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This Way To Victory

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But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And He touched his ear and healed him. Luke 22:51

I find myself struck by the power of the message tucked within our opening scripture.

The scene takes place in the Garden of Gethsemane, just after Jesus’ agonizing prayer submitting His will to our Father. The intensity of His struggle produced more than sweat. Crimson drops of blood drained from His pores.

Still, He rose to face His accusers, surrendering His life for you and me.

Matthew 26 tells us a great crowd carrying swords and clubs approached Jesus to arrest Him. His disciples rose to defend Him, and Peter struck the servant of the high priest with his sword, slicing off his ear.

Here we come to our opening scripture.

But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And He touched his ear and healed him. Luke 22:51

I wonder how the crowd must have felt, witnessing this miracle firsthand. They had come to arrest Him for blasphemy. After all, He had claimed to be God, and that idea was impossible. Or was it? Who but God could reattach an ear with just His touch?

How fear must have gripped them! Sadly, it didn’t stop them. Instead, it drove them to press on with their plans, and they killed the Savior who had come to redeem them.

Take a moment to consider this thought, dear one. Jesus intervened on behalf of one who had come to harm Him. The man hadn’t even asked Him to, but He did it anyway. Jesus healed an attacker who hated Him.

I wonder. How much more will He do for one who loves Him?

I pray that thought encourages you. It encourages me. You see, sometimes life seems to offer one hurt after another. Circumstances arise that we would never choose. Trials come that seem to hold the power to end us. They rob us of our breath—sometimes even our will to breathe.

But in those moments, God never forsakes us. In fact, He stands ready to provide for us. But He often waits for His children to desire and approach Him.

I have wept over the promises found in Psalm 27.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident… For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock. (verses 1-3, 5)

He will, beloved. He always keeps His Word. But the key to experiencing His promise and rescue is found in verse 4.

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.

You see, most of us fix our gaze on our circumstances. The things we desire. The people we love. Even on our enemies. And we often find ourselves overcome by disappointment and pain.

But David shows us the way to peace and victory in Psalm 27:4. He set his heart on one thing alone: intimacy with his Lord. He desired to see Him—to gaze upon His beauty—and to hear from Him. As long as David could search out his God and inquire of Him for help, he knew he’d be ok.

And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. Psalm 27:6

David knew his faithful God, and you and I can too.

I have lived the promise of these verses, dear one. Many times in recent years, I have sensed a great army encamped against me. Over and over, opportunities to fear surfaced. The enemy whispered he would take my parents, my son, even my ministry. Illness and discord fought for prominence in my life.

But, like David, I set my gaze upon the beauty of my Lord, proclaiming His promises and inquiring in His temple. And I discovered what he had found.

Peace.

Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

Our Father will not forsake His children, no matter what circumstances suggest.

He implores us to believe Him.

Frustrated With Prayer?

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Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2

Sometimes I get frustrated with prayer.

I probably shouldn’t say that, but I’m just being honest. After all, we live in a society of instant gratification. So we get wearied when prayers seem to go unanswered. And our enemy fuels that weariness, feeding our flesh with thoughts of futility.

It’s hard to have faith when we lose hope.

I know you’ve been there. I certainly have. Maybe you’re there right now.

What situation in your life have you labeled hopeless? What have you stopped praying for because you didn’t see God move the way you’d hoped? What if you’ve given up right on the threshold of your blessing?

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2

Scripture calls us to pray without ceasing—to continue steadfastly—and to watch for the movement of God with thanksgiving. In other words, never lose hope.

I know. Easier said than done.

Especially when the road is long.

A while back, my husband and I met a wonderful Christian couple from Alabama while vacationing. God intersected our paths, and we quickly became friends.

Over the course of the week, we shared our stories and lots of laughter. But I also discovered that a deep pain lurked behind their friendly personalities and bright smiles. One of their daughters had suffered from illness for all of her twelve years.

At birth, because of a hole in her diaphragm, some of her organs weren’t where they should’ve been. Surgery corrected the problem, but it left its mark. Eating remained a constant struggle. Consuming food hurt, so she never wanted to eat. Every meal became a battle. At twelve years old, she weighed only 58 pounds.

Her parents shared stories of God’s faithfulness over the years. Through their hardship, they had been watchful, offering God praise for bringing their daughter through so much.

