You are Acquitted

Day 14:

When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours?  Has no one condemned you?”

 

She said, “No one Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” John 8:10-11

We have an accuser and his name is Satan.  Our accuser would like nothing better than to defraud the name of Jesus.  

Jesus doesn't accuse us.  When the enemy can get us to agree with him that Jesus condemns us, he is indeed seeking to disprove our Lord and claim that Jesus is our accuser.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  

Jesus defends His daughters and raises them out of the dirt.  The context of the verse above was that a woman had been caught in the act of adultery.  The "religious people" of that time had drug her out and thrown her in the dirt to stone her to death.  Jesus stepped in and saved her.  

Jesus stepped in and saved us.  Don't let the enemy or "religious people" condemn you.  Jesus doesn't.   He carried away our shame on the cross. He was beaten so we could be made whole and healed.  He was accused so we could be acquitted.

You are Covered

Day 13:

“He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.”  Psalm 91:4

Shame’s number one objective is to distort and destroy identity.  The enemy specializes in exposing.  His mission is shame.  

Shame is deceptive.  Shame exposes.  Shame silences.

God’s mission is grace.  Grace transforms and restores identity.  Grace covers. 

A “pinion” is a wing.  Picture the Lord with wings as eagles, spread out wide, covering and protecting from the shame of the enemy.  Under His wings we find refuge.  Under His wings, we find grace.  Under His wings, we find mercy and protection.   

Every time the enemy tries to throw his darts of accusation and condemnation, they bounce off the Lord’s wings covering us like a shield. 

Under the Wings of freedom, shame loses its power.  It cannot get to us with His pinions covering.   His covering frees us to truth, breaks the silence, and gives us voice. 

Hidden Treasure

"For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden in Christ with God."  Colossians 3:3

A puzzle box is a box that holds secret treasures that are hidden from sight at first glance.  It is only through a series of intricate maneuvers that the contents within are unveiled.

When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we died to our old life.  The old us departed and we became a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:17).  That is, after all, what being "born again" is all about.

However, we didn't become our new selves all at one time.  That would be nice, but there is a transformation that is required to take place gradually over time.  Just as a baby is born and is unable to walk, eat meat, or talk until it learns to do these things over time, our maturing process and growing as a Christian is reflectively similar.

Yes, we are new creations, just as a baby is a new creation.  And just like a baby grows and develops over time into a grown- up version of the same person, our spiritual growth in becoming all God created us to be takes time.

Who we really are is hidden.  Who we really are is hidden in Christ with God.  God is constantly twisting and turning and maneuvering in our lives so that the real treasures hidden inside of us emerge.  As we study God's Word and as we pray and grow closer to the Lord, our real life is revealed.  We become different people, better people.  We become more like Christ and less like our old dead selves.

We become our true selves.

When I rededicated my life to Christ and truly decided to follow Him, I was a tangled mess.  God has taken one strand at a time to un-knot the mess I created.  We cannot see the finished picture right now.  Our real life, glorious life, is hidden.  He is still working and I know He won't be finished with me until I meet Him face to face before His glory.

The more I spend time with Him and the closer I grow to Him, the more I like who I am.  I like this new me, and the reason I can say that is because He is remaking me into who He original designed me to be--
The true me.  I'm not there yet, but I am thankful I'm not where I was!

Your real life is hidden too, and you are going to LOVE who God created you to be!  Just keep walking with Him, one step at a time, and you will be amazed at the treasures inside!

Father, I thank You that You have designed each of us unique and special, with certain gifts, talents and abilities.  I thank You that as we grow closer to You and spend time in Your presence that we become more and more of who you created us to be, and our true identity is discovered, our identity in Christ.  Lord, I ask for everyone reading today that you would reveal to them another facet of their real life that is hidden in Christ Jesus.  Father, help us all to know our old life is gone and that You have a new life for us in You.  We love you, and I pray we will become all you intended us to be.  In Jesus' Name, Amen. 




 

Forgiven and Set Free

I also write a devotional for Deeper Still.  This is an extended version of a post I wrote for them a couple weeks ago.  I thought I would share this personal story with you today.

Darkness loomed all around me as I contemplated sharing my abortion story with my church family.  There was a heaviness on me.  Nausea overcame me at the thought of sharing my "secret".  The medium was harmless enough.  I wouldn't have to speak.  A flat piece of cardboard would be my voice. However,  that small brown rectangle would contain words that could forever alter my world.  The front read:

"Abortion at 19, locked in a prison of shame and guilt."  

How could a little paper box top be so heavy?

Trying to get this decision off my mind, that night we decided to watch the movie, Narnia, for family movie night.  As I watched the movie, I realized it was no coincidence we were watching this particular movie this particular night.  We came to the battle scene at the end and I saw clearly what was happening:  There was a fight going on in the heavenlies.  There was a battle raging.  Forces of darkness fighting to keep me silent while angelic forces were fighting for my freedom.

After the movie I knew I had to share my testimony.  I knew it might not be easy and honestly, that little piece of cardboard was too heavy for me to bear on my own.  I needed the One who is strong when we are weak--Jesus.

It was time for rehearsal.  My stomach began to feel queasy at the thought of my church family seeing my testimony.  The enemy began his deceitful whispers...

What will they think?  They will judge you.  Surely, they will cast you aside in shame.  They won't look at you the same again.   

