Perfect Love Drives Out Fear

“There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear

has to do with punishment.”

1 John 4:18

God recently drove this truth home in a very personal way. 

If you haven’t been with me since I started writing about my long and winding road, I’ve been on a journey of sorts for the last several years.  It started with God telling me plainly, four times in one month, to be strong and courageous.  I knew I was going to face something but I had no idea how big the battle would become. 

The circumstances don’t matter much.  We all have difficult times in our lives. If we become fixed on the details of the trial we miss what God wants to do in our hearts and in our lives.

My instruction was to be strong and courageous.  Translated, that means to hold onto something, or in this case Someone, Who is stronger than myself.  Hold onto God.  And I had a hard time doing that.  I struggled.  Hard. 

As the years went by and my prayers for the specific circumstances of my trial seemed to go unanswered, I felt more and more confused.  Why would God leave me here?  Doesn’t He care? 

As I was working on cleaning out my house last month, God was cleaning out my heart. 

I’ve searched my heart these last eight years and have seen more than I wanted.  There are things hidden in the attics of our hearts that only God knows are there.  And sometimes He’ll take your hand and lead you up those ominous steps into the darkened, creaky room and uncover a pile of dusty old attitudes, some worthless misunderstandings and some poisonous character flaws that He wants to throw out. 

He wants to heal us. 

As I cried out to God again, He took me up those stairs and uncovered a root cause of a lot of my issues: fear. 

Now I knew I had fear, but in that moment God began to connect some dots in my mind.  He reminded me that perfect love drives out fear.  I knew that, too.  So what was I missing? 

I went to my concordance and looked up those words.  Perfect means complete, mature.  When we receive God’s love and it matures in our hearts, there is no room or need for fear. 

God knew the fear in my heart.  He knew, more than I did, how much that fear ruled my thoughts, my actions and my decisions.  He knew that not only did I grow up with a lack of being loved, I grew up among circumstances that instilled fear.  And that fear was cemented over and over again.  The combination of being unloved and filled with fear really was a form of punishment. 

God wanted to fill me with the love that I lacked to drive out the fear and heal my heart.  And as long as I was holding onto Him--talking to Him, getting to know Him by reading His Word--and allow Him to love me, that fear would be driven far away. 

God had never left me.  On the contrary, God was in the trenches of spiritual warfare with me.  God loved me, perfectly and unconditionally, and He wanted me to be filled with love, not fear.   

Your issue may not be fear.  It may be something different.  The circumstances don’t matter much.

Be strong and courageous. 

It’s when we’re in a trial that we’re keenly aware of our need for Him.  We reach out, we pray, we learn more about Who He is than we otherwise would have.  We open our hearts and let Him fill us more and more with His love.  And His love matures in our hearts. 

And that’s when healing begins.

Let God love you even more than you think you’re worthy to be.  Take your eyes off your circumstances.  They’re only a vehicle for God’s grace and healing in your life. 

Trust Him.  Trust Him to know what He’s doing in the middle of your trial. 

Trust Him to see what’s up in your dark and dreary attic.  Because hidden beneath the piles of junk that God wants for us to throw away are treasures of godliness that lead to a rich and full life in Him.

Blessings!

Dorci

The Forging of a Man or Woman of Character

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,

not lacking anything.

James 1:2-4

I am drawn to movies about sports and war.  The funny thing is I don’t especially like either.  It’s not the competition or the violence I like, but the stories within the story. 

The team of young men, black and white, and their newly-appointed black coach, who want to play football amid the backdrop of integration in a small southern football town in the early ‘70’s. 

The coach and the team persevere through struggles among themselves and from the town.  They begin to forge friendships with one another as they work hard, harder than other teams are required.  And their hardships knit them together.  In the end, the young men are bound together in brotherly love and an entire town learns to love, too. 

*     *     *

The schoolteacher who is called to serve his country and leads a band of men whose mission it is to find and save one man from the fate that befell his brothers.  All he wants to do is go home. 

But first he has to face and fight the ruthless enemy time and time again, all the while leading men who are dying, fearful and angry.  Against all odds, he saves the young man and goes home, although not the way he wanted. 

*     *     *

It is these stories of selfless courage, of commitment, of dedication that inspire me.  When everything says quit, they don’t quit. Oh, they may want to.  They may want to quit more than anything else sometimes. 

But in the middle of this hardship, they realize what is important.  It is the dream, it is the mission they must accomplish.  They keep their eyes focused on the goal during the day as they face an enemy of racial hatred or an enemy of war, and at night when they’re left alone with their thoughts. 

Their trials developed the character they already had but didn’t know was there.  And they discovered they were more than they thought.  They were more than a team who aspired to play football and more than an English teacher or a band of men called to serve their country. They were men who stayed the course, facing enemies both within and without, to do the good and honorable thing. 

I love these stories because this is what we need to remember in a life that is full of facing our own personal battles.  And as we do, if we choose to put our trust in God, we gain strength and courage and wisdom, we come through the other side and our faith in Him grows.  And we go on to face another battle for another day.  And little by little, if we don't give up, a godly character develops.  We may not see it happening as quickly as we can in a two-hour movie, but it is happening.  It just takes a lifetime. 

