Gratitude's Dress

 (by Lorie Codispoti)

During this time of year, many people attempt to set aside all the difficulties faced since the last holiday season. After all, lamenting doesn’t go with a festive spirit, and sorrow is certainly no friend at the Thanksgiving table. But when we closet our pain in order to put on a happy face, all we really do is change into a costume that allows us to mascaraed our way through an event. After the party’s over, we exchange the pretty dress for the everyday clothes that show the reality of life’s wear and the stains that mark the weariness of our trials.

So, what should we wear to the holidays? Is it possible for heartache and joy to coexist? I believe so.

What we need is an outfit that will showcase Joy without sacrificing the heartache that accompanies real life - something that will present a balance between the fake happy face and the depressed downer.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1Thess.5:16-18)

In this chapter Paul is exhorting the Christians to live in a state of readiness as they await the Lord’s return. And that readiness includes being awake, sober and watchful (vs.6-8). Along with reminding them of their security in Christ (vs.9-10), he instructs them on how to treat one another (vs.11-15). Then he addresses their personal worship (vs.16-22). It’s right in the middle of this section that we read, “in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God…” (vs.18).

You know, I’ve heard a lot of people say that we need to be thankful for ______ (whatever calamity befalls us). That we need to see the thing that causes us pain as a gift. And my response is always the same… NOOOOO!!! I simply cannot thank God for the disease that has wreaked havoc on my body these last few years. To view it as a gift from God? Never! God did not create sickness and disease. He didn’t gift us with the pain and suffering that goes along with a tragic car accident, a fire that crumbles a building and kills innocent lives, brutal wars, violent crime, cancer, etc. That is not the God I read about in Scripture and I simply cannot thank Him for the consequences of living in a broken world.

There is much to be thankful for, however.

Look at verse 18 again. There’s something monumental in Paul’s instruction to the Christian believer… “in everything give thanks.” The key is in that first little, seemingly insignificant, and often overlooked word... "in." Paul isn’t telling us that God’s will is for us to be thankful “FOR” everything, but rather “IN” everything. We all know that right thinking leads to right living, so if necessary, let this truth cause a paradigm shift in the way you interpret life.

Paul doesn’t gloss over hardships. He doesn’t excuse them away or pretend they aren’t there. He’s not wearing a mask to cover up his pain. He’s using the pain to reveal the goodness of God in the midst of his suffering. If you read through his list of perils in 2Corinthians11:23-30 (beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonment, weariness, hunger, etc.), you will find the example of a man who, despite his dire circumstances, on every occasion, finds a Reason to be thankful IN his hard place.

How is that even possible?

The same way it’s possible for the Proverbs 31 woman to joy in the days ahead when her life is filled with trials? The answer is found in her closet, ladies. This woman has chosen to wear a scarlet dress with purple accents made with fine linen. (Vs.21-22)

Did you know that the Hebrew word for gratitude translates to “recognizing the good”? And, the Greek word for thanks finds its root in “grace.” We give thanks to God as a response to His unmeasurable grace poured out to us “IN everything.”

Gratitude is not something we work up. It’s rooted in an Object. Our affection is in response to the One who gave first. He is the Object of our worship and we "recognize the good" in every circumstance. Paul, the Proverbs 31 woman, and us; we all have the ability to lift our heads in praise, not because we’re thankful for the hard things that have happened to us, but because of the only One with the ability to infuse us with a supernatural joy that sees Him as greater and more wonderful than all our suffering.

So, what does Gratitude wear to the party? The most beautiful dress in her closet, of course! The one with the visible stains that have been dipped in the scarlet blood of Christ. The one that does not include a mask to cover the pain. Gratitude smiles at the days to come because her countenence radiates the glory of the One who collects all her tears in His bottle (Psa.56:8).

Your heart may be filled with great sorrow this holiday season, but if the Object of your gratitude is the Maker of your dress, then rest assured, it will not disappear at the stroke of midnight. On the contrary, your dress will become more and more radiant because you’ve chosen to model the beauty of Christ “IN everything.”

Anti-venom

(by Lorie Codispoti)

I’ve never been bitten by a snake (thankfully), but it’s not because we lack an ample supply.

