When storms bring you back to life.

There is a really interesting plant on one of the oak trees on our driveway. It's called a Resurrection Fern or Pleopeltis polypodioides (say that 10 times fast!). 

I didn't notice this beautiful fern until after a really bad rain storm. Then sitting there, in between two branches, sat this vibrant green fern.

It's an interesting plant and it's estimated that it can go 100 years without water and live in a dominant state but just a few drops of water will restore this beautiful plant to it's full glory.

This fern gets more interesting, it lives on other species, like trees, however not in a parasite kind of way. It attaches itself to a host tree but does not take nutrients from the host. It gets all it requires from the air and from water that collects on the bark of the tree. Wikipedia said this "Epiphytes differ from parasites in that epiphytes grow on other plants for physical support and do not necessarily negatively affect the host."

So as I have watched this fern come and go with the rain storms and dry spells, I started thinking about us in our walks with God.

For so many of us we are in a dry dormant state, unnoticed by the world around us. Christ is like the host tree in that we attach ourselves to Him for 'physical support', our Rock. We don't take from Him, we just survive on what is around us in the environment, or from our Pastor's sermons each Sunday or the Scripture of the Day fix. We are alive, kinda, but we are never seen in the full glory and potential that we have.

Then a storm comes through and we get hit hard by the rain and wind. Our leaves are drenched and at the time we are not sure what is happening and if we will ever make it. The storm passes but then the most amazing thing happens.

Out of the violence of the storm the rain awakens our souls and we stretch forth our beautiful leaves and then, where once brown dead leaves lay, the landscape is changed by a bright green foliage.

So as I have thought of this in my own life I realized before my world was turned upside down I was a dominant fern, all curled up and brown. The storm hit and I cried over the heavy rain but now after the storm I understand how badly my soul needed the rain to awaken me. So if you are a fern too, don't fear the storms in your life but see them as an opportunity for the refreshing rain of God to revive your soul and so you can be seen in the full glory of what God has created you to be.

You, O God, did send a plentiful rain; You did restore and confirm Your heritage when it languished and was weary. Psalm 68:9

I'm dedicating this post to the people in Louisiana that went through the flood and pray that God provides complete restoration!

What I learnt from the Blood Moon.

Last Sunday night we got to see the beauty of a blood moon. I have an interest in the Tetrad concept and we managed to see one other of the four eclipses. But I have to say as much as I hoped for the rapture and wondered what great event would take place, what God taught me through it has surprised me greatly.

We got to the beach, one of the perks of living in Florida, around 8pm. I haven't actually been on the beach in the dark. I was shocked how scary and violent my normal place of peace and tranquility was. The wind was strong, so the waves were pretty big. The tide was also high and probably the closest to the shore I had ever seen them. 

We have had a run of cloudy, wet weather here, I'm not sure Sunshine State is a good logo for Florida anymore!!! Anyhow the clouds were so thick and black that you couldn't see the huge super moon. So the already scary scene on the beach was amplified by darkness.

It's kind of a good imagine of how my life feels right now. It used to be a scene of peace and rest but now it's turbulent and scary. 

So we waited. The full eclipse time was 10:37pm. We watched the darkness for a sign, a glimpse of the familiar bright circle and every now and then we would catch a glimpse.

My friend's phone said at 10pm the clouds would clear. So hope was found and a renewed endurance to wait out the clouds. But at 10pm the clouds had obviously not got the memo that they were supposed to leave the party. At that point hope of seeing this lunar display were fast disappearing and thoughts of a comfortable bed took hold.

That was the when someone said "Is that a star?"

It was. All of a sudden pockets of clear sky were appearing, with the exception of  the part of the sky the moon was in. We watched the direction of the moving clouds and looked to see if a break was coming. We felt so close to seeing what we knew was behind the clouds.

Then my friend said "maybe God is going for a big reveal?"

Well guess what happened right at 10:30pm? The clouds rolled back like a curtain and there before us was a perfect super moon in full eclipse. And for 20 minutes we sat watching this perfectly cloudless sky with this amazing display.

