Best Christmas Gift Ever

When Jesus was born the Israelites knew that the Messiah was coming soon. "How did they know?," you may ask. Because even though there had been no word from God in 400 years, they had been given a timeline. The prophet Daniel told them when to expect the Messiah to arrive. (Daniel 9:24-27) The prophet Isaiah told them how it would happen. (Isaiah 7:14; Matt 1:23)

So when the shepherds, the least desirable people to be around, received the announcement they ran to see if it was true. When they found Jesus they spread the word of the angel's proclamation and what they found. (Luke 2:8-20) They continued praising God. What a revival in a time of oppression!

Further in Luke 2, we see Simeon and Anna, both known to be righteous and devout who proclaim they saw the Messiah. Don't you think the priests would have heard their conversations before and after they saw the Messiah? Sadly, they totally ignored this. 

Then the wise men arrive on the scene. From Matthew 2, we see Magi, or royal astrologers, coming to Jerusalem looking for the new king. Reading between the lines and putting the pieces together, we know they were wealthy. In that case, everyone in the city would know of their arrival because of the large entourage that came with them.

When Herod finally schedules a meeting with these men, he has already gathered information from the priests. Have you ever noticed that none of the priests go with the Magi? The men who knew what signs would accompany the Messiah's arrival end up turning a deaf ear. Were they repeating their ancestors' actions? (Psalm 78:35-37)

Have you ever wondered what your reaction would have been? Would you have been a shepherd, or a Simeon or Anna? Running to see God's salvation come to life? Or, would you have been a priest? Standing back and just saying, "Yes, yes, we know that. You go see and let us know so then we think about going." Truly not caring that God had fulfilled the promise they had taught about.

Let's update this thought. There is talk that another revival is coming to this country before the return of Jesus. I believe this. The question to ask ourselves... will I have a priestly response or a shepherd response? Do I know all the signs to look for yet pass it off as nothing because my church life is where I want it to be? Or will I look for the change to happen and grab hold of the dynamics of the revival?

When the population that we think are lost or less likely to burn with the fire of the Holy Spirit starts praising God and shaking things up, how will we react? Let's give it some thought in this season as we celebrate the act of God becoming man as the best Christmas gift ever.

Am I Like Jonah?

The story of Jonah is known by churchgoers of all ages. A man of God was told to go to a city filled with people Jonah could not stand. I once heard that most Hebrews, along with Jonah, couldn't stand that place because the Assyrians living there would impale Hebrews, then hang those bodies at the city gate as a warning to other Hebrews.

When you think about it, who would want to go to a place where you know you will be hated and, possibly, could face death? But God was doing something in that city and He asked Jonah to join Him in that effort.

So the question I felt God point out to me the other day in regards to Jonah was, "Are we refusing to do something God is asking of us?"

Has God asked you to forgive someone who injured you emotionally? He has asked me to do that, many times. It wasn't easy, but I spoke the words several times. And, actually, anytime I remember the pain or begin to dwell on it, I repeat the words of forgiveness again. Maybe that sounds weak to you, to repeat words of forgiveness. But, I can tell you that each time I do it, there is a lightness in my spirit that wasn't there before. (John 5:38-48)

Maybe for you, it's not forgiving a wrong, maybe it's something else. Is God asking you to speak to someone you dislike? Or someone you consider an enemy? 

I think of it this way. How many times have I turned aside rather than cross the room to speak with someone that turned my stomach? How many times have I refused to speak a kind word to someone who was shunned by others? How many times have I turned the other way rather than seeing the reality of the hurt that was happening?

Do any of these sound familiar? Maybe we can relate to Jonah more than we realized. I'm seeing that I can.

Before we condemn ourselves, there is good news, and hope. Just like with Jonah, God gives us time to come to our senses. And when we do... He uses us just like He used Jonah. Notice in the story (Jonah 3) that God didn't go ahead and destroyed Nineveh without Jonah giving the warning. No, God waited for Jonah to wake up and be willing to give the warning.

