Tunnel Vision

I love this photo.

I actually took this photo a few weeks ago here in sunny, Brisbane, Australia, and I remember thinking to myself, “Gee, I need to write a blog about this photo!”

What began in my head as some sort of “light at the end of the tunnel” type encouragement actually changed when I walked back through the tunnel a few days later on an incredibly hot Australian afternoon.  I actually had to stop for a moment and take in everything I felt the Holy Spirit begin to speak to me about not just this particular tunnel, but tunnels in general.

We tend to see tunnels with “tunnel vision.”  My friend hates tunnels because they are claustrophobic and make her ears pop.  My cousin hates tunnels because he’s seen one too many doomsday movies where people get stuck in tunnels with rushing water (or zombies) coming from all directions.  Most people hate the metaphor of a tunnel because it represents the feeling of being in a dark place where the walls are closing in. Thus, the lovely little saying, “light at the end of the tunnel.”

But on this hot, humid Australian day, here’s what Holy Spirit showed me about HIS heart for tunnels.

This particular tunnel was actually protecting me from the heat.  It was dark and damp, but it was keeping me from the intense temperatures above me and protecting me from too much sun exposure, exhaustion and smog. This tunnel went under the city, giving myself and the joggers a fairly quiet thoroughfare to get where we needed to go quickly.

The tunnel felt a bit lonely, but it was definitely much safer than the heavy traffic dangerously zipping around above me.  Not to mention the fact that when I did see that light at the end, I was filled with fresh hope and a renewed strength to pick up the pace and exit the tunnel to my next location.

A tunnel takes you from point A to point B, avoiding chaos, danger and so much more.  Usually tunnels are quicker and safer than other means of travel, even if they tend to appear dark and lonely.  

2 Chronicles 32 recounts the building of Hezekiah’s tunnel, which the king had built to protect Judah’s water supply – their means of LIFE.  

Check it out, it’s a great read.

What I felt Him say this particular day is that if we can change how we view tunnels, we will notice that they are more of a GIFT than a burden.

In fact, I felt His heart swell at the fact that He can give this precious gift to so many people and He can enjoy the walk with us!  We tend to get so distracted by what is going on around and above us that we neglect to see the beauty in the tunnel when we enter one.  We must not forget that we are not alone in the tunnel – Jesus is with us every step of the way.  He IS the light!  He IS our life-source, and sometimes a tunnel helps to protect our walk with Him.

TUNNELS PROTECT LIFE.  And Jesus is the Light in every dark tunnel.

Then Jesus said, “I am light to the world and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.” (John 8:32, TPT)

 

 ~ Mandy Woodhouse

Watch God – Prayer Challenge

Have you seen this meme circulating?

Have you done this challenge?

If you have – share it with us.

If not – why not start now!

A Trip Well Worth Taking

Sometimes, we fallaciously think that our happiness in life might be found in unbridled liberty, that it would be sublime to be able to do whatever our hearts desired whenever we desired.  

That desire may find its fulfillment in the coming heavenly kingdom, but, in this present earthly kingdom, we have need of the continual guidance and discipline that the Spirit prompted word of God delivers.  

We simply cannot just follow every impulse of ours and hope to attain any sort of peace or joy in life.

For one thing, none of us would willingly choose the battles and struggles that are part and parcel of this life on planet earth.  

We probably would skip all the growing pains of youth, the broken hearts of young adulthood, the years of striving to reach business success, and the infirmities of aging.  

We could easily omit the daily disciplines of bodily maintenance, spiritual life nurturance, and social obligations.  These things can be sources of pleasure eventually, but they start out as austere disciplines.

However, it is written, “The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul.” When we accomplish a God given desire through discipline, hard work, and perseverance, we realize one of the greatest pleasures this side of eternity.  It is a pleasure unique from the daily pleasures of eating, drinking, and sleeping, for this is a pleasure that stems from our relationship with our Creator God.  

It is the pleasure most like his, for it is where we are able to realize who and whose we are and what is our interrelationship with all of creation.