So gird up, my friends!  Be ready, be prepared, be alert.  Be prayed up and repentant and humble. We never know what a day may bring. We may not face war or an entire town of people, but we will face something.  But with the Lord, we’ll never face it alone. 

And in the end, we will be victorious.

God Is Good...All the Time!

(Speaking of Jesus) who, in the days of His flesh,

when He had offered up prayers and supplications,

with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death,

and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son,

yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

Hebrews 5:6-7

“God answered my prayer for (insert your prayer).  He is so good!”

We often hear people say this, and it’s true, God is good and faithful to answer our prayers.  But what about when He answers them with a “no”?  Or even worse, the dreaded “wait”? 

Do we say things like, “God didn't let me get that house!" or "God hasn't brought me a husband or wife!" or "God didn't let me get that job I wanted!" or "God didn't heal me or my loved one!  He is so good!”  Not usually.

Are we sending ourselves, and each other, a subtle message that God is not good when He doesn’t answer our prayers in the way and time we wanted?

Hebrews tells us that even Jesus prayed loudly and with tears to be saved from death.  He knew He had to face this death, but His humanness recoiled from the horror of it. 

Jesus, God’s beloved Son, knelt in the garden, alone, sweating drops of blood, pleading to His Father to take the cup of suffering and death from Him. 

And the Father heard His prayer.  But His answer was no. 

God had a good reason for telling His Son no.  He had a greater purpose than keeping His Son from seeing death.  He wanted to keep all of us from a spiritual death. 

The death of One for the life of many.  And God is glorified daily. 

And it says that Jesus learned obedience by what He suffered.  Jesus prayed and then rested in His Father’s wisdom to answer the prayer according to His good and perfect will. 

And in saying no, God was so good. 

When we pray to the Father, through Jesus Christ, with an attitude of godly fear--a reverence or respect—we can know our prayers have been heard.  And then we rest in God’s wisdom to answer according to His good and perfect will. 

Through the “no’s” and the “waits” we can have assurance that we are being moved in the direction of God’s plan for our lives.  And as we rest in His wisdom, we learn obedience through the things we suffer.  We learn that God has a greater purpose to accomplish than He could if He answered yes to every prayer.  We learn that it is by God’s grace and mercy that He sometimes answers with a no or a wait.

So if our prayers aren’t answered in the way or the time we want, we can still say, boldly and with confidence, He is so good!

Lessons From a Rosebush...or, Is It Pruning Season Again?

I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away.

And every one that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bring forth more fruit.

Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you.

John 15:1-3

I don’t know about you, but this isn’t usually what I picture when I think of a rosebush.  Not many stoop to admire bare canes studded only with thorns.  

But the caretaker of this rosebush appreciates the work he has done in order to sculpt a living, growing masterpiece.  He knows that a lack of pruning will create a spindly, weak plant.

He has a vision for the beautiful and useful plant it will be when the pruning is over, colorful buds begin to re-appear and the powerful fragrance it gives will attract birds, bees and us when it is once again in full bloom.

 

The funny thing about pruning a rosebush is that it’s done just when the plant seems to be at its most beautiful--full of large, boldly-colored, intricate blooms.   The husbandman, in his wisdom, decides when and how much to prune each plant and for what reasons according to its individual needs.  Pruning a plant too early or too late can have devastating effects. 

Like the regal rosebush, we who are the children of the King find ourselves in varying stages of growth.  Some are newly planted and some are full of energy and ready to begin blooming. 

Some are full of growth and busy being pollinated by birds and bees or being picked by a child to give to his mother.  Some are being carried down the aisle by a bride and others are being used as a perfume or a healing medicine.  Some inspire song lyrics (or part of a band’s name), and some are being showcased in paintings and admired by many. 

And some have been pruned and lie dormant.

Pruning for the rosebush is as easy as sitting still.  Pruning for us can be a little more painful.  Sometimes it can be so painful we aren’t sure we’ll survive it. 

Pruning can come in the form of trials through financial loss, relationship struggles, in sickness, the death of a loved one or removal from a ministry.  It can come through sacrifice like a move across the country or world. 

All these can cut into our flesh and leave gaping wounds.  But the Caregiver of our souls binds up our wounds with His Word, applies the Son and fresh water through His Holy Spirit.  And when we are filled up and the time is right, we will begin to bloom again. 

We can’t see all the reasons why pruning comes at the time it does and why we sometimes have to be cut back so far.  But God knows the reasons.
 

Some Reasons to Prune Rosebushes and Us

1. To remove old, dead and damaged wood;

            Sometimes a part of our lives may be over, or we may have allowed some bad attitudes, like unforgiveness, to creep in and damage our faith, and they need to be cut away to allow for new and exciting things to begin growing.

2. To shape the plant;

            God shapes us as we mature so that we grow up in all areas and no part of us is lacking.

