the paralyzed, delivering the demon possessed, raising the dead. What more proof could they want? When Jesus was being reviled by the Jewish leaders about His deity earlier that week, He had said:

Don’t believe me unless I’m doing My Father’s work. But if I am doing His work, at least believe in the evidence of the miracles, even if you don’t believe my words. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in Him (John 10:37-38, NLT).

 So, even if Jesus had come down from the Cross, which would have violated His Father’s will and plan of redemption, they would not have believed. A.W. Tozer expressed it well:

 We shall not seek to understand in order that we may believe, but to believe in order that we may understand. The unbelieving mind would not be convinced by any proof, and the worshipping heart needs none.

 My prayer this Resurrection Sunday 2020, is that many hearts would be open to believe before seeing, trust before experiencing, and know before verifying. 

 Blessed are those who believe without seeing me (John 20:29, NLT).

And when they had broken through... (Mark 2:1-12)

I’d read the story many times. It was so familiar. The cast of characters was simple: A paraplegic man, four determined friends, and Jesus. News spread quickly in this village. The Man of God they’d heard about was teaching in a home nearby. Hoping for a healing miracle for their friend, they picked him up and headed for the house. There were people everywhere with the crowd spilling out into the street. Knowing they would never get through, they took their friend up to the roof.  It was a crazy idea, but if they could break through the tiles, maybe they could lower him down in front of Jesus. If they could just get him before the Miracle-maker, their friend might walk again.

One particular morning, my heart was suddenly gripped by the phrase - 

And when they had broken through…

Here were four men, desperate to see their friend healed. They were willing to do anything – including destroying private property! The King James Version states that they uncovered the roof.  The original language more accurately reads: They “unroofed the roof.” That means they were digging through and gouging out the mortar, tar, ashes, sand, and tiles that comprised the typical roof in those days. 

 After opening the roof, they then had to lower their friend, probably by attaching ropes to each corner of his cot.  Maneuvering an essentially dead weight, they had to be careful not to tip the stretcher, lest he fall into the midst of the crowd below.

 I marveled at the faith and intentionality of these men. Their great love and compassion for their friend compelled them to not only break through the roof, but also risk the anger of the crowd below. What a distraction and a disturbance they must have caused!

 Nonetheless, they broke through, setting the stage for a life-transforming miracle for their friend.

 I had to ask myself: How determined am I to see friends and loved ones break through to the miracle of forgiveness and healing Jesus has for them?

 What kind of roof needs to be broken through in order to experience His presence and miracles in a greater way?

 Are there mindsets that hold us back?

Wrong teaching?

Areas of sin that need break through?

Disappointments, trauma, wounding, hurts…life experiences can be the roof.

Have we knowingly or unknowingly made agreements with the enemy that keep us paralyzed in our faith?

 God’s good intention towards us is that we live in fullness, not limitation. Jesus has already made a way for us to live in His abundant love, forgiveness, healing, wholeness, and provision. Why not purpose to take the roof off whatever is keeping you from fully experiencing His goodness toward you? Maybe you need to get a few caring, determined friends to help you “break through.” It will be well worth it!

God Is Like Windows...

When you turn on your computer, unless it’s a Mac, you will see something like “Windows 2010” or another version of Windows running on your PC. When opening a program like Word, or Excel, or email, the Windows logo disappears. What’s happened? Windows is the operating system that allows you to work in programs like Word or Excel; it’s always there, it’s simply working in the background where you can’t see it. God is like that - like Windows. Working in the background where you can’t always see Him.

For 22 years of my marriage, God was working in the background. During those years, I considered myself spiritually single. By that I mean that I was alone in following the Lord. My husband, while he believed in God, wasn’t walking with the Lord. I continued to pursue God, was involved in church, tried to impart spiritual truths into our children’s lives on my own. It didn’t appear that anything spiritual was taking place in my husband’s life, though I prayed regularly for him. However, God was working in the background of my husband’s life, drawing him to Himself. One night, God’s background work became evident and my husband gave his heart to Jesus. I had the joy of watching God’s promise to me fulfilled.