As we drove home I said to my husband that I felt God was trying to tell us something. He felt the same thing.

Right now in my life I'm sitting on dark beach that is really scary. Normally the scene before me or 'normal life' is a peaceful place but with the darkness and wind and waves crashing it's become scary. The sky is so dark from storm clouds that seeing is hard. But when I ask God what to do I get one reply over and over and over again. 

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!

Be still in this dark place.

Be still even though the sound of the waves is scary.

Be still watching for something you can't see.

Be still and wait...

Because right behind that cloud God is painting a masterpiece that is so beautiful it will take your breathe away. My 5 year old said "We can't see the moon because God hasn't finished painting it red." He doesn't want me to see the answer until it is perfected. Until it is complete. That's when the dark clouds will roll away and He will reveal His miraculous masterpiece. And the whole time all I have to do is sit still and look up and watch and wait.

God really has shown me this week what trusting Him means. I am a planner and a dreamer so an uncertain tomorrow is not easy for people wired like me. I was having one of my 'questioning conversations' with God this week and this scripture was His reply -

My ways are not His ways, that has become very clear to me. But His ways are perfect. All I have to do is be still and trust Him. 

It sounds simple but like Sunday night on the beach we get disheartened and tired. The weather radar on my phone doesn't give me much hope. The graphic of where there best chances are to see it show our area as virtually impossible. You start receiving text messages with people sending their pictures of it which just frustrate you more because why are they seeing the answer and we aren't. So many humanly, fleshly excuses can cloud our judgement.

If we had left at 10 we would have missed the event by mere minutes! How many prayers go unanswered because we give up just before it is answered?

Just like at the beach, even though I couldn't see it unfolding, behind the curtain of clouds the moon was still there. In life so many times we are clouded by the deception of the enemy. All the time right on front of us the answer is there.

So I will sit still Lord.

I will wait.

Will you pull up a beach chair beside me and keep me company? When it's time for God's big reveal of His miraculous display we will have front row seats!!!! I also believe that's when we will fully understand what He has been doing all along!

God bless!

Pause and calmly think of that!

I am always amazed how a scripture I have read many times can come to life in a new way one day. I love how the Holy Spirit whispers 'today this has new meaning'.

Psalm 46:10-11 is one we all know well but today I read verse 11 in the amplified bible and it took on new meaning. 

'Pause and calmly think of that!'

Calm is one word I have never been very good at applying. You can be assured you will not find my name in the dictionary as an example of calm. The sad reality for me is that I have allowed the opposite to reign in my life. One definition of calm said freedom from agitation but I seem to stay in a permanent state of agitation. 

I wouldn't even mention pausing, I don't remember the last time I paused. I can't blame motherhood either because I've always had this predisposition for chaos. Usually it's self inflicted chaos too. 

But what if I did pause and calmly think upon the fact that the Lord of hosts is with me, that the God of Jacob is my refuge, my strong tower and my stronghold? What would that do to my storm? What would that do to this healing bruised reed? 

If God is with me why am I worrying about the bills, where to live, food? This is the same God that said,

““So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Matthew 6:31-33 NLT

Now pause and calmly think about that!

If God is my refuge why do we battle with sin and the evil attacks of hell? Why do we come under so much condemnation and live in defeat? This is the same God that died on a Cross to free us from sin and tore the veil in the temple, the veil of separation!

“So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. 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. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”

Hebrews 6:18-19 NLT

If God is our strong tower and stronghold, why are we fighting in our strength? Why do we think our plans and our schemes and our ideas can do anything? Why do we spend more time in our churches on entertainment programs to bring people to churches than on our knees praying for our communities? Don't we realize we are fighting spiritual battles and our King is overseeing every detail of a war that is already won? 

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”

II Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV

We all know the Martha and Mary's story. I'll be honest sometimes it frustrates me because there is so much work to do but Martha was the one Jesus reprimanded. 

“But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.””

Luke 10:41-42 NLT

I need to rewrite these two verses to say "my dear Lesley, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. So come sit at My feet in My presence and you will discover the peace that surpasses all understanding and overwhelming joy that no one will ever be able to take from you! 