I stood in line behind other ladies with cardboards bearing their stories of redemption and grace.  The lady in front of me noticed I wasn't feeling well.  I told her I thought I might throw up and that I didn't know if I could go through with it.  She gently encouraged me, "Let me see your cardboard."  Reluctantly, I showed her my cardboard. Then, she leaned over and gently whispered, "I could have put that on my cardboard."

Immediately, I knew God had put me in that place and knew exactly what I needed to encourage me.  She reminded me of why I was there.  She reminded me of all the ladies like her, like me, who needed to hear about God's grace, mercy and forgiveness.  She reminded me of my purpose in being there--FREEDOM for her and all the ladies who shared our story.

The front of the cardboard was only half of my story.  The back of the cardboard held the truth of redemption.

I walked across the stage knowing God had placed me there.  Knowing His purpose was far greater than my fears.

Jesus, carried the load for me, and lifted the heaviness of it.

I turned the cardboard over.  On the back read:

"Forgiven and set free by the blood of Jesus."

As I turned it over, the cardboard became light and a weight was forever lifted.

There was a battle--one side wanting to keep me bound in chains and the other side wanting me free.   The enemy doesn't want the truth about God's grace, forgiveness and mercy broadcasted.  Satan would like nothing better than for those with this past sin or other sins to believe they are forever condemned to live with shame and guilt.

Yes, abortion is a grotesque sin.  It leaves one with blood-stained hands.  However, the blood of Jesus was shed even for those guilty of blood shed themselves.  His blood washes our hands white as snow.  So thankful for Jesus.  So thankful for His grace, love and forgiveness.  No, I don't deserve His grace, none of us do.  But, He offers it freely none the less.

I want to encourage you today.  If you are still living under condemnation due to past sin, give it to Him today.  Receive the forgiveness and grace He died to give you.  You are truly "Forgiven and set free by the blood of Jesus."

Power Verses: 

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony." Revelations 12:11 

"Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow" Isaiah 1:18

"I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins.  Return to Me, for I have redeemed you."  Isaiah 44:22

Twenty Years Ago Today...

"O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life." Lamentations 3:58

"For the day of vengeance [is] in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come."  Isaiah 63:4

Twenty years ago today, I made a decision that would affect the rest of my life.  July 11, 1993, I went to Champaign, Illinois to have an abortion.  It seemed like an easy and quick solution at the time.  I had no idea how it would impact my life.

Here is the link in case you want to read my story:  http://livingfreeinhim.blogspot.com/p/my-story.html

Let's now fast forward...to a year ago.

I was sitting at a fundraiser for a local crisis pregnancy center listening to Pam Tebow share her testimony.  She shared about the good decision she made to carry Tim Tebow against the doctor's advice. She was ill at the time and gave birth to a sickly small child.  Well, we all know how that story ends.  It ends well and God is using Tim mightily for His glory.

I left the fundraising dinner broken.  The healing I thought I had received seemed distant and incomplete.  The "What if's" started racing through my mind.  Finally, in desperation and obedience to the Lord, I shared my testimony with my "Living Free in Him" readers for the first time.   

God spoke to me at the dinner that night.  He told me it was time to share my story with you and it was time to go deeper.

A few weeks after the fundraising event, I called my friend, Emily, to talk to her about speech therapy (at least that is why I thought I was calling her).  We are both speech therapists and I wanted to talk to her about a job possibility.  During the conversation, we were catching up on lost time and I asked her what she was doing in ministry.  She excitedly told me about the Deeper Still Ministry and how she came to be involved and what she was doing on the ministry team.  Immediately I knew this was no ordinary conversation...it was God-appointed. 

After our conversation, I decided to attend the training for the Deeper Still Ministry Team.  I did not really know why I was going other than I was just suppose to go.

Then, just a few months ago in April, I attended a retreat.  It was amazing!!! It was like nothing I had ever experienced before in ministry or my healing journey!!!  You can read more about it  here.

Now today, exactly 20 years after my story began, I have the blessing and opportunity to minister to others who are in need of healing due to abortion.

Today, I leave to minister on the Deeper Still Ministry Team at a retreat this weekend.

Eleven women with an abortion wounded heart will discover freedom and know God's love, grace and forgiveness in a way they have yet to experience it.   It is overwhelming when I think of how good our God is and how His timing is unfathomably perfect.  Before writing this post, I hadn't given the timing much thought. However, it is no doubt God-ordained and His love continues to amaze me.   

As my friend, Emily, said "God not only redeems us, He redeems the day."  Thank you, God, for redeeming the day.  I can think of no better way to honor the memory of my daughter in heaven, Kori Danielle, than to help others find freedom and healing in Jesus Christ.

If you or anyone you know has had an abortion, you can go to www.godeeperstill.org to see how you or someone you love can attend a retreat and find complete freedom and healing from an abortion wounded heart. 

If you would like to join us in praying for these 11 women this weekend, go to www.deeperstilldevotions.blogspot.com to see how you can pray. 

Happy Endings

 I am currently leading a facebook small group for Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Studies with Melissa Taylor.  We are on Chapter 5 of Stressed-Less Living by Tracie Miles. 

This book was God ordained for this time in my life.  Chapter 5 is no exception. There were so many treasures in this chapter, but if I had to remember only one point, it would be that the Lord remembers.  

In Chapter 5, Tracie explains the story of Hannah from 1 Samuel 1.  If you haven't read the story of Hannah, I encourage you to go and read it now. Hannah's heart desire was for a baby.  She was childless. 