We live in the woods, with a creek running through our property; and we burn wood so there is a large wood pile near the house. It’s an ideal environment for small critters (mice, lizards, birds, frogs, etc.), a delectable smorgasbord for any slithering reptile who decides to make his home near ours.

The reason we have avoided being bitten is simple: awareness and training. Our children were educated on what to look for and how to avoid getting too close when they spotted any snake. Our dog also helped, as he instinctively would put himself between the kids and the snake when he sensed one nearby. I even trained myself to differentiate between their sound and that of a lizard moving through the leaves. (I have really good hearing.) Of course, our methods aren’t foolproof, but we have successfully avoided some really close calls.

The Bible describes Satan in a variety of ways, one of which is the serpent who bit Adam and Eve in the Garden. They were unaware of how deadly this creature was, and rather than avoiding him they got close enough to be injected with his deadly venom.

You don’t have to be a Christian for very long before you encounter the most dangerous creature ever created. While we can (and should) make every attempt to educate ourselves on how to avoid crossing his path, we will inevitably wrestle with the serpent and feel his fangs penetrate our skin. The only hope, at that point, will be anti-venom.

Did you know that, worldwide, two million people are bitten by snakes every year? Ten thousand of those cases come from Nigeria, where people are killed by the venom from the aggressive Nigerian carpet viper. In the United States, Thomasville, Georgia is the place to avoid if you suffer from ophidiophobia (fear of snakes). It’s the rattlesnake capital of America, with local hospitals treating snake bite victims every day. Again, the answer lies within the neutralizing properties of anti-venom, so every year a nearby town has a “rattlesnake round up” where they gather and milk their venom so that it can be used to create an antidote.

One sheep owner wrote this on a post I recently read: “A rattlesnake bit one of my sheep in the face about a week ago. It’s the deadliest snake that lives around here. The sheep’s face swelled up and hurt her terribly. But the old rattlesnake didn't know the kind of blood that flows through the sheep. The sheep swelled for about two days but the blood of the lamb destroyed the venom of the serpent. I was worried but the sheep didn't care. She kept on eating, kept on drinking and kept on climbing because she knew she was alright.” (Jeremy Roop)

For almost a century, anti-venom was created using horse blood, but 40% of people injected would have an allergic reaction, with some even dying. So researchers began experimenting and discovered that antivenin made with sheep’s blood only had a 1% allergic response.

Do you see what I see? The Lamb’s blood overcomes the deadly venom injected by the serpent - and though the sheep may still suffer adverse effects, it’s a temporary condition due to the fact that the poison has been neutralized.

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn.1:29)

Our Savior spilled His own blood, reversing the death sentence rendered in the garden. And for those infused with the blood of the Lamb, there is no need to fear the venom from Satan's bite. “He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters” because the head of the serpent has been severed and all his works destroyed by the finished work of the cross.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Father

 (by Lorie Codispoti)

Prayer has always been an important part of my life. (I can’t imagine a day without it.)

I can still recall my earliest prayer, and all the emotions involved in crying out to God for help. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was the heart-cry of a little girl who took her deepest desire to the only one who could answer her request. Every night I asked God to bring my daddy home safe from fighting in Vietnam. Somehow I knew that God was my daddy’s only hope of escaping that horrible war.

“OUR FATHER”

When people prayed to God before Jesus came they addressed Him as “Yahweh,” “my Lord,” “my God,” or “God of my father.” For Jesus to address God as Father was revolutionary. And for Him to instruct His disciples to also address God as their Father, was a seismic shift for the religious community of the day. With his instruction, Jesus Christ was affirming that He embodied this exclusive right because He was the Son of God.

Due to the finished work of Christ, every believer has been grafted into the privilege of addressing the God of all creation as “Father.”

THE CHALLENGE

Jesus said, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, & when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; & your Father, who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Mtt.6:6)

The other day I read something that has challenged an area of my prayer life that needed challenging. The writer asked a pondering question: What if, when you get to Heaven, your reward is directly tied to all the prayers you prayed for those who never knew you were praying?