3. To remove canes that are growing in the wrong direction;

            Sometimes we may pick up some wrong thinking about who God is.  We learn to put away these false ideas about Him as He reveals who He really is so that we can know, love and worship the One, True God.

4. To encourage vigorous blooming and new, healthy shoots;

            Sometimes we feel like we’re cut down in the prime of our service to the Lord.  But God knows that we will be even more useful and more capable when we identify with the Lord in His suffering and so adopt His mind, His humility, and His heart toward people.  God changes our attitudes so that we are even more productive than before.

Whatever the individual reasons for our pruning, it is all meant to clean us up.  I find it interesting that in the verses in John above, the word for prune has the same meaning as the word for clean in the last verse.  What seems to us to be meaningless pain and suffering is really the Lord cleansing and preparing us during a time when we are still and listening intently to Him as we read His Word.  He grooms us so that we will reflect His beauty and magnify His Name. 

Wherever we are in our growth, we will soon find ourselves in another season, many times one we didn’t expect.  But God has a vision for you and me.  He knows each of our needs and how best to accomplish His plans. 

As we realize more and more that there is indeed a master plan, we can grow to appreciate the beauty of every stage of growth, offering comfort to others, being patient with ourselves and trusting in God's loving and wise hand.    

The Thud Heard 'Round the Universe

In the deepest recesses of hell, demons heard a thud last week. It was the thud of a thick chain of bondage falling from my soul and slamming to the ground. I could never have broken free of it myself in a million years, but God did. I won’t go into all the details (I’ll save it for my memoir!), but I will say that this chain was a way of thinking that I had from childhood as a result of painful circumstances and was reinforced over and over through the years.

The enemy’s plan was to slowly wrap the chain around my heart with each cruel word carelessly spoken and every evil act perpetrated against me, and suffocate the life out of me. And he nearly did.

I was saved 21 years ago, but this chain remained and even continued to wrap tighter. The funny thing is, I didn’t even realize it was there. Oh, I knew I had issues from my past to deal with and one by one I prayed about them over and over. Somehow, though, some things seemed to get worse instead of better. It’s like that in a storm sometimes.

The storm raged wildly within my heart. It became louder and more violent. Could He hear my cries above the wind and the waves? Did He care? I pleaded for mercy.

And suddenly, a new perspective occured to me.  God revealed the truth and the lie I had believed dissolved.  And the storm was gone. A chain I didn’t fully realize existed lay beside me and the only sounds left were the rattling of the foundations of hell and my heart rejoicing with the Lord's.   

God had heard my cries and He answered them in a way that only He can.

My friends, do you know that God is still in the miracle business? He loves us more than we can know and desires to bless us in ways that cannot come naturally, only supernaturally. But we must ask. Ironically, though, the times we need God the most can also be the most difficult times to go to Him.

Sometimes we think we can figure things out on our own. But we are powerless to resolve these issues ourselves. Sometimes the anger or bitterness in our heart makes us feel ashamed to face the Lord. But He knows what’s in our hearts already, and much better than we know ourselves. And sometimes we can just become so comfortable living with the chains that we begin to hang bells and whistles on them.

But God wants us to be free. He wants us to cry out to Him, to trust Him and put every ounce of faith in Him and Him alone. He knows that only He has the power to heal our broken hearts, our broken bodies and our broken lives.

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Luke 11:9-10

It usually doesn’t happen in our time or our way, but if you ask and keep on asking, seeking and knocking, God will do great things in His perfect time and far better than you can ever imagine.


Q: How can I pray for you and your miracle?

All for Him,
Dorci

Bathtime

I love our dog, Jake. He is the most laid back, unassuming, trouble-free dog on the planet. But you’d argue with me about that if you had to give him a bath. Because he’s a Lhasa Apso/Shih Tzu mix his hair grows very long, and because he’s a boy it gets very dirty.

When I decide enough is enough, I get a towel, set out the shampoo, clear away the shower curtain, and adjust the bath water until it isn’t too hot or too cold. I go to find him--usually doing his best impression of a shag rug-- scoop him up, give him a kiss while making my way to the tub, and gently set him in.

I’ve done everything I can to make him as comfortable as possible and yet, the minute the tepid water touches him you’d think I was killing him. His crying and whining can be heard through the closed bathroom door into the hall. I do my best to get the job done quickly but thoroughly. I give him another kiss and tell him he’s okay. He tries a number of times to make his escape, but we get through it.

As soon as he’s cleaned and rinsed and not one minute more, I turn off the water, set him on the towel I’ve laid out on the floor and dry him before I open the door and he goes flying through the house in utter joy and relief. He rubs his body all over the carpet and runs to each of us as if to say, “Look at me! I’m clean!” His hair is silky soft and he looks like a brand new dog. He loves to be clean but he hates the process.

Aren’t we the same way?

We want to be cleaned—to be made into the image of the Son of the Living God—but sometimes we whine and cry during our spiritual baths.

2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “For this cause we do not faint; but though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.”

Daily we face opportunities for spiritual cleansing and growth.  God knows the ways each of us needs to be cleaned up--an attitude adjustment here, the purging of a sin there. And every day God brings certain circumstances into our lives that allow for our particular need of cleansing. Maybe it’s a trial to instill more trust and faith; perhaps it’s another person who gives us opportunity to learn patience and love.