God will use us once we realize we need to turn toward that action he wants is to take. We are not terrible because of our hesitancy. We are learning the acceptance of God to our struggle to follow His directions. This is great hope for all of us.

What Happens When You Die?

That's a big question many have. And because they cannot answer it, they fear dying. When you think about it, it can be scary, losing everything we know and understand to something we don't. The anxiety over this loss is so great that people attempt to put off what essentially is a guaranteed future event. The truth is at some point every one of us will have our earthly bodies cease to function.

So where did our fear begin? 

Years ago, in order to get my children to obey, I would warn them of the prospect of death if a certain action was taken. You know the statement... "You could die if you do that." One day immediately after speaking those words, the Lord told me, "That's why people fear death."

It took time of changing my wording and my perceptions to get to a point where I stopped fearing the prospect of death. I don't know how I'll die but being dead is no longer a problem. 

Perhaps you are among the many who see death from the physical aspect only. You know... the vital organs stop working, the physical body is silenced and non-existence begins. But, an earthly death is not an end. Think of the stopping of the human heart and lungs as the key to entering the door to eternity that takes us into the spiritual realm. It's a realm we sing about and maybe talk about, but most of us don't see it until our earthly bodies cease to work. In truth, it surrounds us even now. 

Before we go further, let's look back to a key historical turning point. Hades held the dead captive due to the sinful nature of man. When a person passed away, there was no more contact with God. But, when Jesus died, He rocked the place. Once He arrived in Hades, those who believed in Him as Messiah - Savior - were able to leave. (John 5:25-29; Matthew 27:51-53) Those who believe in Him now, never experience that separation.

When a loved one dies, it is often spoken that now they are in heaven and resting. I wish that were true for everyone. But, the fact remains, to get to heaven you must take the Jesus path. It's the only way through. If you enter death's door without Jesus then you are stuck in the hold of the prison of death.

When we die, we will EITHER enter that place where the walls and streets are made of gold so pure that it's clear. (Rev 21:12-21) A place where there are many mansions/rooms. (John 14:1-6) A place where Jesus will reign over the new earth. (Rev 21:1-4) A place where trees grow tall and bear fruit every month (Revelation 22:2). A place where a banquet is being prepared for celebrating the marriage of the Lamb to the Church. (Psalm 23:5, Matthew 22:1-2) Biggest party ever!

Sounds like the place to be, right?

OR, for those who refused to know God and accept Jesus for who He truly is, they will watch from the other side of the great chasm. (Luke 16:23-31) There will not be celebration in that place. Separation from God's peace exists. Mourning and cries and sorrow will fill their days. 

I hope that all who read this post will think about Jesus and accept Him for who He is and what He did for everyone. I don't know how I'll die. It could be a peaceful passing. It could be a painful uncomfortable way. OR, it could be the best way of all...it could be flying up in the air to meet Him upon His return. In any case, I look forward to life with Jesus on the other side of this earthly physical realm.

 

 

What Happens When We Stop Dwelling?

The Lord continues to impress on me to dwell. To be honest, I thought I already did that. I feel His precious presence so much of my day. Anytime I speak his name, I feel Him. When I first started to sense His presence, I was afraid to move. I thought I might risk losing this awareness if I so much as took a step in a different direction. I have learned over time that I can move and still have Him with me. It has been a wonderful thing to experience.

So, the question I had was what more about dwelling did I need to learn?

Well, in typical Lord fashion, He took me through an exercise. It turned out to be a moment of learning many lessons.

Long story short, I was writing at a location Jesus had designated for me. When I came to a stopping point, I understood the Lord impressing on me that I could go to a particular store. But, I didn't know why I would go, so I decided to push forward in writing a few more minutes before I stopped for dinner. (Looking back on it, I had a sense that I was not doing the right thing. But, I pushed it aside.) 

When I finally headed out on my merry way, I saw a fire truck pulling up to that store. Wondering what may have happened, I said a prayer for the emergency personnel and the victim.

