09
Apr '18
Lessons in the Rearview Mirror
09
Apr '18
I was driving home the other day, heading East just about the time the sun was going down behind me.
Rolling hills, music playing, little traffic. Nice and relaxing.
Until the setting sun just about blinded me in the rearview mirror.
Blinking from seeing spots, I flipped the mirror up and tried to get back to my relaxing drive home.
Not so fast. God had something to say.
As I glanced back up to the rearview mirror, I noticed the strange pattern of shadows it was creating from the reflection of the sun. I had to squint to see any kind of detail. All the rolling hills behind me were now cast in various shades of shadow. I couldn’t clearly make out much of anything, and the beauty I was beholding a few minutes before had now turned to ominous shifting patterns of grey.
In true form, I took notice and began to ponder how with one flip of a switch everything took on such a drastically different appearance. I use this function at night all the time, but rarely during the day.
In true form, God proceeded to do what He regularly does with me… speaking through life, creation and observation.
What I heard was this: Now you see through a glass darkly, but then face to face.
Hold up. I recognized this from my younger years memorizing the King James Version of I Cor. 13:12:
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Ok Lord, but what are you really trying to tell me.
His response:
Your heart may be troubled about many things, but be patient, you can’t see everything clearly yet.
I had questions. Of course I had questions.
But Lord, it’s hard to be patient when I still don’t have the answers I need. I need clarity!
Now you see through a glass darkly. You are my daughter. Trust me, I’ve got you.
But Lord, I’d rather understand right now. How do I find peace in this situation without understanding?
Right now you can only see a small part of the picture. I am bigger than that. Find peace in ME, not in the understanding.
Okay. (sigh) It’s just hard to see beauty through the distortion, purpose in the pain, solid ground in shifting shadows.
Your story is not yet complete. I am doing a good work in you. Work with me.
Do not be afraid, I am with you. I AM your solid ground.
He had more to say, but you get the idea.
When I got home, I looked up that verse in my chosen translation these days. This is how the NLT puts I Cor. 13:12:
Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
Sometimes we don’t see beauty looking in the rearview mirror- in the car or in our lives.
We often look back and still desire clarity. Sometime hindsight is clearer and sometimes it isn’t. But we serve a God that knows us completely.
As we trust and obey Him, one day we will see- with perfect clarity- the why, the how, the purpose.
This month we focus on the Godly virtue and Fruit of the Spirit: Patience. So often it is in the process of “seeing through a glass darkly” where God does His good work. We practice patience, baby-stepping through circumstances and trusting Him to bear fruit in and through us.
Our lives can shift and change in an instant. We often stumble around trying to gain focus and grasp for stability.
Do not be afraid. Your story is not yet complete. The God of Angel Armies is behind you, goes before you and is by your side.
As Yoda tells an impatient Luke at the start of his training in Star Wars… “Patience you must have, my young Padawan.”
Author:
Michelle Marx
You can read more of Michelle’s writing here.
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26
Mar '18
Control Freak
26
Mar '18
I’m going to be upfront and honest here.
I’m a control freak.
I am a Type A personality, having to ensure everything is figured out. I need to be the one in the driver’s seat. Having a background in the military and law enforcement; I have my day planned out, I am task driven and I will make decisions… well, decisively!
Because let’s face it: a so-so decision is better than no decision at all… am I right?
Let’s put the brakes on that thought process for just a minute. As we have been talking about peace this month, I couldn’t help but think of the peace I have missed out on in my own life because of my control freak mindset.
It really just boils down to these simple thoughts:
I’m afraid of not having control of my life and my family.
I’m afraid of not having control of my job.
What if something bad happens?
Can I prevent this from happening to my kids?
Somehow, I don’t think I’m alone in feeling this way.
God tells us in John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
I seek to control the world around me, but the world around me will not bring peace to my life. As a result of sin in this world, bad things will happen, loved ones will die, my children may make bad decisions as they grow up and the list goes on.
I cannot control any of these things, but what I can control is my thought process, resolve to focus on God’s word and remember His promises. One of these promises being that he will never leave me or forsake me- in good times and in bad.
“Let go and let God”… have you heard of that saying?
I’m working on this very concept in my life and I want to encourage you to do the same.
As we release control and let God take over, I know we will begin to find a peace that is only from our Father. A peace that passes all human understanding.
He is our ultimate daddy and he cares for our wellbeing more than anyone on this earth.
He wants us to be at peace with ourselves, with others and most importantly with Him.
So let’s take the brakes off now and re-examine my first thoughts through this prayer:
God, I am asking you to take control. Let my Type A personality be used for your glory and not to try and control the world around me. Lord, help me to slow down in life and not rush to make decisions, but rather seek your council and wisdom first. I ask you Father that as I allow you to take control, you bring a peace in my life that I have never experience before. Help me Jesus to not be a control freak, but rather to let go of control and let you do your perfect work. Thank you for your peace. In Jesus name, Amen.
Author:
Husband, Father and Christ-Follower
Ryan leads worship at Faith Assembly
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24
Feb '18
Soul Tattoo- What Defines You?
24
Feb '18
The Scripture is full of references that talk about the soul and the spirit.
It’s so important in fact, that the Old Testament mentions it over 785 times and the New Testament over 103 times.
It’s pretty clear that in God’s big story for mankind, our souls- the essence of our inner most beings- is important to Him- so important that He sent His son to die for our sin, our weaknesses, and our shame. Our soul is the thing that makes us unique. It’s how we relate to others and how we understand ourselves. It comprises who we are.
Often our souls feel like a roller coaster- sometimes weary or unsure- sometimes comfortable, content or even at peace. We all have invisible tattoos (so to speak) that make an imprint on our souls… earthly things that work to define us. They may have been in the past or are currently influencing our perspectives.
They can make a mark so deep that the imprint may feel like it will last forever.
So the question is this: what defines you?
Are you allowing your past, your education, your mistakes, your job, your talents, ministry, kids, marital status, successes… whatever- to define who you are? The world would project this onto you… especially your failures! This should not be! You see friend, when we allow these things to define who we are, we have embraced a false identity. We are then allowing everything but God to define our worth.
This is why God says we must examine our hearts.
He knows that if we embrace a false identity, we are vulnerable to the enemy’s schemes and lies. This leaves us vulnerable to the many traps the enemy of our souls delights putting right in our path. He loves to plant seeds of self doubt, confusion, relationship drama, unforgiveness, bad decisions, selfish pride or self-hatred… even disobedience to the God we say we love.
But with God’s Truth, He tells us that if we place our soul identity in Him, nothing can touch the essence of who we are! When we believe on His name and claim Christ as our Savior, we are a new creation found in Christ Jesus. No longer do we have to be defined by those old things. We are now sons and daughters of the King of Kings!
Hebrews 6:18-19 says“Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls…”
This Truth of our identity isn’t always something that we “feel”… but rather God’s Truth that we must choose.
2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (MSG)
Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.
Because of God’s overwhelming love for us, it’s that same love that will transform our souls into something beautiful, confident, at peace and blazing with purpose. This is the ultimate miracle- the transformation of the very essence of our being!
Let us make our “soul tattoo” permanent once and for all, by…
1) knowing the Truth
2) embracing the Truth
3) practice the Truth daily
4) make the Truth known as a testimony for God’s glory
For if we can run with the Truth of who we really are in Jesus– nothing…and I mean nothing-
will stop us from fulfilling the destiny God has planned for us to fulfill!
Author:
Michelle Marx
Wife, Mom and Lover of Jesus
You can read more of Michelle’s writing at Pianogirl Speaks.
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