He readies the tools, scoops us up, gives us a kiss, tells us it will be alright, and gives us our bath. And sometimes we can find ourselves crying our way through it, thinking we are being harmed, when all along our souls are being perfected and made more holy than they were the day before. We are being sanctified for His work that we may be useful in His hands. 

I'm not saying baths are always fun. Sometimes they're downright painful. But we can hold onto the Lord, knowing that He’s with us the entire time, being as gentle as possible and He doesn’t allow it to go on one second longer than is needed.  And as we hold onto Him, He whispers in our ear truths and wisdom that we can only know in those times of intimacy.
 
In the end we will be complete, our souls readied for eternity in the House of God.

Jake would make it a lot easier on himself if he would learn to relax and trust me. He only adds stress to the situation when he allows himself to become anxious and fearful.

Like Jake, we’re going through the bath one way or the other. We can choose to go through it filled with anxiety or we can relax and trust the Lord and His unending wisdom and love.

And Jake knows that in the end he gets a cookie.

God of the Mountains

I was watching The Waltons a while back (yes, with John Boy, Mary Ellen and the rest), and in this episode John Boy was all grown up and going to college. The clothes he wore, the car he drove and his slight southern mountain twang always threatened to give him away as a country bumpkin in a sea of rich, college boys.

The annual horse race that was held on Walton’s Mountain was coming up, and since John Boy’s family was too poor to afford a horse, John Boy decided to enter with his faithful, hard-working mule, Blue. One of John Boy’s rich, college buddies--who was forever playfully rubbing his wealth in John Boy’s nose--caught wind of this contest and decided to compete with his prize-winning race horse.

John Boy seemed fairly confident at first, but as the weeks went by and the contest neared, his friend’s boasting began getting into his head and the thought of racing against a purebred stallion had him a little worried.

The day of the big race came and people from all corners of Walton’s Mountain came to cheer on their favorites. John Boy sat on ol’ Blue, and the rich, college buddy strutted up to the starting area with his beautiful, quick, pedigreed horse, clearly standing a number of hands taller than Blue.

The rules were given to the riders. They were to ride to a certain spot, round a marked tree, and head back. How the riders and their mounts got there and back was up to them.

The race was on. College Boy and his thoroughbred were off, racing straight for the turnaround tree along with most of the other riders and their horses. John Boy and Blue knew the shortcuts. They veered off the main route, making up for Blue’s lack of speed with John Boy’s wisdom of knowing the terrain like his own bedroom, and Blue’s strength and sure-footedness that comes from being bred a mule.

They climbed up and down the steepest slopes, ran through creeks that might spook any other horse, climbed up out of the forested mountainside and onto to the homestretch path just ahead of all the other riders, including College Boy, and won the race.

Just as John Boy and ol’ Blue had a wisdom and strength that College Boy and his fast horse knew nothing about, so God’s children have been granted a godly wisdom and strength that is far richer than anything found on any college campus or in a bank account that is bulging at the seams.

Now, in case you think I’m saying that an education is unimportant or even wrong, I’m not. An education is great when you can get it, but its wisdom will never replace the wisdom of God. It is not a degree that grants us entrance into the kingdom of heaven, gives us eternal wisdom, never-ending strength or a peace that surpasses all understanding as we face our own uphill battles. It is only as we rely on the Lord that He will fill us with power, strength and peace to victoriously endure those mountainous terrains of suffering.

It is God, the Creator of the Universe, Who is able to sustain us and mature us in Christ, not just in spite of our suffering but because of it. It is the obstacles that are placed in our lives, coupled with the leading of the Holy Spirit that brings us a spiritual maturity that the world will never know. Unlike the world’s, His wisdom and resources are infinite and so is His love toward us.

So fall on the Almighty God, El Shaddai, which, ironically, is also translated as “God of the mountains.” He will more than take care of us and we, in turn, are blessed to have our lives used to glorify the Eternal God.

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-32)

"Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'"  (1 Cor. 1:31)

Let God Be Magnified

This is not the post I was going to write for today.  But I'm too angry to write that one.  I'm too upset and saddened by news I just got about someone in my extended family.  I won't say what it is, but suffice it to say satan is having a heyday right now. 

I hate the enemy. 

With a passion I hate him.  He takes anything that God wants to give us for our good and enjoyment and pleasure and he twists it and makes it ugly and painful.  He takes rainbows--given to us by God as a sign of hope and His enduring, holy love--and distorts it into something that is used to symbolize an unholy, irreverent sexual act. 

he takes marriage--ordained by God as a union between one man and one woman--and deteriorates it into meaning little else than hooking up for a while and then leaving when it gets boring. 

he takes relationship that God has given to each of us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and turns it into nothing more than a religion of self-pride.  And then he takes those religions down deeper, darker avenues of God-distorting, Christ-lowering, self-elevating, heart-crushing, lying, mindless, evil organizations. 

And people swallow the lies hook, line and sinker. 