Later, after a Bible study that focused on asking the Holy Spirit into conversations and asking ourselves why we didn't follow through on what we hear from the Holy Spirit, the Lord reminded me of the fire truck at the store.

I realized at that moment the Holy Spirit wasn't telling me I could go to the store, He wanted me to go to the store. He had planted the visit to the store in my mental plans earlier that day. So, when I came to a stopping place in my writing I was to stop and go. But, without realizing it, I had stopped dwelling in His presence and proceeded forward in what I wanted to do... telling myself it was still in His plans.

Joshua 7-9 shares how the Israelites stopped asking what they needed to do to conquer the next town. They just went ahead and took actions that followed what they understood of God's plans. They learned the hard way that they skipped a step. In a sense, they stopped dwelling.

My take away from this exercise was to acknowledge that I had stopped following the directions from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, when I hear my part of the plan, I think it's the whole package of plans. As a result, I set it in stone... not to be moved by anything. This experience opened my eyes. 

When I confessed my wrong, immediately I felt the return of His presence and equally important I felt His forgiveness and grace wash over me. He also kept bringing to my mind the apostle Peter. The man blundered so many times. Yet, each time, God picked him up and continued to use him to do wonderful things for the building up of the church. In other words, I hadn't blown a gasket in my work for God.

I don't know if I would have been part of the emergency or not on that night of my lesson. That is not the issue. The teaching I received from this was that I should have gone to the store, so if God chose to use me, He could. I need to keep checking with Him for any changes in the plan of the day. We each need to dwell on Jesus and the Holy Spirit, so that we can be used by them for the purposes of the Kingdom.

Are You Dwelling?

The Lord has impressed on me to dwell. 

I looked up the definition. It means to live or stay; to linger over, emphasize or ponder in thought, speech or writing. The Hebrew word used in Psalm 91 for the word dwell translates to sit, sit down (as to judge in quiet), to be set, to remain or stay, to dwell, have one's abode, to abide. We could add, to stay with or keep thinking.

So the question is... What do we dwell on? What are the things we think about frequently?

Usually, we dwell on people, things, or ideas. 

If you find an activity that peaks your interest, how often do you think about it? Do you intentionally find time to do that activity? Do you look for someone who also likes that same thing?  Or, do you move your schedule around so you can spend time with someone who makes you feel good on the inside? Or, maybe it's people who accept you even if you goof up or do something really stupid? Do you think about doing things to make those people happy?

In order to spend time with people who fulfill these desires and needs requires coordinating schedules. To some degree this is not a bad thing, but if that is all consuming with our time then when do we give time to Jesus? 

One of the cool things about Him is that He fulfills all those things. He loves us and wants to spend time with us, even when we mess up. So, are we bending over backwards to do the same thing for Him? Or, do we press the snooze button rather than crying out to Him to help us wake up? Do we choose to read a book that our eyes shouldn’t see rather than reading a book that uplifts Him? Do we listen to songs that speak of negative things or that uplift and glorify the Holy Trinity?

I hope through my questions I am showing that you don't need an all day long quiet time to dwell with Jesus. Dwelling means talking to Him throughout the day, wherever you go. The Lord writes with me. He travels with me. He even helps me with gardening. He's so much fun, and I love Him for that.

There have even been times the Lord has taken me on dates. One day, not long ago, He told me to set aside a specific afternoon for Him. He took me for frozen custard then over to the park, even arranged for my favorite bench to be open. We watched children played, families and friends talk as they lounged on blankets, all while the geese ate and swam in the distance. It was great. To the human eye, it may have looked like I was alone. What they couldn't see was the Lord's comfort enveloping me.

He's also been there as I cried my heart out when I've messed up and when I've been emotionally wounded. I could not do life without Him. He is my hope.

He can be your hope too. Start today by making an effort to dwell on Him and to dwell in Him. You won't be sorry.

The Art of Waiting

 I don't know about you, but I'm not always very good about waiting. If I know something is going to happen, I want to see it or get started with it soon. 

