I Will Be Transparent

I've been in situations over the past year when my transparency has been called into question. Most of the time, it has been from well- meaning people who think I am too transparent. I have seen the result of a lack of transparency and it never ends well. However, when you are transparent the worse thing that can happen to you is a lack of acceptance. 

I recently read an article from Focus on the Family written by Lynne Thompson and I cannot say it a better way. “ Real transparency occurs when I am comfortable being me, flaws and all, no matter what environment I find myself in.” Why would I want to hide who I really am? After all, God formed me and continues to shape me.

I look at the definition of transparent, the two parts are 1) having the property of transmitting light without appreciable scattering so that bodies lying beyond are seen clearly. 2) free from pretense or deceit. To me, as a Christian, that says that when I pretend to be something I’m not, or deceive people about who I really am, I cloud the “Body” lying beneath. Let’s put it another way, when I do not pretend to be something I’m not it humbles me to the point of admitting my flaws, at the same time, it allows people the opportunity to see the “Light” being transmitted through me. When I acknowledge my flaws instead of trying to cover them up, it lets people see Christ working in my life more clearly. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT) says, “…so now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

The article goes on to say, “Living a transparent life can sound quite scary. We may never know how people are going to respond to the real us. What if reality disappoints?” Are we living for man’s approval or for our heavenly Father’s? The Bible says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) and “nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.” (Romans 8:38-39) So do we really have to pretend to be something we are not?

I believe not being transparent can be a dangerous thing. The article quoted Dr. Gary Thomas, author of Authentic Faith : The Power of a Fire-Tested Life, “Eventually the jig is up. Our God loves us to much to allow the charade to continue…There is tremendous freedom, more freedom than most could fathom, when somebody truly knows you and all your ‘stuff’ and still loves you and respects you.” When you try to cover up your faults, it’s like climbing onto a pedestal, you can only hold your balance for so long before you come tumbling down.

I myself would rather lie at the feet of Jesus. It is there that I know I am loved and I am accepted by the only One that matters. It is there, I receive my strength through Him who strengthens. At the feet of Jesus, there are no boxes of religion, there is no condemnation, and there is no fear of falling because I've already fallen, I’m already low. At His feet there is a love and freedom that no one can find while standing on a pedestal. 

A Seed To The Ministry

God is orchestrating some amazing things in the symphony of our lives.  He has given us so many promises over the years and He has never failed to accomplish them. 

The past year and a half he placed within me a heart for those in captivity. Something else He placed in me a long time ago was a determination to seek justice, so when I find out about an injustice I can't just let it sit. I have to do something. I used to think it was me playing the part of the hero, but now I realize that God placed that there to be His hands and feet to the captives. 

I have been learning a lot lately about human trafficking and that it is a problem in our own backyard. I also see the gaps in helping the victims. A few months ago God gave me a vision for a restoration house, a place where, not only can victims escape the life of captivity, but they can begin to restore their lives. 

At the same time God put those things in my heart, Jason's job situation began to falter. God also gave us a promise to move the mountain of debt. We have tried to be very good stewards of all that God has entrusted to us, but we were not always that faithful and we are still paying for those years of unfaithfulness. Because of that we have this mountain of debt that we thought was holding us back from the things we felt God calling us to. 

It’s only human when things begin to shake in our lives and we begin to doubt and lack faith, but it’s through maturity in Christ that we can stand firm on the rock and not let the shaking destroy us. When we have a firm foundation in the rock of our Lord Jesus, no waves can wash us away. In the natural, Jason and I see this overwhelming mountain and not enough income to tackle it. We see what God is calling us to and feel chained, unable to reach out and grab hold of the mission He has for us. But God is faithful and we are standing on the rock. 

Jason, just recently, lost the sales job that he had and again is unemployed. Most people would begin to worry and look for another job, but our faith does not lie in the work of Jason's hands. It lies in the provision of our Heavenly Daddy. We have had several earthly doors shut to us in this past year, and we believe it is because God is calling us to walk through His door to a greater purpose which leads to our ministry. Jason is returning to school this fall and I will begin in the winter term. As God calls us into this greater purpose, and we step out in obedience, we are putting our trust in Him to be our provider, Jason's retirement covers the bills but we have a mountain of debt and tuition for Becca that we are trusting God to provide for. 

