Coffee Shop Wisdom

Here's some real coffee shop wisdom! When stopping into the local Starbucks or Caribou Coffee, I rarely expect to be confronted with this kind of real truth. But I found it in an unexpected place when I went to meet a friend in the Metro Denver area. You know, anytime someone attaches the name of Jesus to something, I have to think twice. This time, the message was so strong, I couldn't just walk by!

Death City and the Zombie Invasion!

They're coming! Clear the way! This is the real thing! More real than Death City! Universal Studios popular Halloween Horror Nights is coming faster than you can say, "Really! But Summer hasn't even started!" Ever been fascinated with zombies, vampires, and the occult? Boy, I have! Even going back to Dark Shadows television show of the 1960s. Looking back to a popular television series in the early part of this century, I found there's a lot of learning to do about zombies. Just check out The Walking Dead.

Poor Sheriff Rick Grimes! The long-standing hero of AMC's The Walking Dead, loses one beloved person after another to the zombie invasion. With almost four seasons under his belt, you think he'd be a bit tired from this zombie invasion...and become a walker much sooner than later.

Truth is, we're all prisoners or walkers. In the Bible's book of Romans, the Apostle Paul tells the readers we are all dead in our sins, doomed for eternal damnation without God. In a sense, we are prisoners of our own making. Think of what you have done in your past that brings you shame, that has hurt others, that has been dishonest or lacked love. If you're like me, that is quite a bit of things to regret and can be a heavy weight to live under. We're prisoners of our own doing!

And yet, Jesus! Thankfully, Jesus, the Son of God, paid the price Himself for our sin- my sin, your sin. And those that would put their faith in Him and live for Him, believing Jesus was raised from the dead for our benefit, would be given a new life. A life that begins anew here and one that will last for all eternity. Can I hear an "Amen!"?

But- and this is a big one- even those of us that know and love and trust Jesus- can act as if we are the Living Dead. How does this happen? It happens in a few ways: 

1- We can choose to live like we used to. Living a life that only pleases us, therefore we look and act no different than when we encountered Jesus. And the darkness in us grows stronger than the true light over time. 

2- We can insulate ourselves from the dying world around us. In the church, this is sometimes referred to as "the Christian Bubble". What happens is we hang out only with those who think as we do. The problem is, this kind of living creates a dullness in our souls. Why? Because we are made for more! We are made to love others and share the news of Jesus with them. 

3- We can live our lives as victims instead of as those victorious in Christ. I see this happen all the time. Let's face it- crap happens to all of us. Betrayal, deceit, disappointment, illness, misfortune, death. Jesus never did promise us an easy life- and He sure didn't have one. If believers in Jesus begin to own that as their identity, instead of realizing they love and serve the Living God, bitterness and sadness rule their lives instead of joy and peace. 

There's a Zombie Invasion in our world. People of all types are lonely, discouraged, and disappointed. The church itself has even taken on a victim mentality. (And I'm not saying it should be all wealth and health and prosperity- that's not a godly viewpoint nor one that is supported by reading the Bible as a whole.) What I am saying is that too many people who say they believe do not live as if Jesus has really overcome. 

Let's not be satisfied to live as a walker or a prisoner. Let's embrace new life in Jesus Christ- the only one who can give it- and live in freedom, joy, and peace- with a great eternity ahead as we persevere!

Indeed!

This was impossible. Were the women really seeing what was right in front if them? Early in the morning as the sun broke, they had gone to the tomb. Unexpectedly, what they found there startled them, scared them, and filled them with joy they never expected to have. "Don't be afraid." what an appropriate thing for this heavenly being to speak to the ladies. Quite fitting actually as many times, angelic beings began with these words before sharing something significant to humans. The next words out of his mouth stunned them: Jesus has risen from the dead and is going into Galilee. You'll see him there. In these days, the testimony of women was not considered reliable. The very fact that God continued to share incredible truths with women as well as men generation after generation was one more proof of their value. As they headed out from there to tell the disciples that Jesus had risen, they encountered him on the road. What they did next is what all mankind should be doing- they fell at his feet and worshiped him. Jesus, the one fully God and fully man had conquered death on a cross, proving he was who He said. His words, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." He wasn't being exclusive; He was being inclusive- making sure everyone had a chance to hear the truth when he knew false prophets would broadcast lies. Jesus told it straight up. No one will get to heaven without believing, having faith that He is who He says he is. Jesus has Risen. Indeed! 

 

The True Purpose of Prayer- It's More Than You May Think

When I look around at world events, I know without a shadow of a doubt that it is time to pray! I'm sure millions of people around the world are joining me in prayer for peace in the Middle East. We certainly need to be going to God to make this happen. And He is the only one who can make this happen. But why pray?

There's something so calming, so peaceful, so reassuring that rises up in me when I look at this photograph. A man on his knees praying. It's been me for many days of my life. Has it been you as well? There's a lot to be said for this discipline.

But again, why do we pray? It's pretty simple, at least at the beginning of things. We want something or we want answers from God. At our core, we want to know someone greater than us cares deeply about us and is paying attention.  Maybe we've hit the end of our selves and are broken, hurting or confused. So, we cry out to God, hoping he is real. And He is, and He wants a real ongoing relationship with us. But why?

Are you ready to dig in?