I remember when I went for my licensure exam. I was ready to get the test going, but I had to wait for the explanation of how the exam was scored before they would start the test. My mind lost it's focus and it was by the grace of God that I passed. Had I known they were going to do this, and been prepared, the outcome may have been different.

The Bible speaks of this issue of not being prepared as we wait for Jesus to return in Matthew 24 and 25 (also mentioned in Luke 12). After telling the people the signs that will occur before Jesus will return, he shares some stories. Two of the parables deal with slaves either not working for the master or not using the talents they have been given to advance the master's worth. In a third story, half the virgins are waiting but think it will be sooner than it is and are not prepared for the wait. 

One thing is for sure, we are seeing many of the signs that Jesus spoke about at the beginning of Matthew 24. I don't mean to frighten anyone. I only want you to see that we need to be preparing for the return of Jesus. Don't let down your guard.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be one of the virgins who thinks it's happening pretty soon and be found without enough oil to light my lamp when Jesus does come. This time I want to be patience in my waiting. I want to keep remembering He's coming back. I want to be seen by Him as continuing to do work for Him. Not one who thinks it's not bad enough yet, so He's not coming soon.

Fact is, Jesus is coming back someday. The day draws nearer all the time. Even though I feel like it should be soon, I know that I don't know when it's happening. It could be today, tomorrow, or five years from now. In any case, my plan is to have enough oil for my lamp and be found working for the kingdom. What are your plans?

Speaking Up

We've talked about how to use our words. And now, with all the news coming out about the horrendous events from the Middle East, I think we need to talk about speaking up.

But let's not focus on our petty arguments, let's talk about what matters to God. After all we are to share the good news with others...making disciples...baptizing them. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Those who call on Him and will call on Him matter. Those who act out of misguided information matter as well. Among those God wants to reach are the very people causing believers harm.  In the Middle East, Christian believers are battling oppression resulting in them standing up, and often dying, for their faith. I wonder, did they see it coming or was it an I-can't-believe-this-is-happening kind of a thing?

Tell me...if that were you, what would you do?

Don't nay-say this question.

We may be there someday. We might experience the I-can't-believe-it's-happening event.

What if someone you supported suddenly wants to stop you from meeting together with your church? Would you push back? Would you be willing to look down the barrel of a gun and confess you follow Jesus and that you will not bow a knee to the political power that wants to stop you? (Think of Peter and John in Acts 4.)

Are we ready to put aside the earthly arguments and disagreements and focus on a heavenly calling? Are we ready and willing to take a stand? Do we have enough gumption for God to speak up...to stand with His church... no matter the cost? I hope so.

It is my hope for all of us.

 

 

Say What?

Over the past couple of weeks, the Lord has directed me to verses that deal with spoken words. (James 1, 3) Initially, I wondered what action of mine had caught God's need for instruction. Then sermons I listened to began focusing on how and what we speak, as well as actions taken. As things are heating up more, I see there's never been a better time than now to speak to others about God's love and peace.

Most of us have heard the usual lessons directing us to use our words to uplift others, to point out positive rather than negative, or to point out how God is working and making a way. So what more is God showing us in regard to our words helping the situations of today?

Looking to outside news sources I see a broader picture of the world. There's military unrest. (Not just in Afghanistan.) Several countries are falling apart. Weather occurrences are destroying people's lives. False reports are given on so many fronts. It's enough to make a head spin.

So, I ask. Why is there such a time as this when truth is hidden? Why do in-the-know voices speak falsehoods so often? Why this global battle to misdirect the people?

What if we used our words to communicate truth rather than lies? 

What if, in our little corner of the world, we each began to speak and demand truth? What if we pray about everything our ears hear and our eyes see? What if we admit that we were misguided and begin to speak up regarding the truth we learn about?

Are you someone who doesn't know what to believe anymore?

Look to God. He can tell you.

Only God knows the truth. Only God knows what's happening behind the scenes. He knows who deceives and who can see through the deception. He's also the One who gives peace to those who seek it.

Like the rocks in the photo, His small, quiet voice will hold you up. He'll bring in peace so that no destructive power, be it verbal or physical, can shake you up.