But they were weary. Twelve years is a long time to watch a loved one suffer. And to experience that suffering yourself as turmoil disrupts your days.

God stirred my heart to pray for our new friends and their daughter. And to rekindle their hope.

We won't believe without hope. Don't let the enemy steal yours. Share on X

After we’d returned home, I was praying for this dear child I’d never met but loved in Jesus’ name. I felt the ache of this family’s twelve years of suffering. And Jesus reminded me of the woman with the issue of blood who had suffered twelve long years. Twelve years of seeking doctors only to worsen. Until one day, Jesus of Nazareth intersected her life and she touched the hem of His garment. Grace poured out from her Savior and healed what doctors could not.

I texted my new friend that April morning to encourage her that I was praying for her, and to share what Jesus had revealed about the woman with the issue of blood. The Spirit stirred my heart that it was time for fresh hope, and I told her I believed Jesus wanted her daughter living free from this burden over food. I would fight the battle with her in prayer.

A few weeks later I received incredible news from my friend. A new medication had stimulated her daughter’s appetite and she was eating everything in sight! She had begun to enjoy her food and would even tell her parents she’s hungry—something they’d never heard from her before. She had also gained a few pounds.

Why do we keep praying, beloved? Because God moves through faith. And you never know when God’s perfect timing will intersect your circumstances—and you’ll receive your miracle. Even after 12 long years—or twenty, or thirty.

Which is why our enemy promotes hopelessness. We won’t believe without hope. And we’ll quit praying. So we miss our miracle.

And he [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?  I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Luke 18:1-8

Beloved, your heavenly Father asks you to consider. If an unrighteous judge will give in to a persistent demand, will not the God who loves you move in answer to your heart felt prayers? He has staked His Word that persistent prayer will move Him, which is precisely why our enemy convinces us to lose hope.

To believe God for something when your circumstances consistently tell you something else requires tremendous faith. And faith is the catalyst that releases the grace of God to pour out salvation (Ephesians 2:8). This is an invitation to trust His heart for you.

So Jesus asks you.

When He looks into your seemingly hopeless situation, will He find faith?

 

Faith that Promises Power!

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For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
1 Corinthians 4:20

You probably love the message found in our opening scripture. I do. It holds a beautiful promise. Our faith isn’t limited to words and creeds. It promises power.

But I have to ask, dear one. Are you experiencing that power?

I think it’s safe to say that many believing Christians don’t. We’ve settled for something that falls short of scripture’s promises. Most of us don’t really live as new creations in Christ. Very few actually witness any miracles. And we have no expectation that anything’s going to change.

But what if God is just waiting for His people to stop settling and take Him at His Word? What if we really could experience moments like Luke 5:26,

And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

Extraordinary moments happen when God shows up. And that’s what we’ve been missing, dear one. We haven’t learned how to carry His presence into every circumstance.

Years ago, God captured my attention with Romans 8:14.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

I’ll be honest with you. For years, I called myself a child of God, but I wasn’t led by the Spirit. I made my own decisions without ever inviting God to participate. And I never experienced His power manifesting in my life.

Beloved, God shows up when we are yielded—when we allow Jesus to take His rightful place on the throne and lead. You see, Christianity isn’t just about acknowledging Jesus is Lord of all. It’s personal.

Real life begins when you choose to make Jesus Lord over you.

That’s what the early church had that many of us don’t, dear one. They were filled with the Spirit, yielding to His leadership. And where they went, God made Himself known.

It began on the day of Pentecost.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4

Do you see it, dear one? Power poured out when they were filled with the Spirit. Suddenly, they had capabilities they hadn’t had before. God’s Spirit enabled them to speak in languages they didn’t know!

Acts 6:5 describes Stephen—the first disciple martyred for his faith— as, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. What did that filling accomplish for him?

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Acts 6:8

When we are filled with the Holy Spirit—fully yielded to His plans and purposes—anything is possible.

That’s why Ephesians 5:17-18 commands us.

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.

Scripture compares being filled with the Spirit to being drunk with wine. What happens when people are drunk? The wine influences and controls them. God uses that analogy so that we can understand what it means to be filled with the Spirit. In Scripture, filled with means to be under the influence of and controlled by.

Are you controlled—or led—by the Spirit, dear one? That’s the only way you’ll access heaven’s power.

The Apostle Paul lived in that power.

