The Third Day

 

 He is Risen! 

 

 

Death could not defeat Him... 

 

His enemies could not triumph over Him... 

 

The grave could not hold Him... 

 

Through His death, love won the battle for us! 

 

By His rising, we can be forgiven 

 

We can live victoriously by His Spirit

 

And anticipate life with Him forever 

 

When we embrace the message of the cross  

 

Choose this day, whom you will serve?

Trust?

Believe in? 

 

Follow? 

 

I am following Christ, the Savior who came to die in my place. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life 

 

 

Wishing you Easter blessings because of the Cross, 

 

 

Jeanne

Cracking a Counterfeit

Image courtesy of Morguefile.com

A local Connecticut news story reports, “State police…cracked a counterfeiting operation.”  I thought this only happened in spy movies. Suddenly, I am more aware of money that passes through my hands, looking carefully at the serial numbers.  The last thing I want is to be fooled into taking fake bills, and even more, I don’t want to use one myself by mistake.

People who are trained to identify counterfeit money need to know the real thing. But, instead of studying the counterfeit, they analyze the real currency.

God’s Word says that Satan is a fake; he is anti-Christ. And, though he presents himself as an angel of light, if you know the Light of the World, the enemy’s attempts at counterfeiting it will stand out. 

Satan tries to counterfeit so he can dupe us into trading God’s way into one that leads us astray. 

Some discoveries I have made include:

• Jesus is the Truth; Satan is the father of lies.
• Jesus is the Lion of Judah; Satan is the roaring lion who seeks to devour.
• Jesus gives life. Satan is the harbinger of death.
• Jesus opens the eyes of those who believe; Satan blinds the unbelieving so they won’t see the Truth.

God’s Word is full of these black and white examples for us to see the truth about the enemy’s desire to trick us. 

Image courtesy of Morguefile.com

God offers love in what Jesus did for us on Calvary. 

The enemy dangles a worldly love that never satisfies and most often destroys. 

Jesus promised the filling and presence of the Holy Spirit, the one who comforts and gives us spiritual understanding. 

The enemy offers misunderstanding, spirituality and false comfort through cults, mystic and new age practices.

God knows our future and tells us we can trust Him to know what is best and for Him to be with us, yet the enemy will entice us to seek answers through mediums, astrology, tarot and other means.

To know the difference between what is good from God and what is meant to distract us away from Him, we need to become so familiar with who God is in Scripture—His character. And, we need to trust that He is working in us, for our best. 

To embrace the counterfeit will leave us wanting, hungry and thirsty but never satisfied.

So, the best way to crack a counterfeit is to know the Real Thing. Don't be duped! Dig into God's Word to discover Who He is, so when faced with the enemy's lie you can stare him down and choose the Truth.

How have you identified the counterfeit? In what way have you come to know what is true about God so that you are more aware of the enemy's lie?

Jeanne

Believing, It Settles The Soul

A beautiful Sunday! I spent time outdoors today, pruning my lavender and sage, neatening up my oregano and chive plants. Then, John and I had maple iced coffee in the sunshine. A perfect day. If only life could be this lovely all the time :)

A reader mentioned that many would understand the struggle to believe and that I needed to offer the hope I found on the other side...so this blog is dedicated to that end...And, I hope that others will offer their experiences of finding God in the midst of their crisis of belief.....afterall, that's how we encourage one another on the journey.


As I think more about belief. I want to pass on hope to those who have struggled with believing at times (and we all do). Whether it is taking the first step of believing unto salvation or the daily need to believe when facing the things life throws at us; believing that He is able is something we get better at as we meet the God who loves us in the midst of our circumstances and He shows himself faithful.