Wow, what if the time I spend on my knees, crying “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven” is connected somehow to the measure of glory I will experience in the presence of Christ? Talk about "fullness of joy!"

Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus

You can have all this world

But give me Jesus

As a child, I addressed the Creator as “God,” because that’s how I knew Him. But, when I surrendered my life to Christ, an intimate relationship began and I was given the right to call Him my Father. 

My daddy came home from the war, but what I’ve learned is that there are many links left in the chains that bind others to the suffering of this world. If my heavenly Father wants to use my prayers to transfer those links to the chain that will forever bind Satan and his forces, then I’ll gladly reenlist for another tour of duty.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

The Real Ideal

 (by Lorie Codispoti)

A smiley-faced border expressed my enthusiasm as it framed the “Welcome back to school!” announcement on the dry-erase marker board. Our first day of school was always our favorite. The smell of new textbooks begging to be opened, mingled with the colorful bouquet of sharpened pencils excited both students and teacher. Each desk housed a goodie bag filled with special supplies that I had collected. Underneath each bag were new notebooks, whose empty pages would soon house all the creative sentences my children would gleefully pen. It was the kind of ideal day that fills a yearbook with wonderful pictures.

The thing about ideal days, though, is that they are more like the exception rather than the rule. Reality sets in when you realize that that your children aren’t going to enjoy marching to the cadence of the ABC song for 180 days.

So, what’s a teacher to do when the newness wears off - when life removes the “i” in “ideal” and your forced to “deal” with those days when your perfect plan begins to run sideways -when you feel like erasing the board, selling your books, and biting the erasers off every pencil in that bouquet? Yearbooks are wonderful, but be realistic; the pictures that did not make the cut always outnumber the ones that do.

Four words: “HE RESTORES MY SOUL!” (Psa.23:3)

The soul that needs restoring is depleted. It needs to be nourished in order to continue. And the 23rd Psalm reminds us that we are sheep in need of the daily oversight and gentle, loving care of our Shepherd. He feeds us with green pastures and satisfies our thirst with still waters. He restores us for the mission.

Have you ever seen a happy sheep? They are the ones that dance after the Shepherd sheers off the weight of their heavy wool. The idealistic burden has been removed, and the sideways day becomes a path of discovery rather than dread. When your daughter decides that all the circles on her CAT test look prettier if they're all filled, instead of freaking out you figure out another way to get the results needed. When you’re convinced that your son has some kind of new, no-name learning disorder you find a way for him to learn the material.

Nobody wants to talk about all the pictures that didn’t make it into the yearbook, but you know what? Yearbooks are overrated. Pull out the scrapbook and fill it with all the rejects. It’s the place where reality lives. It’s where we can show off the restorative work of our Shepherd. When the good, the bad, and the ugly coexist you know you’ve got the ideal yearbook.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Which Jesus?

 (by Lorie Codispoti)

If we claim to be Christians wouldn’t it seem reasonable to assume that we have a basic understanding of Christianity’s central figure, Jesus Christ?

Author, Randy Alcorn said, “If you get it wrong about Jesus, in the end it won’t matter much what you got right.”

SURVEY

I found the results of Ligonier Ministry’s 2020 TheStateOfTheology.com survey sobering. While there are some encouraging trends among the American evangelicals surveyed, when you factor in that these numbers are from those claiming to know and follow Christ, there is cause for concern.

Consider these responses:

~ 30% believe that Jesus was a great teacher, but not God.

~ 63% believe that “Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God.”

~ 46% believe that most people are good by nature.

~ 42% believe that “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.”

~ 60% believe that “God counts a person as righteous not because of one’s works but only because of one’s faith in Jesus Christ.”

~ 59% believe that “The Bible is 100% accurate in all that it teaches.”

~ 55% believe that “The Bible has the authority to tell us what we must do.”

~ 56% believe that “It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.”

~ 72% believe that “Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.”

~68% believe that “Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation.”

~ 78% “Jesus Christ is the only person who never sinned.” (2018)

What does that say about the people sitting in the pews of our churches? What does it say about those leading and teaching these people? What does it say about some of our “churches”? If the majority believe Jesus was a created being, with some denying His deity and placing Him among sinners, then is it any wonder why they don’t believe the Bible is the inerrant authority in a believer’s life? If we don’t believe and teach the basic tenants of the Christian faith, then we shouldn’t be surprised to read of those among us who embrace heresies.