Let us no longer be a people who sway with the wind of well-spoken deceitful words. Instead, like a tree planted by a stream of living water, let us be a people who stand firm. Whose words come from a wise truthful tongue, bringing healing and clearing the air. (Proverbs 12)

There is need for truth and hope. Both can be found in the loving arms of the Father in heaven. When words from our mouths can shoot out like sparks popping from a bonfire, we must strive to be slow to speak but we must speak. We must aim our fire in the right direction so that we can bring a comforting blaze to those in need of peace while guiding those who need a lit-up path.

Let us draw ourselves and others to truth and peace with the words we speak.

Admitting A Wrong

 

In my younger years, I took pleasure in being right. If I was told I did something wrong, I'd argue with my accuser and give some reason for my actions. I don't remember ever saying I was wrong. It was extremely hard to admit I had erred.

Then one day I witnessed someone admit a wrong. She immediately went her way without any embarrassment or shame on her face. It baffled me.

So, I decided to try it. The next time I was accused of a wrong then I would admit it. That is, if that time ever came. Sure enough...it did. My nerves were on fire and my stomach was doing flips. Taking a deep breath, I quickly said those tough words.

To my surprise, an amazing thing happened.

A weight was lifted from my shoulders. I felt a freedom I did not know was missing. 

It had been so hard to say those words because I felt it would weaken me. In my thinking, I  assumed it would also negatively change how others perceived me. Without realizing it, I fulfilled Proverbs 21:2 which states that man sees his own way as right. Like so many who hold my former way of thinking, to admit wrong feels like something within them will break. Perhaps that's why a multitude of people still act and think that anything they do is the right thing. (See Judges 21:25)

But I'm here to say, that thinking is a lie from the enemy of God.

There is freedom and hope in admitting a wrong.

To this date I admit wrongs done. Sometimes to myself, sometimes to a person, sometimes only to Jesus. Each time I express guilt, the freedom grows.

I know it's not easy. Sometimes the best things in life are not easy to do. Sometimes we have to take a deep breath and dive in. Saying you're wrong can be one of those. I can't make you do it, but I can tell you, you'll be glad when you do. There's nothing like the freedom you get when you admit a wrong.

A Giant Murder

Today I want to support a fellow author, Marji Laine, by telling you about her newest book.

I have read many of her books and they have all been excellent reads. Her newest book follows in that same line.

The story is set in the 1920's and from her descriptions you can picture yourself walking the grand rooms of a party. There's tension as you turn the pages to see what will happen next.

You can order your copy on Amazon at the following address:

https://www.amazon.com/Giant-Murder-Ever-After-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B08S787K3Q

Treat yourself to a good read and mystery.

Growing a Seed

Recently, during a lesson  on the Holy Spirit, the Lord showed me a word picture. When we accept Jesus as our Savior… when we ask Him to live within us… an incredible thing happens. We get the Holy Trinity. (John1:33; Acts 1:4-5) That’s right. This is so cool. I don’t have to shout to get their attention. A soft whisper will be heard because they are right here within me. And within all believers.

But the vision the Lord gave me, was that the Holy Spirit comes in as a seed. A mustard seed at that. If you’ve ever seen one, that’s a really tiny seed. The amazing thing is that given the right watering, sunshine, weeding, and fertilizer, it can grow to be a huge seed bearing tree.

If I don’t care for my plants and trees properly, then the chances of them becoming something to enjoy and admire fade until any semblance of beauty is gone. Sure, it can be revived but it does take even more work.

The same is true of the Holy Spirit seed. If I ignore the fact that He’s within me, it could begin to look and feel like He’s not there.

On the other hand, the more I read the Bible… the more I acknowledge His presence inside me… the more I praise Him and thank Him…  the more I ask Him to teach me and guide me… the more I ask Him to fill me… the more I ask Him to clean out anything within me that is stopping His presence from being felt, then the more He shows up and shines through me. The more His presence grows within me.