So, when I sat down and asked, “What’s next for my blog, Lord. I am listening—please show me in your word, the truths that settle the soul.” I came to the following conclusions:

He is a God of promises

He who promised is faithful – Hebrews 10:23

His precious and magnificent promises – 2 Peter 1:4

He is a God of Hope


My hope is in Him – Psalm 62:5

Hope we have as an anchor – Hebrews 6:19

Hopes all things – 1 Corinthians 13:7

He is a God of peace

He is our peace – Ephesians 2:14

Peace of God which surpasses all understanding – Philippians 4:7

And, He offers forgiveness, eternal life, abundant life and freedom to all those who acknowledge Him.

When I see Him for who He is, watch Him work in and around me, and see His kingdom becoming before my eyes, that’s how I know. He is good; therefore He wants what’s good for me. I can surrender, knowing that His plan will come to fruition as I trust in who He is.

I saw it in Mary…when she said, “May it be to me as you have said.”

I saw it in Peter when he said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

And it is in me too, during the times of turmoil, His peace settles over my soul and speaks in the innermost place, “Be still and know that I am God.”

As I prepare in my heart for this Easter time, I want to remember all He has done on my behalf. He has won the victory over sin and death and given me His Holy Spirit to empower me to live wholly for Him. I have received a Living and Eternal Hope through Him…

Believing….yes, and it has settled my soul,

Jeanne

“God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.”

St. Augustine

Help Me With My Unbelief

It’s been a tough week: Crazy days at work, feeling overwhelmed as I see family members struggling, and taking on stress. This atmosphere around me dampens my ability to believe that God is at work.


I believe. Such a simple statement yet it is so deeply misunderstood. If I say I believe then I can’t doubt God’s ability to accomplish things. So, do I truly believe that God is able or am I trusting in my own ability to do things?

Do I believe in the all-powerful God – Omnipotent? He is able to do ALL things.

Do I believe in the God who is everywhere – Omnipresent? He can care for my family even though we are far from each other.

Do I believe in the One who is all knowing – Omniscient? He knows every struggle, ever tear, every heart cry.

If He is indeed all of these things, I definitely have Him in a box—a box that I haven’t thought through, yet it is there just the same. So, how can I adjust my thinking to reflect the Omni-characteristics of God?

When I read about the things God did, I need to remember He hasn’t changed. He has the same power, the same purpose because He is same (yesterday, today and forever). The God that delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians by parting the Red Sea is the same God who is at work in my life. This same Jesus who healed the blind, raised the dead, and lifted the lame to walk again, is the same Jesus who has chosen me to walk with Him. And, the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells within me and helps me to live, breathe and believe all that God wants for me.

So when faced with a diagnosis from the doctor, with family issues, or with situations that are too big for me to handle, I need to see God for how big He is. He knows what’s going on. He knows what I need. He knows what needs to happen for hearts to change. He is at work in and around me, orchestrating circumstances so I will believe how big He is.

When I read about the father who faced impossible odds in Mark 9:22-24, He simply says, “Help me with my unbelief.”

What a humble and simple request. It’s like saying, God, I know I am supposed to believe you are able, but my mind is in the way. I have you in a box and I am seeing the obstacles just like the eight spies when they were sent to spy out the land. I want to believe You for the amazing, just like Joshua and Caleb did; I want to believe that despite the obstacles, you are going to provide and fight on my behalf to bring about your plan.


Like the father in Mark chapter nine, I can be honest with God and ask for help to believe. Faith and trust are built as we live our lives with Him in the forefront. We step out in faith and our ability to believe grows exponentially as we ask for His help.

I believe that my extended family situations are seen by my Heavenly Father. I believe He will provide needs, change hearts, and turn things around to the right way. I believe He will guard us with His right hand.

I believe God will help us to remember that we are not one another’s enemies; Satan is the real enemy and God has equipped us with power in Christ to cause him to get lost! I believe He will tell Satan to take the high road and not allow him victory over us as we stay connected to Him.

What do you face today? Are you struggling to believe He is able to help? Will you ask, “Lord, help my unbelief” when struggling with what your mind says, rather than what God’s word says?

