A Seamless Canopy

Posted on September 28, 2015 by suemariericker

I heard this phrase, “a seamless canopy” used in an online prayer recently, and I cannot begin to tell you how much it resonated with my heart, particularly after a rather unpleasant encounter with an online shyster (though he definitely wrote a lot of the right words).  Rather than defeated, I feel educated and more aware of the enemy’s (satan) strategies.  And instead of cowering in shame for my naiveté, I am going to share some of the things I learned with you.

And lest you think, “that could never happen to me”, I have a scripture for you:  “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).    

Because:                                                                                                                                               The Holy Spirit warns us through the apostle Paul to “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles [strategies] of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).

Satan is deceitfully cunning and strategic—and he is brutal.  Fix in your mind the images that appeared in the news recently of Christians beheaded for their faith and realize that our enemy would like to do that and even more to every follower of Christ.  We do have the amazing confidence, though, that we are of God and “He who is in [us] is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).  And we cling to the knowledge that, “If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?…Who is he who condemns?  It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:31-32, 34).  “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:35, 37).

Facebook has some pretty good security measures one can take to protect their account against intruders.  I thought mine were set high enough and I could recognize when some unsavory character sent me a friend request (I have since changed my settings to “only friends of friends” who can send me friend requests).  I also did not realize that anyone could view my profile page (I thought it was set so that only friends could)—that has changed now, too.

I also understand that there can be areas in our lives where our “security settings” may be much lower than we think, where demonic predators can stalk us and pull punches that we just do not see coming.  Areas where abuse once defined us, sin once held us, temptation challenges us, and pain may weaken us. 

In writing to the church at Ephesus, Paul admonished, “…do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26, 27).  In the same chapter he writes about blindness of heart, lewdness, greediness, deceitful lusts, lying, stealing, and the words that come out of our mouths, along with bitterness, anger, clamor, and malice.  These are just a few of the places where we the enemy can stalk us. 

Recently, I heard Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:25, taught with a different perspective than I have heard before.  “Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.”  Our teacher then referenced 1 Peter 5:8 to identify our adversary, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  Before you dismiss this as crazy talk, let me tell you a bit about my conversations with the person who got a lot of my money, and tried to get more before his true nature came out—I believe he has some demonic connections.   

This person approached me (on Facebook) as someone in the military (I have family in the military so this is something near and dear to me).  He tried to spark romance, a vulnerable place in my heart but I was much more cautious about my heart than my money.  He told me that I had issues with money, which I can readily agree with.  When he started tampering with my heart, I began surrendering my heart and my emotions to Jesus, asking for His redemption.  The Facebook “friend” talked about believing in God.  He seemed to have the right words when it came to the military and deployment; so when he asked for a loan, I sent it.  When he asked for more money, there was an explosion of fireworks and red flags in my heart and I refused to give it.

That’s where things started to go downhill.  I gave him money the first time because of Jesus’ instruction, “Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back” (Luke 6:30).  He didn’t like my scriptural reasoning based on the book of Proverbs for refusing to send him any more money, though—do not lend more than you are willing to lose, don’t lend expecting to be repaid, and (a personal application) do not lend what I don’t have—as it was, I was in the conundrum between Jesus’ words and the fact that the money I sent conflicted with my determination to not put a loan on my credit card, because there is ample evidence that God does not want us to be in debt to anyone (“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8).

But like I said, there has not been clarity in my heart about money and romance—and maybe, just maybe, something inside of me wanted to try to keep up the façade of what seemed to be a friendship.  However, when I told him that the Bible had to be my guide and started to give him biblical reasons for my decision not to send any more money, he became accusatory and told me that the Bible is not for that purpose, to be a guide.  Really? 

He called me selfish.  I ran to Jesus, my Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1), and asked Him about that—I asked my Redeemer to forgive me and cleanse me if there was any truth in that accusation. 

The man told me that I wasn’t supposed to judge and he referenced Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  The Holy Spirit reminded me, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit….Therefore by their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:18, 20).  Satan also quoted scripture in the Garden of Eden and to Jesus in the wilderness.

The adversary called me a hypocrite and self-righteous.  I told Him that self-righteousness will send a person to hell but I have a righteousness not my own:  “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.  For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:21-26).

I can agree with the adversary about who I was but not who I am—I am justified in Jesus.  Yet I am not perfect—in fact, “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”—however, when the enemy makes an accusation, I run to the judge (Jesus, Acts 10:42) to see if it is a lie or if there is truth to the allegation. And should the charge be true, I have God’s word that, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8, 9).  And the enemy no longer has access to the place in my life that he thought was his, because it is under the blood of Jesus and the Savior’s redeeming, cleansing power!