MISREPRESENTATION

The God of the Bible has not only made Himself known (in a general sense through creation), but He has done something no other god has ever done - He invites us to know Him on an intimate level. God wants to make our relationship with Him personal. Why? Because God IS love (1Jn.4:8). No other god can identify with or embody this attribute.

What’s worse than getting God wrong? Thinking that you’ve got Him right and then misrepresenting Him to others.

“Acquaint yourself with Him.” That’s what Eliphaz encouraged Job to do during his intense time of suffering and loss (J.22:21a).

On the surface, this might appear to be wise counsel, but remember, Eliphaz was one of Job’s three friends who got it wrong. As we near the end of Job’s story, God rebukes his friends, and speaks this to Eliphaz, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." (J.42:7)

Misrepresentations of the one, true God are nothing new. They started with the serpent in the garden and will continue until everything is renewed by Christ.

Interestingly, if you study the major world religions (Muslim, Judism, Hindu, Buddhist), and some of the well known cults (Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon), you’ll find that each one honors Jesus. They don’t question the fact that He existed. The problem isn’t whether they honor and believe in His existence; the problem is that they misrepresent Him. Like Eliphaz, they are acquainted with Jesus, but the don’t really know Him.

Every good lie is interwoven with truth, otherwise you’d never believe it. Do you know enough about the Jesus of Scripture to differentiate Him from false representations?

GET IT RIGHT

In one Barna study that I read, two out of every three adults (random selection of Americans) claim to have an active and influential personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Wow! At first glance that sounds awesome. But then comes the question: which Jesus?

After Jesus warns His disciples of the false doctrine being preached by the religious leaders of His day, He asks them two questions: 1) “Who do men say that I am?” And 2) “Who do you say that I am?” (Mtt.16:13-16)

I find it interesting that the general populous identified Christ in much the same way as many of the false religions of our day, but when Jesus asks His inner circle who they think He is, we read that it’s Peter who responds with the correct answer: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (A survey in that moment might of said one out of twelve knew who He was. Thankfully, those numbers flipped, with only one out of twelve denying.)

There are many anti-biblical versions of Jesus. Some have reconstructed Him to fit an image of who they want him to be. Some serve an alternative Jesus, offered by those who have redefined Him. And some want to lump Him in with other gods (religious pluralism), thinking that He’s one of many ways to heaven.

What Jesus’ disciples got right went beyond their perceptions, and we can trust their eyewitness accounts.

John’s historical account records Jesus identifying Himself in His seven “I Am” statements (Jn.6:35, 8:12, 10:9&11, 11:25-26, 14:6, 15:5). They confirm what we read throughout Scripture: that Jesus is part of the triune, one and only God - that He predates time and created all things - that His word is authoritative and true - that He, being sinless, became sin on the cross - that He rose from the dead by His own power to rescue us from eternal damnation - that He is the only way - and that out of His great love desires to have a relationship with us.

He is all this and more! In 1John 3 we read that when Christ is fully revealed to us “we will see Him as He is.” (There’s more to discover.)

John could write all of this, not only because He was an eyewitness, but because he had a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

Unlike, Eliphaz, John got it right. Will you? In the end nothing else will matter.

Lightless Vs. Light Filled

(by Lorie Codispoti)

I was a fair-skinned child with lots of FRECKLES. I spent my childhood wishing those spots away, but all they did was multiply in the mirror. My mother tried to encourage me by telling me that they were angel kisses, and that one day my freckles would fade, like hers did. That helped a little, but for the most part I remained inconsolable.

Mom was right though! Over time, many of the freckles on my face faded away.

BLACK LIGHT TRAUMA

I’ll never forget the day we took our kids to a science museum and walked into a room with mirrors. All was fine, until the room went dark and they turned on the black light. I literally couldn’t believe what I was seeing with my 40 year old eyes. There they were - every single freckle that I thought had disappeared decades ago. It was like going back in time and staring at my childhood face in the mirror. I was shocked and horrified.

