When life breaks you down Jesus is still there

 A couple of months ago, I was walking along the beach close to where I live. I was really deep in thought, I had a really bad day at work and really just felt so down (more like defeated) about a lot of things in my life. Suffice it to say I was really going through it and felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. I started to pray, and tears started to roll down my face and I was asking God to show me He is still there. And as I continued to walk, I happen to look down, to the side of me and written in the sand was "Jesus Loves You". I could barely believe my eyes,  I know in that moment, this was the message my heart needed most. I needed to know that God was still there and saw me in my time of struggle. I thanked God for letting me know He was still there and still listening.  I decided I had gone far enough and started heading home. I looked up, the sky was so beautiful as the sun was setting and there was a cross in the sky. Now, I was smiling. I went from being heavily burdened to feeling a sense of peace and calm. It's amazing how God really does know how to show up when you need Him most! 

A few weeks later, I decided to go to South Florida for a last minute trip, its not easy being so far away from where you grew up and all of the familiar things that make a place feel like home. Every once in a while, I need to experience them again and ground myself. I decided to visit one of my favorite churches. I was so blessed when I arrived to find out that it was praise and worship night! I was so excited, this is one of my favorite things about going to church. I have always loved choir and praise team and just singing my little heart out - it is always the happiest moments for me and when I feel most connected to God. But this night, I sang like I never sang before. It's funny how when you are wondering around in a metaphorical desert for so long and then you experience rain, but not just any rain - more like a flood. God's flood of love. That's what happened to me this night. I never cried so hard while singing in my life. It's crazy how a change in environment can make such a difference. When you live in a place where you are constantly being bombarded by negative things, everyone is out for themselves and the "me first" mentality- it really has a way of breaking a person down. We are in a spiritual battle whether we see it or not. I have never been more convinced that we forget how we are not just fighting the physical things we can see but there are other evil forces that are seeking to destroy each of us. I know, for a little while there I had forgotten this fact. I found myself so beaten down but God reached His hand down and pulled me out of the metaphorical mud I found myself sinking in. That night in Fort Lauderdale, was the fresh start that I didn't know I needed. I needed to let go and let God start to give me back my purpose and meaning in life. I needed to be reminded to that He was enough and He was bigger than all my problems and not to rely on humans as much as I was but to lean more into Him. Most importantly, I had to stop trying to solve all my problems on my own. There were far too many surmounting that I could not keep up with the sheer volume. God uses these moments in life to bring us back to that place of surrender.

It was revealed to me once again, everything I have been fighting for had not been in vain that there was a reason for the struggle. There were lessons I had to learn - albeit they painful to go through. In order to grow and transcend where we are, we have to go through a metamorphosis.  For me, my heart had been so heavy for so long that I didn't even realize the moment I let it go how light I would feel again!  LET IT GO!  I love how Jesus shows us He is real through the little things. You just have to be paying attention and listening! He shows each and every one of us that he cares and is watching over us even if we think He isn't. I walked into church feeling like I had been carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders and walked out with a refreshed, renewed soul - a new start! 

Part of being a christian is being real and authentic, not hiding when you struggle but speak out so others who are struggling just like me don't feel alone. None of us are perfect, none of us have this thing called life completely figured out. We are all learning as we go! 

“It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.”

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭

Maybe you are reading this right now and you are going through something heavy right and you too feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulder. Can I encourage you? Throw it all down at Jesus' feet. Bow your head and pray your with all your heart. Sing like no one is listening. Let it out, cry it out! He may not give you a message in sand but I guarantee He will show up in a way you never expected. Just remember Jesus is just a prayer an away. 

“Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭94‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭

Pleasing Man or God?

 I recently heard while listening to a sermon – it was stated that: “When we displease God to please people we are doing something wrong.”

 

This got me thinking, I have always heard it said that we should help and do things for others so in a sense the bible does call us to be a sort of people pleaser and to turn the other cheek. However, there is a point where this can be taken too far. When we do something seeking human approval or please a human being only; this is where we have the propensity to take things too far or are doing them for the wrong reason. 

 

Human nature is a funny thing, isn’t it? We all have a desire to be well liked, accepted and be respected by our peers. This is a common thread for all of us. It provides a sense of community and belonging. If we are seeking human approval, it becomes a curious thing because you can do everything in your power for someone and they can still reject you. Most of the time, there is just no pleasing everyone. We will be disappointed by people and they in turn will be disappointed with us.