And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Act 19:11-12

Can you imagine being so filled with the Spirit—filled to overflowing—that clothing that touched you would carry the power of God’s Presence to others? Many people long for the authority and power that Paul had. But they don’t want to follow the path he chose to achieve it.

You see Paul suffered greatly to live surrendered. 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 offers a taste of it. But through all his suffering, Paul would let nothing come between him and the will of God. Not even death.

When the Holy Spirit warned him and several other believers that going to Jerusalem would mean his death, he went anyway. When his friends tried to stop him,

Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” Acts 21:13-14

Paul did go to Jerusalem and found himself in another jail. Acts 23:11 reveals what happened to him there.

The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”

Our Lord Jesus never leaves a surrendered heart, dear one. In fact, yielding to His leadership causes Him to manifest, just like He did to Paul.

John 14:21 remains my life verse. You see, like Paul, I have lived its promise.

“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

Beloved, God defines loving Him as yielded obedience. And when we submit to His Word, He promises to reveal Himself.

Are you ready to believe that the kingdom of God is more than talk? Do you long to experience its power?

Yield, beloved. Love Jesus through obedient trust.

And watch Him manifest.

Creation Knows Its King—Do You?

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The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Psalm 93:1

 In the beginning God said, “Let there be…” and there was.

Wonder still grips my soul at the thought of it. God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—enjoying perfect fellowship with Himself, decided to create. The Word came forth as He expressed His thoughts. And all things came into being in obedience to the sounds God made.

Amazing. Inconceivable. True.

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Hebrews 11:3

Oh, the power of God’s words!

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:3

And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. Verse 9

And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. Verse 11

In the beginning, all of creation moved in agreement with God’s words. No created thing denied Him obedience. Not even man.

Until the day that man entertained a sound that disagreed with God. Adam and Eve trusted that sound, and for the first time, man denied God’s Word.

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6

Death came to man that day, severing our union with our Maker. Sin bound man’s heart to the deceiver, and God’s Word became veiled to us. Now all the rest of creation still responds to the sound of its Creator.

Man alone does not.

When Jesus—the Word of God Made Flesh—walked the earth, creation knew Him.

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” Luke 8:22-25

Who but their Creator could command the wind and water, dear one? The winds and the waves know His voice. They move in agreement with His Word. They recognize the One who called them into being and commanded them in the beginning.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:1-4

Beloved, creation recognizes the Word that created it.

When Jesus walked among us, water became wine at His command. Bread multiplied in His hands. Every created thing responded to His word, even the bodies of the unwell.

Withered hands grew back. Blind eyes saw. Even the dead discovered life at His word.

Take this in, dear one. The only created thing on earth that hesitates to respond to the Word of God is the deceived human heart.

The only created thing on earth that hesitates to respond to the Word of God is the deceived human heart. Share on X

No wonder Romans 8:19 declares,

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

Creation groans, beloved, waiting for earth’s true sons to emerge. The sons of God are those who respond in obedience to the Word made flesh, who recognize their Creator and—like the rest of creation—choose to live in agreement with His Word.

Until then, creation will always declare its King.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the people worshiped with shouts of praise.

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Luke 19:38-40

Jesus declared that the rocks of the earth would cry out in honor of their King if the people didn’t. His words proved true a week later as He hung from a wooden cross.

The people no longer blessed His Name. Instead they cheered His suffering. The sun refused to shine (Matthew 27:45). And a great earthquake shook the ground (Matthew 27:51).

Creation knows its King, dear one. Man alone rejects Him.

Will you join creation’s song?

 

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Do You Know What Drives You?

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Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 ESV

There’s no getting around it. Scripture calls us to work.

Heartily.

Giving it all we’ve got.

So sometimes we get a little confused when we read the story of Mary and Martha. We see Martha busily serving all who had gathered in her home, and we expect Jesus to commend her. After all, He blesses diligent servants.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.” Matthew 24:45-46

Martha was sure her service would bring her Master’s blessing. So sure, in fact, that when she saw her sister idly sitting at His feet, judgment surfaced. And she brought her frustration to Jesus.

“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” Luke 10:40

Look at the emotion revealed in Martha’s words. Lord, do you not care? Her thoughts are obvious. He should care, because she cared greatly. She cared so much that she commanded Jesus to intervene.