Black lights make what is invisible to the human eye visible. The science relates to ultra-violet light (what we cannot see) and phosphors (a substance that glows under an ultraviolet light).

What I learned from that traumatic event is that my freckles never completely vanished; they simply went into hiding.

LIGHTLESS

Lucifer’s name meant “light-bearer,” before he fell and was stripped of everything from his light to his name. Paul said that Satan (which means “adversary”) has the ability to transform himself into an “angel of light”(2Cor.11:14). Does that mean he can put on the same light that he lost? NO! It means he puts on a disguise and masquerades as light. He has the ability to pretend to be what he once was. In this passage, Paul is warning Christians not to be deceived by the appearance of a counterfeit.

LIGHT FILLED

The Bible tells us that God is Light (1John 1:5), He dwells in light (1Tim.6:16), and that He created light (Gen.1:3). The revelation of His word also gives light and shows us the way (Psa.119:130a, 105).

We know that Jesus said He is the Light of the world (Jn.8:12). He illuminated the world at creation, and was the Light that appeared at His incarnation (Jn.1:1-5). He is the Light that wakens the dead and calls us out of darkness (Jn.12:46). His Light serves as our armor (Rms.13:12), as well as being the Source that enables us to have fellowship with each other (1Jn.1:7). Jesus is the Light that both indwells us and radiates through us(Acts13:47). And in the New Jerusalem there will be no need for a sun because the Light of the Son will shine, as it did before God created our planet’s source of light (sun). (Rev.21:23)

The Holy Spirit is our Helper, sent to teach us and bring to remembrance all we learn as we walk in the Light (Jn.14:26, Psa.56:13). He is God’s light Who guides us into all truth (Jn.16:13). His light clarifies the word and directs our steps (Psa.119:11). The book of Revelation (4:5) describes the sevenfold Spirit of God as “seven lamps of fire burning.” When Daniel was presented to King Belshazzar, the king remarked, “I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.” (Dan.5:14)

OUR LIGHT

Not only were we created by the Light to be drawn to the Light, but as a result of being redeemed and renewed by the Light of Christ, we have been commissioned to walk as “children of the light” because His light shines in us (Eph.3:13-14). We are to be filled with God's visable Light.

Satan is a type of black light. He wants us to gaze into his mirror so that he can attempt to convince us that nothing has changed - that we look the same as we did before coming to Christ. But remember, Satan is the liar who lost his light when he fell. Don’t allow him to exploit God’s resident Light in you. The light of Christ is what covers and clothes you now. You may carry the marks of your sinful past, but they are nothing but dead scars that can neither receive nor remit light.

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones. (Prov.15:30)

Did you know that our bodies are bioluminescent? That’s right - we glow in the dark! In fact, researchers have discovered that our glow shines the brightest when we’re burning the most energy. The significance is huge when you think about the spiritual war we are engaged in every day. We need Light in the dark places and God has given it to us.

It’s Light verses darkness and Christ is illuminated in the heat of the battle (not on the sidelines), where I'll burn the most energy and shine the brightest for my King.

I have no reason to fear the black light of the Dark Knight; for the Creator of Light Himself promises to empower me, fight for me, and give me victory. (Isa. (Ex.14:14, 2Chron.20:17, Deut.20:4, Deut.3:22, Rms.8:37) He says that no weapon formed against me will prosper. (Isa.54:17)

If that isn't enough, I simply remind myself that I’ve been kissed by angels!

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Inspiration

 (by Lorie Codispoti)

I’ve never bought into the idea that only a small percentage of people are creative. I think every human being has been endowed with a measure of creativity. Some may be more visibly creative than others, but creativity has never been limited to a small set of talents.

Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

So the question isn’t whether or not you are creative. The question is about discovering, or rediscovering, what’s always been there.

THE BACK STORY

At the front of every creative endeavor is a back story:

~ Did you know that the woman who invented roll on deodorant was inspired by the way the ink flowed from a ballpoint pen?

~ After a dinner party, Josephine Cochrane noticed that some of her heirloom dishes were chipped. Her desire to find an alternative way to clean dishes, coupled with her desire to relieve tired housewives, is what inspired her to invent the automatic dishwasher.