Pause and calmly think about that!

Back to Matthew 6:33 "seek you first the kingdom of God". It's His job to take care of the details, but we won't let Him. If we get to see a replay of our lives from Heaven's perspective when this life is over, I am dreading mine. I know there will be lots of times He was in the room patiently waiting for me to come sit at His feet and give Him my burden and let Him take care of the details. Instead I was pacing, crying, fretting, worrying. If I could just have paused for one minute and calmly remembered who I am and who my Saviour is then maybe I could experience what Mary did.

We only ever hear Psalm 23 read and sung at funerals but we have missed a precious blessing and promise if we are waiting for death for this. He wants to give it to us now, here, in the land of living. But we won't pause long enough to calmly think about it. 

“The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.”

Psalms 23:1-6 NLT

Death isn't the darkest valley, David knew about valleys and he was very much alive when he wrote this. I know many of you right now are in such a deep, dark valley you can't even see your own hand in front of your face. Please, please don't be afraid He is right there beside you and He has prepared a feast for you in the midst of your enemies. Now if you will pause and calmly think about it what a way to get back at hell right now for the chaos and nightmares it has unleashed in your life. Sit down and let Jesus refresh you, and we aren't talking bread and water here, it's a feast. More than you can imagine, the kind you need a nap after because there is so much food. So instead of sitting crying in the dark as your enemy would want, you can enjoy a feast in fellowship with Your Savior. 

I am praying for spiritual eyes at the minute. Not just to become more aware of the devices of the enemy but also to be more aware of the Holy Spirit and what the Holy Spirit is doing in my life that I can't see. In 2 Kings 6:15-17 Elisah's servant is so afraid of the enemy army around them but Elisah asks for his spiritual eyes to be opened and the boy sees the legions of Heaven's army all around. "Don't be afraid, there are more on our side than on theirs!"

We are surrounded by a great heavenly host. Jesus Christ sits at Gods right hand interceding for us. God's plan for your life is to prosper you and no weapon formed against you will ever prevail. He promised He will complete the work He started in your life. And the best promise of all, He promised He would come back for us and that He has prepared a home for us with Him forever.

So sweet friend pause and calmly think of that. Now stop worrying and come sit at your Saviour's feet and let Him strengthen you. Speak His promises over your life and family. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. So those lies that are being spoken into your life bring them into obedience of Christ. 

The Lord of hosts is with us! Selah!

Joyfully watching!

The scripture of the day on K Love last week was,

“Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.”

Proverbs 8:34 AMP

This is a timely verse. We recently disconnected our television service so what news I get now is limited to the alerts the BBC News, Fox News and Local news apps on my phone deem 'breaking news'. The world is a much more peaceful place without satellite!

Last Friday's news was not great, the Dow closed with a dramatic fall. China is in crisis and it is spreading. As a former economics student, it doesn't take long to see the familiar signs of a financial crisis dawning, well actually we're probably well past dawn now.

For a while now my heart has been stirred greatly for the return of Christ and the great gathering of the church to Him. So when I see news of pending doom I find peace because these things are prophetically foretold. 

In the Bible it talks about the mark of the beast which will be the only way you can buy and sell.

“And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name.”

Revelation 13:17 NLT

That is prophetic. If the mark is the only way then we will no longer have currency as we know it. For that to happen I believe something so catastrophic will have to happen to the world markets that currency will collapse completely. 

I'm going into scary territory now. Trust me I understand, first time I sat under end times teaching I was 12 years old and it scared me to death. If you just look at the mark of the beast alone, isolated it is scary. However it is part of the final book in the Bible. The final chapter of humanity's story. And somewhere in there our Saviour Jesus Christ returns for His Bride and ends satan and evil forever.

I love that right after, the scripture above from Proverbs, states we are 'blessed' or 'joyful' it tells us why. Because the reader is watching at the gate. 

Right now I believe more than ever all the horses and horsemen mentioned in Revelations are saddling up their horses. They may even be mounting them. I picture horses snorting and stomping their feet in anticipation. Riders tightening girths. Weapons being given one last check. 