Yes, there is indeed fulfillment to be found in this life.  It starts with our acknowledgement of the One who died to give us life, and it ends with our full adoption into his kingdom and presence.  

It is a trip well worth taking.

~ Brad Heilhecker

Called For Such A Time As This

She is Your daughter called 

for such a time as this

Yet she does not know it

Her face a picture of her 

past and her pain

Challenges are keeping 

her busy

Many things are cluttering 

her mind

She does not make time 

for what is really important

I see the erected walls

protecting her heart

The bruises she is trying 

to hide

The hurt she camouflages

with the right words

The smile she flashes 

just to blend in

While You have called her 

to stand out

She is on a journey going nowhere

Pleasing people who don’t 

really care

Round and round the same 

issues she walks

There’s never time for 

Father to heal her heart

Her busy life keeps her sane

The drugs she uses to hide 

her pain, works for a mere moment

Then it’s back to reality,

the anguish, the stress 

There’s never time to find herself

Never time to explore the 

love of the Father

Created in Papa’s image

Deeply loved

but she does not know it

The pain of her past keeps 

her in bondage

No one see the marks on 

her heart

The struggles she faces

The pain she hides

We live in an era where we 

play our parts

Where our vulnerability and weaknesses we hide

We’re not allowed to talk 

about our bruises,

our scars, our wounds 

The tears on our pillow

The many wars in our mind

Father is waiting to heal 

our hearts

Pain was never meant to 

cage and silence us

It was meant to birth yoke 

breaking testimonies within us

Encouraging sons and daughters that there’s a Father who is still 

on the throne

Waiting to transform our lives  

through His never ending love

For too long we were tied 

to our past

It is time to remove our 

victim garments

Face our fears till we 

laugh in its face

No longer controlled by 

the voice of the enemy 

We will boldly step out in Papa’s love and His grace!

~ Ebigale Wilson

Called For Such A Time As This

The Journey

 

Gone

Elevation Worship – Gone is this weeks #SongSunday

Fruitfulness

In John, Chapter 15, Christ presents two conditions for answered prayer.

The first, that we “abide in him and that his word abides in us.”  The second, that we are bearing fruit for him, “fruit that will last.”  

Both conditions require an ongoing commitment to walk in obedience to his commands, chiefly that we “love each other.”  

He promises us that if we obey him then “his joy will be in us and that it will be made complete.”  From the apostle Paul’s writings, we know that love and joy are two fruits of walking in the Spirit.

In physical life, fruits sometimes take a back seat to meat and vegetables, but in the spiritual life, they are the chief end of God’s work in our life: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”  

In the physical life, meat and vegetables often give us the strength to do physical work.  In the spiritual life, “spiritual fruits” like love and joy give us the strength to do spiritual work.  

As it is written, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”  Without love and joy motivating our actions, nothing that we do will have any lasting impact in the lives of our loved ones.

Going back to the promise of answered prayer, we know that it is the Father’s good pleasure to answer the prayers of his children.

Let us not become disillusioned when he answers us in a way that we weren’t expecting.  Let us be be thankful for the “nos”, the “maybes”, and the “not yets.”  

Let us be watchful for those desires that he places within us that bring with them the joy and peace of knowing that these desires come from the throne and carry with them the promise of being realized in his good time and in his good way.

~ Brad Heilhecker

Chanukah Love

Chanukah… Known as the Festival of Lights or the Feast of Dedication (the Temple was rededicated). Our family celebrates this holiday even though it is not a “biblical holiday” commanded in the Torah. It is mentioned in the book of John, which explains to us that Jesus was in Solomon’s Colonnade during the “Feast of Dedication” (see John 10:22-23).

Our family chooses to connect the Fruits of the Spirit when we light the candles. We began this years ago when a Jewish friend who believed in Jesus (she has since passed away) taught us how she ties the two together. We thought it was a beautiful way to weave these teachings into the idea of Chanukah, which is the understanding that we are to “be a light.”