 

I think about Jesus and some of the examples he provided for us with some of His interactions with his disciples in the bible. Let’s first take Judas, he had a front row seat to everything Jesus had done, he heard his teachings, saw the miracles he performed and got to do everyday life with Jesus. Yet, when Judas betrayed Jesus by kissing him on the cheek, Jesus was not wrecked or devastated by this. Let’s take Peter, who Jesus had warned would betray him 3 times before the rooster crowed. This was a fact known and expressed ahead of time and yet Peter denied him. What about when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested, he asked the disciples to pray with him. They did not even last an hour to stay awake with Jesus. 

 

I had never thought of these interactions before in this light. Jesus was never devastated, he never got angry or blamed them. The bible describes in Matthew 26:37-42, Jesus as sorrowful and troubled and His spirit was overwhelmed as he was facing going to the cross. On top of this fact, I cannot imagine in that moment how disappointed Jesus must have felt in the people he was closest to – they deserted him in his hour of greatest need.  What about you? Has anyone deserted you in your greatest hour of need? How did it make you feel?  Imagine all the feelings you would have in that moment and yet Jesus never held a grudge against any of His friends. His hope was not in people but in God the Father and staying focused on the task that was before Him. People always have the ability to let us down but God never will!

 

“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

Matthew 26:36-42 NIV

 

As I was listening to this sermon, I was thinking about what the motives were for Judas, Peter and the disciples praying in the garden -What were they? Did they at any point get brutally honest with their own selves about how they failed Jesus? What about us, do we get brutally honest about how we fail Jesus all the time? Man, it becomes so clear how broken and undone as a people we truly are. None of us are prefect and none of us are able to 100% of the time control our emotions and treat people with love when they let us down, especially those closest to us. It takes a lot of spiritual integrity to be able to self-assess and see your inherent need for Christ in your life! We are a fallen and broken people.

 

To dig a bit deeper into the idea of motives - are we truly being conscientious about why we do what we do? I know I am not all the time; I often jump from one thing to anther during the day because it’s what expected of me to do this or that. We get caught up in the “should and the ought” to do lists. I know for me; I rarely stop long enough to really check in with myself during the day and I have been convicted to the folly of this mindset. We also need to be careful of what the motives and intentions are as we make these many decisions throughout the course of our day. Before we know it, we may end up digging a ditch for ourselves and not even realizing how we got there. I know I have done this a time or two! (*shakes head*)

 

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Galatians 1:10 NIV

 

We should live to please God, first and foremost. Do not put so much stock in what others around you are saying. God may have asked you to do something that no one else can understand, do it anyway! I think of Noah, God told him to build the biggest boat that the world had ever seen. All the people around him laughed at him. Told him he was crazy. Noah did not put stock into what man said he was solely focused on doing what God told him. Jesus is another example of how he did not let those around him distract him for His higher calling! 

 

Sometimes God picks those of us who everyone does not think can do the task that He has laid before you. There are so many examples in the bible where God did this very thing! As an example, King David, a little shepherd boy who killed a giant with a sling shot and was elevated to a king. He had the hand of God on him, but he sure had his fair share of short comings.

 

“Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;”

John 12:42 NIV

 

John 12 really hits the nail on the head about the fear of what people think! Can you imagine giving up a relationship with Jesus solely based on what people may think of you. That is what happened to those Pharisees. They put more stock in people around them. I know I have experienced feeling this way before, where I was more concerned about what others may think of me or how I may offend someone and held that in higher esteem. As I am writing this, I am so deeply convicted! I am just like everyone else, with my short comings and failures. I may be well intentioned in many things I do and come from a good place but that may not always translate outward. As a result, I am grateful that God is more interested in the WHY we do what we do- as that is what is truly deep within our heart. 

 

“To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Proverbs 16:1-3 NIV

 

In closing this post, God is not really interested in what we do but is more interested in the why we do it. Be aware and brutally honest with yourself about why you do things. As that why – will be where the true growth can happen. Where God is the mirror in your heart and shines a light on a part of you that needs repair. Lastly, don’t put so much stock in what people think about you, keep Christ at the center of your focus. Don’t let doing good for others take you down the path of people pleasing. Don’t get caught up in doing things for the wrong motives.

 

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”

Proverbs 29:25 NIV

Cost of Faith

 

I was recently scrolling through my feed on Facebook and I came across a person talking about the reason they believe in Christ. They cited that no other religion had so many people who were willing to give up their life for what they believed in. I decided to take this to google and see what it had to say on the matter...

Answer: “According to historical records, Christianity is widely considered to have the largest number of martyrs, particularly during its early persecution periods in the Roman Empire, where many Christians were executed for their faith.