-----------

When talking about prayer, we have to start at the very beginning…

It all begins with the character of God. In the book of I John, the great disciple of Jesus states, "God is love". (verse 4:16)             

God’s character is the beginning of everything good.  

Let's make it very practical here. God designed you and me. I'm not talking generically here, although that is correct theologically. For this purpose, I'm talking individually. He created us uniquely. What you love and care about. Your interests, your passions, your traits and characteristics both physical, mental and emotional. All of them were designed for His purposes. I'll explain that more later, but hold onto that thought.           

The problem is with us. We can and often do run away from Him. Even or maybe especially those of us who have decided to make Jesus the center of our lives. He's not just a band aid for our hurt or a way to make sure we spend an eternity in Heaven with Him versus an eternity in Hell without Him. The plan is bigger. If we don't understand who God is and what our relationship with Him means, we will never really know what prayer is supposed to be about. It can lead to deep anger or disappointment. We may be expecting results that God never intended.  

Of the many characteristics of God, four stand out to me as being worth consideration as we discuss prayer. Let's look at these from a Biblical standpoint.

 1- He is Unchanging.

In the New Testament, James writes in Chapter one, verse 17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

In other words, He is the same God for the starving children in Africa as He is for those of wealthy. Even though we do not understand his ways and what He allows, they are never subjective to the limited understanding of man. The Eternal God is so dependable.  In fact, He is not fickle and His personality doesn't change. If our image of God is dependent on our understanding of Him, our understanding becomes our highest authority, our god, not Him. Stop and think about that.

2- He is All-Knowing     

Psalm 147:5 says, “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.”

God created Man. Nothing we think, do, or say, past, present or future, surprises Him. He knows all things. Even if this terrifies me at times, and oh it does, there's an inherent peace and deep comfort in that for those of us that love and know Jesus Christ. He's not surprised by my sin, my bad motives, my stupidest decisions, or the ugliest of thoughts I have. He loves me still the same, even if He wants us to grow and live differently. The truth is, you cannot encounter God through His Son Jesus and not be changed by him. It's impossible. He knows that as well.

3- He always cares. Our circumstances don't change His love.

Here's a classic piece of scripture that best describes this point:

Romans 8:35-39 tells us, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God's love for a fallen, imperfect man is shown best in the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross for sin. That He understands and has seen all the evil men can do, and yet He loves us. It is truly amazing. In fact, any man, woman, or child who would come to Him, confessing his sins, believing in his heart that Jesus Christ is the perfect payment for sin, will find an eternity in heaven with Him and true, fulfilling purpose here on earth. Hell is no longer his eternal destination, and Satan no longer has a hold on him.

 4- He is Always Good

Psalm 25:8 -  “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.”

Let me emphasize here. God is always good- even when we do not agree with Him or get what we want. God's goodness and mercy are found all through the Bible, but all of Psalm 136 resonates: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever!"

Stop and think about the times God has answered your prayers. These stories are important because they are your stories of interactions with our Living God. No one can take these from you, no one can tell you they did not happen. This is part of your history. Just think, the most powerful being ever took time to interact with you. Incredible!

Now, remembering what you just did, let’s look at prayer from God's perspective. A Biblical perspective. There's three main aspects of prayer.

1- Relationship with Him

God desires that we  would know Him and love Him. This goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. After the fall of man, when the forbidden fruit was eaten, God searches for them in the garden. It's not that He didn't know where they were. It's that He wanted them to answer as to why they were hiding from Him. Why did they no longer desired to know Him and talk with Him. Why they traded knowledge like God at the high, high cost of intimacy with Him.

An Eternal Relationship. He gives us hope for an eternity with Him. An eternal, loving,  relationship. Never broken unity. No pain, no loss, no doubts. Imagine an eternity of peace, deep love, and joy. This is God's heart for us!

As far as prayer goes, He does answer prayer. For those who put their trust in Him, prayer is a two way dialogue, a by-product of close and real relationship. Not the reason for it. Contrary to what the false teachers of the prosperity gospel would teach, God is no cosmic genie, waiting at our beck and call to give us all we ask. Instead, He is a good and perfect Father, allowing only what is absolutely best for us... pain and suffering included.

2- Transformation

The second reason for prayer is transformation. I'm not talking the Michael Jackson type of change, but the kind of change for the better. Every recovering alcoholic understands what I mean here. Ever plead or even beg with God to change you? To heal you? To make you different than what you currently are? Well, God has a plan for that kind of transformation. The plan is to make those who believe to look more like Jesus Christ. He desires to clean us up, heal our souls, and to change the course of our lives. It gives us hope and purpose, but it also means God has a plan for us: To look like Jesus and to care about the very things He cares about.

 3-   Instruction

He wants to lead us. Our beautiful, living, powerful, good God has a plan for us. He created us and made each of us unique. Because we are made by Him to be unique, He alone knows what will most fulfill us and give us meaningful purpose. The truth is, we only think we do. Yet, until we love and trust in God, we will never discover the truth and instead, be left to search endlessly on our own.

We all want to know if we make a difference. We all want to know we will make an impression in this world before our life is over. God's plan is that all people would know and love Him. (Just read the book of Second Peter in the New Testament.) And He desires to uniquely use us for this plan. 

There’s a progression here.  In other words, if we love Him and walk closely with Him, we will go on this journey with Jesus: 

·      Encounter Jesus, the Living God,

·      Be Changed by Jesus, the Living God,

·      Be Used by Jesus, the Living God.