"And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish." 1 Samuel 1:10

"...and the Lord remembered her."  1 Samuel 1:19

I love that..."and the Lord remembered her".

Do you feel as if the Lord has forgotten you?  Hannah may have felt like the Lord had forgotten her and her desire for a child.  He did not forget.  No doubt she had asked the Lord for a child before this day.  What was different about this request?  Desperation. 

There is something powerful that happens when we come to the Lord in desperation. 

Recently, I heard Karen Ellison, the founder of Deeper Still, explain that Jesus didn't go knocking on people's doors asking if He could heal them.  Everyone who received healing from Jesus was desperate and sought Jesus desperately!  When they sought Jesus desperately, He healed every single one who came to Him.  It wasn't even the healing they were seeking, they sought the Healer! 

Hannah was desperate.  Hannah sought the Healer and entreated Him to remember her.  He did. 

What are you desperate for today?  What part of your  life do you need Jesus to touch?  Your marriage?  Health?  Job?   Finances?  Children?  When we finally come to the end of ourselves and realize we cannot fix our problem, and we fall to our knees in desperation, He meets us and touches our lives and heals what only He can heal.

He has not forgotten you. 

Hannah's story has a happy ending and as Tracie wrote "I believe that our heavenly Father wants us all to have happy endings." (pg. 96) 

"As we make faith a priority and learn to trust in God's plans, even if we do not understand them or like them, the doors will be flung wide open for God to enter our lives and begin his mighty work.  During the wait we are called to fall on our knees just like Hannah and pour out our hearts to him.  We are called to live life in a state of dependency on Him, believing that His peace is available in any situation."  (pg. 97) 

The Lord wants us to seek Him.  I need Him to hold me, to protect me, to comfort me, and keep me shielded in His love.  When I curl up in His presence and seek His face, I feel safe, secure, and full of peace. He always guides me.  He always remembers my requests.  He remembers yours also. 

While we are waiting for the positive outcome, we can rest knowing He is working on our happy ending.  Even when the endings don't turn out exactly how we would have written them, we can trust that His ending is better.   We can trust Him for a happy ending.  He writes the best Books! 

Deeper Still

Last weekend I went on a retreat.

The retreat was only about 45 minutes away in Maryville, Tennessee.  Well, it is only 45 minutes away if you aren't directionally challenged.  If you are directionally challenged (ahem...like me), it may take you 2 hours.  {smile}  *sigh*

After I finally figured out the direction I was suppose to be heading, I found myself going up and up a mountain.  The retreat was literally at the top of a mountain overlooking the beautiful Smokey Mountains.

I knew the Lord had led me to go to this retreat, but I wasn't sure why he wanted me there. This retreat was for women who are post-abortive.  If you have read my story at the top of the page, you know that I had an abortion in 1993, when I was 19 years old.  God has led me on a journey of healing and freedom since I rededicated my life to Him in 1998.  It has been a long process, but I felt healed and didn't think I needed any more freedom or healing.

So, why would God lead me to a retreat for more healing when I was already healed?

To go deeper still.  

The name of the ministry and retreat is "Deeper Still".  I didn't realize that when I was driving up to the top of that mountain, that God was also leading me to a spiritual mountaintop experience.

It was as if the mountaintop was a satellite and the atmosphere created a cell phone with a clear signal to hear the Lord.  He didn't have to keep asking, "Can you hear me now?"  I HEARD HIM CLEARLY!! 

I definitely understood how the disciples felt when they were up on the mountaintop with Jesus and they just wanted to stay there and build tents and never come down.

I won't be able to share everything He spoke to me.  I found a deeper healing.  God really did go deeper still.  I am going to share three ways the Lord spoke to me on the mountaintop last weekend.

The first experience was when one of the ministry team members told me my child (whom I aborted) loves me.  Sobbing, I said to the Lord, "How...how could she love me?"  He answered quickly...

"Sue, all she has ever known is My love.  How could she not love you?"  

My heart soaked in His loving response filling a deep wound as I accepted my daughter's love.

Another experience I want to share is a vision God gave me during a time of praise and worship.  Often during praise and worship, I picture myself dancing with Jesus.

In "A Story of Redemption", I share a vision of my daughter dancing with Jesus.  Although, I visualize myself dancing with Jesus and I can envision my daughter dancing with Jesus in heaven, I had never put myself and my daughter in the SAME picture with Jesus.

I had never entered into that picture to be with her.  Before this past weekend, it was too painful.  I felt unworthy to be in the picture, unworthy to hold my daughter, unworthy to dance with her.  During praise and worship up on the mountain,...

the Lord freed me to enter into that picture and dance with my daughter 

and embrace her in my arms with joy.

The third revelation I would like to share has to do with my child's name.  The Lord had revealed to me years ago that my child is a girl and her name is "Kori".   However, she didn't have a middle name.  During the weekend, many of the other participants at the retreat had middle names for their children in heaven.  I spoke to the Lord and said, "Lord, I would like to know my child's middle name."  Almost immediately, the name came...

Danielle. 

Her name is "Kori Danielle".  

With excited anticipation, I looked up the names "Kori" and "Danielle" when I came home from the retreat.

 "Kori" means "God's peace."  Don't you just love that?

However, when I looked up "Danielle",  I was not so excited.  I saw the meaning and I actually kept looking at other baby name websites thinking "Surely it doesn't mean that.  I don't like that.  Maybe I didn't hear from God.  I really don't like that meaning." 