And, as this happens then there is an increase when He can use me for the purposes of heaven. He will be like a full grown seed bearing tree working through me to touch the lives of those I come across. Allowing His seeds to be spread to others.

And, since a tree can die without continual attention, I must do these things daily. For me, this occurs frequently throughout the day… reminding myself to focus on what He wants me to do.

I hope that you will water and nourish the Holy Spirit seed within you. He definitely wants to commune with you.
 

Are You Ready?

 If Jesus came back tomorrow would you be ready? If you looked up in the sky and saw a sign from heaven would you be ready to go?

The truth is Jesus is coming back soon and our time is getting shorter. God's getting ready to do a big thing. That will bring a big change.

Get ready.

Be at peace. He is your comfort and hope. He loves you and can't wait to celebrate with you.

Lessons from the wilderness

In a recent lesson about Moses and the parting of the Red Sea, I saw the nation of Israel from a different perspective. They were called by God to leave Egypt. Whether the Israelites wanted to go or not, the Egyptians were glad to see them leave. So much so, that riches were bestowed to them. What a wonderful thing to happen. And things looked great, until after they arrived at the coast.

 

From their perspective, something had snapped at their old place and the Egyptians came after them. What was an enjoyable moment of seeing a vast body of water soon evaporated. They found themselves trapped between the sea and people who wanted to kill them.

Have you ever found yourself in a bind similar to that? Maybe no one wants to kill you, ... but perhaps... things are sailing along, looking great, when all of a sudden, things look dreadful. You lean on your past to find a way to solve the issue. You see no way out. And, it looks like nothing will work. Despair can set in quickly.

When the Israelites saw the army coming after them, and they couldn't figure a way out of their predicament, they got mad at Moses. From the scriptures we see that there was a mixture of emotions, separating the nation into divisions that supported the statements recorded in Exodus 14. Picture the people probably yelling the statements and questions. Why did you make us leave? Did you bring us out to die in the wilderness because there were no graves left in Egypt? Didn't we tell you to leave us alone? We wanted to stay and continue serving the Egyptians. After all, it's better to be a slave than to die in this place.

But here's where the lesson shows up. Moses leads them in trusting God once again. And, by following what God instructs, they are saved. God made a way where there seemed to be no way.

As for Egypt, we learn from their actions as well. Even when we are on God's path, the enemy of God's people will continue to pursue us... attempting to destroy our efforts and actions. If we focus on the threats and impending doom, we can find ourselves stressed out to the max and unable to focus. But, and this is a big but,... if we turn to God, follow His guidance, then He will make a way.

This is something I need to remember. After all, there is always hope.

 

What An Example We Have in Noah

 Recently in reading the account of Noah in Genesis 6, I was struck by the words "only blameless" and "blameless in his generation". Those words had never sparked my mind before. 

It was like a light bulb going on when I realized that Noah was considered blameless. There's only one other person I think of as blameless and that's Jesus.

As I dwelt on that concept, I remembered Noah's sons. Yes, they supported their father by helping him build the ark. Which at the time, probably appeared to be a useless, senseless thing. No one else is recorded building such a large vessel. According to the Bible, there is no record of rain happening. After all, at that time, the atmosphere and earth worked together in perfect harmony. While there were rivers, they didn’t live near a coastline where a large ship would have made sense. So, when you look at this, these men were good sons, good men. 

But they weren't blameless. If they had been, the Bible would have said that Noah and his sons were blameless men. Yet, it didn't. In fact, from the verses that follow the flood account (Genesis 9:18-27), we see that Noah's youngest son disrespectfully looked on his father's naked body.

That's when I realized that even with their fallen state the sons were still invited to join Noah on the ark. And, they followed their father to safety by entering that ark. They didn’t know what was coming. They were told, but they truly didn’t understand until they experienced it. That ark became a place of refuge and safety as the rain fell and water consumed the ground and ended the earthly life of extended family members, some they considered friends. I’m sure there had to be disbelief as they saw their father's words unfold before their eyes.