And God desires to keep this cycle going! So, from a Biblical perspective, these are the three real purposes of prayer. As you think more deeply about each, you'll realize prayer doesn't always involve getting what we want, what we think is best. Sometimes, oftentimes, it's a very different story. 

To make sense of this fact, it helps to look at the life of Jesus as our model.

This Jesus, the one I love and follow, took on the pain and sins of Man. Once for all time. Even though His life was sinless and ours is not, there's a lot to learn by examining his life. He was, after all, a man of prayer. And what better place to look at his prayer than right before His Crucifixion.

Let's look at the Book of John, chapter 17 verses 1-4, right before Jesus is sent to be crucified.  

"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.  Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.  I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do."

This was the most crucial time in Jesus’ ministry. Would He finish well? No one would dare complete this task of crucifixion unless God Himself spoke it and they loved God enough to obey. Jesus’ prayer reveals THE most important aspect of why we pray:

“I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”

But back to us for a moment. What about the things we pray about?

What happens when we pray and God answers? What happens when our life is impacted by what happens around us and to us?     It usually falls into these categories. 

·      Good things we like 

·      When Bad Things Happen

·      The consequences of our sin

·      The consequences of other’s sin

·       The results of Other people’s sin against us

What happens when we get what we asked for? When there's no answer? When the answer brings us pain? Keep reading!

When We Get What We Ask For

Rejoice and be thankful! God wants us to come to Him when things are good and not just come to Him when things are hard or when we need something. Remember how good He is! Celebrate that- and remember that.

Sometimes getting what we pray for comes with an unexpected side! There can be challenges that come with it. Opportunities to grow, change, and become more like Jesus. 

It's time for us, for me, to move away from an American mindset of Christianity. What I mean is, following Jesus does not mean we will experience success as our culture defines it. We will, however, experience success as how God defines it. And He defines it as obedience. Jesus himself says if we love Him, we will obey what He commands. Doesn't mean we'll get what the world says is a reward.

In the world's eyes, Jesus was a crucified failure. In God's eyes, Jesus completed his mission- to die for the sins of the world, to save all the people that would choose to love Him, serve, Him, and follow Him. The world would say he was a victim of a hate crime. The truth is He was no victim. Jesus was a strong, brave and obedient servant of the God Most High who completed the task set before Him- even if it looked like failure and shame.

What about When We Get No Answer?

Let’s look again at Jesus in the Garden. He knows what’s coming. He is in emotional distress, lonely, troubled. He’s in physical distress as well. His friends are too tired and worried and sad to stay awake and pray with Him. He is ultimately alone. He cries out:

 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  (Luke 22:42 )

The Father doesn’t change the situation, but He was strengthened. In this case, an angel appeared to Him. We may not get an angel, but we may not be asked to die on a cross either! Jesus continues on… to fulfill the Father’s plan.

Practically, when we get no answer, we can follow Jesus' model.

1-Keep Praying,  2- Wait and Watch for God, 3- Do the Last Thing He Told You

When the Answer Brings Pain

Our life's circumstances can come because of our sin, the sin of other people, or other’s sin against us. But, as we have just seen in the example of Jesus at the cross, it can also come because we are obedient to what God has asked. God works in ways and in time that we may never understand. Or it may take years before we can look at our life, look backwards, and then say to ourselves, "Now I understand."

What about the times we pray and do not get what we feel we have been promised?

Interestingly, the Bible does not ignore the fact that sometimes we do not get what God has promised. The book of Hebrews in the New Testament speaks of all the great "heroes of the faith". You know, the guys like King David, etc. The guys of Sunday School Bible stories.

Hebrews 11:39: "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised."

All the great heroes of the faith didn’t get what was promised!

We are in good company! Of course, this also brings a challenge to our minds when we do not receive our promised from God. What do we do when we think the promises of God don’t come- when it seems God is contradicting Himself?

Will we rely on our own understanding to bring us peace?

Will we trust Him, knowing His character and love for us?

Will we wait on Him even if it’s hard?

Again, will we trust in God even when it looks as if He is certainly contradicting Himself?

Looking at the topic of prayer from God's perspective always helps us. We can either choose to believe things about God that are not true, or we can believe He is unchanging, all-knowing, that He always cares and that He is always good.

The Complete and Biblical Purpose of Prayer is for Relationship with God, Transformation into the image of Jesus, and for Instruction from Him.

He wants Relationship with Us, Wants to Make us More like Jesus, Wants to Give Us Hope, and Wants to Use Us for His Purposes. As you follow Jesus, you'll find yourself doing things you thought you could never do. People will be amazed- and God will get the glory because people will know He worked within you to accomplish the very things that seemed impossible for you to do.

God allows the seasons so he can show his power to us, his wisdom, his goodness. Whether or not we get the answer we want or ever understand, He is still God! This we know: He does love and care for us. And His plan for us is incredible.

I'll end here with a piece of truth from the book of Romans. (Romans 8:28-30) Through the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul writes:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD, HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

A Better Experience Than What Disney Offers

Let's continue the new year together by thinking about others instead of ourselves. There's a great joy in serving, in having your eyes opened to something and stepping in to make a difference. The simple act of our obedience in taking action can lead to surprising, life changing results. (Usually, it changes us just as much as the people we serve.) Yet, we do not do this alone. God is always working: 

“Look among the nations, and see;

wonder and be astounded.