People that stood at the city gates sometimes could hear the thundering pounding of the horses of an army coming before they could be seen. If you listening closely I feel like we can hear that deep sound. 

The earth is shaking and the world is being turned upside down. So where will God find us? Jesus himself said when I return will I find faith? Are you worried what will happen to your retirement? Are you worried how you will pay next months bills or maybe even this months? 

There are only two things we should be worried about now. Firstly are we ready for His return? Is there oil in our lamps? Are we watching at the gate and the posts of His house? Secondly, are those that have been entrusted to our lives ready? Do they know about our Saviour?

Your house, your car, your retirement, your job, your stuff it's staying here. We just need to look to the Egyptians for proof of that. Their burial pyramids have been beautiful museums of relics for us because they thought they could take it with them. 

We will take people with us. I wish we could get a glimpse of hell sometimes because if we all did then I truly believe we wouldn't waste a second sharing the gospel and praying for our lost people. 

But we all got up this morning with living life on our minds. Bills, jobs, laundry, dinner, errands, wants, desires, plans, and on and on, on our minds. Maybe we stopped for two seconds to say good morning Lord thank you for waking me up. But then our feet hit the floor and the coffee flowed and busy, busy, busy, as if all we are building will go on forever. 

Yes the Lord may tarry longer but we will all die one day. Right outside my hometown last weekend 3 young men barely 20 years old died in a car accident. There is no tomorrow for them. A 40 year man drowned last week off the beach near us. His future here is over. 

But if you are Christian this life isn't the end, in fact it's the beginning. I love Lord of the Rings. There is a particularly beautiful scene in one of the movies where Gandolf is talking to Pipin on the eve of the big battle. He is telling him about the life that comes after, and you see in the shadow of the enemies growing aggression a peace comes. Because no matter how bad the battle ahead is, on the other side is beauty beyond understanding. 

“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”

Hebrews 10:35-37 NKJV

When I am discouraged this scripture gives me great comfort. I don't know about you, but I need endurance. There are days the battle is so hard. Yesterday I stood in the grocery store fighting back tears. Tired from the heavy load, discouraged and weary. If my confidence is in myself then I may as well cry because it's a lost case but it's not in me. I was fighting in my strength, using physical weapons and my reasoning. I had forgotten this is a spiritual war. My weapon is and will only ever be prayer. 

So I lift my head and returned to the gate to watch. I see redemption drawing nigh. I don't need to ask why this battle is so violent right now because the answer is the timer is almost done. Hell at best has minutes left to destroy us but I really think we're down to seconds now. 

Dear friend come get up and stand watch with me. Let's make a committment to pray for those around us that need to accept salvation. Let's encourage those saints that are so weary they don't think they can fight another second. They can't but Christ is fighting for us, we just have keep trusting Him. 

One of the sweetest Christian brothers God ever put in the life of my husband and I was an elderly gentleman called Joe. He has been home in Glory for a year now. Everytime he said goodbye he had a little saying that always reminding you of what our hope is to be in, so that is how I will close today.

I will see you soon, either here, there or in the air! God bless!

Prisoner of hope

[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living! Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord. (Psalm 27:13-14 AMP)

I have to admit some days I cling to this not as a promise but as a begging prayer. Some days more than others. I am exhausted in every way it is possible to be exhausted. But each time the load gets too heavy I look up as a prisoner of hope and can't help but let that last breath of it in me believe.

A while back I found the following scripture and it has intrigued me since

Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you. (Zechariah 9:12 NKJV)

Prisoner of hope. That's an interesting concept. I often wonder if that's what I am because sometimes I irritate even myself with the fact I keep hoping even when it looks all hope is gone. 

I think so often we struggle to be prisoners of hope because we have picked the wrong hope to be enslaved to. We hope for success, for love, for health, for a list of things. There seems to be a common thread in the testimonies of the great prisoners of hope we have seen in the past people like Corrie Ten Boon and John Bunyan and so many the list is too long. They were physical prisoners on earth, but their hope was not found in life after their captivity ended, but their hope was in Christ.