However, all the baby name websites agreed. "Danielle" means "God is our Judge."

I thought "I don't like that meaning, that sounds harsh."  Then I asked the Lord about it. He said,

"I AM your Judge 

and I have found you innocent.  

No one else can judge you.  

And if they try to judge you, 

know that I AM your Judge 

and have found you innocent." 

The name is perfect.  He is perfect.  His love amazes me.  I could tell you even more He revealed to me over that weekend at the Deeper Still Retreat, but it will have to wait for another time.

Beloved friends, if you or anyone you know has had an abortion, I strongly encourage you to visit www.godeeperstill.org .  I thought I was free (I even have a blog about freedom!).  He desires to heal every wounded area of your heart, finish the good work He has begun in you, and set you completely free in Him.
 He loves you so much.

There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). 

He has removed your sins as far as the east is from the west (Ps 103:12).  

Though your sins were as scarlet, He has made you white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).  

You are a child of the MOST HIGH GOD.  He is your Judge and YOU have been found innocent because of the Blood of Jesus. 

Keep on Building

I took a break from Nehemiah for the past few weeks, but was not quite finished with it.   If you did not have the chance to read the other posts on Nehemiah, you can click on the links below.  It is such a great and fascinating book!  I believe you will be blessed by reading it and what the Lord has shown me.

Chapter 1-2 Grab a Brick and a Bible

Chapter 2  You Have No Right

Chapter 3 One Man

Chapter 4 Identifying the Lie

Chapter 4 (cont) Build with a Sword by Your Side, 



Chapter 4 (cont.) Sound Your Trumpet

Chapter 5 Give It Back

Now, that all leads up to Chapter 6.

At the beginning of Chapter 6, Nehemiah had finished building the wall.  The Israelites and Nehemiah had overcome all kinds of adversity and the wall was finished!

It says in Chapter 6, verse 1-2, "When Sanballat and Tobiah, Gesham the Arab, and the rest of our enemies had heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it, that Sanballat and Gesham sent to me saying, 'Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono,' but they thought to do me harm."  

When you are doing the plan of God, the enemy may come along to distract you.  When you are whole and healed and no longer broken with "no breaks left in it", the enemy may try to convince you to come to where he is to do you harm.  He may endeavor to entangle you in an old sin or seduce you with falsehoods  to discourage your progress and cause regression.   He doesn't want us to be healed and whole and he will try to coerce us into believing his lies to harm what the Lord has rebuilt!  

In verse 3 Nehemiah answers his enemies:  "So I sent messenger to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.  Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you."  

Nehemiah did not buy into his enemies' lies.  He would not succumb to their attempts to thwart the plan of God.  It says in verse 5 that his enemies were persistent and tried five times to convince Nehemiah to meet them.  The fifth time they lied to intimidate Nehemiah, claiming he planned to rebel against the King of Persia with ambitions to rule.

The enemy of our souls will lie to us as well.

We must identify the lie and call him out on it!  "Then I sent to him, saying, 'No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your heart.'" Nehemiah 6:8

Our enemy may lie to us to plant fear or discouragement in our hearts. 

"For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, 'Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.'" Neh 6:9

The enemy tried this tactic with me many times.  I was so broken and it seemed like I would never be whole.  I felt no matter how hard I worked, I would still be broken.  That was until I learned that it wasn't up to me.  I didn't need to be strong.  God would be my strength and He would rebuild. 

"Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands." Neh 6:9   

Where we are weak, HE IS STRONG.  He is my ever lasting fortress and my strength forever!  When we feel weak, we should cry out as Nehemiah did, "O God, strengthen my hands."
 
Yes, the enemy may try to invoke fear and tempt you to sin as did Nehemiah's enemies.

Why does the enemy want to stop the rebuilding?  Why is it so important to him?

Besides the fact that he hates rebuilding in that his goal is to "kill, steal, and destroy"(John 10:10); here is the reason for all the fuss...

"And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God." Neh 6:16  

When the walls of our lives have been rebuilt from rubble to victorious radiance, the enemy knows that others will see our lives and perceive that this work was done by our God! 

Unbelievers will recognize this work could not have been accomplished without the intervention of a Divine Carpenter.  Our Divine Carpenter is Jesus and He alone can turn our ruins into the radiance of His glory. 

Keep building my friends, His glory awaits. 


 
 

Give It Back

Do you want to have a little fun today?!  Let's do a GIVEAWAY!  I have a copy of Nora King's book  
30 Days to a Better Prayer Life to give away.  

In the past couple of posts, we have looked at the book of Nehemiah and in those posts, prayer has been mentioned as a vital part of rebuilding.  You can click below to read the last two posts if you missed them. 

Build with a Sword by Your Side 

Sound Your Trumpet 

In Nora King's book, she outlines key principles of prayer.  It is an amazing book every believer should have in their book library.  To enter to win, you just have to "like"  the "Living Free in Him" fan page on facebook, leave a comment, or share this post.  You have until midnight Friday night to enter to win!

Now we will continue with Nehemiah...Chapter 5

For about seventy years, the Israelites were held in captivity by the Babylonians who invaded Jerusalem in 597 BC.   They were held in bondage by their foreign enemy.

Now, let's fast forward to Nehemiah's time (444 BC).  The Isrealites had been freed from the bondage of the Babylonians since 536 BC, which means they had been free from foreign captivity for about 90 years.