For I am doing a work in your days

    that you would not believe if told."

Habakkuk 1:5

Put God to the test. Ask Him to open your eyes to where you should make a difference and then walk in with your heart open. It may be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life!

New Year, New Beginnings

A fresh year! A chance to start again and reimagine our future! I just love the hope that a new year brings and the opportunity to refocus and begin again. Let yesterday's failures fall behind you. Join with me on the beginning to a new path, a new life, a different way of seeing yourself, others, and God. He is for you! His love is so deep that he sent Jesus to the earth to redeem us from our broken state and offer us eternal life if we follow Him. As good as that is in itself, our God also promises to be with us each step of the way giving us the strength we need to live out our lives in a way that honors Him and blesses us.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

                                              Hebrews 12:1-2

We don't have to do this on our own! In fact, God goes before us. 

Let me encourage you further with some great words from Oswald Chambers on how God sees our past, our present, and our future. This is from the book My Utmost For His Highest, taken from the entry for December 31:

"You shall not go out with haste,

. . . for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard" —Isaiah 52:12

Security from Yesterday. “. . . God requires an account of what is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when we remember our yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace tends to be lessened by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present.

Security for Tomorrow. “. . . the Lord will go before you . . . .” This is a gracious revelation— that God will send His forces out where we have failed to do so. He will keep watch so that we will not be tripped up again by the same failures, as would undoubtedly happen if He were not our “rear guard.” And God’s hand reaches back to the past, settling all the claims against our conscience.

Security for Today. “You shall not go out with haste . . . .” As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness. But let us go out with the patient power of knowing that the God of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ.

Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.

Merry Christmas to All!

May true peace on earth come to you and yours as you choose to wholeheartedly follow the baby born in a manger who will return one day as conquering king. Merry Christmas!

Never Forget the Attack on America This Day!

It was a day of great heroism in the face of incredible cowardice. Like the whole world, I watched the events unfold. Radical Islam extremists decided to attack us on September 11, 2001. We as a nation lost so much, but what did we gain? We as a people rallied together. People of all faiths, political preferences, and cultural backgrounds. We came together to grieve together and pray together and to help together. Let us remember this day. 

Let us not just talk but continue to pray for our nation and for our world. The senseless murder of Charlie Kirk and other political officials and influencers as well as ordinary citizens is not acceptable. We are better than that! Or are we? Shooting at school aged kids!?!?  God have mercy on us.

But back to today, 9/11. We should remember the sacrifices of those serving, the loss of family and friends. Let us honor those who gave their lives. Let us work together to preserve our God-given freedoms. Lord Jesus, have mercy on us and do not judge us according to what our sins deserve- either as a nation or as an individuals!

Living Beyond Our Limitations

Have you grown weary standing up against people that oppose you? Do you want to become someone stronger and freer? Ever feel like giving up when you once again face the struggles in your life? You know, the ones that tire you out, the secret places deep inside that you’d be ashamed to admit exist, the pain you’ve tried and often failed to overcome, the depression that haunts you. Thankfully, there’s hope.

Let’s cut to the chase: Without the power of God acting in your life and on your behalf, there is no hope but only human effort.

(Man, I haven't shared my personal Bible Study notes in a long, long, time! Do you miss them? If so, let me know.)

As those who follow Jesus Christ, we know we are choosing to go against the grain in how we live and have different priorities. This creates a tension we can’t deny. But all these troubles are in exchange for an eternal life with God instead of an eternity of pain and torment with Him.

This Christian life that we’ve chosen is a vigorous life- hard but rewarding!  

As a Jesus follower, we will have 3 main areas of trials and tribulations:

1- External Battles (Living against the grain of our culture)

2- Internal Battles (Nagging temptations, struggles, a “thorn in the flesh”)

3- I’ll share this one a few paragraphs down the line.

Some battles we win; others we lose. But Jesus has won the war! Let’s talk about one of our biggest battles- the fight against shame.

What creates shame in our lives?

Shame comes from many places:

·       Family History (Background, social status, ethnicity)

·       Our Personal History

·       Sexual and Physical Abuse

·       Our Sin - Our Temptations - Our Secrets!

Even as you are reading this, I bet these secret, darker places in your heart and mind are coming to the forefront! These are the same things that cause us to walk in brokenness instead of wholeness! Now, right now, stop and pray. Pray for God to protect your mind and heart from the attacks of Satan, who doesn’t want you to be whole and free! Below is a key verse to remember:

Ephesians 6:12   “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. “

The world hated Jesus first (John 15:18). He is our model as well as Lord and Savior! Just look at the temptations Jesus faced and at the hand of Satan no less! Look at Luke 4:1-13:

"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” (Deut. 8:3) 

5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” (Deut. 6:13)   

9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.10 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Psalm 91:11-12)

12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Deut. 6:16)  

13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. 14  Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside."

Overall, Satan offered Jesus a way to live that left God out of the picture. Although we know Jesus is divine, the One True God, we also know that he had very real needs as a man on this earth. Imagine being in the desert, in the rough untamed wilderness for forty days. 

·       Hungry? See Verse 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Deut. 8:3) 

Satan offers: Meet your own need (the counterfeit of trusting God’s provision)

·       Power, Position, Influence?  See Verse 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Deut. 6:16)  

Satan offers:  Power and position that comes from the world (a counterfeit of true authority and impact that comes from obedience to God) 

·    See Verse 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” (Deut. 6:13) 

Safety, Security, Proving Yourself to Others?   