Sometimes in the broken places of my life, the deep wounds in my soul, I experience an inability to think clearly.  I am so grateful that Jesus came “…to preach good tidings to the poor…to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive, and to opening of the prison to those who are bound” (Isaiah 61:1)!  I also appreciate the apostle Paul’s perspective about weakness:  “…And He [Jesus] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.  For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10).

In those moments when clarity seems to evade us, it is important to recall, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).  Although some other translations say “take every thought captive to obey Christ”, I like this one (NKJV)—“bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” because this is the obedience of Christ:  “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).

I think this is the longest post I have written!  I let you inside of my life here, primarily to acknowledge that we have a vicious, cruel enemy who exposed his true nature in his parting words to me.  He was not kind; he was not honorable, though that is who he purported to be—and no wonder because “satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

I pray for the seamless canopy of God’s grace and Christ’s redeeming blood over my life, the lives of my family members, each one of you, and the body of Christ, His church.  May we always listen to His Spirit and surrender to Him in order to ensure that it remains seamless!

Sue

 

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come,  for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.  Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them!  Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea!  For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time”                         (Revelation 12:10-12).

 

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Three Years…

Posted on September 22, 2015 by suemariericker

I have been hoping to write something to recognize the upcoming 3-year anniversary of Saeed Abedini’s imprisonment in an Iranian prison.  I think most Christians recognize his name and understand that he is an American pastor, unjustly held and tortured for his faith.  I feel a little strange writing about this after my recent post which mentioned, but was not about, an elected clerk who was jailed in Kentucky for taking a stand defending biblical marriage.  The point of my last post was about support for one another in the body of Christ.  And the point of this post is not about the controversial nature of imprisonment for one’s faith (I have heard some condemn Pastor Abedini, contending that he got what he deserved).  My point is—how are we going to bear one another’s burdens if we focus on judgment or criticism?  How are we going to obey the instruction, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”? (Galatians 6:2).

If we are well acquainted with scripture, how can we possibly believe that following Jesus is safe?  Do we have the same courage as Peter and John who, after a lame man was healed through the power of the Holy Spirit and their ministry, after they were arrested and threatened, boldly declared, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19, 20).

There will come a time when the scriptures, when obeying God while experiencing religious freedom, will collide with the culture and laws of man, because unredeemed mankind may consider what they are doing is right and just, but if it isn’t aligned with the Bible, it is wrong!  And we may think that in those moments of dilemma we will make the right decisions; however, if we do not know God’s Word and honor it as such, we could very well make the wrong ones.  If we are “leaning on our own understanding” instead of trusting God with our whole heart, it will be much more difficult to make right choices.

Naghmeh Abedini (Saeed’s wife) called on Christians to focus their prayers, along with fasting, for the twenty-one days leading up to September 26, the anniversary of Saeed’s imprisonment—not only praying for him but also the persecuted church all over the world.  Here are a few of the points on which she suggested we focus our prayers (quoted from her profile page on a social media site):

  • “Consider fasting. Choose one day, one meal or one thing to give up.  Let this time remind you to stand in prayer with #Saeed and the persecuted church.”
  • “Call a friend, family member, or prayer partner. Spend time praying for one another’s families.  Next, pray together for the grace of God to surround families who suffer for their commitment to Christ.”
  • “Pray that hearts of the persecuted will experience the rich and deep comfort of the Lord. That His love will be an outflow of light even in dark places.”
  • “As an individual or a family, choose one entertainment activity to skip today. Use this this time to pray together for the persecuted church.”
  • “Write #Hope on your hand. Let it remind you to pray for hope, deepened faith, and a renewed awareness of the Love of God to surround the persecuted church and Saeed.”

Self-denial is a foreign concept in a culture driven by indulgence and a philosophical system that rejects self-deprivation, particularly in regards to “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16).  Yet by the grace of God, my daughter and I have been able to join our hearts and our prayers with the Abedini family by giving up some things for a time.  We have seen personal strongholds shaken and have experienced the enemy’s attacks attempt to discourage, defeat, and destroy us.  But guess what?  He is a defeated foe and we are victorious!  We have begun praying together and satan and his minions cannot possibly like that—however, God’s grace and power we will continue to grow in our warrior stance.

