My one thing

The one thing I would tell you about today is that in times like today, you must know what you stand for or you will fall for anything. I would encourage you to speak your mind, without fear of repercussion (in wisdom and truth). I would tell you that for too long people have tolerated things that aren’t okay for the sake of appeasing people which is ultimately living in the fear of man. I would tell you that it’s okay to take a stance and for people to misunderstand and malign you because the one thing the enemy doesn’t like is truth. In the Bible satan is referred to as the father of lies. He only has three motives, to steal, kill, and destroy and he does this literally as well as spiritually, emotionally and mentally. We are tripart beings with a body, a spirit (when we have received Christ) and a soul which is comprised of our mind will and emotions. We are inherently broken in our soul because of the fall of man and sin. However, we are further wounded and marred as we walk through life because none of us are going to get through it unscathed. The Bible says Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. There is a direct link between the health of our soul (again, our mind, will and emotions) and our physical health. Every single one of us, no matter how long we have walked with Jesus, how much therapy we have been in, how much of the word is in us, have areas of our soul that hurt or are out of alignment. We simply can never be perfect. But the beauty of God is that we are made complete and whole in Christ. There is nothing we can ever do to save ourselves, sanctify ourselves or reconcile us to God. It’s all done through Jesus and He already did it. When He said it is finished on the cross, He did not stutter. He wasn’t confused when He said it either. He really has closed the gap for us as humans and we can live in peace, even when things are spiraling out of control around us. Even when we stumble and utterly fall, we are empowered through God’s Holy Spirit to get up again, and again. I guess if I had to say one thing today, it’s that I’m so glad that collectively a lot of Americans are feeling more and more comfortable standing up for righteousness and truth and aren’t mincing their words. We as Christians need to do the same. We must stand for the truth of God’s word and not backpedal, hem and haw, or entertain gray areas of God’s laws. We don’t live under law but under grace, but He requires obedience. Comfort Christianity is a slow death to our purpose and a silent killer to our intimacy with God. God never called anyone in the Bible to a life of comfort and ease. Nobody He called were asked to do something they could ever do in their own power and might. Shepherds watching over sheep for years and years, anointed as King, serving under harsh rulers, only to be elevated to leadership and write books in the Bible never had it easy. The man who persecuted the entire Christian movement radically encountered God only for God to call him to personally lead the early Church and write two thirds of the New Testament. Inaction is the death of dreams and destiny. I know personally I used to have big dreams. I never thought there was anything I couldn’t do. Then life happened with major disappointments that led to disillusionment and a lack of discipline. God, RICH in His grace loved me through the valleys I slept through, the ones I couldn’t lift my head for. He pursued me when I wandered off and gently brought me back to truth when the enemy whispered lies I began to buy into. Now, he has truly set my feet on the rock, and I am searching for, grasping for, and beginning to ask again for those dreams to come back into focus, for clarity on the woman He is asking me to be, and I’m doing my absolute best to figure out what that should look like and how I can implement that. I think it’s amazing that truth wins out. Truth wins not only because it is absolute and objective, but because God is truth and His love, grace, mercy and sovereignty reign supreme. I don’t have all the answers for today, but I do know that God loves you and has a plan for your life. In the coming days, as the Lord leads, I will be sharing more of my story with you. I am excited to share with you about the faithfulness of Jesus in my life. I don’t know everything, and sometimes it feels I don’t know much, but one thing God has shown me this year is that my purpose is to tell in a million and one ways, over and over again, for the rest of my life about all the miracles He has done and how amazing He is. I’m a bit tired and running out of gas for today, but this is my small exercise of faith and application of discipline. I pray this blesses you in some way.

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