Satan offers: Trust in yourself and human wisdom (the counterfeit of God’s wisdom)

Ultimately, Satan offers results without relationship with God! Our enemy is trying to separate people from the Living God, the only one that brings hope, joy, peace, and eternal life. Just like Adam and Eve in the garden, Jesus was given and a chance to bypass obedience to God, taking glory from God. Where Adam failed, Jesus succeeded. 

We fool ourselves into thinking we can avoid a similar life of hardship and trouble. And our very nature fights against these things. But even if we gain some measure of success in that, we are missing out on God’s good plans for us. Plans better than we can imagine or create for ourselves.

Obeying God brings suffering, but it brings glory to God- and don’t miss this- we are often healed in the process!

How do we win those internal battles?  

1-     We must know and believe the promises of God.

o   Nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:35)

o   When we look to Him, we are never covered with shame (Psalm 34:4-5) 

o   Our sins are removed from us (Psalm 103:1-13)

o   God has good plans for us (1 Corinthians 2:9)

o   We are created intentionally and with purpose. Created for His Glory (Isaiah 43:7)

We can know the truth, but still feel lies. How you will choose to live will have as impact on your healing.

2-     Our Identity Comes from God now, not the world. Not from who others say we are. Not our parents, not our society, not our boss, the news, or our political affiliation… and not even our own self-doubt.

Proverbs 23:7- “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (American KJB translation)

3-     We have power of Holy Spirit-   

·       Luke 11:9-14 tells us that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask!

·       God gives us the gifts we need to bring Him glory and do His will (Hebrews 2:3-13- and We are HIS family!)

NOTE: We have grace to succeed or fail!  

Ephesians 2:8-9. “8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. “

Salvation doesn’t depend on our performance. It’s a gift- but how we choose to live reflects our thankfulness for God and all he has done through Jesus Christ.

(Need more? Read Romans 61-23.)

Let’s get practical!

Those deepest ongoing temptations are signals you need time with the Lord. Spend a good portion of time in prayer, in reading the Bible, in worship.

Choose obedience. You are as free as you want to be- Every choice you make (obedience or sin) shows how free you will live. And who is your master. When we bring God glory as we should, we receive joy!

Focus on the work of the Kingdom and your love for God- not on your wounding! When we are self-focused, we tend to concentrate on what we DO NOT have vs. What we DO have! This is a practical application of this verse:

Luke 9:23- “Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

How to Bring Healing and Wholeness

As I said earlier, you will have 3 main areas of trials and tribulations (see Jesus’ words in John 16)

1- External battles (you are used to these living in your culture)

2- Internal battles (thorn in the flesh, torment, temptation)

And now the last one…

3- BATTLES AND JUDGMENTS WITHIN THE BODY OF BELIEVERS (Yes, we can be our own worst enemy... this one hurts!)

1.     LOVE one another!  

Look at Matthew 22:37-39:

“Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“Can we love from afar?” It’s difficult! But we must go beyond our choices to love as well! 

2.     We Must also ACCEPT one another!

Just read  I Corinthians 1:10-13 here:

10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?  

We may not be divided by teacher or church, but we divide ourselves out in other ways:

·       Leader vs. Follower

·       Married or single

·       With or without children

·       By interests and hobbies (athletes vs. Creatives, introverts vs. Extroverts- other examples)

·       By our beliefs on secondary theologies

·       We need friendships with those different than us! God uses those not like us to bring pain to the surface so that he can heal! He uses our differences to conform us to Christlikeness. 

3.     Forgive One Another  

Here's two killer verses to wrestle with: 

Romans 15:7- “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

Colossians 3:12-17-  

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The hardest and sometimes most powerful? Confession.

1-Personal Confession before God (See 1 Peter 2:1- Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.)

2- Confession to Each Other

James 5:16- “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

I’m going to leave the following in caps. And I hope it makes an impact:

THE ENEMY’S PLAN IS DIVIDE AND CONQUER. SEPARATE OUT THE SHEEP, THEY’LL SCATTER, AND THE WOLF WILL PICK THEM OFF ONE BY ONE!

Let’s not help our enemy defeat us by playing into his hands! And let us not grow weary, but let us give God time to complete our transformation into Christlikeness.

Yes, our past, our sins, our secrets, can leave us living in shame! Certainly, we’ll be tempted by the enemy to meet our own needs and not letting God do His work in His time. We’ve got to know God’s word, know our identity, and then we must embrace His power to walk in grace!

Help us Lord to accept each other, forgive each other, and confess our sins before God and to our family in Christ. Amen!

Notable and Quotable: Chuck Swindoll

 

A timely message from one of the greats, Chuck Swindoll: 

In Mark 12, we run across several types of Jewish religious leaders, all taking their turns at trying to trap Jesus into saying something that they can use against Him: Pharisees in Mark 12:13-17, Sadducees in Mark 12:18-27, and one of the teachers of religious law in Mark 12:28-34. Of course, they all fail. Each of these types of religious leaders had its own specific types of rules, regulations, and ways of living. The problem is, these religious types didn’t vanish. Many of these people are sitting in the pews of churches today.