Since making that decision and stepping in obedience, He hasn't disappointed us. We have had extra money come in from various sources, a couple of which were led by the Spirit to give. It is very humbling when you are handed a check for no reason, but I am so grateful for God's provision. Months ago I would have felt shame if that would have happened, but now I accept it with all thankfulness because I know it is our Daddy taking care of us. As we use what He is providing to tackle our mountain we are also dividing it and setting aside a seed to begin our ministry. We are beginning to put together the vision for His Covering Ministries and pull together our prayer partners. In the next few months we will be putting together a website and gathering other warriors to meet once a month to pray for victims of human trafficking and the organizations that are already on the front lines. As we begin to provide a prayer covering, we will also be educating and raising awareness to this injustice. As Jason begins school this fall, I will begin to partner with other organizations to begin reaching out to the victims. Exciting things are yet to come and I wait anxiously to see the captives set free, and the years the locusts have eaten restored to the victims of human trafficking. 

Get Ready For Battle

There is a sifting and a stirring taking place in the body of Christ. Those flowing in the Spirit and boldly proclaiming truth are being criticized and judged. Jason and I have experienced with people thinking we are "falling away" because we are not doing their way. I am now seeing friends in other ministries experience similar persecution. Which tells me we are on the path we are supposed to be on. 

In my last blog I wrote how God is "searching for believers and calling believers to live in dependency on Him" I went to a class this weekend and again I heard that God is searching. He is searching for those with pure and sincere hearts. He is searching for the non-squeamish and the obedient. 

When I opened up the word this morning it fell open to Joel 3. It spoke to me about our ministry working with trafficking victims, but the verses that really stood out to me were 9-13a. 

Proclaim this among the nations: PREPARE FOR WAR!

ROUSE THE WARRIORS!

Let all fighting men draw near and attack. 

Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. 

Let the weakling say, 'I AM STRONG!'

Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. 

Bring down Your warriors, O Lord!

Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, 

for there I will set to judge all the nations on every side. 

Swing the sickle for the harvest is ripe.

We are living in dark times and God is calling everyday people to arm themselves and "prepare for war!" Awake, Awake, Church!! The battle has begun. We MUST be the light in the darkness, for the world will die without it. We must wear the armor of God and yield the sword of Truth. We are in a fierce battle and the Lord is calling all His people to active duty and He has given us our assignments. 

Will the body of Christ go a.w.o.l. or will we rush into the front lines in obedience to our Commander?

Dependent On God

From Come Away My Beloved By Frances J. Roberts

They complained against the landowner, saying, “These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us, who have borne the burden and the heat of the day,” But he answered one of them and said, “Friend I am doing you no wrong… I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.”  Matthew 20:11-14

Behold, I have put My Spirit upon you that you should cry and not keep silent. Yes, I have spoken to you that you might know the burden of the Lord and might understand what is in My heart.

For I love My people, My chosen and elect; and My heart grieves over them, because they are turned aside. They have known my love; yes, they have tasted of my goodness and entered into My grace, and I have given them My salvation; but their love has grown cold, their desires have turned to others, and their ways are the paths of self-seeking and folly.

For I am a jealous God and I will not share my glory with another. Yes, I will pour out My goodness without restraint upon every open heart, and to all who cry out to Me, I will be gracious.

But my people have not cried; they have not called. They have been satisfied with the husks of this present world, and in an hour of indifference, they have allowed the pleasures of this life to fill that place which belongs only to Me. Yes, it has displaced My Spirit, but it does not satisfy.

O that they might return to Me, for as the father awaited return of the prodigal, so I long for My people. My heart is lifted up with grief, and My tears flow as a fountain. For I love them. My soul is drawn out to them.

Return to Me, and I will return to you. Put away the idols, and give Me your heart. Lay your heart open before Me, and I will purge away the dross. I will cleanse it and fill it with My glory. You will no longer crave the leeks and the garlic of Egypt. You will no longer feed upon the chaff; but I will satisfy your soul with manna from heaven, and with milk and honey you shall be nourished.

And your health will return to you, and your vigor, and you will serve Me with fresh energy. You shall go forth in new power, and My joy will be your constant portion. Though you labor in the last hour before sunset, you shall be rewarded the same as those who preceded you.  (Matthew 20:1-16)

God is searching and calling out believers to live in dependency on Him. Those who are “working” and “laboring” for their provision are being sifted. I’m not saying man shouldn’t work, but when man works he should “work as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). What I am seeing happening is that our jobs are becoming the “idols” that is mentioned in the passage above.

In my work as a labor assistant, I have taught many Christian women how to step into the redemptive work of the cross during childbirth and have a pain free birth. Just like pain in childbirth was a result of the fall, toil at work is also a result.  God is calling His people to step into the redemptive work of the cross.

Jesus came to die for us, not just for the forgiveness of sins but also to restore us back to God’s original design and purpose for us; total dependency on HIM. When we say to ourselves, “I have to work to provide for my family” you are not being dependent on God.