There’s a great story in 2 Kings 6-7 that illustrates my point. The king of Syria had laid siege to Samaria, resulting in a great famine in the city. Food was so scarce that a donkey’s head was selling for 80 shekels of silver and dove droppings were selling for 5 shekels of silver. Pretty pricey for wild vegetables! It was so bad that Israel resorted to cannibalism (see 2 Kings 6:26-29). The king blamed the prophet, Elisha, and sent his assistant to kill him. Elisha prophesied that the famine would end within 24 hours. 

 “Then Elisha said, ‘Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’”(2 Kings 7:1)

One shekel was the standard rate for flour and barley. In effect, Elisha prophesied that within 24 hours, God would restore the economy to what it had been before the siege and famine. To put it in our context, that would be like saying, “Within 24 hours, I will restore the economy so that a loaf of bread sells for 50 cents!” Impossible, right? The king’s assistant thought so and dismissed the word of the Lord through Elisha: “Could that happen even if God opened the windows of heaven?” (2 Kings 7:2) Elisha responded: “You’ll see it but won’t eat of it.”

Suddenly the scene shifted to 4 lepers sitting at the city gate waiting to die.

God was working in the background - 

The lepers decided to go to the camp of the enemy in hopes of begging one final meal before they died. However, when they reached the Syrian camp, they found it empty of soldiers. What remained was all the food, clothing, weapons, horses, and donkeys. No Syrians, just spoil!

Long story short, when the Israelites discovered there was food to be had, they rushed out of the city to the enemy camp. The king’s assistant, standing by the gate, was trampled by the stampede of starving people and died. Just as the prophet had spoken - he saw it, but didn’t partake.

 The word of the Lord through Elisha was fulfilled and the economy was restored (2 Kings 7:18).

You see, God was working in the background to fulfill his word! And he used 4 lepers to do it.

So, what are you believing God for? What promise are you believing God to fulfill, even while it may appear nothing is happening?

Take heart, because just like Windows, God is working in the background and circumstances of your life to fulfill His word. Keep believing, keep trusting, because God keeps His Word.

Can you hear me now?

Has this ever happened to you? You’re having a conversation with a friend on your cell phone when suddenly, the call starts breaking up. Poor reception - static and interference - making it hard to hear. Your friend’s voice begins fading in and out and you’re only hearing every other word - then nothing. The line goes dead. Dropped call. Pretty frustrating, isn’t it? Of course, one telephone provider assures you that won’t happen with their service. Remember Verizon’s commercial, the guy with glasses asking, “Can you hear me now?”

How many times have you been in an area where your phone shows no connection bars? There’s no reception because there are no cell phone towers nearby. 

Sometimes, hearing from God can feel like He’s breaking up, or worse, there’s no reception. We often think, “God, can you hear me now?” 

You know the feeling? You’re faced with a big decision and you desperately need God’s wisdom. You’re struggling with a relationship and need God to show you whether to keep moving forward or let it go. You’re feeling disconnected spiritually and want to hear God’s voice and sense His presence. 

There will always be an ebb and flow of the Spirit as we navigate this life. He teaches us to move with Him when the flow is there and trust Him when it isn’t. What kinds of things cause our reception to be spotty or make it seem like His voice is breaking up when we need to hear a clear sound?

It’s not always the big things like sin or disobedience, although those certainly do break the connection. I think more often than not it is the subtle things that can put us “out of range” and interfere with our reception. Things like:

• Busyness – In our frenetically paced world, we can miss the gently nudge of the Spirit on our way through the bustle of everyday life. The still, small voice whispers:

  • Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10, NKJV).

• Stress – A tension-filled life can result in trying to juggle all the responsibilities of life. Revelation diminishes in the presence of stress. Into the pressure in our soul, He speaks:

  • You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, All whose thoughts are fixed on you (Isaiah 26:3, NLT).

• Weariness – Battle fatigue is a very real thing in both the natural and the spiritual realms. Psalms records David’s heart cry when his strength was gone. His lament echoes our own:

  • My soul melts from heaviness, Strengthen me according to Your word (Psalm 119:28, NKJV).

What can we do to improve reception, to minimize static and interference? It can be as simple as two words: Slow Down!  Years ago, Coca Cola’s slogan encouraged us to relax, have a Coke, and take “the pause that refreshes.” How about setting aside some time this week for the “pause that refreshes”?  Disengage from the busyness, stress, and weariness; plug into the stillness, peace, and strength found in God. I think you’ll find your connection is crystal clear.