Are you a modern-day Pharisee—religious, legalistic, judgmental, opinionated, and harsh with those who don’t keep your rules? I have a good friend who is an elder in his church. He says, “My problem is that I’m a recovering Pharisee.” There’s an honest man. But maybe you’re not even “recovering.” Maybe you don’t even realize your pharisaic tendencies at all. The fact is that you may still be lost. You’ve got all these things you’re keeping, all this stuff you’re proud of, all these people you’re judging. You don’t miss a meeting, and you don’t miss a chance to refer to your righteousness (or at least hint about it), talk about how often you pray, explain why you pray, and on and on and on. You can be full of religion but still lost. When we come to Jesus, we drop all that garbage, and we realize that there’s nothing in our hands we can bring—there’s only a cross we can cling to.

Maybe you’re a modern-day Sadducee. See if this ­description fits: You look like you’re interested in religion, but you’re really interested in politics. You’re impressed with the teachings of Jesus, but you’re humanistic. You’re somewhat religious, but you’re more sophisticated. You may be wealthy. Maybe you’ve grown up in a church, but you’re not really all that sure about the devil and the demons and all that life-after-death stuff. You’re far more concerned about your position, your wealth, your possessions. If you’re a Sadducee, you’re also lost.

Of all these types, the people I’m most concerned about are the modern-day “teachers of religious law,” the modern-day scribes. You may have studied theology. You may have heard about grace or even taught about grace. Folks might think you’re a faithful follower. You’re sensible. You’re intelligent. You’re not far from the Kingdom, but you’re not there yet either. Make sure that you don’t let your study of the details of theology replace your need to submit to the Lord Jesus by faith. Those who fall into this category, like modern-day Pharisees and Sadducees, are lost.

I fear for you if you are anywhere on this list, because none of us know what a day will bring forth (see Prov. 27:1). Today is the day, my friends, to find Jesus. Quit fighting Him. Quit thinking you’ve got plenty of time. Quit thinking you’re bulletproof.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-29). Find your peace in your relationship with Him. He’s the only One who can forgive you—and He will. He’s the only One who can provide goodness and mercy all the rest of the days of your life—and He will. But you must come to Him. Come.

Victorious Love

Easter Sunday is here! I am shocked by the number of faithful people who choose to think of Jesus as the broken martyr who had no choice but to die on the cross for our sins. Think about it: The Biblical truth is that Jesus completed the mission God the Father gave Him. This makes Jesus a victorious king and not a victim.

^^^ Imagine this being your sole mission in life!

You just have to read the following passage today that describes the Resurrection of Jesus.... then ask yourself, "Was Jesus the victim or the victorious king?"

He is Risen Indeed!

-------------------------------------------------------------
Resurrection!

Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him."

Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.

But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?"

"They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him.

Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?"
She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."

Jesus said, "Mary."

Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"

Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.'"

Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.

Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." Then he showed them his hands and side.

The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you."

Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said. "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?"

But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master."

But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it."

Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you."

Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe."

Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"

Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."

Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.

-------------------------------------------------
From Eugene Peterson's The Message - a contemporary translation of the Bible. This beautiful stained glass window is found in Houston, Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.

Looking For and Finding a Perfect Love

Do you want the kind of love that will last forever? Don't we all! Look no further than to Jesus Christ, God Himself in the flesh. He was sent from Heaven to a broken people on earth to die in their place so that they could have life. That is love, I tell you! 

But who exactly is Jesus? That's the question we all must answer. Each of us. Believer or not, this question will be asked of us one day. If you don't understand, read ahead and you'll discover the greatest love story ever told.

Today is Good Friday for we who believe and so commemorate the passion of Jesus of Nazareth, meaning his crucifixion on the cross for the sin of mankind... all leading to His Resurrection. 

Think about this: The very measurement of time changed because of this event!

Jesus is controversial- and His story timeless. Magazines still devote cover stories to Him, books continue to be written, songs composed, and films made. Each piece brings to the forefront Jesus' own question to his disciple Peter, and agin, it is one we all must answer: "Who do you say I am?"

Yes, it's true. Just for you and me and the whole earth - from the beginning of time. Jesus chose to lay down his life to redeem us from Hell. The Hell we deserve for our sin. Ever lie? Cheat? Slander? Then, his sacrifice via the cross was just for you. It's a gift that cost him much pain and sorrow. But if you receive this gift of eternal life by choosing and following Him, it's a gift back to Him that will bless him. Yes, something very special.

God is very gracious and loving by making it crystal clear and easy to understand: Jesus Himself says He is the Only Way, the Only Truth, the Only Life and that no one would be able to come to an eternity with God the Father except by receiving Him. (Read the Book of John in the New Testament, Chapter 14). God could have made it difficult to discover, but He did not. It's not from hate or prejudice, it's from love He said what He said and did what He did.

It was His same great love for the people He created- that includes you and me- that caused Him to sacrifice Jesus in our place. And it's His same love that draws you to Him. Can you feel the call to Him in your heart? Does your spirit leap at the sound of His name?
If not, it's time to ask yourself why. 

First comes death on a cross. A brutal and terrifying way to die. Torture like none other. Medically, it's just an awfully painful way to die. (Read about the medical explanation of what this does to a body here.) His radical way to show great love begins with his submission to this kind of death.

But oh, then comes Easter Sunday morning- the Triumph of Jesus over sin and death- for our benefit! Never a victim- always a champion. He accomplished this great mission born from Love- the very mission the Father gave Him. Jesus the triumphant one! Preachers everywhere should remember this! As should the people He gave his life for.