I love how the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary put it, "prisoners of hope - that is, who in spite of afflictions maintain hope in the covenant-keeping God; in contrast to unbelievers, who say, "There is no hope".

What does it mean to have hope in Christ? Well it means believing in the covenant God has made with His son Jesus Christ, he promised man restoration to God through Christ's sacrifice but He also promised He would come back for us and that He would end sin and evil forever. Now that's a hope I want to be captivated by. That's a hope that doesn't depend on how my day goes or what the immediate future holds. That's the hope that uses the storehouses of heaven. Maybe that's the child like faith Jesus talks about. Children have that way of not worrying about the details. 

I have found myself over the past year growing more and more detached from the things of this world. I don't desire things the way I used to. And please don't get me wrong I am no saint I still like my junk! But the happiness and pleasure in the dreaming isn't there anymore. If anything it's fellowship and spiritual nourishment I crave now. I worry less about my boys academic success as I do the condition of their hearts. 

I have to admit that I find church a less satisfying thing too. It seems so void and shallow. So routine. Everyone arrives and smiles and says hello and has the surface conversations. Then we sing a few songs, it's singing not worship. Then the preacher gets up and gives his sermon. I am ashamed to say about a year and a half ago I even fell asleep in church. I was so embarrassed. I was raised in a Presbyterian church in Northern Ireland and though Reverend Lockhart preached truth he was not the most exciting of preachers but even as a kid I stayed awake. But that Sunday it was a sermon on a portion of Acts and the only thing I could figure was it was a grammar lesson on why a word was capitalized in one place in the verse and not the next. Somewhere in there I switched off and went to sleep. Because really who cares? This isn't even milk never mind meat.

And it's no different anywhere else, sermon series on life skills and 10 steps to this and all well put together sermons with humor to soften the hard points but they aren't even that hard anymore. And most times now I leave empty. Thirsty for a truth to grab hold of and get me through the week. 

This past Mother's Day our pastor preached on vanity. Our pastor is a dear friend but man he missed the mark there. Most mothers I know vanity is the last issue we have. I feel like I've succeeded if I get a daily shower and my clothes choice is basically whatever is clean and fits not about excentuating my body. I try to avoid the mirror because I don't want to see the mess I am now. Maybe someone there needed to hear a message on the sin of vanity but this mama needed meat, encouragement, wisdom because this is not an easy job. 

You see I struggle with motherhood. It's a huge responsibility. They see my walk with the Lord played out daily and the ugly parts the most. I wanted to be the mother that is seen on her knees, greeting trials and storms with grace and praise on my lips not fear. Instead they walk in sometimes to find a mother with tear stained cheeks because I'm tired.

That's when I have to find my prison of hope again. And tell them that I'm sorry, I dropped my sword for a moment because the battle is too much and I stumbled. That's when I pray Lord you have to fill in the gaps I am leaving. 

I don't care if they are successful in a job or have the American Dream. I just want to know when the end comes that their names are in the Lambs Book of Life and they fulfilled the service God has for their lives. 

What would become of me if I don't believe that one day I will see Gods goodness here on earth? And you know as I get older I'm beginning to think that moment will be when I see Christ return. The days around us are dark. My heart has grieved by the things that have happened in the world over the last month. What grieved me more was seeing precious brothers and sisters in Christ accepting the world's view over Gods.

But then I go back to the hope that has me captivated and I have to remember for His promise to be fulfilled and for Him to return these things must happen. In a twisted way all this should get us excited because it points to a closer time for His return. I want to be one of the virgins with an oil lamp overflowing with oil. Whether it's next week or next year or 50 years I want to be ready. The only hope left for humanity now is the swift return of Christ.

So that's where my hope is and that's why I'm a prisoner of the hope of Christ's return. Whether I see His goodness here or not I will Hope in His saving grace and mercy and pray that at the great gathering we are all there and accounted for. I am expecting His return!

So now to you I ask what are you hoping in?

The forgotten message

With the exception of a few passing references, over the past few years while attending a few different churches I have noticed a trend in the preaching. Not a trend in content but a trend in missing content. Honestly it makes me sad.