Can you imagine the outrage when Nehemiah (who was still a servant in the King of Persia's home) discovered there were Jews being enslaved by fellow Jews, their own brethren?  In Chapter 5, that is exactly what Nehemiah discovers. 

Before Nehemiah had arrived to Judah, an economic crisis had struck their land.  A famine coupled with the need to pay high taxes forced many of the Israelites to sell everything they owned including land, homes, and even members of their own family to be slaves.

They told Nehemiah:

"We are forcing our sons and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards."  Neh 5:5

We are like the Israelites.  We have already been made free by the blood of Jesus.  We were once captive and a slave to sin, but as children of God, we are free!  Yet, many of us are in bondage for a variety of reasons.

Why are we enslaved?  Sin may be coerced us back into bondage.  Lies of unworthiness often keep chains on God's precious daughters.

Two things are certain...YOU ARE  FREE and IT IS NOT IN YOUR POWER TO REDEEM YOURSELF.    Only Jesus can redeem us and He already has.  We need only to receive Him.

Just as Nehemiah was offended at the oppression of His fellow brethren, Jesus is grieved and righteously indignant by the oppression of His people.  

Nehemiah pleaded with his brethren to "Please stop this usury!"

"Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine,and the oil, that you have charged them. "  Nehemiah 5:8-11

As the Israelites had to restore to their brethren that which was rightfully theirs, our enemy has to give us back everything he has stolen from us!  He has no right to keep you in bondage or take what is yours.
Demand him to give it back to you (In Jesus' Name).  You belong to God.  He paid for you with the precious blood of Jesus.  The enemy has no right to anything that is yours.   You are God's daughter.

 No, it is not in our power to redeem ourselves.  But, thankfully we don't have to repay.  We never could.  The Lord says, "Restore! Give it back!"  And His Word is final.

"You are free!  If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed."  John 8:36



 

Sound Your Trumpet

"And them I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, 'The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall.'"  Nehemiah 4:19

Yes, we are still in Nehemiah.  Oh, what a great book this is!   


Building is hard work.  Whether it is rebuilding the broken areas of your life or building the Kingdom of God, it takes work.

I know from personal experience rebuilding brokenness is something no one else can do for you.  Others can pray for you and perhaps counsel you, but only you and God can actually do the rebuilding.  The work can be great and extensive. 

As Christians, we are separated and spread out around the globe.  Missionaries in particular may go extended periods of time without fellowship with other strong believers.  In America, most of us have the privilege of interacting with other Christians on a regular bases, but even we are separated at times doing the work of the Lord.
 
In the next verse, an answer is provided for those who have been engaged in the exhausted work of rebuilding brokenness or busy in building the Kingdom of God.

"Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there, Our God will fight for us." Nehemiah 4: 20

Sound your trumpet.  Rally around others and ask for prayer.  Don't stay isolated, get with other believers who will stand in prayer with you.  Then, believe your almighty, ever-present, all-loving, all-knowing, never failing, always faithful God will fight for you!   

Sometimes when we are going through a difficult time, we pray and we pray and we fight and we fight.  I'm not saying we shouldn't pray and that we shouldn't use the Word of God as our weapon of warfare.  But, what I am saying is that it isn't up to us.  God is our defender. 

"The battle is not yours, but God's"  2 Chronicles 20:15

He will fight for us.  Surrender the battle to Him and He never fails.

"Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle." Psalms 24:8

Do you have a battle you have been fighting? A marriage issue?  A financial crisis? A hidden sin?  An area of bondage?

Sound your trumpet!  Rally and ask others to pray.   Give the battle to Him.  He is always victorious! 

If you would like me to  pray for you, I'd love to be someone who could rally around you in prayer.  Please feel free to contact me via email or facebook, I'd love to pray for you. 

Build with a Sword by Your Side

We have been adventuring through the book of Nehemiah discovering some powerful truths tucked away in this obscure book. 

In case you missed any of the previous posts on Nehemiah, here are the links:

Grab a Brick and a Bible

You Have No Right

One Man

Identifying the Lie

In "Identifying the Lie", we discussed the importance of recognizing when your enemy is trying to discourage you and beat you down.  Satan would like nothing better than for you to give up and stop rebuilding.  His whole agenda is to steal, kill, and destroy. 

When we are going through a battle, we need reinforcements.  We need others to stand up behind us and beside us and lift us up in prayer. When the enemy of the Israelites came and threatened to kill the Israelites to cause their work to cease, Nehemiah sent in reinforcements.

"And our adversaries said, 'They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause their work to cease.'" Nehemiah 4:11

"Therefore, I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings, and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows."  Nehemiah 4:13

Our reinforcements are the people who stand with us in prayer, who help us and are strong for us when we are weak.

When you are doing the Lord's work or making spiritual gains in overcoming past bondages, the enemy will come to discourage your efforts and will attack at times to shaken your resolve.  Not everything is a spiritual attack, but it is good to keep your armor on and be ready.

In Ephesians 6:11-13, God has instructed us to...

"Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." 

In the next verses, 14-17 of Ephesians, the Lord explains the armor of God in detail.  I encourage you to go to the passage and read it all.   For lengths sake, I will mention only one- "the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God."  We must have our swords to fight our enemy.  The power of God's Word will defeat the enemy. 

Now, back to Nehemiah...when we left the Israelites.in verse 13, the enemies were coming and the Israelites were prepared for battle with reinforcements and their swords by their sides. 

Let's see what happened...