A couple of other things I want to mention for consideration; Wednesday, September 23, is Yom Kippur—the Jewish day of atonement.  I recognize that we are no longer bound by the Old Covenant religious system of worship; yet it would be a good day for us to pray for the Jewish people, that they would recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah and come to repentance.  …that the church in this age would be “clothed with humility”, and that we would humble ourselves “under the mighty hand of God” (1 Peter 5:5, 6).  …that we would “put off, concerning [our] former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of [our] mind[s], and  that [we] put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

The other thing I want to mention is a recent post by Naghmeh Abedini:

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST:

Dear friends,

I have been invited to attend the joint meeting of congress on September 24 in Washington DC where the Pope will speak. It is something that came up unexpectedly during this time of prayer and fasting and I believe it is from the Lord. Would you please pray that if it is the Will of God I would be able to meet with the Pope to address Saeed’s imprisonment and to share what the Lord lays on my heart to share? I am doing a 3 day Esther fast for the meeting and will be taking in only liquids. Please feel free to join me if the Lord leads you.

Thank you! God Bless you all!

Naghmeh

Let us consider joining her in prayer for this amazing opportunity!

Thanks,

Sue

SaveSaeed

(To read an interesting article on the legal ramifications surrounding Kim Davis, click here.)

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Shouldn’t be Surprised…

Posted on September 20, 2015 by suemariericker

…and yet sometimes things happen that just really take me off guard—and can be a problem when I am vulnerably positioned, either physically or emotionally, where I can be thrown off-guard by the enemy’s tactics.  The apostle Paul wrote these words to caution the Corinthian church, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

A situation has been brewing and building over the past few weeks that ended up with the loss of a lot of money and an abusive, vulgar verbal attack.  I have learned some important things through all of this; particularly some strategies I hope will equip me for the days ahead when Christians everywhere will experience the scorn and ridicule of increasingly pagan or hostile societies.  I believe with all my heart that the most important outcome of these types of situations is not “how to avoid fraud or abuse”; rather, acknowledging that there are still some vulnerable places in my heart, places that the enemy is all too aware of and will probably mount a campaign against to destroy me—yet my Redeemer lives always to make intercession for me (Hebrews 7:25), nothing can separate me from His love (Romans 8:39), and it is He who supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory! (Philippians 4:19).

Here are several things I know about the enemy:  He doesn’t fight fair, he is subversive (2 Corinthians 11:3).  Satan and his minions seek to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10); and he walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).  Yet there is just one simple thing that will render his attacks useless—it is our faith.  “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4).

It is so important to be equipped for battle!  It is essential that we “put on the whole armor of God, that  [we] may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11, 12).

The enemy tries to get us to lay down our swords, that piece of our armor we can use aggressively to fight off his attacks.  In my situation, I was accused of being self-righteous, of using the Bible in a wrong way, trying to attack this person—I guess his perception is accurate, though I didn’t think so at the time.  I actually thought I was defending my position with scripture—but my shield is faith and the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit.  The writer of Hebrews also confirms, “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow” (Hebrews 4:12).

The thing is, there are no valid instruction manuals for life other than the Bible.  If we lay down God’s Word, all we have to go on are our emotions, the opinions of others, our own reasoning, and the whispers of the enemy—so of course he doesn’t want us to know and study the Bible! …of course he doesn’t want us to consult scripture for wisdom in the confusing times!

I’ll tell you what broke my heart the most about this situation—this person professed to be a Christian; and when the dialogues began, we seemed to be in agreement about what it means to serve God.  I think of this scripture found in the book of James:  “But no man can tame the tongue.  It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.  Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not to be so…” (James 3:8-10).  An untamed tongue used for cursing others is evidence of a life not submitted to the redeeming power of the cross.  “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.  But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:3-7).

Two other things came out of this experience that I want to share.  First, is that we need to recognize one of satan’s primary identities—he is a relentless accuser of those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus (Revelation 12:10).  Words are twisted and intentions misrepresented.  Jesus stood silently as his accusers reviled and beat him; sometimes we need to remain silent in the midst of the accusations hurled our way.  We always need the grace and discernment of the Holy Spirit in our lives to know when to speak and what to say.

The other thing is forgiveness.  Jesus taught, “I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…” (Matthew 5:44).  This is possibly one of the strongest things we can do for the kingdom of God! –to forgive and pray for those who curse us and spitefully use us.  To pray for their salvation.  To pray for healing and restoration.  To pray for deliverance from the strongholds of the enemy and a revelation of God’s forgiveness and power.  To sense the Holy Spirit’s presence and feel Jesus’ amazing love and grace.  Because we do not want enemies, we want fellow heirs in the hope of eternal life.

romans2

Posted in Abuse, Bible, Christianity, Conflict, Faith, Forgiveness, Fraud, Love, Persecution, Prayer, satan, Spiritual Warfare | 2 Comments

The Words of My Mouth

Posted on September 9, 2015 by suemariericker

I mentioned in my last post that the best words I can write are not my words but God’s Word.  Yet, by the grace of God, I have the opportunity to share my thoughts and my words here.  My thoughts and the attitudes behind what I write are very important and I do not want to communicate anything that is self-righteous or judgmental.  I also will not compromise the truth revealed in the Bible, God’s Word.  I believe that the Word of God is inspired, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative—and that God’s justice is both righteous and compassionate.