~ My daughter and her husband built their new home with hospitality in mind. Her interior design reflects an atmosphere of welcome. I asked my daughter what inspired her creativity and she replied, “When I see a cold void I want to soften it.” That not only fits their home, but the way they love everyone God sends their way.

MOVE FORWARD BY GOING BACK

If we want to fully understand the nuances of inspiration, the best place to start is by going back - to the beginning.

The word “inspiration” is derived from a word that means “God breathed.” Think of that in light of the creation of man. God created us “from the dust of the ground” (Gen.1:27, 2:7). The interesting part of this passage is that until God “breathed into his nostrils” there was nothing but the clay model of a human. It was God’s inspiration that started man’s heart. It was His breath that gave birth to humanity.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God….” (2Tim.3:16) Take time to ponder that statement for a minute. God breathed life into us at creation, and out of His great love, He gave us His word to inspire the way we live. And, as if that weren’t enough, when Jesus commissioned His disciples (and us) He infused them with inspiration when “He breathed” new life into them and said, ‘Be filled with the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:22)

Inspiration originated with God. Without Him everything would revert back to the dark void that came before His breath of life.

The book of Job tells us that “If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust.” (Job34:14-15)

THE CATALYST

Many ordinary things have served as catalysts for some of our favorite works:

~ J.R.R Tolkien’s Middle Earth is said to be based on a 14 acre mystical woodland he frequented.

~ After being caught in a violent, midday storm, and then experiencing the beauty of birds singing in the bright sunshine afterwards, Swedish preacher, Carl Boberg fell to his knees “in humble adoration” giving birth to the nine-stanza hymn, How Great Thou Art.

~ The inspiration for the hit series The Chosen, emerged after a devastating career disappointment for its creator, Dallas Jenkins.

~ Thomas Kinkade’s paintings were filled with light, partly inspired by his impoverished childhood, but he also credits the supernatural light was inspired by his encounter with Christ.

STIR IT UP

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” (Heb.10:24)

The writer of Hebrews is telling us to motivate each other. This word figuratively speaks of both sharpening the mind and stimulating each other to love and good works. Well, you can’t stimulate something that isn’t innately there, right?

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph.2:10)

Your inspiration may never produce a world famous work of art, best seller, or a famous hymn. You may never invent a travel machine that takes you across the country to Grandma’s house (My six-year-old grandson’s goal.), but you were born with an ability to create. When God breathed life into our bodies He inspired us to copy His creative nature and reflect His beauty. No other creature shares this unique expression.

So, what are you waiting for? Get busy creating and showcasing your astounding ability. And don’t forget to stir up inspiration in those around you. We could use some more of God’s beauty on display in our world right now.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

War Cry

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Does it feel like things are spiraling out of control? 

Not only are we seeing a rise in personal and family issues, but our world, at large, (wars, natural disasters, health concerns, social, educational, financial, religious, governments, etc.) seems to be on a trajectory of disaster. While most Christians understand that this is all part of the fulfillment of prophesy, we still battle fear, anger, and other emotions, as we witness the avalanche of destruction.

What do we do?

The simple answer is to pray. However, the kind of prayer I’m talking about is anything but simple. It's NOT the … "Lord, I need a parking space.” or “Let this new hair color work.”  or “Please let there be some chocolate left.” kind of praying. Goodness knows, chocolate is important, so those prayers have their place.

The kind of praying I’m talking about is much more intense. It looks like Elijah stretching himself across the body of a dead boy and crying out to the Lord (1Kings17:19-21). It’s the kind of praying that sounds like the “sons of Israel” as they groaned so loud over their bondage that their cries reached the ears of God (Ex.2:23-25). It’s Hannah, willing to be misunderstood for a drunk woman because of the intensity and volume of her desperate pleas. 

This kind of praying postures kings, like Asa, on their faces as they cry out, “Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.” (2Chron.14:11)

Can you hear it?

“Let the horn be sounded in Zion, and a war-cry in my holy mountain; let all the people of the land be troubled: for the day of the Lord is coming.” (Joel2:1)

“Rak Chazak Amats!” (“Be strong and courageous.”) Throughout history, this has been the Hebrew war cry. 