After Christ’s death, his 11disciples + Mathias who was believed to have taken Judas’ spot plus a few others mentioned in the New Testament lost their lived for the cause of Christ. (there will be a short list compiled below) 

Imagine the scene back then, there were two major aspects against the new followers of Jesus. First, you have the Roman Empire who were persecuting the new Christians because they were preaching against the idols and pagan worship they were involved in. Second, you had the Jewish religious leaders who were persecuting the new Jewish converts who believed in Jesus because they stated they were violating the Jewish law. All of the followers of Jesus after His death in about 33 AD, had a lot stacked up against them. In fact, they had to endure being thrown in prison, stoned to death, beaten, dragged to death, tortured, crucified, beheaded, cut in half, stabbed and I am sure there are additional ways that I am not listing. Back in those days, the Romans were quite creative with the many ways to kill a human being. It would seem the more gruesome the better. Try to imagine, knowing you could face certain death if you opened your mouth to speak out about Jesus? I know for me, it’s hard to imagine this growing up in America where we had always prided ourselves in religious freedom for all. I will say that lately, I am starting to see a backlash against the Christian community unlike I have ever experienced in my life thus far. I am certain that this will not be the end of it and it will continue to get much worse. There are people to this very day, that are being killed for being a Christian in various parts of the globe. We never really get to hear much about this except for in church where missionaries in foreign fields report back.

I am not trying to make this post about gloom and doom but simply a call to urge you to open your eyes and realize the situation we are in right now. Now is the time to know why you believe in what you do and the reasons you do. Now is the time to stand up in your faith and openly profess! Now is the time to wake up to see what’s happening in the world around you and come alive in Christ – because those of us who are Christians have something so amazing inside of us and that is Christ Jesus! 

 Let’s consider, the apostles and the other followers of Jesus such as Paul. The 12 disciples, got to talk, walk, and do life with Jesus, they saw him die and saw him rise again along with 500 other eyewitnesses. They got to hear him speak /preach and watch as he performed miracle after miracle found throughout the eye witness accounts through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

I want to take a moment to talk about Paul (also known as Saul) he is one of my favorite as he had such an amazing transformation in his faith. Saul was his name before he had his own personal encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Saul was of Jewish faith and a Roman citizen and on top of that a Pharisee (religious leader). Under the Roman command, he was killing new Christians just after Jesus was crucified and rose again sometime after 33AD onwards. He was literally hunting and killing them to preserve the Jewish faith. He believed the new Christians were blaspheming against the Jewish law. During Saul’s time as a Pharisee, there was a man named Gamaliel who was also a fellow Pharisee who advised the Sanhedrin. Gamaliel, believed that if the teachings of these new Christians were false, this fad will resolve and fade away naturally. (I am paraphrasing here) He also said that if these teachings were from God, you would not be able to stop these Christians as you would be fighting against God himself.

Read this interesting exert: “But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.”

Acts 5:34-42 NIV

Saul was on his way to Damascus hunting Christians, the bible literally says Saul was breathing out murderous threats again the Lord’s disciples, when he had his encounter with God. There was a light that shown from Heaven and a voice that asked Saul –“why are you persecuting me?” See Act 9 for the whole story. Saul asked : “who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” After this encounter Saul, was blind for 3 days. God called to Annanias in a vision to go to Saul. Annanias was afraid of Saul’s reputation but still went anyway and heeded God’s call. Annanias went to Saul and laid his hands on him and said: “Bother Saul, the Lord Jesus wo appeared to you on the road as you were coming here - has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.” 

From this point onward Saul was known as Paul, he was a changed man and a follower of Christ. He preached throughout the land the good news of Jesus and telling his story to all who had ears. What a story it was! He underwent a HUGE transformation, from murdering Christians to being one of them! 

 It struck me, as I was thinking on all of these martyrs and those who had encounters with Jesus directly, their faith was off the charts. Can you imagine seeing your teacher whom you have been following being whipped and beaten thrown up on a cross, died and then rose again? Wouldn’t you be screaming from the roof tops what you saw and want everyone to know? I know for me, I would! 

And instantly, as I am writing this, there it is the pain in the heart – why don’t you and I live like this? If we did, can you imagine, this world would be a different place!!!! 

As I close this post with the names of the early Christians and how they died, let’s consider the cost of what Christ has done. Let’s reflect on the fact that what Gamaliel said some 2 thousand years ago came true. That this was from God because it overcame every odd even the very threat of death could not hold back the case for Christ. Suffice it to say, the early Christians had to believe with all that was in them what they saw, experienced and witnessed and that had to be worth dying for! So shouldn’t the same be true for you and I?