At the end of time, known as the Final Judgment in the Bible, (See the last book of the Bible. It's called "Revelation"), Jesus has returned to earth as the Triumphant King that He is. Mankind, one person at a time, must give an account for how they have lived their life. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ and have lived to please Him all their days will proceed to an eternal glory free from pain and suffering.

Unfortunately, not all will believe. He gave men free will to choose. To those who have turned away from Jesus, rejected Him even though He was God's gift to pay for our sins, they will be sent to Hell, the place of fire and torment forever. Hell was designed for Satan and his demonic angels, but those that deny Jesus as Messiah (Christ) and follow their own path, end up in that place as well. It's their choice, not God's.

So, Jesus' question remains: Who do you say that I am?

A Tale of Two Houses

It's really a tale of three houses, but more on that later. Often we forget about the blessings that surround us because we're busy moving onto the next thing we need to do or want to do or even have to do. But this very true story is written as a reminder to our children and friends as a tale of God's love and faithfulness towards us. It is a reminder to us as well!

Since the passing of my wife's wonderful parents, she had wanted to leave our home of many years to go to one with main floor living spaces. Our kids grew up in a wonderful home with a very large yard, one where we planted every square inch of trees, flowers and shrubs, added fences and paths and a patio, and in later years, a small but charming greenhouse and garden. It was the perfect spot for more than one wedding, numerous parties and BBQs, outdoor dinners with friends and family, large gatherings for church events and more. So many memories wrapped up into a modest house purchased long ago.

The inside was no less perfect for our family of six. Most all the bedrooms were on the top floor with one on the main level and another in the basement where the laundry was located. We were on the top floor with main living areas downstairs. This meant doing laundry required walking from the upper level to the main level and down to the basement several times with arms full of the laundry basket and poor sight lines at best. Not at all a bad set up but one that became of increasing concern for my wife as we got older and all the kids moved out. Her parents had almost the same arrangement in California. Once my father in law fell and was no longer mobile, my wife began to desire a different floorplan for us. 

To say I was resistant would be to put it kindly. We had spent years, over three decades in fact, in that very house. We moved to Colorado before any of our children began school, and our fourth child was born here. Since my wife grew up in a Kodak family, they moved often to various states as a kid. My father moved us all too often mostly within Orange County. So much so that when my mother and I counted the places, I lived in 21 different locations by the time I was 18 years old. Only the last six years was spent in two spots. I never really settled anywhere in my heart. Friends were very hard to make as we were constantly shifting around.  

When my wife and I married, we both prayed and asked God to give us one location and one house to raise our children through all their school years. And He honored that request. The month before school began for our oldest son, we moved to Colorado and settled into that same house for 35 years. Our kids grew up with the same friends from school and church, and they still have those same friendships today.

Fast forward many years later. The house is now just the two of us. No kids and no more pets. The trees are big, the foliage grown in. Spots of lavender, yellow daisies, and roses. New wooden floors, fresh carpet and paint, new modern lighting, a nicely refreshed kitchen, a leaded glass window by the front door, and bead board embellishment on a prominent wall. Our home was finally truly the way we wanted it. 

One day last summer, I was ready. I'm not sure if it was my tiredness over "discussing" the issue or what. But I let my wife know I was ok with the plan to move, so the house search began.

We drove and drove the Metro area, looking at everything that fit our budget, but we also had other priorities. We wanted a house with two living areas so we could host Bible studies and if we desired, could split up men and women for two prayer groups and more personal ministry. We wanted extra bedrooms to host visiting family and friends from all over the world. Lastly, we wanted smaller yard to maintain, but whatever we found had to have lots of mature trees. I just couldn't start all over again. 

It was that last piece that eventually caused us to remove new builds from our search list. Every series of models we looked at came with barren plots of dirt and nothing more. The thought of it was quite depressing. I just couldn't go there as our previous backyard was now a mature one and had given us much pleasure be it drinks for two on the patio or large parties and even weddings.

We contacted our realtor, our friend, and had he and his wife take us to a few places. One was nearby in a nice neighborhood, but it was very small and had a basement that had clearly been poorly done, probably been used for a marijuana grow house. The next one was the opposite side of the spectrum- in a beautiful area 15 minutes south of our existing home. It was grand, but it would need both a full basement buildout and an entire paint job on the main floor. One large tree in the background, but it was basically all grass and no plantings of any type. 

The next house just down the street was beautiful but small, and no back yard to speak of. Our kids and their spouses would not all fit into one room, making family gatherings hard. Later, we walked into one owner hosted open house that could have been great, but it was marred by so much furniture and a refrigerator in the living room and dark, dark colors that we couldn't see past it all. 

Our search continued until we thought we had finally found "the" house. It was about 30 minutes south from two of our local kids. A bit out of our initial price estimate, but it seemed cozy and on a well treed street. Just like in the South, the branches from one side of the road touched or almost touched the branches of those planted on the other. We went by it several times even though the owner had just taken it off the market, thinking that it would return. This is common practice in our area, and the holidays were not too far off. One day, we happened to drive by it, when just ahead of us a woman pulled into the driveway. I hopped out and asked if she was the owner and expressed interest in the house. As it turned out, she graciously told me she had just signed a long term rental agreement, and yes, it was a great house.  I was devastated to be honest.