And the aftermath is never-ending.  The pain goes on, the disappointment continues, and true love goes unfulfilled.  And it's not just the story of my loved one I'm talking about.  I keep hearing about others who are faced with their own enemy-warping joy-stealing stories.  And all in the week of Christmas.  What a coincidence.  Not. 

This is Christmas week and I will lift my God high.  I will magnify the Name of Jesus above all names.  I will ascribe to Him the glory and honor that is due His Name and more, if there ever could be more. 

He is my Abba, my Father, my Counselor, my Comforter, my Truth.  He is my Hope, my Future, my Love, my Teacher, my All in All. 

He is the blessed King of kings, Lord of lords and God of gods.  He is Elohim, Jehovah-Jireh and Jehovah-Rophe.  He is Jehovah-Nissi and Jehovah-Shalom.  He is the great Shepherd, the eternal Judge and He will have the last word. 

He is El Shaddai. 

He is the Alpha and the Omega and His Word will stand forever.  He is the Rock of solid ground. 

He is beautiful and His love is perfection.  He does no wrong and tells no lies.  He keeps every promise.  Every soul who asks He will receive.

His Name is Emmanual--God with us.  He stepped down from His high and lofty throne where He was worshipped and controlled the universe to show us just how much He loves us. 

I think no one has said it better than S. M. Lockridge.  I hope you join me in worshipping the one and only true God as you listen to Pastor Lockridge extol the great and mighty Name of our God.






You can read the Names of God here. 


With all love and sincerety and hope for all God's blessings,
Dorci

Trials Don't Take a Holiday, Do They?

Last week I talked about my favorite Christmas, one when Jesus rode up on the white horse and saved the day. But not all of my Christmases have been filled with miracles. And I know that every year during the holidays there are many who are struggling.

We imagine that Christmas should be an exciting time full of parties and shopping and eggnog, but when we or a loved one is going through a trial or depression or loneliness, the expectations that we put on this time of year can really magnify our pain. Maybe you’re having a less than picture-perfect Christmas this year.

I want you to know that you’re not alone.

My dad suffered with depression and alcoholism since he was very young. There were many times he would be gone from home for days at a time on a drinking binge. The holidays were always an especially difficult time for him, and there was one year when I was about 14 that it became very apparent.

It was Christmas Eve and my dad had been gone for a couple of days. At some point during the day he stumbled into the house, went to his bed and passed out. The joy had been sucked out of our home. My mother, my sister and I sat on the couch together that evening to open our gifts, which was our tradition. There were no giggles or excitement as we opened our presents, only an overwhelming sadness. I can only imagine what my mother was going through.

My parents didn’t know Christ as their Lord and Savior, and my sister and I hadn’t yet given our lives to Him, so there was no hope of change, no joy of salvation, no understanding and celebrating the true meaning of Christmas. That was a difficult Christmas, one of the worst. There would be others.

I want you to know that in Christ there is hope.

To have the hope of Christ you must first have Christ. Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me. (John 14:6) There are not a thousand roads to God; there is only One, and that is through God’s Son. Two thousand years ago, Jesus died on a cross and wrapped up the gift of salvation just for you. That gift can be opened right now by believing in Him, confessing your sins and giving your life to Him. I pray you don’t let another Christmas pass by without opening this most precious of gifts. And if you do pray to give your life to Christ, please email me and let me know!

Next, know that there is no such thing as a picture-perfect Christmas. Perfect is in the eye of the beholder. So tuck away those expectations of perfection in a box and mark it “Heaven.” Only there will everything be made perfect and we will lack for nothing.

Until then, if you are going through a difficult time, know that God is with you. I don’t want that to sound trite and I know that when you’re in the middle of a dark and painful trial those words can sound that way. But sometimes in the darkness, when you can’t see or understand, all you can do is hold the Lord’s hand and let Him lead you. He has promised to be your Shepherd and He always fulfills His promises.

Put your hope in Christ, the Creator of the earth, the Almighty God Who has redeemed you from hell and the Holy Spirit Who is your constant Companion of comfort. He is with you right now and He has a plan for your life. Keep focused on Him and continue to pray, pray, pray.

I didn’t realize it when I was 14, but Jesus was with me and my whole family that Christmas Eve. There would come a day when first my sister, then myself, and then my dad would each receive Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Remember, we are only sojourners in this very temporary life. And we are here for a high and lofty purpose. Just as Christ came, not to live in comfort, but to bring unparalleled hope and joy to the world, so we have been given the awesome gift of carrying His Light in our hearts so that we can continue to bring that hope and joy of Jesus Christ to the world.

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” (2 Cor. 4:6-10)

What an amazing thing! We may not be surrounded by everything the world says is needed for a successful life, (and I don’t even think they can agree on exactly what that is) but we carry in us something of far more intrinsic, eternal beauty than anything this world has to offer—the life of Christ!

So rise up and have hope my brothers and sisters in Christ. Hold onto the Lord Who has redeemed you. Remember that Christmas is not what the world has made it. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our King, Jesus Christ, the joy and light of the world.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:3-9)

If you need someone to stand with you in prayer this Christmas, or at any time, please don’t let fear keep you from reaching out to someone. I would be honored to pray for you.

