Whatever It Takes

If you are connected at all to the media, you know that our world is falling apart.  Syria is unleashing chemical weapons on its own people.  Egypt is in a dangerous social unrest that has affected the entire world.  Central America is consumed with violence, and the United States' is teetering on the brink of economic disaster.  In your own neighborhood, no matter where you live in the world, kidnappings, drug busts, school shootings, public bombings and senseless murders have become a daily topic of discussion. 

In the midst of the chaos, many have wondered, "Where is God?"

Some cling to their religion instead of God.  Some cling to their morals as testimony to God.  Some are in hiding to find God; others are declaring holy wars in the name of God.

What is it about the idea of GOD that intrigues and inspires us so?

Even atheists, who claim there is no God, spend a great deal of effort on denying his existence... which is somewhat contradictory, considering the fact that it is logically insane to deny the existence of something that does not exist.

So, it brings us back to the original question: "Where is God?"

Romans 1:18-32 (NLT) gives us a great answer:

"...ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.  Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks... they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, [so] he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done..."

We spend so much time looking for, or avoiding, God, that we fail to see the evidence of His power and nature all around us.  We don't really want to know where God is: we want to know how to fix a broken world.

You were created as an intricate being.  Your being is made up of several essential parts: soul, heart, mind, body, and spirit.

• The soul - your personality, what makes you, YOU.
• The heart - your emotions, your dreams and desires, your passions
• The mind - your intellectual capacity
• The body - the physical, ever-dying cage that you are bound to between birth and death.
• The spirit - the God-given life within you

Apart from one another, the individual parts of our being have their own unique functions and attributes, but they are useless unless they work together in harmony.  Our personality influences our emotions and life-goals; our passions and dreams influence our intellectual quest; and within our body we experiment the individuality that these entities create in their collaborations.

Harmony is a innate desire placed in us by our creator.  We desire to live in harmony within ourselves, and to see harmony in our world.  

Yet interestingly, one part functions all on its own: The spirit.

The spirit is the life that comes directly from God, and is only awakened and alive when the spirit of God is directly connected to it.  Without that divine connection, our spirits are dormant.

God told Adam, the first man created on this earth, "Do not disobey my command, because in the day that you disobey me, you will die." (Genesis 3).  In the moment of Adam's disobedience, the Spirit of God was separated from communion with his spirit - God is perfect, and in His perfection, it is impossible for Him to dwell in the presence of sin.

In that moment of separation, Adam's spirit became dormant, incapable of functioning in harmony with the rest of the elements of the person of Adam. As the father of the human race, Adam passed on this innate disobedience to his descendants, and as a result, the spirit of God is perpetually separated from mankind.  We have a tainted existence with an undeniable emptiness; a piece of the puzzle of our lives that, when missing, leaves us longing for completeness.

Throughout history, man has attempted to fill this empty area of his life with substitutions.  Attempting to satisfy the longing of the other elements of his being (soul, mind, body, and heart), he pursues money, sex, individuality, power, education, and relationships.  These may bring temporary relief to the emptiness, and in and of themselves, are not destructive; but they are useless in filling the gap of our necessity, because what we lack is the missing interactive entity of our being that perfectly intertwines with our body, soul, mind, and heart.  Awful consequences such as war, adultery, murder, abuse, poverty, social injustice, and human slavery are bi-products of mankind's attempt to remedy his empty existence.

People will do whatever it takes to fill the void in their lives.

Yet, man does not need to fill the emptiness - he needs to revive what is dead.

This is what Christ referred to when he explained to Nicodemus the concept of being "born again" in John 3:6 --  "Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life."

We were not created by our maker as finite creatures, but as eternal beings destined to live forever.  This body is just a temporary element of who we are on this earth, and is made of dust, and one day it will cease to function and return to dust, but our spirits will continue to exist.  If they are dormant at the time of death, they will not be able to exist in the presence of God, for one must be born again spiritually in order to enter into the gates of heaven.  Those who are not permitted into heaven will spend an eternity separated from the presence of God in eternal torment, a place we have come to know as "Hell."

When we find life through the Spirit of God, we call this being "saved," because we are saved from the fear of spending an eternity of separation from the presence of God.  It is also a salvation from our emptiness and brokenness.  When the long-missing piece of the puzzle is finally revived and put into place, we suddenly realize our meaning for existence and are filled with the hope and life that were intended to have.

Romans 10:9-10 tells us how one can be born again:

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

Are you empty?  Do you feel incomplete?

We live in a world of people who kill mothers, rape children, enslave the poor, and destroy the powerless.  Yet, their deprivation did not begin overnight.  They, like you, felt empty, incomplete, and desperate to find the missing puzzle piece to the haunting emptiness in their lives.  The choices that they made and the roads that they followed in order to find wholeness eventually led to a self-destructive life that destroyed themselves and everyone around them.

So, remember the original question: Where is God?

Many believe that God has abandoned us on this earth, uninterested in our plight and deaf to our pleas.  Yet, those who have found life through Jesus Christ know that this is far from the truth.  God doesn't cause pain and suffering, nor does he willingly allow it; people do.  God has not gone anywhere.  In fact, He is very active in this world. He has provided the solution to the greatest problem of humanity: Jesus Christ reunites the Spirit of God with the spirit of man, and brings back the harmony that we so desperately and innately desire. 

Confess that Jesus is Lord.  Believe in your heart that He died on the cross in order to pay for the disobedience of mankind, including yours, and that by His death you are freed of guilt and shame.  Believe that God raised him from the dead, and be made right with God through your faith in Jesus Christ.

Surrender to Christ, and you will find the missing piece of the puzzle that you have always longed to have.  Find Christ, and you will find the life that will forever fulfill the emptiness.