"And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work."  Nehemiah 4:15

Again the enemies left!  Sandballet and Tobiah left in Chapter 2 when Nehemiah spoke truth and again the enemies left here when they saw they were prepared to fight!  The enemy prefers an easy target.  When he sees you are armed with the armor of God and the Sword of the Spirit, he may just leave.  If not, swing the Sword by speaking the Word of God and then he will!

"So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah.  Those who build on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction and with the other held a weapon."  Nehemiah 4:16-17

Everyday we MUST have on the whole armor of God.  Everyday.  Aren't we always in the process of building?  Everyday that we are building and becoming all that God intended for us to be, we need to carry our Sword.  We need to have our weapons of our warfare ready for battle so when it comes, we will not falter. 

Work with the Lord to rebuild and restore the brokenness in your life.  But, build with a sword by your side. 


Suggested reading:  Nehemiah Chapter 4 and Ephesians 6: 11-17

Identifying the Lie

Nehemiah is a book full of wisdom and practical Biblical truths!  It is a hidden gem in that I just discovered it!  It was always there, but I never saw it before a couple weeks ago!  Discovering new truths in God's Word is living pouring pure water onto dry soil...so refreshing and invigorating!

So far we have looked at Chapters 1 - 3 in the previous posts...

Grab and Brick and a Bible

You Have No Right

One Man

So, now we are on Chapter 4.

In Chapter 4, Sanballat and Tobiah return.

"But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews."  Nehemiah 4:1

Whenever we are doing the Lord's work, there will be demonic forces that strive to dishearten the laborers and belittle the work being done.  Sanballat and Tobiah represent those demonic forces.

Tobiah joined in the mockery saying, "'Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.'"  Nehemiah 4:3

In whatever kind of ministry you are doing, whether it is at home with your children, at church, in the community or mission field, forces will be at work to discourage your resolve.  These forces whisper doubts of your effectiveness.  We must identify these whispers as lies.

Also, as we rebuild what the enemy has broken in our lives, he will lie to us in an attempt to make us think that it is no use.  The enemy (Satan) will try to coerce us into believing we will always be broken or so weak that if something little (like a fox) comes along, it will tear us down.

This lie is not the truth! 

"Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."  "Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith." (1 John 4:4, 5:4) This is the truth--we are overcomers and victorious in Him. 

"Now it happened, when Sanballat and Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion." Nehemiah 4:7

When the gaps in our walls are being restored and closing in towards wholeness, we need to be alert and on guard for spiritual attack.

"Nevertheless we made our prayer to God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night." Nehemiah 4:9

Pray and watch for spiritual attack. 

While the Israelites were rebuilding, they also kept watch for attack.

"Then Judah said, 'The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.'  And our adversaries said, 'They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.'' Nehemiah 4: 10  

The enemy will wait until you are exhausted and beaten down to attack.  He knows it is easier to defeat you at those times.  There have been times in my life when the "rubbish" seemed overwhelming.  I needed so much work to rebuild that it was discouraging.  I grew tired of rebuilding. The enemy would lie to me and tell me I would never be whole.  I could have given up, except one promise kept me building.

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."  Philippians 1:6

The Lord will complete what He started.  He will rebuild the broken areas of your life.  You have to work with Him, but He has promised it will be rebuilt!  Don't listen to the lies of the enemy.  Satan would like nothing better than for you to remain broken and defeated.  God wants to rebuild you so you are healthy, whole and strong.

Chapter 4 of Nehemiah is filled with riches.  We will continue with the rest of Chapter 4 next time.  

You Have No Right

In the last post Grab and Brick and a Bible I began discussing the book Nehemiah.  I am falling in love with this book in the Bible!  There are so many jewels here.  Last week I didn't even know where this book was in the Bible!  Oh, how God's Word is surprising!

In Chapter 2 of Nehemiah, Nehemiah is going back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls and gates that were destroyed.  I did a little history checking and below is a timeline as to when all this happened as far as I can discern.  This is all fascinating to me and I hope it is to you as well! 

597 BC- King Nebuchadnezzar (King of Babylon or Persia) invades Jerusalem, destroys the city and Temple and takes the Jews captive (including Daniel).

536 BC- King Cyrusof Persia released the Jews to return to Jerusalem.  At this time the Jews started to rebuild their homes and the Temple.  However, enemies came after King Cyrus died in 530 BC and destroyed the work that had been completed on the temple.

522 BC- King Darius I of Persia encouraged the reconstruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was rebuilt
between 520 and 515 BC.

464 BC - King Artaxerxes of Persia began his reign.

457 BC-  King Artaxerxes issued a decree to Ezra to rebuild Jerusalem and establish a government. Before this time, from 536 to 457 BC, the Israelites were struggling.  They had rebuilt their homes and managed to rebuild the Temple, but the city still lay in ruins.

456-454 BC - Samaritans knocked down the rebuilt sections of the wall and burned the gates of Jerusalem.

444 BC- Nehemiah asks King Artaxerxes if he can return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls and gates.

I felt this timeline was important to understand the history of how Jerusalem was destroyed and the lengthy process of rebuilding.  So, now we are at 444 BC when Nehemiah has gone to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls.  (Note it has been ten years that the walls have lain in ruins.)

"Then I (Nehemiah) said to them, 'You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire.  Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.' 