May your Christmas be filled with Christ!
Dorci

A Righteous Death

“And coming to a place called Golgotha, which is called, Place of a Skull, they gave Him vinegar mixed with gall to drink. And when He had tasted, He would not drink.” Matthew 27:33-34

As was the custom, Jesus was offered vinegar mixed with gall, a bitter poison, to ease His unthinkable suffering. He stood exhausted, spat upon, profusely bleeding after being beaten nearly to death, thorns piercing his head, and facing a barbaric death. And yet He refused the cup.

He refused to have his suffering eased and his senses dulled by the narcotic.

He refused to take in the bitterness of spirit, the deep resentment that can come, if allowed, when one has faced suffering.

He loved His Father and He loved us. To Him, obedience and the salvation of our souls was infinitely more important to Him than His own momentary comfort.

We, too, are called to die to ourselves. Just a few chapters before, in Matthew 10:38, Jesus said, “And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.”

We cannot follow Christ unless we daily nail our own sins and yes, even our dreams, our worries and our own agendas to our own personal, figurative cross. How can we follow Him if we are busy following ourselves? How can we allow Christ to fulfill the unimaginable dreams and plans He has for our lives if we are busy following our own small, finite dreams? How can we live in righteousness if we are busy following worldliness?

And even the death of our old man, our carnality, the selfishness and pride that manifests itself in our mortal flesh, is painful. Sometimes that death has to come through suffering—an illness, a financial blow, a strained relationship. If we allow resentment to take hold of our hearts in a season of suffering, it will cause a root of bitterness to grow that is not easily removed. And that bitterness will dull our spiritual senses to the point that God will seem afar off.

And some will look to the poison of sin to ease their suffering. And when I say “sin,” don’t be tempted to think only of something obvious, like adultery or drug or alcohol abuse. Whatever we put before God in our lives, whatever we depend on more than Him, whatever we go to for comfort when we are in the middle of a painful trial instead of going to Christ, that is sin.

The comfort of sin is a façade, and when it has reached its end will swallow us in bitterness of soul.

Like Christ, we must refuse the cup of bitterness in whatever form it presents itself. Our suffering is for righteousness’ sake, for our own spiritual growth, to work into us the image of Christ our Lord. Suffering in the Name of Christ is a good and noble thing and will produce much fruit in the loving and skillful hands of the Father—fruit that will remain pure and unspoiled as we refuse the poison of bitterness.

Unadulterated

Truth is unyielding to the whims and opinions of man. It is unbending to the changing world around it. It is immovable and unshakeable. It is enduringly constant; it is uncompromising, unrelenting and unwavering in its steadfastness. It is laid open and bare and invites the light to reveal its purity and beauty. It is what it is.

Truth will not compromise its frame to fit our character; we must bend and stretch and twist and turn and yield to mold to the shape of truth, or else be broken.

But the Master Carpenter will see that only our will is broken. With His tender and loving hand He heats and hammers and shapes and forms. He removes only the rough edges of darkened character that do not fit the shape of truth. He prepares us as a thing of beauty and when we stand before Him--a masterpiece.

Keep On Keepin' On

If you look back on your life, you probably realize that you have persevered through a lot – illness, rejection, doubt, loneliness, loss, regret, death. But you’ve made it! You’re still here and you’ve learned a lot through it. I hope you’re closer to the Lord because of it. Still, the temptation can sometimes be to give up when we face yet another difficult trial. But now is not the time to give up.

Now is the time to persevere.

The Lord Jesus Christ knew perseverance and He exampled it to us all the way to the end of His life.

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” (John 13:1)

Not only did He continue in obedience to His Father all the way to the cross and the grave, but He persevered in love. He didn’t persevere begrudgingly, He didn’t become bitter, and He didn’t become weak or weary.

He persevered with love.

But how do you do that? Maybe you’re tired right now and don’t know how you’re going to make it through. You cannot do it alone.

Persevere with the One Who gives love and strength and hope.

Hold onto Him and none else. Make Him your hope, believing in Him for all things. Make Him your Lord, allowing Him to lead you through all things. He will be with you and love you to the end.

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:36-39)

Grace for the Moment

Well, the week is passing and once again I haven't posted anything yet.  Lately my days have been filled with physical therapy and pain.  Seems the former is aggravating the latter before it gets better.  There are days I'm okay with that and I humbly surrender my body and my life to my God for His purposes, whatever that may be.  And then there are other days when I feel like I just can't take it another second.  I watch the days and weeks and years of my life go by and feel like all the precious time is being wasted in all the forced inactivity. 

And so I cry out to God, "God, I just want my life back."   

And almost immediately I hear Him answer in my heart, "But it's My life, remember?" 

"Yes, Lord, I remember." 