“Tell her then to help me.”

His answer surprised her. And—if we’re going to be honest—often frustrates many of us.

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42, emphasis mine

Mary has chosen the good portion. Mary who sat while Martha worked.

As a former Martha, I feel her pain. I get it completely. After all, someone had to feed those people. Someone had to take care of things.

But Jesus saw something you and I can’t see without looking on the scene through a spiritual lens. He saw straight into Martha’s heart.

Consider this excerpt from Jon Bloom’s Things Not Seen.

To just about everyone else present, Martha’s serving probably appeared to flow from the heart of a gracious servant. But Jesus discerned differently. He saw that Martha’s serving flowed from anxiety, not grace. [see verse 41]

What was making Martha anxious? We know she was anxious about “many things.” But we need only examine our own similar anxieties to guess the likely root. I think Martha was anxious about how she impressed Jesus and her other guests. She was troubled at the thought that her home and serving might reflect poorly over her and her family. And this anxiety blinded her to the “one thing necessary”—listening to Jesus—and made many unnecessary tasks feel compulsively urgent.

This kind of anxiety is subtle. It has a selfish root but its fruit looks deceptively like unselfishness. This anxiety is the desire for approval dressed up to look like the desire to serve. This anxiety is my caring what you think of me dressed up to look like my caring for you. It can be so subtle that we don’t see it clearly. It can look so much like the right thing that we believe it’s the right thing. That’s why Martha was confident that Jesus would agree with her about Mary. (p.58-59, emphasis mine)

But Jesus didn’t agree with Martha. He’s far less interested in the work itself than the motivation behind it.

“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7b

And Jesus saw that while Martha appeared to be serving others, she actually served an inner need rooted in insecurity. That need caused her to serve from anxiety instead of grace.

I have been there, dear one. I have put in hours of anxious work, fully convinced that I was doing it for Jesus. Like Martha, I have even found myself frustrated when others didn’t share my dedication.

Then my precious Savior showed me the hidden attachments of my heart. And I discovered that He wasn’t the One burdening me with tiresome labor. I was.

Jesus comes to give us rest, beloved.

“Come to me, all 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Although Martha did good work, her soul was not at rest. Mary chose the good portion: rest in His presence.

At His feet we learn who He is and see who we truly are. In His presence He sets us free from the fleshly attachments that darken our souls.

Love compels us. His Spirit empowers us. And He lavishes our work with grace.

The Other Prodigal

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Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 1 John 2:9

You’re probably familiar with the parable of the prodigal son.

Jesus told of a son who demanded his inheritance from his father and journeyed to a far country, only to squander it away with wild living. He found himself starving, “longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything” (Luke 15:16).

That sounds about right. Any time we try to satisfy our needs and desires apart from our heavenly Father, we’ll come up lacking. Empty. Starving.

Yet we keep trying.

And that’s exactly what this young son did. He wanted to trade on the benefits his position as a son afforded him without maintaining his relationship to his father. He didn’t want to stay close. He just wanted the property his father’s name entitled him to.

Does that resonate, dear one?

It does with me. For years I did the same thing.

For a long time, I wanted the benefits that come with Jesus’ name—forgiveness, salvation, the Father’s blessing—but I didn’t really want Jesus. I wanted my Kingdom inheritance, but I had no real desire to draw near to God through Him. I still wanted to live my life my way.

And just like the young prodigal, I soon discovered the futility of that thinking.

You see, what our souls really long for is union with our heavenly Father. He is life, and we access that life through intimacy with Jesus. Jesus is the blessing we seek, dear one. So anything we try to enjoy apart from Him —even the good things that flow from His hand— leave us wanting. His presence gives life to all things.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:4

Thankfully, our young prodigal finally came to his senses, realizing that what he’d been looking for was found in his father all along. But he made the long journey home carrying the weight of some extra baggage.

A singular thought compelled him.

I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ Luke 15:18-19

I am no longer worthy.

I can’t tell you how often those words have haunted me. And every time, Jesus responds the same way He did to the young prodigal.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. Luke 15:20-24

I pray you will notice something significant, beloved. The father never judged the young prodigal for his behavior. The only condemnation came from the son himself. His father welcomed him with open arms and simply reminded the repentant son of his true position. He wasn’t a servant and wouldn’t be treated like one. He was a son.