I have chosen to blog about each “fruit” for the next nine weeks. The plan is to end around Chanukah time and then let you decide if you would like to join our family in lighting the candles each night.

If you count the fruits of the Spirit there are nine. Chanukah only has eight nights. How does one bring the connection?

Technically the “shemash” candle, or the “servant” candle, which we call the “love” candle, is lit every night. This is the candle that is set apart, or higher, than all the others. For those who believe in Jesus as their Messiah, this candle represents Him. Jesus was the ultimate LOVE sacrifice we all know. Jesus was the ultimate SERVANT we all have been taught about.

This candle is the one that lights all the others. If we have Jesus as the Lord of our LIFE, than HIS LIGHT should shine through us to everyone we meet. HIS LOVE should be the source of ALL we do. HIS LOVE will bring the fruits of the Spirit into our lives.

Here are verses about LOVE:

Isaiah 54:10 For the mountains may leave and the hills be removed, but my grace will never leave you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,”

says Adonai, who has compassion on you. (CJB)

In the ESV the translation uses the word, “love” instead of grace:

For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed,

but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (ESV)

John 15:12 This is my command: that you keep on loving each other just as I have loved you.

Ephesians 4:2 Always be humble, gentle and patient, bearing with one another in love, (CJB)

All three of these verses demonstrate to us that God’s ultimate plan and intent was for community to LOVE one another. HE shows us His love, like He clearly states in the verse from Isaiah. Then He sent His Son, Jesus, who demonstrated the ultimate LOVE sacrifice by dying for us and commanded us to LOVE others as HE loves us. The command to “love each other” carried over into the teachings of Paul because Paul was educated from the Torah. He knew the desire of God’s heart was for everyone to “love the Lord your God with all your heart… and love your neighbor as yourself.”

I believe that throughout the whole Bible there is a teaching of LOVE. Even in the middle of the judgement and wars that God allows, His ULTIMATE plan and DESIRE is for LOVE to win. When we show HIS LOVE, HE WINS.

Love is shared and shown to others in many different ways. We can bake a cake, or change a tire. We can give a hug, or enjoy a cup of coffee and listen. Find ways to SHARE HIS LOVE with those you meet. Think outside the box and be a BLESSING to someone. By doing this you will let HIS LIGHT shine through you.

Genesis 1:3-4 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God divided the light from the darkness. (CJB)

God saw that the “light was good.” Choose today to be HIS LIGHT and LOVE to those around you.

 

Love and blessings,

Rose Horton

 

 

 

 

You Will Not Be Outwitted

“…so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs” (2 Corinthians 2:11)

Do you know that you do not operate in the natural?  2 Peter 1:4 says that you are a partaker of His divine nature.  You have a new nature – HIS nature.  Regardless of what you feel or what you may see with your eyes, you are not a mere human.  You are a supernatural being who is seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:4).

Your domain and operating system is that of Heaven, NOT earth.  You have great authority and power, and you are able to do even greater things than even Jesus Himself (John 14:12).  YOU ARE POWERFUL, and you have the Spirit of the risen Christ within you (Romans 8:11).  The Holy Spirit marks you.

Now that we are both reminded of who we are and the power that we hold as sons and daughters, I want to remind you also that you have a very real enemy.  He’s very real and he’s fairly powerful, but he’s not even close to being as powerful as you, nor does he have as much authority (thank you Jesus).  Thus, his hatred for you and I and the warfare that often happens especially when we are entering into next level seasons.  

Revelation calls him “the accuser of the brethren,” and Peter says he’s like a lion, “seeking whom he may devour.”  I love John’s description of him the best though.  John calls the devil a liar and the “father of lies.”  He has zero truth in him, so all his power is actually found in his deception and distraction.  

We can never focus on the devil, but we do need to be aware of his schemes.  He will try to creep into every insecurity, every heartache, every lie that we may believe and get his claws in.  He will use offense, anger, resentment and discouragement to poison our thoughts and insides.  His only real trump card over a born-again is engagement and partnering with his lies and causing a cloud of distraction from God’s Presence.