And I try to not think about what might have been in the past or about what may or may not be in the future.  I try to live right now, holding onto God's grace just for this moment.  I try to remember that God's ways are all topsy-turvy and backwards and beautiful.  When I try to keep my life, I lose it.  But when I'm willing to lose my life for the sake of my Lord, that is when I will be filled with the only real life there is: the life of Christ.  (Luke 9:24)

So here's to losing my life.  It's all yours, Father, once again.  Fill me up with the life and power and joy of your Holy Spirit.  May Your strength be perfected in all my weaknesses and may Your glorious will be done in and through me.  And Lord, please grant me the grace I need for this moment.

Thankful Thursday {Inspiring Voices}

This world will just suck all the life out of a person's faith if you spend too long absorbed in it, ya know?  It will overwhelm you with thoughts of how you "should" look on the outside instead of telling you that a godly character is more beautiful than all the botox in the world.  It will remind you over and over that you probably don't have enough money saved up for your retirement years instead of the fact that we serve a God who owns everything we see and is willing and more than able to take care of His sons and daughters.  It will tell you to think of yourself, to have self-esteem, to do something for yourself "for a change," instead of telling us that focusing on our Savior and on serving others will bring us more peace and joy than running around like a dog chasing after our own tails.   The world is loud and confusing and sad and pessimistic. 

But there are other, far better voices to listen to. Over the years, those of long past and in the present, God has given us godly men and women who have endured fiery trials as they served Him in the world and have come through as gold with wisdom to share. 

It is those people I am thankful for today.  I'm so thankful to be able to read their stories about how God brought them through their hard times and know that I can make it, too.  They give peace and hope and encouragement.  Through their stories they hold my hand and take me through another day. 

Blessings to you,
Dorci

The Gift of Suffering

I was sitting in church yesterday listening intently on what was being said when the spoken words dimmed a bit, just for a moment, and the Lord whispered to my heart. It was one of those moments that I often have, when the Lord speaks out of what is being said, but He personalizes it just for me. Maybe it’s for you, too.

I can’t even remember exactly what was being said at that moment, but I thought about the time when my life here on this earth is over, and I am living in eternity. There’s no way for us to understand just how long forever is, no way to comprehend the infinite with our finite minds. But I know that in comparison this life is just a blink. While we’re living in it, especially when there are deep trials and suffering, it seems to last forever. But very soon, it will be over, and we’ll only remember it as a vague dream, something that lasted for only a short while, but it was a time when we had the chance to learn how to love.

God tells us in Matthew 6:19-20, “Do not lay up treasures on earth for yourselves, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up treasures in Heaven for yourselves, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.”

It’s hard to say exactly what those treasures will be, but I know that as this blog’s scripture in Colossians says, all treasures that will last into eternity are found in God through Christ. They are the wisdom and knowledge of God that we obtain by walking with Him while we’re here. They are the things He whispers to our hearts when we’re still, and listening. They are the pure gold and silver character that will remain as we go through trials and the dross of anything less than godliness is taken away.

And that’s what the Lord was saying to me – that every trial, big and small, has been masterfully used by God to remove that which cannot enter into heaven, the fear, the unforgiveness, the pride, the selfishness, all those are being whittled away. And as they diminish, there is more room for His character in me, the treasure of a pure heart of love and compassion, and out of those I can do His will, in His strength, and store up even more treasure, the fruition that comes from being a part of God’s work here on this earth.

Through all my times of kicking and screaming and whining and complaining my way through trials, God remains steadfast in His love and in His patience to bring about in me a godliness that will store up treasures I can’t even imagine because He wants to bless me with a richer, fuller, more intimate experience of worshipping my Lord as I live with Him forever.

Things that make you go hmm...

Trials are the monsters that will kill our idols if we'll only release their cold, vile grip.

Psalm 27 A Song of Hope

"A Psalm of David. Jehovah is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Jehovah is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, my enemies and my foes, came on me to eat my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an army should camp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I am trusting.

One thing I have desired from Jehovah, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Jehovah, and to pray in His temple.

For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His shelter, in the secrecy of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me up on a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies, my encirclers; and I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle. I will sing; yea, I will sing praises to Jehovah.

Hear, O Jehovah, when I cry with my voice; and have mercy on me, and answer me. My heart says to You, Seek my face; Your face, O Jehovah, I will seek;

Hide not Your face from me. Turn not Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then Jehovah will take me up.

Teach me Your way, O Jehovah, and lead me in a plain path, because of my enemies. Deliver me not over to the will of my enemies; for false witnesses have risen up against me, and he that breathes out cruelty.

I would have fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of Jehovah in the land of the living.

Hope in Jehovah; be of good courage, and He shall make your heart strong; yea, hope in Jehovah."

Resistance is Not Futile

Have you ever been going along just fine when out of nowhere negative thoughts just seem to get dumped into your head? I have, too. I think those are the times when satan and his scrawny, little minions have been famished for destruction and have gone to the fridge of life, peered in and spied one of us in our little corner of it, looking all righteously juicy, and decided to pull us out for a bite.

1 Peter 5:8 tells us that “your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour.” The devil hates it when he sees believers loving God and furthering His work here on earth. And he’ll try to do whatever he needs to stop it, even devouring us one lie at a time.