Rak = tender, delicate, soft (A reflection of our humble heart toward God and our gentle spirit toward others.)

Chazak = strength, courage (“Possessing a resolute and growling resolve for the glory of God. A flush of spiritual fervor.” (Erik Ludy))

Amats = strong, alert, brave, bold (“Rushing headlong into the most hazardous and impossible battles without pausing to consider the impossibilities.” (E.L.))

Before he dies, Moses commissioned Joshua and the Israelites to cross over the Jordan and take the Promised Land, “Be strong and of good courage” (Deut.31:6). Then God reminds Joshua to “be strong and courageous” three times in Joshua 1. Understandable when you consider he was facing 31 hostile empires. But, when the God of all creation goes before you and assures you of the victory, your heart beats to the cadence and your voice trumpets the war cry of the King. 

Will you take action?

Jesus invited His disciples to join Him in a Rak Chazak Amats time of prayer, the night before His crucifixion. They heard the cry, but they opted to sleep through the blood sweating battle before the battle. 

May it not be said of us. 

Have you seen the commercial where the athlete says, “Train what’s under the armor”? The first time I heard it I immediately thought of Paul’s description of our spiritual armor.  He sounds an alarm in Ephesians 6, when he tells believers to armor up and prepare to wrestle with principalities that have neither flesh nor blood. And before he describes each piece of our King’s armor, he tells us to “be strong” (Chazak). At the end of his description he reminds us of the importance of bold prayers - prayers that hold nothing back. 

Prayer is the skeleton under the armor. What good is it for us to put on our spiritual armor if we’re not prepared to support it? “Train what’s under the armor” so that when we hear the war cry of our King we are armed and ready to fight the battle.

If we live in the danger zone, why do we prefer to pray it safe?

Only the brave (Amats) will venture into the danger zone, and only the courageous (Chazak) will remain until the task is complete.

Wake up, Church! We are the redeemed. Hostile empires may outnumber us, but the same God who went before Joshua goes before us. The same God that filled the disciples with His Spirit at Pentecost fills us to do the same thing they did - take back what the enemy has stolen.

Rak Chazak Amats!

Reborn There

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Most of us have a birth certificate. It verifies who we are and is needed for things like a passport and a driver’s license. It includes our name, gender, time and date of birth, parent’s information, and birthplace.

However, if you’re doing any kind of genealogical research, they say that birth records are not the place to start. Why? Well, before 1946 it was not the state, but the local church that recorded the births (and deaths) in their communities. And for a variety of reasons, not every birth was registered. According to History.com, “If a child did not live to be baptized, was enslaved or moved from place to place, its birth might not be recorded at all—or its memory might live on only in a family Bible or its mother’s memory.”

Isn’t that sad? A human life. An eternal being. Erased from history because there was never a record of the fact that they were valued and born with a created purpose.

There are important genealogies in both the Old and New Testaments. The average reader may choose to skip over these sections, but they exist for more than simply challenging your pronunciation skills. (Can you say Mahershalalhashbaz?)

The begats are recorded for several important reasons: 1) They help to substantiate the historicity of the Bible. These were real people, and the records verify their existence. 2) They confirm prophecy; specifically, that the Messiah would come from the line of David. (Scripture records 4,000 years of Jesus’ ancestry.) 3) They speak of God’s divine purposes - like the fact that He used both the reputable and those with sketchy reps in Jesus lineage to communicate that everyone is redeemable, and that no human can thwart His plan of redemption for mankind.

“Modern genealogy is primarily reserved for hobbyists. In contrast, genealogies were a deeply integral part of Jewish society at the time of Jesus. Land was inherited based on family lines, and those who could not prove their ancestry in Israel were considered outsiders.” (Erik Lutz)

To think that most Americans cannot trace their lineage beyond their grandparents is lamentable for many reasons. The greatest melting pot in the world and not only have we lost some very interesting characters, but their stories have followed them into the great unknown.