Wanting to live like I believe,

Jeanne

Setting My Default to BELIEVE

I want to adjust my default setting to BELIEVE so that my early responses reflect my faith and trust in the One who is able to accomplish all things. A wonderful example of this came to me after our recent small group meeting. In our discussion of Ephesians chapter one, each one of us marveled at the idea in verses 19-21: the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us who believe. *

When we were leaving to go home I saw one of the women hurry back into the church. I found out later she took her husband directly to the hospital because of an erratic heartbeat.

I received an email the next morning. They had taken our lesson in Ephesians chapter one to heart and chose to believe and apply the truth we discovered afresh in verses19-21.

Here is their testimony (shared with permission):

“Thank you so much for praying on Thursday night...no wonder he wanted to leave so quickly. He felt his heart go into atrial fibrillation just at the end of our group prayer time. We went to the E.R. and they eventually transferred him to ICU overnight. They released him late this afternoon. His heart went back into normal rhythm by late morning. It was wonderful to pray with him in the E.R. and be reminded of what we had just learned about in our small group....that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, LIVES in us. We prayed that the POWER within him would restore his heart to normal rhythm. SURELY, if that power could raise Christ from the dead, we had the confidence that He could take care of this problem...so small in comparison.”

Amazing!

Oh, may we all have our default set to believe who He is, what He says, and then share how He is working in and around us each day!

How have you believed God? How will you train your heart and mind to believe? I would love to hear your stories—because they encourage others to believe.

Believing with you,

Jeanne

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” Ephesians 1:18-21 NIV

"Do not be afraid....only believe." Mark 5:36

Being afraid is probably the biggest obstacle for me when it comes to believing. I think the enemy loves it when I "what if" everything to death. The what-ifs act like bungey cords around my heart...no way am I going to let go of all the possible pitfalls.

As I read the passage in Mark 5, Jesus is on His way to the home of a synogogue offical named Jairus. Jairus has pleaded with Jesus to heal his daughter who is sick at home. While traveling, the crowd following Jesus gets thicker and they begin to press in on Him and the disciples. Jesus notices that power has been released, and finds that a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years was healed simply by touching the hem of his garment.

I can imagine the crowd being amazed at this unfolding before their eyes. The woman, outcast because of her uncleaness has been not only healed of her issue of blood, but restored to her community as well when Jesus proclaimed her healed.

Jairus was witnessing all of this when a member of his household interupts with news that it is too late; his daughter has died so there is no need for Jesus to concern Himself anymore.

Enter what-if pitfalls for Jairus....
Whatever faith he possessed evaporated when he heard the news that his daughter was dead. Yet, Jesus says:

"DO NOT BE AFRAID ANY LONGER, ONLY BELIEVE." (Mark 5:36)  * The word here means, keep on believing.

This story encourages me that it is never too late for God. I shouldn't get discouraged or lose heart. God is able to heal Jairus's daughter whether he arrives late or not. It also shows me that I can't allow fear to get in the way of believing. Often circumstances can begin to overwhelm belief, but this passage shows me that I need to keep my God in focus--because nothing is impossible with Him (I learned this from the Angel's visit to Mary).

So, I commit to believe and not be fearful about:

1. Medical issues, medications, decisions, next steps
2. My sister's need of full time work, financial needs, housing needs, decisions
3. Taking on writing a Bible study
4. A friend's needs
5. How to use my writing and speaking this year
6. My children's spiritual walk
7. My extended family's HUGE needs

I could continue on....

Are you fearful about things? How can you believe past your fears?

Only believe,

Jeanne

Do You Believe?

What does it take for you to believe?

I have been walking with Jesus for a long time so it's hard to remember what caused me to first draw near to Him. I remember desiring to do the right things. I remember wanting to know more about Him. I was a young teen when I made my decision to follow Him; I realized I could never be good enough to go to Heaven on my own. I needed Jesus. My epiphany came in the normal course of my daily activities; I remember sitting at the kitchen table listening to my mom explain about her finding the Savior. It made perfect sense for me to believe too. It was the missing piece. That’s when I chose to believe and follow Him.