No other religion can boast this claim, and no other religion has such a rich backed up history than the Jewish faith and Christianity which were brought together through the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

 List of Martyrs (not comprehensive by any means) that died for the cause of Christ that were mentioned in the bible as preaching and spreading the word. It should be noted that all of these Apostles death were not mentioned in the bible but since these are actual people who lived, there are outside accounts for their death, yet again making a strong claim on its own.

 

This Lis of some martyrs mentioned in the Bible + all 12 disciples where only one was spared a gruesome death

(in no particular order and not comprehensive by any means) 

1.   Barnabus – attacked by a mob and beaten to death while preaching

2.   Paul (also known as Saul, as I described above) – beheaded at Nero’s hand for preaching the Gospel

3.    Peter (Disciple) was crucified upside down as he did not feel worthy of dying the same way Jesus did.

4.   Matthew (Disciple) - it is believed he was stabbed to death

5.   Mark -it is believed he was dragged to death

6.   Luke – he was hung

7.   James (Disciple) – stoned and clubbed to death at the age of 90

dk James Son of Alphaeus (Disciple) - stoned to death by the Jews while preaching

J8 Thaddeus  (Disciple) –it is believed he was decapitated

9.   Stephen one of the first Christians to die – stoned to death

10 James brother of Zebadee (Disciple) – Killed By Herod Agrippa

11 Philip (Disciple) – Crucified

     Mythias- it is believed he filled the space for Judas (Disciple) – stoned and beheaded

13 Andrew brother of Peter (Disciple) -crucified

14Thomas (Disciple)  -stabbed to death

15Simon the Zealot  (Disciple)-it is believed he was crucified or he was cut in half

16Bartholomew  (Disciple)– it is believed he was either cut in half or beheaded or combo of both

 

1   John (Disciple) was believed to be the only one spared and went on to write revelation

Your heart is the wellspring of your life

  As I was driving the other day along the Revere Beach. There was a ton of traffic after a long day of work I just wanted to go home. There was a large vehicle in front of me and another large vehicle to my left and the beach to my right. As a result, I could not see the entire cross walk I was passing at about 10-15mph. There was a man trying to walk across with his beach chair that I was not able to see. He started running after me and screaming waving the lawn chair he was carrying in the air. To my dismay, I was not able to move very far as I was stuck in traffic. I watched in my rear-view mirror as this man kept approaching and getting closer to me, meanwhile he was still flailing the lawn chair in the air making motions that he would hit my car with it, not to mention he was screaming he would do it. In that moment, I did the only thing I could which was grab my phone and ready myself to call 911 and brace for impact as there was nothing I could do and nowhere I could go. I am thankful to report I did not have to call the police and he finally went his own way. But this experience left me wondering, what in the world would make someone go off the handle over something so small? The funny thing was, I never actually got truly close to him. You cannot imagine the onlookers watching this scene unfold. I could not make this up if I wanted to!! Nothing was intentionally done to this man however, he freaked out and in a pretty BIG way. I get we all get frustrated every now and then, but take a deep breath and you will get yourself a nice spot on that beach - I promise - it's not going anywhere! I think I will coin a new term #LawnChairGuy! He will forever live rent free in my mind. :)

 

How have we (as a collective people) lost touch with so much? Where has our humanity gone? Where we replace kindness with entitlement and lack of empathy. When we place so much emphasis on ourselves, we elevate our own wishes and desires above everything and everyone else. We want what we want, we want it now and that is that. I would venture to ask; do you guys think he was a genuinely a happy guy overall? I will submit to you, from my perspective that is clearly a no for me. Do you think many people want to be around someone who behaves like that? I certainly did not want to meet him on the beach or sit down and have a friendly chat. Actually, if I wasn't afraid of him- it may have made for a more interesting story. It would have been nice to know what was going on in his mind in those moments ---it will forever be a mystery!

 

The way you and I treat people, is a reflection of your own heart. What spills out of you into the world around is your behavior. Your behavior is dictated by your heart. There is a definite link between the two. You and I live in a culture that has removed the spiritual meaning and God from our lives. It has left so many feeling hopeless, without purpose, lost sense of belonging and identity. If there was ever a generation so lost it's the one we have now. So many are looking for meaning and purpose to their life and they are being told there is none; we are here by accident. (this post goes along nice with my previous post Battle for the Soul)  

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”

Proverbs 4:23-27 NIV

 

The way you treat others is the wellspring of your own heart! It’s a direct reflection of what’s happening inside of you. In the verse above, God gave us clear instructions on how we can live a successful life and not to be ensnared into the traps the enemy sets for us. When you are faced with a situation where you feel like you may lose your cool, remember the #LawnChairGuy. In this moment, think to yourself: Is it me? Take a moment to check-in with your heart.  It may be you, in that moment that needs to change and not the other person.