And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king's words that he had spoken to me.  So they said, ' Let us rise up and build.' Then they set their hands to this good work."  Nehemiah 2:17-18 

Nehemiah is encouraging the Israelites to rebuild.  He is saying, "The King granted us permission and God has made a way for us to rebuild!  So let's do this thing! "  (Sue paraphrase)

However, whenever someone is called to do something great, there will undoubtedly be naysayers to discourage. 

"But when Sanballat, the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and beshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, 'What is this thing that you are doing?  Will you rebel against the king?'" Nehemiah 2:19

Oh friend, how I LOVE the next verse coming up...

"So I answered them, and said to them, 'The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right in Jerusalem.'" Nehemiah 2:20

When you are doing what the Lord God has called you to do, the enemy will try to come and discourage you.  When you begin to work in cooperation with the Holy Spirit to rebuild the broken areas of your life, the enemy will come to try to convince you to stop rebuilding.

I love how Nehemiah responded!  He spoke to his enemy (just like Jesus did) and stood on the Word of the Lord.  He spoke back to the enemy and he shot his enemy down with a mighty truth.

 "You have no heritage or right." 

The enemy (Satan) has no right in your life.  You have a heritage as a child of the living God and Satan has NO right to your life!  Tell him.  Speak it as Nehemiah did.  When the enemy comes to discourage or defeat you, tell him to leave in the name of Jesus. (Jesus did.) Tell him he has no right to be in your life.

So many truths and jewels in this book.  There is even more to come!  Rebuild the brokenness.  Allow the Holy Spirit to come in and fill in the holes and close the gaps of your heart.  He is more than able.  He desires us to be whole and not have holes.  The enemy, Satan, has no right in your life.

 "Let us rise up and build."  



 
               

Grab a Brick and a Bible

This past weekend was simply AMAZING!  I went up to Pigeon Forge with about three hundred other ladies for Redemption Church's women's conference.  Aquilla Nash was our guest speaker.  Can I just say ANNOINTED...ANNOINTED...ANNOINTED!!

God met us there in a very real and personal way.  If you have never experienced the power and presence of the Lord God, you need to. 

On Friday morning, Nora King ministered.  She spoke on the book of Nehemiah.  I don't know about you, but I cannot say I have spent much time in the book of Nehemiah.  Actually, I don't know if I have ever read it and don't ask me where it is in the Bible.  I had to look in the Table of Contents to find it!  (To help you out, it is on page 675 in my Bible, three books before the Psalms.)

But, I tell you...I am reading it now!  Wow, there is always more to learn in the Word of God! 

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah is a servant to the King of Persia.  He was taken captive by the Babylonians when they invaded and destroyed Jerusalem.  Nehemiah finds out his home land lies in ruins, walls destroyed and gates burned with fire.  He goes to the king and asks to return to his home to rebuild the walls of his home land.  The king likes Nehemiah and grants his request to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah is a portrait of the Holy Spirit.  The name "Nehemiah" means "Yahweh Comforts".  The Holy Spirit is our Comforter.   The walls of Jerusalem represent the brokenness of our lives.

The Holy Spirit earnestly desires to rebuild the broken areas of our lives.  

How about you?  Do you have a hole in your wall?  Has the hammer of life beaten your wall to rubble?

Perhaps you are like me.  God has repaired many areas of my wall, but there is still an area that is broken.  I have a hole in my wall that only the Holy Spirit can fill.  I am inviting Him in to fill in the hole, to restore, and to heal.   

The Holy Spirit wants to rebuild the brokenness in your life.  Will you let him?  Will you work with Him to repair brick by brick what has been destroyed?

I won't lie to you.  It won't be easy.  Rebuilding is work.  It is worth it.  When the Holy Spirit restores a wall, it is reinforced with the iron of God's Word.  The blood of Jesus fills in the cracks and provides a strength that cannot be penetrated.

Are you ready?  Grab a brick and your Bible and get busy building!  The Holy Spirit is already at work.

"So they said, 'Let us rise up and build.' Then they set their hands to this good work."  Nehemiah 2:18b

Suggested reading:  Nehemiah Chapters 1 and 2. 

Hidden Messes

Upstairs we have a bonus room.  This room serves as a play room for our three energetic kids to run, play and...well, be kids. When you have three kids, you accumulate toys without even trying.  We give them away, but the toys seem to multiply.  I like all the toys to have "a home", a place where they rest when  not being used for play. However, when three kids pick up the toyroom, the toys don't always make it back to their "home".  Sometimes, they hide in a closet, or under a bed.  Often times, however, they are just put in the wrong box. 

To look at the room, it might look like everything is picked up.  It is only when one starts looking in closets and under the beds that the truth is revealed.

Every few months I reach a point where I can not stand it any longer!  At that time, we take all the toys out of their hiding places and put them out in the open center of the room to sort.  We take the stuff out of the hiding places to deal with the mess.  Then, I help the kids clean it all up.

We deal with the broken toys, the junk, and put the rest back where it goes.  

This picture was taken in April during the last sorting.

We too have hidden messes.   We have messes hidden in our hearts we don't want to address. We stuff the junk into a closet or under the bed and think, "I'll deal with that later.  It is too much to sort through right now. "

We may look "all picked up", but underneath our tidy exterior, lies the truth. 

Sometimes we don't even know the issues in our hearts.  God hides them from us until He is ready for us to deal with our stuff.

If He hauled out all of our hidden junk at once, we would become too overwhelmed to deal with any of it!  