That being said, I read a post by a Christian recently condemning the clerk in Kentucky, Kim Davis, for her stand against gay marriage, going to jail instead of violating her faith.  The writer essentially contends that making her stand was easy to do while defending and protecting children who are dying around the world is difficult.  That, of course, is assuming that Ms. Davis’ only act of faith is taking a stand for biblical truth.  I know nothing about her life, where she goes to church, how she spends her free time, what the Holy Spirit is speaking to her heart…in fact, all I can assume comes only from my understanding of the choice she made regarding gay marriage—I know nothing about her relationship with Jesus except that she is not willing to give into society’s pressure, criticisms, or judgment.  By the grace of God, may we all be that way!

How we treat other Christians is important, in fact the apostle Peter wrote through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:  “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever….Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 1:22, 23; 2:1-3).

Unity and sincere love of the brethren comes through obeying the truth, by the Spirit, and through the Word of God, which lives and abides forever.  …not opinions about truth, not judgment nor condemnation, not an interpretation of scripture that gives permissions that God, in His holiness, does not.

Paul wrote this to the Galatian church:  “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this:  ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” (Galatians 5:14, 15).

It gets a little tricky when unity means, “you need to agree with me and then this just might work out.”  God has given us the Bible, dictated by the Holy Spirit to His appointed scribes, as a basis for our faith.  However, I have read arguments and been part of systems that discredit portions of scripture or redefined biblical passages to suit their personal passions or beliefs.  The apostle Paul wrote, “And He Himself [Jesus] gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God…” (Ephesians 4:11-13). 

But we must not stop there with that passage; he goes on to write:  “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ…” (Ephesians 4:14, 15).

When we speak truth it needs to be with love.

We also need to know the truth to avoid getting carried away with “every wind of doctrine” and the trickery of men.  Paul wrote to Timothy, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,” –a couple of for instances:  “forbidding to marry [which has nothing to do with gay marriage because Paul makes very clear in Romans 1:26-32 God’s opinion of homosexuality…and interestingly enough, the  Holy Spirit includes in this judgment not only the ones who practice this lifestyle but also those who approve of it] “and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (1 Timothy 4:1-3).

So how can we recognize followers of Jesus?  He tells us:

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31).

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:8).

Jesus’ instructions are clear:  we are to abide in His Word, have love for one another, and bear much fruit.  As God’s children and Jesus’ disciples—and for those of us who are Christian writers/bloggers—let us consider the words of our mouths and the words we write, making sure that they are acceptable in God’s sight.

setaguard

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What a Friend!

Posted on September 5, 2015 by suemariericker

I’ve been sitting here off and on for a couple of days looking at a post I started a few weeks ago but with no clear direction how to finish it.  There are times when this happens and I end up deleting the whole thing; I’m not convinced that’s what I should do this time, but at this point I’m not sure when it is going to get done.

As I was laying on my bed with kind of an ache in my heart thinking about what I should write, the words of the old hymn echoed in my mind:

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

The story behind the hymn, written by Joseph Scriven, is one of tragedy, grief, and faith.  …somethings every one of us face at one point or another in our lives.  Whether faith will be our outcome is up to each individual.

I have seen some public calls to prayer recently for several difficult situations—and I believe it is important to join our hearts and our prayers for others who are struggling, who are persecuted, or facing crises.  I believe the many voices joining in supplication do touch the heart of God.  But I believe the silent cries from breaking hearts also summon the Shepherd of the sheep out to the single one, alone, isolated and grasping for hope in the midst of turmoil.

We must not read this passage, understanding that it speaks of salvation, without recognizing the heart of our Shepherd:  “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:4-7).

David understood a personal relationship with the Shepherd:  “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake…” (Psalm 23:1-3).

In the midst of actual and spiritual warfare David recognized:  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell.  Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me in this I will be confident” (Psalm 27:1-4).

Sometimes the best words I can write are not my words at all; they are the Word of God!

Sometimes the best prayers we can pray are the silent cries in our hearts…  “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses.  For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26, 27).

Sometimes the only thing we can rely on is not a thing but Someone we cannot see or touch, trusting that “all things work together for good to those who love God…”, that “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”, and nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (Romans 8:28, 37, 39)

Today, in the midst of everything that is happening in the world and in our lives, it is good to recall the Holy Spirit’s counsel through the apostle Paul:  “Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!  Let your gentleness be known to all men.  The Lord is at hand.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7).