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Inspired by Group 1 Crew's latest song, "Dangerous," featured on their album released in September 2012, Fearless.

I Know Who You Are

Earlier this year, J.J. Heller released a new song on her album, Loved, called "I Know Who You Are."  It's a simple yet powerful song about trusting God when circumstances don't make sense.



In 2001, I knelt before an altar at youth camp, and accepted the call of God over my life to become a missionary.  At the foot of the cross, I lay down the brokenness of my past and asked God to turn my ashes into beauty.

When my marriage of six years ended in divorce in 2009, I took the shattered pieces of my life and laid them before my Savior, and once again, asked Him to turn my ashes into something beautiful.

As I reflect on the last decade, there are a lot of questions that I would like to ask God, but the most pressing is: How does my brokenness fit into God's perfect plan for my life?

Many times, I have knelt at the foot of a bed, or at the bend of a chair, or in the quietness of a mountain, and cried with tears of desperation: "Lord, I don't know what You are doing, or why you have permitted this to happen ... but I know who You are, and I trust You."

Looking back, I realize that the testimonies that have been formed through the processes of my life are much more powerful than any sermon I could ever preach.

Isaiah 55 is my favorite chapter of the Bible, because it's full of God's reminders to us that it's not our job to know what He is doing... it's only our job to trust Him.  

(v. 8-9 NLT)

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

 (v. 11 NLT)

I send ... out [my word], and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it...

Having faith in what God has promised requires that we don't yet see the outcome of the situation: Faith is believing it what is still unseen; when the unseen is revealed, faith becomes testimony.

Having faith means believing that God will provide for the light bill to be paid, even when you have yet to collect a paycheck, because He knows all your needs before you even present them to Him (Matthew 6:8). 

Having faith means believing that the healing will come, even though the doctor has ordered even more tests, because your victory over death has already been won (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

Having faith means believing that your children will come to know the Lord, even though they have chosen wayward paths, because you have sanctified them by prayer (1 Corinthians 7:14).

Having faith means believing that the night of sorrows will not last forever.  Even though you are walking through a valley of tears right now and you have forgotten the feel of the sun's warmth on your skin and the sweetness of laughter on your lips, you believe that God will take the tears you are crying today and turn them into streams of joy that will overflow with laughter and hope tomorrow (Psalm 30:5-11).

A beautiful name of God is Jehovah-Shammah, which means, "The Lord Is There." (Ezekiel 48:35)

The Lord is not far away in heaven, looking down on your situation.  He is there.

He is not distracted by the needs of others and unaware of your struggles.   He is there.

He is not walking at a distance to avoid your humanness and brokenness.  He is there.

Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you."

Hebrews 13:5-6 NLT

God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

If anyone in history can be credited with believing in God's promises even when the circumstances were unclear, it's Abraham and Sarah.  In Romans 4 and in Hebrews 11, the authors explain why Abraham and his wife are heroes of the faith:

Hebrews 11:8-10 (NLT)

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

 

 Hebrews 11:11 (NLT)

It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.

Hebrews 11:17-19 (NLT)

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again.

Romans 4:20-21 (NLT)

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.  He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

If you are feeling like you are walking a road less traveled without many lamp posts to guide your steps, you are not alone.  Throughout history, God has called men and women like you and me to step out from our safety zones and walk in the unknown.  He doesn't tell us what the road will bring, or what we will experience along the way.  He does, however, make us a promise:

(1 Cortinthians 2:9 NLT)

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 

Maybe we don't know what you are doing, Lord... but we know who you are - You are good, You are faithful, and You are here.  We trust in You.

No Prayer Is Too Small!

This week, I have been preparing for my ministry trip to Mexico.  I will be travelling for two months throughout Mexico, holding leadership conferences for children's ministry workers (you can learn more at http://transformar414.wix.com/transform).

At the beginning of this week, as I was walking through a mall on the way home, I saw some beautiful dresses on a window rack.  “Lord,” I prayed, “I never buy things for myself, but I would really like something pretty for the conferences."

It was a frivolous request, and I knew it.  I knew God would give me everything I needed, but this was something that I wanted, not necessarily a need.  I have lived by faith most of my Christian life and I have seen some pretty amazing ground-shaking miracles.  Sometimes, it’s easier to have faith for the big impossible prayers than to believe that God is interested in the small, insignificant ones.

Two days later, I went out with some friends.  An older woman of our group reached over the table and touched my arm.  “Lacynda, I have a confession to make to you.  As I was praying on Sunday morning, the Lord told me to give you $20.  I argued with Him and told Him I only could give you $15, but He insisted that I give you $20.”

“Wow, thank you,” I exclaimed, and reached out to hug my friend.

She blocked my arms, pointed her finger at me, and sternly said, “Wait, there’s more.  God gave me specific instructions to give you.  You are not to use this money just for anything.   You are to go to the store, and buy you a nice suit.  Maybe even some pretty tops.  Then, wear one of them to church on Sunday.”

I was speechless.  She had received the instructions on Sunday… I had prayed the prayer on Monday.

My mom always tells me, “God is interested in what interests you.” It is true!  The heavenly Father loves His children, and is content to fulfill our needs, but He's also interested in what delights us!  Not everything that we want is in the Lord’s will, and He answers prayers in accordance with what is best for us as His children; still, that should never hinder us from asking, because God always answers: it always comes in the form of "Yes", "No", or "Wait".

Never think that any prayer is too small.  Your heavenly father is delighted when you come before Him with simple requests.  Big prayers are important, but no prayer is too small for God!  He delights in you, and loves you!

Zepaniah 3:17

“The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”