I haven't posted for a while because I don't want to get political on this blog, Lord knows recently that wouldn't have been hard for the most non political of people. It's pretty obvious this year the world has been turned upside down.

“Men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world;” Luke 21:26 AMP

Jesus warned us that we would see days that in other translations say 'Men's hearts failing for fear'. It doesn't take long now to see people are living in fear everywhere. 

But I think I know why so many Christian hearts are failing for fear and it's back to the forgotten message - the return of Jesus Christ. 

I was very blessed, although I didn't realize it at the time, that at 12 years old my pastor preached an 8 week series on the Second Coming and End Times Prophecy. It was a little scary but now I am thankful because that is teaching I have carried with me into adulthood. I often wonder now how many of our 12 year old in church even know that Jesus promised to come back because it is so rarely preached or even mentioned.

““Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.””

John 14:1-4 NKJV

These are Jesus' own words. He has gone to prepare a place for us and He's coming back to get us! Now why are we letting current events put fear in our hearts? 

I've started reading the final chapters of Revelations to my boys, the part about the new Heaven and new Earth. I want them to know what lies ahead for us. Growing up Keith Green's music was played constantly in our house. One song became my favorite especially when I would get scared and need reminding, it's called I can't wait to get to Heaven'. On the version we listened to Keith Green always said if God made this earth in 6 days and He's been up there in Heaven working for 2000 years then this is like living in a garbage can.' Every time I see the most beautiful moments on this planet I remember that it's just a vague hint of what's to come. 

When Pastors stop talking about the second coming and start preaching 10 steps to a healthier life they changed the focus of the race. No longer were the people cheering the runners on to the finishing line but now they were cheering on their running style, their running shoes, their fashinable clothing, the weather. So now we have a group of marathon runner wondering 'Man are these the right shoes, did I lace them right, is that a rain cloud, ok if I sprint harder I'll get around this corner quicker.' Then fear takes hold 'that is a rain cloud. Man how do I run in the rain, I can't run and hold an umbrella. I didn't train for rain! What am I going to do?' And they collapse in a heap and never realized that the finish line was around the next bend. Because no one shouted 'You can do this - keep that finishing line in mind!'

And that's the church today in my opinion. And I'm just as guilty. They want to change our core beliefs and every Christian starts looking for the umbrella and churches have legal meetings to figure out what to do and Pastors are afraid they will end up in jail if they preach the unpopular truth of the Bible. 

I used to be heavily into politics and the news. But finally one day God got me to turn it off. I read headlines but even that I think it's time to stop. He reminded me of all the teaching as a child and how these things have to happen in order for him to return. 

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.” Matthew 24:6 AMP

I highlighted the key part there - must take place! So if these things that put fear in us (little side note as I was typing the word 'us' my autocorrect kept changing it to 'U.S.') should actually be getting us excited because it means we are a day closer to His return. 

Every generation has thought this. And I'm sure if we went back to the 1700s or 1800s those Christians would look at our time and say 'oh yeah that's you guys!'. Will it be this year? I don't know but I hope it is.

Sunday 13th September marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) more specifically the beginning of The Year of Jubilee. This occurs every 50th New Year and has significant meaning. Leviticus 25 explains it in detail but it is, in my mind, God hitting the reset button a time of restoration.

There are other things that make me excited about the spiritual significance of this year but I wouldn't go into them now. I would encourage you to read your Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to open the scriptures to you. 

The Parable of the Fig Tree is very significant. 

“And He told them a parable: Look at the fig tree and all the trees; When they put forth their buds and come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and perceive and know that summer is already near. Even so, when you see these things taking place, understand and know that the kingdom of God is at hand. Truly I tell you, this generation (those living at that definite period of time) will not perish and pass away until all has taken place. The sky and the earth (the universe, the world) will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

Luke 21:29-33 AMP

Now I don't write all this to scare you but to turn your focus from your storm to the finish line. You see all those issues disappear in the light of His return. In an instant we will hear a trumpet sound and we will see our Saviour. 