And…

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

~ Joseph M. Scriven

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A Time of Refreshing

Posted on August 29, 2015 by suemariericker

I haven’t posted anything for a while—it isn’t because I haven’t sat down at my computer with every intention of writing; I just keep drawing a blank.  Oh, I might start out with a direction or a “vision” of something the Lord was placing on my heart, it is just my passion would begin to fizzle after the first few paragraphs and I would forget what got me started writing in the first place.

My ability to write most often is related to the time I spend quieting my heart and shutting out distractions—not always easy to do, especially since there are a lot of things going on in my family right now.  My relationship with Jesus starts my day, though when I let social media or e-mail infringe on my time, the quality of time also diminishes along with the quantity.

The Holy Spirit counsels through scripture, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  The Lord of host is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge” (Psalm 46:10).

Speaking from experience it is very easy to allow the many distractions coming at me each day to short-change the moments I have to quiet my heart, to know God in every circumstance of my life and hear His voice.  As I write this blog, I must acknowledge that it is not about me, it is about Him, about knowing Him, and exalting Jesus and His purposes for our lives—and that means stilling my heart and listening to Him.

Yet it is so easy to slip into my diversions that they become exalted in my life by the time I am allowing for them.  That is not to say that the internet or my hobbies or other activities are bad (they may be, though), the issue has everything to do with what is being given precedence in my life; who or what am I exalting in my time or my attention?

Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.  Therefore I run thus:  not with uncertainty.  Thus I fight:  not as one who beats the air.  But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Sometimes it is easier to discipline ourselves with physical exercise because we are motivated to look good, remaining healthy and active, than to keep up with the spiritual disciplines necessary for a vital relationship with God.  Yet for a dynamic relationship with Jesus we must treasure the time we get to spend with Him.  It is essential to stay focused, with determination, on our Savior and our mission in this life.

The trick of course is to get our hearts involved instead of just establishing a legalistic formula for being a Christian.  Unfortunately, so many of the unChrist-like offenses committed by some in the name of Christianity are done by those who don’t really know Him, who haven’t spent time searching the scriptures, understanding that the Bible—all of it—testifies of Him.  …and when we start getting to know Him, we want to know Jesus more—more about His personality, the things He values, and the lifestyle that is pleasing to Him.

I often forget that we also have an enemy who seeks to derail our relationship with God—and the enemy is strategic in side-lining us from fulfilling God’s purposes for our lives.  It is not just me fighting within myself to follow hard after Jesus, because the Holy Spirit also cautions through the apostle Paul, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesian 6:12).

The safest place to be in this world is “near to the heart of God”.  No matter what is going on around us we need to draw near to God, surrendering to Him the things that destroy our usefulness for His kingdom.  We must not let sin or compromise with righteousness hinder our witness or silence His voice in the stillness.  “Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7, 8).

One must be blind or unwilling to see the rampant evil loose in the world nowadays.  Now more than ever the world’s point of view will seem to make more sense than God’s point of view.  Let us decide together to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10), not allowing “the world around [us] squeeze [us] into its own mould!” (Romans 12:1 JB Phillips).

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“Just Because…”

Posted on July 31, 2015 by suemariericker

  I think most people, whether they are Christians or not, recognize that there are natural consequences for many of the things we say or do—some of those consequences are good, some, not so much.  As I hear news reports and observe the course of events within the United States, I cannot help but think about the consequences many ancient nations experienced as they rejected the God of the Bible and embraced the satanic “deities” of immorality, pleasure, opulence, greed, folly masquerading as “wisdom”, indulgence masquerading as compassion, and demanding personal “rights” while rejecting the admonition to “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).

            The unveiling of the demonic “statue” in Detroit this past week ignited my thoughts about God’s responses to idolatry as recorded in the Bible.  The interesting thing is that I did not think we would see idols, as such, in this day and age—not recognizing the pervasiveness of Buddha “statues” displayed somewhat naively as art, yet representing false religion.  Other statues that divert attention from our omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent  God are statues of the “blessed virgin”, a woman who lived and died with no other honor than to carry the life of the Son of God within her body—an honor we all may enjoy through the power of the Holy Spirit, if we so choose.

            I read an article published online by Charisma news stating that satanists at the satanic temple do not actually believe in satan.  I don’t know; though I am pretty sure that some do and some don’t—it doesn’t really matter.  According to the article, this is what they believe:  “The group views the devil as “a literary figure, not a deity—he stands for rationality, for skepticism, for speaking truth to power.”  I can also imagine that satan is quite content having people doubt his existence—essentially giving him more power in their lives, and he is about the power!

            As appalling as the demonic idol appeared to me as a Christian, I appreciate that a physical representation is given to the evil bound up in some of the gods of this age—the rationalism, the skepticism, and the ‘truth’ which is a lie.  “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).