If only his brother shared his father’s mind on the matter. But compassion and joy fell subject to another emotion as he drew near the house filled with music and dancing.

But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him. Luke 15:28

I find it interesting that judgment appears in both brothers but never comes from the father who holds the only right to it. Look at how scripture describes him.

His father came out and entreated him.

Do you see it, dear one? The loving father pursued both sons in the same way, going out to greet them while they still approached. Both received the same invitation to feast with him.

But he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ Verses 29-30

Jealousy never punishes the object of its rage. It only steals from the one who possesses it.

Jealousy never punishes the object of its rage. It only steals from the one who possesses it. Share on X

In this case, it blinded the older son to his own blessing and made him refuse what his father longed to give.

“Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” Verse 31

What God gives to one never takes from another. It’s we who withdraw ourselves from His table by holding onto the sin that separates. We choose judgment over grace. We insist on fighting for our rights instead of letting God grace us with all that is His.

It’s time we come to the table, beloved. Let’s remove every hindrance and run to the Father’s arms.

No one but you holds the power to stop Him from lavishing blessing upon you. He won’t force you to come to the table. But He waits with open arms for you to choose.

Feed My Lambs

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When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” John 21:15 ESV

Do you love Jesus, dear one?

Our opening scripture reveals what Jesus said should be evidence of your love for Him. Lovers of Jesus feed His sheep.

Jesus pressed the point with Peter, repeatedly asking him the same question.

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” John 21:17

God never wastes words.

Three times Jesus connected loving Him with caring for His sheep—particularly with feeding them. And when God repeats Himself, He draws our attention to the importance of His message. He wants us to understand this vital truth: We must feed and tend His sheep.

Ezekiel 34 describes what unfed sheep look like.

Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. Verses 2-5

Weak. Sick. Injured. Strayed. Lost. Scattered. Devoured.

My heart burns as I consider those words, dear one. They reflect what my own eyes see. Those words describe today’s church.

What has happened that the people of God have become so down trodden?

Most feel weak and overtaken by life’s circumstances. Illness and cancers ravage them. Wounds fester unhealed, leaving a legacy of bitterness, pain, and division. Our adversary prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

And he succeeds. Regularly.

And God’s Word says those things result when sheep aren’t properly fed.

So what are we, the sheep, supposed to feed on that makes us strong, healthy, whole, and united?

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

Sheep, dear one, are supposed to hear Jesus’ words. And then follow them.

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4

The church starves on a famine of God’s words. Share on X

We’ve grabbed hold of a few of them, but most we reject or ignore. Instead of aligning our lives with God’s Word, we allow the world’s voice to dictate our beliefs. We hardly know the God we profess to follow. And we ignore His Spirit’s gentle promptings to return to Him. Instead we trust the desires of our flesh while crying out for God’s blessing.

And we get angry when we don’t receive it.

Jesus doesn’t want your words, beloved. He wants you to feed on His.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

Blessing flows when people delight in the Word of God.

It’s time we return, dear one. God calls us to seek it like treasure, and He promises to give us understanding. When we choose to let God cleanse us from sin and align ourselves with His Word, something miraculous happens.

And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.” Ezekiel 36:35-36

Can you imagine it? People looking upon Christ’s church and recognizing that it has become like the Garden of Eden—beautiful, fruitful, and teeming with life?

God spoke that promise in a prophesy of the new covenant He would make through His Son. Eden awaits the people of God when through the power of the Spirit we return to what Adam rejected: living our lives in agreement with God’s Word.

“I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.” Ezekiel 36:36

Do Your Words Carry God’s Power?

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And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 1 Samuel 3:19

Most of us are careless with our words.

We let accusations fly without thinking. We put others down and call it humor. We’re often quick to say things we don’t mean.

I wonder what would have happened if Samuel had been careless with his words. After all, scripture makes an astounding statement about Samuel. God was with him, and He made sure none of his words landed without effect.

Beloved, everything Samuel spoke proved true.

Can you even imagine it? Honestly, with my track record the thought scares me a bit. Where would I be if God had worked that promise in my life? Carelessly spoken words would’ve undoubtedly wreaked havoc in the lives of people I love.

But that’s the difference between most of us and Samuel, dear one. His words weren’t careless. Samuel’s words echoed those flowing from the mouth of God Himself, and that brought about some amazing results.

… and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.