One of the biggest deception in churches isn't false teaching or worldly practices, that all on the leadership and the preachers. The deception is all of us sitting there on Sunday with our worries and our busy lives and our plans weighing us down. Hell must be laughing at us! Because the one thing Jesus told us to do was WATCH FOR HIS RETURN!!!

“But take heed to yourselves and be on your guard, lest your hearts be overburdened and depressed (weighed down) with the giddiness and headache and nausea of self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries and cares pertaining to [the business of] this life, and [lest] that day come upon you suddenly like a trap or a noose; For it will come upon all who live upon the face of the entire earth. Keep awake then and watch at all times [be discreet, attentive, and ready], praying that you may have the full strength and ability and be accounted worthy to escape all these things [taken together] that will take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man.”

Luke 21:34-36 AMP

I'm the first to hang my head in shame about this. Man have I let this life consume me. I've put my problems before others. But the awesome part is there is still time, it may only be seconds, it may be decades but we have time. We can pray our enemies into Heaven. We can help our fallen marathon runner companion to their feet and remind them your shoes don't matter and if it rains the Holy Spirit will strengthen us because we are almost at the finish line so let's finish this race well.

I'm thankful to my dearest friends that have stood shoulder to shoulder with me this year. I don't want to stop but I want the focus to be on us standing shoulder to shoulder for the Kingdom of God not against our problems. He said if we seek His kingdom first He'll add all these things to us. So enough worrying about those things that's His job. Ours is to watch for His return and pray.

Selah have a song where the chorus says  'Heaven find me on my knees.' That is my prayer Lord when You sound the trumpet may I be on my knees waiting for You. May I be praying mercy for those that don't know You yet. And when the great gathering to You happens may all my people be there and may those that have hurt and despitefully used me be there too. Because all those hurts and grudges I hold against people aren't bad enough to condemn anyone to an eternity separated from God. 

There were 10 Virgins Jesus told us about and only 5 were ready with filled oil lamps. Don't let life or laziness stop you from being ready. And don't let fear paralyze you. A wonderful pastor in Hawaii I love said recently he's a prepper, a Rapture Prepper. I want to be one too.

So let them take our Bibles, our prayer, change the laws, call us bigots and persecute us - 'when these things being to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh' Luke 21:28 NKJV

Threshing in the wine press

Then the angel of the LORD came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. (Judges 6:11 NLT)

I love the story of Gideon and have to admit it has spoken so much to me recently. But I only want to look at one part today. Gideon threshing wheat in the winepress.

To those of us that get our flour from the grocery store and have never seen the process this doesn't seem strange, right? But when you look at the process it's the worst place possible.

The concept is separating the edible grain from the non edible chaff. To do this the wheat is beaten in an open space or threshing floor and usually one with a good breeze so that the heavy grain will fall to the floor and the wind will carry the light chaff away. Makes you appreciate the prebagged flour in the store a little more!!

Anyhow so what's wrong with a wine press? Well for starters it was probably a cave. It would have been damp and cold and instead of a fresh breeze it was probably stale still air. If it wasn't a cave it was a big massive stone hole in the ground with steps leading down, like a stone tank. So this just made the threshing process, an already laborious task, a million times harder.

So why on earth would Gideon chose such a difficult place? He was hiding! The Midianites had invade the land and they would regularly come down to the villages and take what they wanted. Without grain it would be impossible to feed your family. If Gideon had been on the threshing floor it was wide open and he would have been completely exposed to the Midianities attack. In the winepress the walls were high enough that they would never have seen him. 

I've heard people preach or teach on the subject of this and have been really hard on Gideon. They've called him stupid or ignorant but they don't understand. Gideon was a bruised reed. Gideon's world was under constant attack. His only focus was on survival for him and his family. He wasn't stupid or ignorant. 

He was doing the most necessary thing in the most difficult of situations to survive.

Some of you know what I am talking about it. You have a spiritual Midianite army that attacks randomly, sometimes daily. An emergency repair at the house costs this weeks paycheck and the pantry is empty, the pain of that illness comes back right in the middle of a busy week, that person that gets under your skin just sent that email or made that comment that steals your peace. You know the attacks. Your list and mine are probably different but it's the same enemy.