            “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  For the Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:21-14)

            “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4).

            The Old Testament offers many examples of the consequences of idolatry—although I initially began my study of the word “because” focusing on all people and nations, I realized that scripture records primarily judgment executed on God’s chosen people.  As much as we would like to condemn at of those “pagans” within our society or culture, it is important to consider where we personally may harbor idolatry in our hearts.

            “And when you tell this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us?  What is our iniquity?  What is the sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’  then you shall say to them:  ‘Because your fathers have forsaken me, declared the Lord, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, and because you have done worse than your fathers, for behold every one of you follows his stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me…” (Jeremiah 16:10-12).

            The pagan barbarism of ancient civilizations is prevalent even now, as evidenced with the recent revealing of the Planned Parenthood videos.  If anyone has had any shadow of a doubt about the destruction of life caused by abortion, these exposés should convince Christians of its evil nature.  “Because the people have forsaken me have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents…. [I] will cause their people to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life” (Jeremiah 19:4, 7).

            The apostle Peter also warns through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.  And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.  And in their greed they will exploit you with false words.  Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (2 Peter 2:1-3).

            Solomon wrote, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).  Knowledge will increase, technology continues to advance and yet the idolatry and the evil that characterized ancient civilizations continue in the hearts and minds of those who reject God.  Let us, as His church, His people at this critical time in the earth’s history stand strong in the grace and knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ—“so that He may establish [our] hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:13).

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A Repentant Heart

Posted on July 20, 2015 by suemariericker

            Recently, an acquaintance expressed some rather disparaging opinions about relationships on a social media site and it drew my thoughts back to the Garden of Eden.  I admit that I am divorced and have made some poor relationship choices in the past so I can, to some degree, understand his frustration though my perspective comes from a female point of view.  However, in the long run the only point of view that matters is God’s and the fact that we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

            The breakdown in relationships began at the beginning of human history when Adam blamed God and the woman for his predicament while Eve blamed the tempter and the temptation—from the very beginning, mankind has wrestled with guilt and the ability to say “I did it” while being complicit in disobeying God.  It is much easier to focus on the offenses of others than recognize the anger, bitterness, or rebellion in ourselves.  Yet how can we possibly expect fallen human nature to behave any differently than that nature dictates—both in expectations we have of other people, or in ourselves?

            It is easy to think, “I am better than that” without recognizing that we are no better than “that”.  Every person has his or her own strengths and vulnerabilities and oddly, we tend to be critical of the weaknesses we see in others that mirror our own.  Or we fall captive to a spirit of pride that whispers, “Thank God I am not like them!” 

            Although we may not see it as such, we have a propensity towards comparing ourselves to others—the Holy Spirit grants us discernment when we seek Him, yet criticism and judgmental attitudes are evidence of the brokenness of sin in our hearts.  Lurking behind our words or our attitudes is the notion that we are either greater than or (not quite so often) less than those whose lives or actions we are quietly assessing.

            The Holy Spirit cautions through the apostle Paul, “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves.  But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise….But ‘he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’  For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends” (1 Corinthians 10:12, 17-18).

            I grew up in a home where sharp comments and criticisms were frequently expressed—attitudes that I was accustomed to hearing became an integral part of my nature.  I confess!  It became so very easy for me to judge others by my opinions and what I thought were my strengths—and it is so very difficult just to zip my lips!  Yet we cannot let our backgrounds or the brokenness of others define us—we just cannot!  …because Jesus came to redeem and redefine our lives:  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

            I often forget, though, that repentance is an integral part of our relationship with Jesus, and necessary to becoming more like Him.  I often share 1 John 1:9 in this blog—honestly, my study and what I write here is what the Holy Spirit is speaking to my heart and the reminders He gives me about my relationship with Him; that when a gap appears and grows in my experience and relationship with God, I need to return to Him in humility and repentance, allowing Him to cleanse my heart—for when we confess our sins He forgives us and cleanses us from unrighteousness.

            The Holy Spirit gives us, in the book of Revelation, some essential areas where we need to hear His voice and turn back to God:

            “…you have left your first love.  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works…” (Revelation 2:5).  I think it is good to ask ourselves frequently if we have the same passion for Jesus as when we first realized the bleakness of our lives and accepted His hope and His sacrifice for our sins.  …or have we slipped into a religious coma, going to church, singing the songs, criticizing the saints and condemning the “heathen” without the passion and compassion that only comes with intimacy with our Lord.