Jason and I have been given a great opportunity to put our trust in Him and to look to Him as our provider. When Jason’s last job began interfering with the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit, God told us to depend on Him and let go of the “idol”. We were being called (as every believer is) to “Seek first His Kingdom” (Matthew 6:33) and let Him handle the rest. It was a huge leap of faith, knowing we didn't have a lot of savings, but we have a Daddy who owns “cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10), and we stepped out in obedience. 

He has given us the promise of provision for our needs. It doesn't mean Jason doesn't do anything, but we knew that whatever job he took we had to stay dependent on God’s provision.  He just started working for a company as a salesman working on commission. We have the great opportunity to give our lives to the work of God’s hands as we step out in obedience and watch what God is going to do.  Instead of looking at ourselves, working and toiling to barely provide, we are going to “work as unto God” for His glory to be revealed through our lives. We are letting Him do what only He can do and provide for our needs and fulfill the promise he gave us and watch the mountain of debt disappear.

All for HIS glory!!!

Simplify

That’s what we have been hearing from God for the past few months. At first we thought it was the material things we needed to simplify, so we began weeding through things. We soon realized that is was more than material clutter affecting our lives. People in general, are chocked full of spiritual clutter which makes their lives more difficult than it needs to be. What does spiritual clutter look like? Most people continually seek more “teaching” to get to know God and have more revelation; they are constantly looking for new “Bible Studies”. Is that what we really need? We are to continually seek God and He is new every morning so there is always something new to learn from His word, but “study” has become clutter to many Christians. So many believe they need this great revelation before their lives can get better and they start serving God, but in reality what they need is to just start doing what they already know. 

I have been walking this path of righteousness for over 13 years now and I see people who have been walking longer than me behind me and some that have been walking less than me ahead of me. We are all on the same path so why the different speed? It wasn't necessarily that those ahead of me received this great revelation. It was the hunger, the drive, the surrender to the love of God that moved them along so quickly. It was their willingness to yield to something greater than themselves.

Last night we went to hear some good friends of ours speak about their missions work in South Sudan. I wrote this blog a few days ago but God didn't release me to post it. After hearing what Brad had to say, I knew I had to add some of his words to this. He shared their story of their willingness to yield and go to South Sudan to minister to the children there.  When they first went, they didn't necessarily know everything that they were doing, but they went in obedience to God. Over Christmas they learned the meaning of “there’s safety in the will of God”. The American church believes that means that if they are following God’s will then no harm will come to them. Brad reminded us of all the people in the Bible who were in God’s will yet suffered beatings, imprisonment, poverty, etc. So what does “there’s safety in the will of God” mean? It means that God’s will is safe and perfect (Romans 12:2). They may not have been fully qualified and definitely were not prepared for everything they were to encounter in South Sudan, especially when they were caught in the middle of a war and had to leave the children they had loved and cared for in order to eventually get them to a safer place. They walked out every step in full dependency on God not knowing what each step would bring.

Brad taught on Matthew 9:37 “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”. Years ago Jason and I heard the word “go”, so we went to our pastor at the time and was told we needed to go to school and do all this stuff before we could go. Last night Brad talked about the qualifications needed to go. “Qualifications come from obedience to Him, not waiting till you get it right… The 72 were sent out and they didn't even know how to pray.” When you go, you are “dependent on His power”. “Jesus didn't tell us to pray for people to be healed, He told us to heal them. We are supposed to have authority. Working out our character issues is keeping us from the truth… You just obey the Lord, let God make it workable. Let the Lord decide when you are ready to go. If you will say yes, He will reveal Himself in us and manifest Himself through us.”

Instead of more “teaching” and fellowship we have been told to simplify, “seeking first His Kingdom, praying, continually yielding our lives to be His instruments for His kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. Many are not going to understand what we are doing but we are going to continue to walk in this freedom and righteousness and plant the seeds of the kingdom wherever God sends us. 

Brad and Kim Campbell are missionaries with Keeping Hope Alive Ministries. They are currently in the United States raising awareness and funding to return to Africa and be reunited with the orphans in their care.

A Woman Is Not an "IT"

I just read an article about "Modesty in the Church". It was a very good article for Christians, unfortunately, the article wasn't about a "Christian" woman dressing inappropriately, It was about a visitor to a church coming in dressing that way. I understand it is a struggle for men, to be quite honest, its a struggle for women too, but that's a subject for another blog. However, this article refers to the reactions of Christian men; what standards are they being forced to hold up to? 

A comment in the article was, "After all, Sunday mornings were supposed to be a time when Christians should feel safe from temptation, not worrying whether it will sit next to them."

 Really? Really? there is so much wrong with this statement I don't even know where to begin. I guess I will start with the fact that  the church is not a place "to be safe from sin". I hate to tell you this, but sin will always be crouching at our door and it is our responsibility to seek the presence of God and allow the Holy Spirit in to keep it at bay.The church is not a place where we can bubble wrap ourselves to protect us from the world it is supposed to be a place where we hold each other accountable and build each other up in the faith. It's a place where people come to seek the presence of God and get to know the love of our Creator.