In our Christmas story in Luke chapter two, there were two people given a chance to believe. Both were visited by the Angel Gabriel. Both were given pretty shocking news. Their stories are similar yet the results were very different. Zacharias was struck mute for his unbelief until he wrote on the tablet nine months later, His name is John, after the miraculous birth of a son in his old age. Mary was called blessed by her cousin, Elizabeth because she believed what the angel told her.

In reading this account I have been struck by belief and unbelief, two choices that I have every day. Will I believe God or not? I want to choose to believe God for whatever He says, in His word and in His promises. This is easier said than done when faced with impossible odds or the murmurs of doubt that always manage to crowd my thoughts. I struggle in the same way that people in the Bible struggled. I wonder if I am more like Zacharias or Mary in my responses.

As 2011 begins to unfold, my word to contemplate is BELIEVE. Because, believing isn’t finished just because I know Jesus. Believing is something I need to do every day while I walk with Him.

Believing requires faith and trust—in something. I have to believe in things every day. I believe when I board a plane I will make it to my destination safely. I trust the pilot. I trust that the mechanics inspected the aircraft before takeoff. I believe that my car will start when I leave for work in the morning. I believe when I cross over a bridge it will not collapse. I trust these things without even thinking about them. So, the question is, do I believe God? Do I trust that He is able to accomplish everything He says He can do?

I find that it is sometimes easier to believe God for the big things. I believe I am going to heaven because Scripture says if I am trusting in Christ for my salvation, because of what He accomplished on the cross, His grace is all I need. I trust that I will have a job to go to. I believe that God is working in the lives of those I love....you get the idea. But, sometimes it is harder to believe for the smaller everyday things--the things that are in my face. Somehow I think those are my responsibility.

So I have begun to read verses about believing every day and will pass along what I learn. I hope you will come along with me…there is so much He wants to do in us and through us. But, like Mary and Zacharias, we have a choice; we need to start by believing.

Will you believe with me? He is able because nothing is impossible with Him.

Jeanne

Are You Faced With The Impossible?

Christmas is just six days away! My children are all traveling home to visit so I am planning a menu of favorite foods, Christmas Eve traditions, and tucking a few surprises under the tree for them.

As I think of the preparations: shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking, entertaining, cards to mail...It is easy to get caught up in the busyness and miss the quiet messages of Christmas. The message of hope. The message of Love. The message wrapped in swaddling clothes sent from God to a dark world; God's greatest gift.

When the angel visited Zechariah and then, Mary, the dark silence was broken. The dimmed hope of a Messiah was beginning to shine.

In preparation this month, we looked at the Angel Gabriel's first words to Mary, Hail favored one. The Lord is with you. We can only imagine what she felt as he said she would bear the Son of the Most High and name Him, Jesus. I know how I would have felt! Fearful, just like Mary! Then the angel told Mary, Do not be afraid. Easier said then done when faced with incomprehensible things. But, like Mary, once we get beyond the fear we can begin to believe.

When I need to believe God for something beyond my imagination, questions usually start to fly. Doubt rises and I begin to second guess myself and what I have heard. Mary had questions too. The angel assured her with news that her cousin, Elizabeth who was barren, was also expecting a child. Then Gabriel encouraged her by saying, Nothing will be impossible with God.

Nothing.

I believe these words are true for us too. Whatever we face, whatever our need, not only is God with us, but He is able to accomplish the things He has promised.

What promise are you waiting for? What comfort do you find in the words that Mary heard?

God is with you;

                       Do not be afraid;

                                                 Nothing will be impossible with God.

Believing brings hope to a fearful heart.

As we celebrate the messages of Christmas this week, I pray you will experience Him as Emmanuel, God with us. Savior. Lord. Redeemer. God's greatest gift. And, then believe, just like Mary did.