            “…you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.  Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.  Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth” (Revelation 2:14-16).  Idolatry and sexual immorality are rampant today, though many either do not recognize their exaltation of the gods of this age or they “handle the Word of God deceitfully” (2 Corinthians 4:2) to excuse immorality.  The doctrine of the Nicolaitans crept into the church allowing compromise with, and conformity to the immoral logic and behaviors of society—how prevalent is that even now!  We, as Christians, must guard our hearts and minds with the truth of God’s Word and not let the perversions of the enemy distort our thinking.

            “…you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols….Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds…” (Revelation 2:20, 22).  Besides immorality and idolatry, Jezebel represents pleasure and prosperity with a focus on “the finer things of life” instead of God—a “prosperity gospel” sounds enticing yet it is unbiblical.

            “… ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.  Remember therefore how you have received and heard, hold fast and repent” (Revelation 3:1-3).  What an indictment against many of us who sit in pews, looking alive but not quickened by the power of the Holy Spirit!  As easy as it is to point my finger at “them”, there are times when I experience death in my Spirit and I need to repent for allowing distractions or hardness cloud my view of Jesus.  I do not want my life to be about “works” and doing the Christian life without passion for the Savior.  Remember how you received Christ?  “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving” (Ephesians 2:6).

          “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I could wish you were cold or hot….Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with salve, that you may see.  As many as I love I rebuke and chasten.  Therefore be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:15, 17-19).  God desires to cover our culpability—He take no pleasure in exposing the shame of our sin and brokenness.  Sometimes, though, we do not see how desperately we need His redemptive work.  The epistle of James (2:5) records, “Listen, my beloved brethren:  “Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”  The value system of this world is upside down in contrast to the kingdom of God; however, the Holy Spirit commands us to be zealous for God, seeking His kingdom and His righteousness. 

            This wasn’t an easy post to write because I’ve been struggling with the sin in my own heart.  I am so grateful, though, that when I do sin, I “have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1) and when I confess my sins, “He is faithful and just to forgive [me my] sins and cleanse [me] from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

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THAT Woman!

Posted on June 30, 2015 by suemariericker

Life has taught me that there is no “one size fits all” journey towards healing and restoration.  In fact, well within our human nature—and man-made religion—is the proclivity towards developing formulas for fixing all of those things that ail us, both inside and out (just check out all of the diet/weight loss/exercise programs available!).  For those of us who have seriously struggled at times, when someone tells us that all we need to do is clean house and then we won’t be depressed or glibly makes a “religious” statement in the midst of a personal crisis, we are often left with a sense of inadequacy, isolation, and guilt.

Sadly, the broken parts in our lives are not only affected by personal sin, but also the sins of others—such as twisted religions, broken relationships, or abuse.  My journey included in-patient treatment, antidepressants, counseling, and several years of rebellion while not believing in the sovereignty, capability, and love of God.  However, God’s amazing grace and goodness penetrated the darkness in my soul and He delivered me from the destructiveness of my fallen humanity, and He continues to deliver me from the deception and despair of human/demonic religion.

An acquaintance posted an article recently quoting a politician that implied (or said, I’m not sure) that single moms should be publicly shamed.  I am not at all hoping to make political statements in this blog and I do not know much about the politician, the statement, or the circumstances of the quote; however, I was immediately reminded of the instance in the life of Jesus when some Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in the act of adultery; they asked Him what they should do with her—hoping to trap Jesus while bringing public shame and humiliation on the woman.

Jesus’ response was to say, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” (John 8:7).

Sometimes people do not see the broken spots in their own lives and think that they are without sin, or their sin is not as bad as others’—Jesus gave an example of this in the parable of a Pharisee who prayed, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector…” (Luke 18:11).

However, in the story of the woman caught in adultery—after some time in the presence of Jesus, the accusers slipped out one by one, beginning oldest until the very last one left (sometimes when we are younger it is difficult to recognize our own sinfulness), as the Holy Spirit and their consciences convicted them.

Although the Pharisees were a Jewish sect known for strict adherence to the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic law (as well as their own traditions), pharisaical attitudes often pop up in the thoughts of Christians nowadays—you can recognize them by their rather sanctimonious, self-righteous, or judgmental tones.

Jesus identifies the problem as an issue of the heart when He admonished, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.  Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27, 28).

What makes it so difficult for us to grasp our own hypocrisy is the focus on the faults and failures of others while over-looking our own impatience, our own covetousness or greed, our own secret lust or immorality, our own dishonesty or corner-cutting with integrity, our own critical attitudes or judgmental words.  The Holy Spirit is eager to show us the truth about ourselves though, if we are willing to listen—and making ourselves at home in God’s Word exposes us to the truth that we are either the Pharisees, eager to pick up stones or THAT woman on the ground at Jesus’ feet.  Every one of us needs His forgiveness and cleansing but not everyone recognizes his or her need.

