Remedy

The world is a hot mess. The USA is a hot mess. Let’s see, just when I thought there was a light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, it’s on a rampant surge in India. There’s finally some justice for George Floyd, but at least 6 more Black people have been killed by police. What is the remedy??

The world needs a GIANT intervention. I find myself crying out to the Lord with ever increasing frequency, how long? How long will we go on destroying each other? How long until this virus slithers back into the pit of hell?

The remedy? Jesus come back! In the meantime, we are the body of Christ, we are the Kingdom citizens on earth as in heaven. We know what God loves. He loves justice, mercy, humility. Let’s do these with passion. Let’s fight for the poor, the orphan, the widow, the foreigner, people of EVERY tribe, tongue, nation. If we don’t do it, who will?

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’”

Matthew 25:35-36

Posting at FiveMinuteFriday.

Repent

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 3:2 ESV

Biblically speaking, repentance is absolute and ultimate unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign. In repenting, one makes a complete change of direction (180° turn) toward God.

In order to repent, you need to recognize you are lost and need a Savior. This is what happened in my life on that day 15 years ago. I couldn’t take one more step in the direction I had been heading for 26 years. I finally realized that, without God, I was utterly lost, going the wrong way down a road of destruction I didn’t want to be traveling on. The only way for me to get back on track was to turn around and go back to the place where I took the wrong turn.

My wrong turn was leaving God. My course correction was admitting I was lost and turning back to God in repentance. The best part? I didn’t have to retrace a single step. The minute I turned back, God was with me. Immediately. Why? Because God is rich in kindness and forbearance and patience. His kindness led me to repentance.

‘Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? ‘

Romans 2:4

As we say goodbye to 2020 friends, I would ask you one simple question. Where are you? If, like me, you find yourself on a road to destruction, turn back. God will be there. He’s always been there. Kind, forbearing, patiently waiting to lead you to repentance.

Happy New Year ♥️

Love

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:1

After my dad died and before I met Jesus, I wanted love. I wanted it really badly. There was just one small problem, I didn’t really know the full scope of the word love.

When my dad died, my sense of love died with him and so did my “relationship” with God. I lost my anchor. Love became distorted. I became so desperate to be loved, I was willing to accept any twisted version of love that came my way. Over the course of 26 years, I unsuccessfully searched for love. I experienced heartbreak after heartbreak, every one of which added a layer of granite around my heart until I became so hard hearted, nobody could break through my wall. Until I met Jesus.

Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all  entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.

CS Lewis

When I met Jesus, I met love. He broke through my hard heart and gave me the courage to begin loving others again. Unconditional love requires courage because, if you’re doing it the right way, you will get hurt. That’s the scariest bit for me. But the beautiful thing is, I’m not doing this love thing alone anymore. It gets easier with each passing day. And with each passing day, even in heartbreak, love makes life worth living. I am so very grateful.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends…

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Be encouraged today friends!