Now lets talk about the authors use of "it" in this statement. I sincerely hope that was a typo. The woman was NOT AN "IT". she was a human being and Jesus loves her just as much as he loves us. to diminish her to an "it" contributes to the reason why us woman have to overcompensate in modesty because of the weaknesses of men. The woman who was the inspiration for this story was most definitely not an "it", she was a visitor, someone who may have been seeking  a loving God and yet just because of the way she was dressed, was probably met with sneers and whispers, instead of the loving arms of the church. Didn't Jesus hangout with the prostitutes and tax collectors.

This article shines a light on something much deeper than modesty. It's the hearts and thoughts of the "mature" Christians. They selfishly were so wrapped up in their own sin struggles they more than likely missed an opportunity to bring someone into the Kingdom. 

 I have 4 beautiful daughters and I'm the spiritual mom  to at least 10 other girls, so I'm all about teaching modesty. That's why I read the article , and it was a good reminder to Christians. But just as you cant tell an orange to dress like an apple, you cant write an article to Christians based on something a non-believer did. That is just being judgmental. Jesus came for the broken, He came for the hurting, He came for the sinners. We, HIS Church, are supposed to represent Him; but instead, the broken, hurting, and those trapped in sin are met with judgement and hypocritical jeers if they try to approach our God. Maybe instead of judging the actions of those who don't know God the church needs to be dealing with it's own temptations and sins. If we were a victorious church the inappropriate dress of  someone seeking a loving God would not be an issue.

He Who Sows...

As I was reading my devotion book today it just really tugged on my heart. I am a professed health nut. I often refer to myself as "granola". My family may not eat as healthy as I want them to and I admit I do indulge in "junk food" every now and then, but I am fascinated how God gave our bodies the ability to heal themselves and gave us the proper food to aid in that healing. In our society though we miss it. Nutrition effects every aspect of our lives; not only nutrition but our thought patterns. That is what my devotion was about and I would like to pass it on. It is from the devotional book Come Away My Beloved by  Frances Roberts. For my regular readers I have often quoted  from this book, this time I share the whole passage.

Whatsoever You Sow

He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, 

and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully...

He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food,

supply and multiply the seed you have sown

and increase the fruits of your righteousness.

2 Corinthians 9:6,10

How can I give healing for your body when there is anxiety in your mind? So long as there is disease in your thoughts, there will be disease in your body. You need many things, but one thing in particular you must develop for your own preservation, and that is an absolute confidence in My loving care.

It is written, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Only when your mind is at rest can your body build health. Worry is an actively destructive force. Anxiety produces tension, and tension is the road to pain. Fear is devastating to the physical well-being of the body, Anger throws poison into the system that no antibiotic can ever counteract.

"Be sure you sin will find you out," the Bible states (Numbers 32:23). One of the most common ways that hidden sin is revealed is through the maladies of the body. Resentments and ill will bring about more arthritis than is caused by wrong diet. More asthma is caused by repressed fury than by pollen or cat fur. 

There is no illness in the body of Jesus because there was no sin in His soul. There was weariness as a natural result of labor and sacrificial service, but there was no undo fatigue and exhaustion brought on by anxiety.

Ten minutes of unbridled temper can waste enough strength to do a half day of wholesome work. Your physical energy is a gift from God, entrusted to you to be employed for His glory. It is sin to take His gift and dissipate it through the trap doors of the disposition's evil emotions. 

Do not condemn others for jeopardizing their health by harmful habits and wasting their energies on vain pursuits while you undermine your health by unworthy emotions. You wast time by entertaining such things as self-pity and remorse and evil  surmising when you might be keeping your mind in an attitude of praise and faith. Your mind could be constructively employed, but instead you allow this to be a period of destructive action.

You cannot risk giving your thoughts free rein. They will never choose the right path unless you bridle them and control them by your own disciplined will. You are master of your own house. You do not have to invite into your mind the foul birds of evil thoughts and allow them to nest there and bring forth their young.

Whatever you sow in your secret thought life, that you will reap. Sow love and kindness, and you shall be rewarded openly. Sow charity and forgiveness, and you shall reap in kind. Sow generosity and gratitude, and you shall never feel poor. Sow hope, and you shall reap fulfillment. Sow praise, and you shall reap joy and well-being and a strong faith. Sow bountifully, and you shall reap bountifully. Sow! You shall see your seed and be satisfied.

God wants us to be healed, not just in our bodies but in our minds and our emotions. Negativity only feeds negativity. God's very words says it all I don't need to add anything else.

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.

Deuteronomy 30:19