I wonder, dear one. What would’ve happened if Samuel had chosen not to listen when God spoke? What if Samuel had ignored God’s words, letting them fall unheeded? Surely Samuel would’ve had a very different legacy.

But Samuel didn’t make that choice. In a time when “the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision” (1 Samuel 3:1), Samuel heard and lived by the word of the Lord. It wasn’t the common thing to do. No one else heard God speak. But when God spoke to him, Samuel took hold of those words, believed them and shared them.

And God moved as Samuel spoke the word of the Lord.

And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord. 1 Samuel 3:20-21

Don’t miss it, dear one. Samuel’s willingness to hear and share God’s words allowed God to reveal Himself in a place where His presence had been absent.

And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

Perhaps you’re wondering what an Old Testament prophet has to do with you. Some things don’t change, dear one.

Let’s join Jesus and His disciples in the upper room shortly before His arrest. Jesus had just declared Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Then Philip made an unusual request. He asked Him to show them the Father.

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.” John 14:9-11

After so much time, the disciples still asked Jesus to prove Himself. Just give us this one more thing—show us the Father—and it will be enough for us (verse 8).

Only when we make Jesus prove Himself—when we insist on sight to believe—it will never be enough. Consider what they had already seen! The lame walked and the blind could see. They saw Lazarus raised and every sickness healed. But it still wasn’t enough.

Jesus taught about faith in the unseen that leads to seeing. That’s what Samuel had. He believed God’s words, and His faith in them allowed him to witness what he had believed.

And that’s what Jesus wants to see in our day, beloved. He wants followers who hear His words (John 10:27), believe what He says, and then witness God revealing Himself as we refuse to let His words fall unheeded.

Let’s see what else Jesus told them in John 14.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:12-14

Jesus stands by His word, beloved. He means what He says, and His word proves true.

And Jesus said in John 14:12 that whoever believes in Him will do the works that He did. That’s a pretty profound statement, don’t you think? Then He follows it up with grand promises of answered prayer.

“If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

Apparently God doesn’t want to see our words fall to the ground either. But—just like Samuel—God Himself must be the source.

Let’s open our hearts and learn to live by His words.

Releasing the River

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Righteousness will go before Him and make His footsteps a way. Psalm 85:13 (ESV)

It’s that time again. January rolls around each year with an invitation to take stock of our lives. And the same question raises a hopeful challenge: What can I do differently this year that will make my life better?

We have great intentions . . . and usually less than great results.

Not this year. Not for me, anyway. This year I have high expectations, because I’m basing my resolutions on believing God, not on my own works. And faith—real, present, active, living faith—ushers us into the grace and power of God.

Through Him [Jesus] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2

I could stand to witness a little glory, couldn’t you?

We desperately need God to release the river of life. As we join together to pray for His outpouring, I challenge you to consider another important truth revealed in our opening scripture.

Righteousness will go before Him and make His footsteps a way. Psalm 85:13

It reminds me of Hebrews 12:14 (NIV).

Make every effort . . . to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Whether we desire to embrace it or not, righteousness marks the path of glory. If we want to see God pour out on our thirsty land, we’ve got to get on with the business of letting Him sanctify us.

Perhaps you’ll be a little more excited about it when I show you why. You, dear one, carry the power within you that you long to see poured out.

Consider Jesus’ promises to His followers before He ascended into heaven.

“And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49 (ESV)

And what about Acts 1:8?

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Look at how Jesus described that power.

“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. John 7:38-39

Do you see it, dear one? The very outpouring we desire from God is already here! It dwells within us waiting to be released. And it promises more than we could even think to ask or imagine of God.

Revel in Ephesians 3:20-21, asking God to penetrate your heart with its truth.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Take it in, beloved.

God is able to do far beyond what you could ask or think. He does it according to the power at work within you.

We’re not waiting for an outpouring from on high, dear one. God has already poured it out through the cross. Now we’re waiting to see the river released from within you and me.

And that’s why righteousness remains so important. The outpouring will come as the people of God embrace their new nature in Christ and become “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19 NIV).

Every sin we hold onto or habit we justify acts as a dam blocking the flow of God’s power on this earth. It’s time we awaken to our true calling, dear one.

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:2

When you and I decide to comply, there’s no telling what God will do. Only one thing is certain. It will be more than we can imagine.

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