He waits.  He reveals the hidden messes for us to sort through one piece at a time.  He brings out into the open areas of our hearts we didn't even know needed healing.  And the good news is, He will be by our side to help, to heal.   

God knows our hearts.  He knows the areas that are broken or wounded.  He knows what needs to be removed.  He knows what areas of our hearts need cleaning.

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.  You know my sitting down and my rising up;  You understand my thought away off.  You comprehend my path and my lying down.  And are acquainted with all my ways.  For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.  

Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as day; 
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.  Psalms 139:1-4, 12

He reveals and then He heals.  He puts our hearts back together.  He puts the pieces all back in the proper place to make them whole.  However, we have to allow Him to show us the mess.  We cannot keep it hidden in the closet refusing to deal with it or our hearts will never be healed.  We must allow Him to bring it out in the open.  

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; Save me and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.
Jeremiah 17:14

It may seem easier to just leave the mess.  It may seem easier to just keep it hidden away.  It is. 

It is easier to keep the door closed and pretend the mess isn't there. 

Do we want easy or do we want freedom?  Dealing with messes and broken pieces may be work, but the end result is worth any amount of discomfort involved.  Trust me, I know.

Will you ask God to reveal the hidden messes of your heart that need healing?  He will put it in its proper "home", which is in Him.  He takes the mess and gives us a beautiful heart in exchange (Is 61:3).
 

Broken

Thank you to everyone who entered to win to the book Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman!!

And the winner is......drum roll please............Ann.  Congratulations!!

Don't forget you can check Emily's blog every Thursday at www.chattingatthesky.com for discussion of her book. 

Now we return to our regular scheduled programming......

Broken

In our bedroom, I have things piled up that need mending.  Whenever a stuffed animal seam pops, a button comes off or a toy breaks, the kids hand them to me to fix.  Currently, the pile includes a stuffed snake, a pillow, and a pair of shorts.  There may also be a monkey and Hello Kitty that haven't made it to the pile yet.

The kids realize they are not capable of mending these treasures themselves.   They are too small to fix it.

They relinquish control to the one who can mend. 

These items that need repair are often just worn down due to much use.  Sometimes, it is a lack of care, neglect, or just rough handling.  

Life can handle us rough sometimes.  

Tattered relationships.  Yet unrealized dreams.  Stresses of life.  Past defeats or regrets.  Suffered wrongs. 

All these can leave one broken.  However, brokenness is not always bad.   It is in our brokenness that we realize we need a Mender.  

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken spirit and a contrite heart-
These, O God, You will not despise.  Psalms 51:17

A sacrifice is what we lay down before the Lord.  We give it to Him.  

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.  Psalms 34:18 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.  Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. Ps 147: 3-5

I think I can maintain status quo, going on day by day being self-sufficient until self-sufficiency is overruled by the overwhelming awareness of incapability without my Mender.  Our Healer. 

He is mighty in power.  I am not.

It is in these broken moments where we can allow ourselves to truly be healed.  We won't give our heart to the Mender to heal if we aren't aware of the hole in it.  We cannot fix that hole on our own.  We are too small.

Pride says I am self-sufficient.

Brokenness says His grace is sufficient. 


Pride says I can do this on my own.


Brokenness says I need Jesus.  


Oh, how I need Jesus. 

It doesn't matter how big your broken pile is.  Give it to Him.  Give it to the Mender. 

Relinquish control to the One who can mend.  

Let Him restore it to beauty.  

Let Him make it new.
 

 

Property Father

My husband and I enjoy watching HGTV.  There isn't much on TV that we can watch, but watching houses seems fairly safe.  So, we nest there frequently when we need to mindlessly relax. One show we enjoy watching together is "Property Brothers".  Have you seen it?  It is a fun show.  These two brothers team up to help couples find a battered-down home that is desperately in need of repair and they transform it into a work of art!  It is mind blowing.  When they are done, the inside resembles that of a state of the art dream home. Granite. Stainless Steel.  Hard Wood.  The works! 

That is what God does with us.  He finds us broken, battered-down and transforms us into a completely new person.  That is exactly what He has done with me.  I wish I could show you what a mess He got when He purchased me.  I wish I had a before and after picture.

We are broken.  Thankfully, God is an expert restorer.  He wants our lives so He can do a major fixer-upper job.  He wants to completely refurbish us from the inside out.

And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations.  
And shall repair the ruined cities.  The desolation of many generations...
Instead of  your shame you shall have double honor, 
And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they shall possess double;
Everlasting joy shall be theirs.  Isaiah 61: 4 and 7

All of Isaiah 61 is powerful.  This part is not as well known as the first verses, but they hold a special place in my heart because they describe what the Lord has done in my life.  He will do the same for you.   

I was speaking to a friend Wednesday night.  She seemed so full of peace.  I commented on how full of peace she seemed and she told me the Lord had spoken to her concerning her life.   Five simple words.  Five words of truth.  I make all things new.

What do you need God to make new in your life?  You may not need a total demolition job like I needed.  Maybe it is a new job, new home, new attitude, or newness in your marriage. Whatever you need, God will do it.  He will rebuild the old ruins and restore them to beauty.  If you think your old self is too much for Him, remember He has already restored you with His best.  He put in the stainless steel, granite and hardwood.  Your steel has already been made stainless by the blood of Jesus.  His Rock is more solid than granite.  The hardwood of the Cross He bore for you has covered it all.  You have been completely restored from the inside out.  Thank you Property Father.  I am so thankful You purchased this fixer-upper.