They were saved from the wrath of God upon the whole earth. So in a sense, the ark was their salvation.

Just as Noah directed his family to join him on the ark, Jesus presents salvation from God’s approaching wrath. Noah’s sons were not blameless. Neither are we. We each have our failures and tendencies to do the things that do not bless God. Yet, like Noah, Jesus calls us to join Him. Each of us, in our shortcomings is being asked to accept the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Everyone has this offer. 

My hope is that all eyes will be opened to the need of entering the safety of Jesus’s gift to the world. In reading the Bible, we see there is another upcoming moment of God’s wrath. What side of the unfolding realization do you want to be on?



The Truth and Nothing But the Truth

Years ago, after my grandmother passed away my siblings and I found a love letter buried deep in a chest of stored treasures. The man apologized and told her he would never hurt her again. His name was not my grandfather's name. My heart broke for her. She had known love and lost it. And, it meant enough to her that she kept the letter all those years. My dad had been right.

"The truth always comes out," he shared with me somewhere along the line.

Do you have a truth you're hiding? Do you think someone else is hiding a truth?

To hide a truth is to be part of a lie. The word "lie" sounds so wrong, but it can look good. Lies can even look right, while being completely wrong. Lies can look like the better way to go. They are by nature deceptive, so of course they can be hard to recognize. And, in today's culture, hiding the truth has become easier. It can be smothered beneath the weight of lies, thus making it to hard to find.

So where and how do we find truth? What is the truth? How do we know when we've found it? Or, maybe, you think there are no lies in your life.

The first thing to do is ask God to show if there are any lies in us. God is truth. He is the light that shines out on the darkness and exposes the truth. (1 John 1:5-7) He will show the truth. He will expose lies.

While waiting for an answer, an open mind is key. Try not to explain it away. Sometimes the truth is hard to receive and accept. (John 1:5; 8:12) But you can do it.

The next thing is to focus beyond us. So much deception has been published and placed on the airways, it makes it difficult to know the truth. Each side believes they know the truth, but only God Almighty knows what is true. Let us all pray and ask God to show the truth sooner than later. Let's ask that He expose the lies that have deceived so many. Let us thank Him for the truth He is going to show.

After all, the truth always comes out.

What? I'm Wrong?

Have you ever been so certain that you were right that you put everything you have into some action or some way of thinking? Then you see it fall apart in front of you? What do you do with that? For years I took pleasure in being right. If I was told I did something wrong, I'd reasoned and gave excuses for my actions. I don't remember ever saying I was wrong. It was extremely hard to admit I was wrong.

Then one day I witnessed someone admit a wrong. She immediately went her way without any embarrassment or shame on her face. It baffled me.

So, I decided to try it. The next time I was accused of a wrong then I would admit it. That is, if that time ever came. Sure enough...it did. My nerves were on fire and my stomach was doing flips. Taking a deep breath I said those tough words quickly, almost spitting them out.

To my surprise, an amazing thing happened.

A weight was lifted from my shoulders. I felt a freedom I did not know was missing. 

It had been so hard to say those words because I felt it would show I was weak. I thought it would lower how others looked at me. Sometimes there was a disbelief that I could be wrong. No way. Sometimes I've even thought I had heard the Lord direct in one way, but I was wrong. Like so many others, I wanted to be right, but it turned out to be my own thoughts. Scripture tells us about this. Proverbs 21:2 says that man sees his own way as right. To admit wrong, feels like it will break something inside of us. That's why we still act and think that anything we do is the right thing. (See Judges 21:25)

But, I'm here to say that is a lie from the enemy of God.

There is freedom and hope in admitting a wrong.

To this date I admit wrongs done. Sometimes to myself, sometimes to a person, sometimes only to Jesus. Each time I express guilt, the freedom grows.

I know it's not easy. Sometimes the best things in life are not easy to do. Sometimes we have to take a deep breath and dive in. Saying you're wrong can be one of those. I can't make you do it, but I can tell you, you'll be glad when you do. There's nothing like the freedom you get when you admit being wrong.