So fear kicks in. You go into defensive survival mode and you find the nearest cave and hide just to get through the day. Yes you went to work today and got everything done, on autopilot. Yes you took care of your family but on autopilot. And because of this fear you live in a cave and now just getting up in the morning is the most difficult thing in the world. You pick the bills that get paid because there isn't enough to pay them all and then wrestle all day and night with dread. You trying to be part of the conversation and be social but you are counting the seconds till you can go hide in your cave because you don't want one more well meaning comment. 

Because right now all you know to do is the necessary in the most difficult place to keep that thing safe from attack.

It's ok! You are ok! And you know why? Wait till you hear what the angel of the Lord said to Gideon when he found him in the winepress threshing wheat!

And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!” (Judges 6:12 NKJV)

Stop! Go back and read that again!!! Yes the angel called him a mighty man of valor!!!! VALOR! 

valor¹— noun 

1. boldness or determination in facing great danger, especially in battle; heroic courage; bravery: a medal for valor.

There's two things here. God sees us not in our current condition but as the person He has called us to be. But here's the big thing. Gideon was the youngest in his family so there's probably a whole big family sitting back at the house wishing they had flour. They sat around wondering what to do and complaining about the constant attacks and how horrible it was and how could this possibly happen to them! Sound familiar? We are all guilty!

Gideon showed boldness and determination in great danger and found a way to thresh that wheat. It was harder yes but he was doing it. He was determined to feed his family and not let the Midianites steal this grain. 

I don't see Gideon as a fool or wrong nor do I think any of us that find ourselves in the winepress instead of the threshing floor are wrong. Sometimes that is how we get through life. Sometimes it's how we survive.

 But did you hear the first part the angel said, 'THE LORD IS WITH YOU!' Now I'm sure Gideon looked at him the way you are looking at me right now. "Really is this winepress the Lord is with me?" YES. 

Sometimes He needs to take us to the winepress to make us see who we need to be. So we can set aside our pride and our plans and let God really use us. 

God can't use people who know they can do it in their own strength. He wants a people who have determination in facing great danger. Gideon wasn't going to let the constant attacks of the enemy stop him from doing what he had to do. And because he was faithful in such a little task like threshing wheat God chose him to lead his people to victory.

Go back to the definition of Valor, it says 'especially in battle'. You see God knows we are in the battle of our lives even though we don't realize it. The day you became a child of God you stepped onto a battle field whether you knew it or not. It makes me sad that so many Christians aren't told the truth about the gospel. It's a fairy tale story that the whole world is going to be perfect. Yes eventually when this life is over and Christ has the final victory and the New Heaven and New Earth are in place. But hold on tight because until then we live in a fallen state with a real enemy who wants nothing more than to steal, kill and destroy. I had a friend once tell me she doesn't give Satan that much authority in her life. I don't think any child of God does but we are warned he's 'like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8).

So what is this battle all about? Well we are told in Ephesians 6:12 "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." It's not that difficult person in your life, or that mean boss, or that disease, or that debt, or that whatever the flesh-and-blood face of it is. There is a war room in hell where they are scheming every day against you because hell's one objective is to stop every single person being reconciled to God through the blood of Jesus. So if he can constantly hit you and weary your soul maybe you will just give up and die. Sadly this happens to so many Christians that don't even realize they are on a battle field in the first place.

When we wake up and realize this then we can put on the Armor of God and fight. Then one day we say like Paul "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race." (2 Timothy 4:7). God sees your valor even in your winepress because He knows you are on the battle field fighting.

You may well be reacting to what I'm saying like Gideon right now. You maybe asking how on earth is the Lord with me right now and I don't feel all loaded up on valor. But trust me if you are a child of God He is with you. If you can find enough determination to keep going each day one of these days God isn't just going to remove the Midianite army in your life but he's going to use you to lead the charge against them.

So hold on to the promise that He is with you and He sees you for the valiant soldier He is making you into. Now keep threshing that wheat!

God bless!