BUT GOD!

“But all the while God has his own fire-tipped arrows!  Suddenly, without warning, they will be pierced and struck down. Staggering backward they will be destroyed by the very ones they spoke against.  All who see this will view them with scorn.  Then all will stand awestruck over what God has done, seeing how he vindicated the victims of these crimes.  The lovers of God will be glad, rejoicing in the Lord.  They will be found in his glorious wrap-around presence, singing songs of praise to God!” (Psalm 64:7-11, TPT)

“And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20).

“No weapon formed against you will prosper” (Isaiah 54:17).

Not only are we aware of his schemes, but so is God.  And He is fighting for you, ready to crush the enemy under YOUR feet.  Jesus crushed sin and death for us, and He will crush Satan UNDER us.  We have the victory!

Do not be ignorant of his schemes, but likewise do not be overwhelmed by them.  

Remember that you are not a mere human, and you have a God that is bigger than death itself seated with you in the Heavenlies.  Be very careful to remember who you are and keep from responding to him or operating in the natural, but also remember that in the end, Jesus wins.  Partner with Holy Spirit to execute the little foxes in your life (Song 2:15), but don’t keep your focus there.  Keep your eyes fixed on things above, not here below on earth (Colossians 3:2) and see what the Lord does!

~ Mandy Woodhouse

Judgement

In 1st Corinthians 11:29,30, Paul writes about God’s judgment on the Corinthian church because of their failure to “discern the Lord’s body” or to “judge the Lord’s body correctly” when partaking of the Lord’s supper together.  

The judgment resulted in “weakness, sickness, and death.” This is a serious warning.  

But what does it mean to “discern the Lord’s body?”

It may mean at least a couple of things.  

Firstly, it may mean that we should take to heart the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice for us and respond by living our lives in reverential fear towards God.

 Secondly, it would seem that this reverential fear would result in great affection and consideration towards our fellow believers, knowing that they share with us in the unmerited grace and favor of Our Father, and that together we are in fact the “body of Christ” for our generation.

Both reverence towards God and love for our fellow man should be the hallmarks of the believer, and both things flow from our right consideration of Christ’s sacrifice for us.  

Then, we will rest securely in Our Heavenly Father’s open and embracing arms as we go forth as emissaries of the Gospel message.

We will have confidence in his precious promises and in his tender care for us, as we strive to share these treasures with our world.

~ Brad Heilhecker

Real And Reliable

Perfection is not to be found in circumstances or other people.  It is to be found in God’s love and in our response to his love.  

In 2 Chronicles, Chapter 16, verse 9,  God promises to “show himself powerful on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect towards him.”  In Isaiah, Chapter 6, God promises to “keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on him.”  In the epistle of 1st John, Chapter 3, John writes that “perfect love casts out fear.”  

So, through our faith, we aspire to perfect hearts, perfect peace, and perfect love.  Then we are free to accept circumstances and people as we find them, not as we would have them.

Do circumstances and people change?  Certainly they do, but sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.  Our hopes and faith cannot be anchored to such unreliable bellwethers of blessings.

However, if our hopes and faith are solely in Christ and in the abundant life, the eternal life, and the blessed life that he promises, we are on solid ground indeed.  

It’s a little scary at first, stepping out into the unknown based only on his word, but, as we progress, his word becomes more real and reliable than anything that our eyes can behold.

Going back to his promises to “show himself powerful on our behalf”, to “keep us in perfect peace,” and to show us that his “perfect love casts out fear,” we must ask ourselves, “Do we want God to show himself powerful on our behalf, to keep us in perfect peace, and to cast out all of our fears?”

 If we do, it hearkens us back to Christ and surrendering our lives into his care.  He has been in our shoes and knows how this world works.  We are wise if we choose to follow him instead of our own desires, for we don’t have to live long in this world to realize how limited is our strength and understanding without God.  

Faith in Christ is not weakness; it is the ultimate strength.  It is not the illusion of the hapless and the hopeless; it is truth itself.

~ Brad Heilhecker