He’ll remind us of that time way back when someone rejected us, and he’ll tempt us to become bitter about it. He’ll tell us over and over that we’re no good and our service to God isn’t counting for anything, until we believe it and quit. He’ll tell us God doesn’t love us or care about what we’re going through, and when our circumstances don’t change, if we believe the lie, we are tempted to turn our back on God and run back into the waiting arms of the tempter’s world.

So what do we do? How do we resist becoming fodder for the devil? James gives us the answer in James 4:7, “Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

As always, we can learn from our perfect example: Jesus. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where he fasted 40 days and nights and then was tempted by the tempter. (Matthew 4) I can imagine satan shadowing Christ through the wilderness those 40 days and nights, watching Him, studying Him, learning His weaknesses to use against Him in order to pull Him out of His impending ministry and into the world. And when Jesus was at His weakest and most vulnerable, the tempter spoke.

Jesus was hungry, so he tempted him with food. Jesus was the Son of God, so he tempted Him with proving His Father’s affections. Jesus was the Mighty King living far away from His Kingdom, so he tempted Him by offering Him the world – by offering Him the world – as His kingdom, if He would only give in and worship the tempter.  Each time satan's tactic was the same as it is now: mingling some truth to make the lie more palatable. But Jesus countered each attack with the full truth of God's Word. 

Satan is well aware of our own weaknesses, too, and he’ll target us with those things that will personally tempt us, but also at a time when we are emotionally or physically weak. So how do we have the strength to resist when we are at our weakest? The answer is, we don’t, but the Holy Spirit living inside us does. Remember the first part of James 4:7, “submit yourselves to God.”

The enemy counts on us trying to counter his attacks in our own flesh. And sometimes, if we deem ourselves strong enough and the lie small enough, the very temptation can be to say, “Heh, I got this one.” The very temptation can be to fight in our own strength.

When temptation comes, whether it’s to do something or to believe a lie, if we will humbly submit ourselves to the Lord by acknowledging that we’re only human and weak in and of ourselves, no matter how long we’ve walked with Him, and rely on God's strength, opposing satan's attacks with prayer and countering the lies with the truth in God’s Word just as Jesus did, we will be victorious and Christ will be glorified. The tempter will have no choice but to leave us alone. He is a powerful foe for us, but He is no match for the power of our Almighty God.

Fellowship of Sufferings

A week or so ago, I asked the Lord what exactly is meant by “fellowship of sufferings” when it says in Philippians 30:10, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death..”

And then a few days ago my husband was telling me about an episode of Dhani Jones Tackles the Globe. Dhani Jones is a football player for the Cincinnati Bengals, who in his off time goes in search of learning sporting pastimes from all over the world and he does it all on camera for the Travel Channel.

On a recent episode, Dhani was in Nepal, where he decided to go for a little hike. His goal was to reach the summit of Kala Patthar, which is 935 feet higher than the base camp of Mt. Everest and gives the hiker a good view of the pinnacle of the world’s highest mountain. The elevation of the summit of Kala Patthar is approximately 18,000 feet. The oxygen at this level is a mere fraction of what we normally breathe, and along the way, Dhani began experiencing shortness of breath and light-headedness.

Also on the trek was a man in his 60's, who was suffering from altitude sickness and was too weak to go on. Someone needed to carry him back down the mountain. Though Dhani was extremely fatigued himself, he volunteered to carry the man. Ironically, though Dhani was having a hard time climbing the mountain on his own, he said that he felt a surge of strength as he carried the man down the mountain.  He knew that he was helping to save a life.

I wonder if Jesus felt that way as he hung on the cross. He died the same agonizing death that had been endured by thousands of others. But His suffering was not for any sins He had committed, but for the sins of the entire world. And because He understood that His suffering had a great and noble purpose - to carry each one of us to safety and into eternity - He was strengthened to endure His suffering.  He knew it was His Father’s will.

Everyone will suffer, but if we recognize that our suffering in Christ has a great and noble purpose, too, then we share in the fellowship of His sufferings. Knowing that God can use our suffering not only for the benefit of our own spiritual growth, but also for the benefit of others, it gives our suffering meaning.

In Christ, we can carry others on our mountains (and valleys) of suffering and be strengthened in doing so. We carry them through our trials by exampling the peace and joy of Christ, especially to unbelievers; we learn greater compassion for others who are suffering and so are able to give comfort where we have received comfort; we gain wisdom that we can pass on to others who are experiencing similar circumstances; and God uses our circumstances of suffering in the lives of others in ways that we won't even see or understand this side of heaven.

When we recognize that our suffering is not just for suffering’s sake (and hopefully not because we are reaping the consequences of our own sin), but that because we are in Christ it has a grander purpose than just for ourselves and what we can see at the moment, then we share in Christ's sufferings. And as we fellowship, or partner, with Christ in suffering with a purpose, we will be strengthened to carry on with courage in our various trials knowing that they, too, will be used to the glory of the Father in the grand scheme of His perfect will.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

Things That Make You Go Hmm...

If it makes you want to be closer to God, it's a good thing.