I am thankful for the little I know of my heritage. I had the privilege of knowing all my grandparents, and most of my great-grandparents. I loved hearing their stories, especially the ones connected to another relative. But, it wasn’t until one of my sisters became interested in our ancestry that I learned much more. Thanks to her efforts I can link myself to some interesting people, like Henry VIII, Booker T. Washington, Jesse James, and Bonnie Parker. (I do hope she can unearth a few more good guys, but I want to know about all of them - the good, the bad, and the ugly - because it reveals the hand of God and His transformative work in my life.)

What have we lost as a result of not knowing who came before us? Might Hitler have thought differently if he knew he had both Jewish and African ancestors? Might Barrack Obama and George W. Bush find more common ground if they knew they were distant cousins? Might Meghan Markle be persuaded to return to Europe since her pedigree includes Winston Churchill and William Shakespeare? Who knows!

While many recorded births have regrettably been lost to the abyss of the unknown and are long forgotten, there is a book that records every person born into the Kingdom of God. Throughout the ages, this undeniable, undisputed record has carefully recorded all who have surrendered to the lordship of King Jesus.

Jesus said, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” (Rev.3:5)

Psalm 87 mentions the glories of God’s city to come. Verse six says, “The Lord will record, when He registers the peoples: ‘This one was born there.’”

In our world, searching for a birth certificate may not be the place to start, but in the Kingdom of God, a record of your re-birth is the first thing consulted.

Might your life look different if your name was recorded in His Book? Might your relationships look different if you were found to be related to the King of Kings?

I have two birth certificates. How many do you have?

Hold Fast In Confusion

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Confusion has saturated our culture, and biblical compromise is at the root of it.

I hear it in media reports, and in the disjointed lyrics and chaotic rhythms of modern “music.”

I see it in educational materials, and in political and social agendas that make no sense.

I smell death and decay as people are subject to a medical industry that cares more about money than people.

I taste it in the processed fake food being falsely marketed as both “healthy” and “nutritious.”

I feel it as I engage with people whose twisted psychology has caused great harm to themselves and others.

If this confusion sounds familiar, that’s because it is. The God who created us, with our five senses to aid in bearing His image, is hated by the “author of confusion.” It has always been Satan’s goal to destroy everything God established and called “good.” His modus operandi hasn't changed since the garden, but his destiny will.

TODAY’S CONSENSUS

Every couple of years Ligonier Ministries conducts a survey; in it, they ask Americans what they think about Jesus Christ, the Bible, truth, and ethics. Their 2020, pre-Covid19 findings are telling, but what I find most interesting is the trends that have emerged since they began compiling their data in 2014. (https://thestateoftheology.com)

“The most consistent and concerning trend is the increasing rejection of the literal truth of Scripture among the U.S. population.” (48%)

“Evangelicals, while exhibiting some hopeful movement in the direction of biblical fidelity, also seem to be influenced by the culture’s uncertainty about what truth is, who Jesus is, and how sinners are saved. These results reveal an urgent need for clear biblical teaching on the person of Christ, the gospel of grace, and the way that the truth of God informs our ethical decisions in everyday life. There is much work to be done in this age of confusion…”

Notice the correlation between our cultural confusion and the growing denial that God’s word is the standard for everything “good.”

HOLD FAST

A standard is a form of measurement. It’s “a repeatable, harmonised, agreed and documented way of doing something.” (IRENA)

When any culture compromises their standards, things become subjective… “I’ll do what seems right to me, and you do the same.” Without a standard to validate “good,” there is no objective measurement. How confusing is that?

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he encourages him to hold fast to the standard of God’s word amidst the obstacles he faces in a world where the persecution of Christians continues to escalate.

“Hold fast the pattern of sound words, which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.” (2Tim.1:13-14)

The only way for Timothy (and us) to “hold fast” to the “pattern” (aka, standard), is with the help of the Holy Spirit. His indwelling presence acts as a Conservator of God’s word, both protecting and proclaiming its integrity. Through Him we are enabled to endure as we live out our faith - no matter what our condition.

In holding fast to God’s standard, I can use my five senses to glorify Him as an image-bearer. I can make sense of a crazy and confused culture by pointing others to the God who is sovereign over all (even this mess), and who promises that His kingdom to come will be void of all confusion because He has conquered its author.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com