Now, perhaps more than ever, it is essential to see ourselves in the dust at Jesus’ feet, caught in the act by the Holy Spirit—yet touched by the grace and forgiveness of our Savior.  However, His forgiveness does not give us the right to pick up stones to hurl at others.  And it is only after the woman received His forgiveness that Jesus instructed her, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more” (John 8:11); and He disclosed how to do that as He went on to tell all who were listening, “I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (v. 12)—this speaks of lifestyle change!

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness….My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.  And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 1:8-9, 2:1-2).

Let us, as His church, reflect the heart of the Savior to our troubled world and heed His counsel to, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28, 29).

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Broken Curses

Posted on June 16, 2015 by suemariericker

Some experiences, some conversations, along with some quiet times recently, brought to the forefront of my heart something that happens all too often in the lives of believers (all people, really, but we as believers have a hope and healing for our souls that others do not have—and psychology, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, cannot offer).

Into the lives of the victims of abuse, whether physical, verbal, sexual, religious, or emotional, comes the messages that we are bad, we are not good enough, we are not loveable or lovely, or there is something inherently wrong with us as human beings.  Even those who come from “good” homes, careless or cross words can wreak havoc with a child’s emotions and identity as God’s child, “…His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Before conception God knew us and from conception He formed us—we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”; we are marvelous, for we are His workmanship, and His thoughts towards us are innumerable and precious.  Yet the world and the enemy bombard our lives with quite different messages, often coming to us in the form of curses, “You always…”, “you never…”, “you are…”, “you aren’t…”, “I wish you would…”, “I hope you…” just to name a few.  Oftentimes words spoken to us in anger or frustration hang like heavy weights around our necks, reminding us of their messages at vulnerable times and when we least expect them.

Proverbs 26:2 states, “Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight.”  Life has taught me that the one whose mission is to accuse believers of just about anything he can come up with, hopes to find a way to convince us that the “curses” and the difficulties that “alight” on our lives just as a matter of “life happening”, likes to use the phrase, “it’s your fault!”  Yet the Holy Spirit assures us through the apostle Paul, “…giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14).

Often the curses spoken by others and whispered by satan are birthed in anger or hatred and reflect the accusation, “this is what you should be and you are not!” or “this is not how you should be!”  This type of condemnation focuses more on who we are instead of what we do, attempting to disqualify us as valuable, and denying our individual uniqueness—designed by our loving Creator.

Legalism also provides a stepping-stone for curses, and unfortunately many “laws” that are generated from religion do not have their birthplace in the kingdom of God.  “Should-be” or “should do” instead of “Christ did” are indicators that we are laboring under a curse:  “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’  Yet the law is not of faith, but ‘the man who does them shall live by them.’  Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:11-14).

The life of Joseph is a beautiful illustration of broken curses—neither the evil plots of his brothers nor the enemy’s accusations could alter God’s purposes for his life.  In fact, God used the adverse situations and negative relationship dynamics to accomplish His purposes for Joseph’s life, the Israelite nation, and ultimately God’s plan for redeeming mankind.  Joseph’s response to his brothers is a testimony of the sovereignty of God and forgiveness:  “Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?  But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.  Now therefore, do not be afraid…” (Genesis 50:19-21).

Forgiving the people who hurt us is an essential aspect of freeing our hearts from the power of their words and actions because satan works through unforgiveness to keep us in bondage, affecting our relationship with God, and separating us from the love and forgiveness that our heavenly Father offers.  “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25, 26).  I recognize that sometimes the offenses against us may seem too heinous to forgive, yet as we see our sinful condition before God and receive His forgiveness, the Holy Spirit is able to work forgiveness for others into our hearts.

Many people are familiar with the story of Corrie ten Boom, imprisoned by the Germans during WWII and losing her family during the atrocities of the Nazi regime.  She wrote, “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.” (Corrie ten Boom, Clippings from My Notebook)

Receiving by faith the salvation and ministry of Jesus, who came “to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound…” (Isaiah 61:1), enables us to ignite the process of healing and restoration.  Immersing our minds in God’s Word, the Bible, assists us in our journey of faith.  Jesus taught, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. …Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:31-32, 36).

Breaking free from the lies of the enemy often is not an easy undertaking when much of life and society seem to confirm them.  Yet scripture teaches that we are the children and heirs of God (Romans 8:16, 17), we are more than conquerors through Jesus (Romans 8:37), we are sufficient in God (2 Corinthians 3:5), we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10), we are sons and daughters of light, not darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:5), we are in Him because we keep His word (1 John 2:5), and we are of God, though the whole world lies under the sway of the enemy (1 John 5:19, 20).

Let us continue to fight the good fight of faith, believing in our God-given identity and the amazing destiny He has for each one of His children!

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