 

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Luke 6:45 NIV

Battle for the Soul

I have been watching the world around me for quite some time. It’s an experience to walk around a city like Boston and people watch. I was going for haircut and decided afterwards I would take a quick stroll through the Boston Common, America’s oldest park. Its right in the heart of the city. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining and there was a cool crisp breeze. I remember feeling great, nothing like a haircut to put a bounce in your step! I would look on at people passing me by and nod my head and smile at them. It was such a strange phenomenon because people would like at me and there was no change in facial expression. Some would even look away or look at me like do I know you? Like how dare I smile at them. There were a small few that smiled back, these folks were certainly in the minority and were few and far between. It made me shrug my shoulders and keep on my merry little way because there was no way I was going to let this beautiful day go to waste. As I kept walking, my mind wondered as I started thinking about these strange encounters. It occurred to me; you know those movies that show a person in live in living color but the rest of the world is in monochromatic? This was what I was experiencing, but in real life! As I continued on my way, I started paying even closer attention to people. Some of these people almost looked like they were not in there – you know that saying lights are on but no one is home? This saying described perfectly what I was experiencing. What is happening in the world around us?  Why are we becoming so incredibly disconnected? Like they are numb and just going through the motions.  

This thought has been rolling around in my mind, and just a few days later I was sitting at lunch with Co-workers. We were sharing some of the difficulties about life and one of my co-workers made the statement “We are not here for a purpose; we are just a happy, random accident – therefore you just got to make the best out of it”. When these words were said immediately something in my soul ached. Yes, the soul because this was so much deeper than just the heart. It was like I could feel God present in that moment and it was breaking His heart. Nothing will steal your joy and purpose for your life faster than feeling like you are here for no reason and no purpose. What is the point to all of this? 

 

“All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

John 10:8-15 NIV

 

 

I love this depiction of the way Jesus looks at us – he gave up His life for us because of His love for us. Do you know anyone else who is willing to step in your place to pay for all the wrongdoing you have ever done in your life? Taking into consideration this different viewpoint, I personally do not want to pay for someone else’s wrongdoing.  (Good thing I am not God!! ) In addition, imagine the kind of love you have to have for a person to be willing to lay down your life! Let’s take this thought a step further, that is exactly what Jesus did for you and I! If more people truly understood the power in this, it would change and transform them from the inside out. It’s hard to imagine this kind of love in any human capacity because it's beyond our own understanding. We cannot in this human body imagine a perfect love. It's not until you have a personal encounter with Jesus does that change. 

If you are reading this wondering how any of this makes sense, I challenge you to ask God to reveal himself to you. Seek out truth with an open mind and I promise you will be blown away. God will reveal himself in a small quiet way, as that is His nature.

 

Continuing as we look at the passage above, Jesus also states that there are deceivers that have come to try and take the sheep away from God. It goes on to say that these deceivers when the tough gets going, they are not in the fire with you. They will run away. What in society can you think of where this rings all too true?  There are some that look to celebrities or athletes, or influencers that preach alternative lifestyles and who offer you their meaning of life and this list can go on and on. Do you think any of these people would ever be capable of dying for you? Do you think they would willingly do so? Certainly not. Whatever you are placing your trust in aside from Christ will not give you that pure love, acceptance, hope and meaning to your life that you are seeking. Nothing will ever satisfy but Jesus in that God shaped hole in your heart. Christ is the giver of meaning and purpose! The rest are deceivers! This is the reason so many are walking around lost and dead inside. It was quite the revelation for me. 

 

There are so many aspects to life that are trying to destroy you and I on the daily – steal our purpose, our joy, our contentment, our trust, our love, our families, our bodies, our peace of mind, our emotions and even our country – the bible warns us many times about an enemy that is actively seeking to destroy us. Watch what you consume on social media, TV and music and so many other sources. There are many deceivers about and they are not looking out for your best interest but their own! We need to be vigilant to protect ourselves from all of these attacks because this is a battle for your soul whether you realize it or not! It's a battle over your life, over your mind and to steal your purpose and belonging right out from under you. 

 

In closing, we are all in a battle every day for our meaning and purpose, we all are held to this earth by this imperfect body. We have all failed in some way or another and all have done something wrong. We have to deal with sin in our lives and we can choose who we will subscribe to. The choice is ours will it be -the deceiver who uses every kind of snare to destroy you- OR-  Jesus, the one who loves you so much that He is willing to give His life to set you free- the choice is ours but may all choose wisely!

 

 

“This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 5:14-15, 17, 19-20 NIV