The next evening, my wife was on one of the real estate sites and decided to up our price range by a mere $10K just to see what would happen. Bingo! A great looking house in our favorite neighborhood popped up. Uncharacteristically, she called our friend and asked for a showing that same evening, knowing full well that a house like this one would disappear soon. He set it up. 

The floor plan was perfect, and the neighborhood was one we loved. The inside had its issues, but they were easily overcome with time, elbow grease, and some cash: It all needed paint, particularly the dining room that was dark brown with gold and silver flecks- including the ceiling painted the same as the walls. A few other rooms were painted in very bold and bright colors we did not like. The kitchen appliances needed replacing as they were dented, scratched, and in disrepair. The cabinets were a bit beat up. Some needed repair or repainting. I wasn't thrilled about the tile flooring throughout, but only because we had installed incredibly beautiful real wood floors in our existing house a few years prior. The backyard was an all stone patio with a few fully grown trees. No room for new plantings in the ground. The exterior of the house hadn't been painted since it was built twenty years prior- and it looked like it. But these were all fixed with time and some money. Best of all, it was in our price range.

As we were wrapping up our tour, my wife and I felt confident this was the house for us. We could just see ourselves living here! As we were walking out, another family came in for their second look at the house. After a long talk with our friends about the house, we decided to make an offer- and a good one at that. We didn't want to lose this home. The floor plan was hard to find on our general area. And the neighborhood couldn't be beat. 

Once our offer was accepted two days later, it was time for all the inspections. Everything looked great- with one not so minor exception: The sewer line would probably need major repairs in the next few years. Major repairs. The broken and troublesome portion ran from the backyard under the sidewalk to the front of the house and then under the driveway to the street. This meant full tear up on all the concrete and then repouring it. Then things got even worse. The electrical lines next to the sewer were entangled with it, meaning they'd have to be pulled and relaid as well. It could be $20k or it could be $50K plus. It was risky, but we still wanted the house. We weren't sure what to do. Our realtor friend suggested we let the seller know the results of the inspection and see if he would make some financial concession for the repair work.

Naturally, we qualified for the loan as we made enough money but more importantly had no debt and a house to sell that was fully paid for. To help us with it all, the interest rate had dropped, and we were able to take advantage of it.

Two nights later, we met with our friends at our realtor's request. It seemed he couldn't sleep the nights before as he was dogged by the thought that this was a disaster waiting to happen to us. The seller had offered $10K off the selling price. It sounded on the low side to us, especially after the realtor revealed he had done further investigation with the inspectors and construction crews. Seems repairs would probably go to the higher end of the estimates. He recommended we drop the offer due to the results of the inspection. Of course, my wife and I had discussed this being a possibility. Even before we drove for this meeting, as much as we wanted this home, we had concluded we would be humble and accept his professional recommendation. But oh, how it hurt to do so. To let go of the "perfect" house. But back on the market it went.

As timing would play out, I had to leave in one week for a 12 day business trip overseas. Even though we were originally scheduled to close on the house a month after I got home, now, we'd be starting all over when I returned. Ugh!

After the dinner with our realtor friends and letting the house go, I went to bed more than a bit sad. But we stopped and prayed. I said, "Lord Jesus, we trust you know best. So, if this wasn't the right house for us, we know you have one for us. Help us find it."

In the middle of the night, I had a dream. In my dream, I felt as if God said to me, "I've seen what you can do. Now, I'm going to show you what I can do." I did not tell my wife about the dream for two weeks. I kept it to myself, and I continued to wait to see how this would play out. Sometimes it can be what I eat for dinner or any other number of factors that can affect my sleep and my dreams. If this was God, He would have to prove himself.

A house with a similar floor plan popped up on the market. We had driven by it when we were looking, but we quickly dismissed it as it was $30K or so more than the top of what we could afford. In fact, this house was one street away from the one we placed a bid on. This day, however, the seller dropped the price $25K! We were intrigued. Could it be? Would this one work?

Naturally, we contacted our realtor for a showing. On the way over to the house, my wife said, "You know, I've been thinking. All I really want to do in the yard is plant a small bit of lavender and a group of yellow daisies." We had done that years ago, and those two plantings had brought her some joy in the summer with their color and/or scent.

Since we arrived about 5 minutes before our friends, we decided to walk up to the front of the house. The exterior paint job was almost the exact same shade of green we had picked out for our current house. The trim was perfect, the door painted with care as well. Fully grown trees in front, including a Japanese Maple- which I had loved since my visit to Japan decades prior. I was cautiously getting excited. There was more to come. Along the walkway, just behind the hedge lining, there were two small plantings: Yes, a bunch of lavender and a bunch of yellow daisies right next to each other. I pointed them out to my wife. It stopped us dead in our tracks. Now, I was getting really excited inside. 

Our realtor and his wife pulled up to the house. He came up to greet us, and uncharacteristically said, "What a beautiful house! Much prettier and in better shape than the other one!" Using the door code on the lockbox, we walked inside. What did we find? We were shocked!

The brown, gold, and silver painted room and ceiling of the dining room were instead clean and bright white with a bead board ceiling treatment that was beautiful. The whole house, in fact, was white, having been freshly painted throughout. The living room had been given a board and batten treatment. This was a look my wife had always loved but our old house was laid out in a manner that made doing it impossible. Then, it hit me: as I had taken off my shoes, I realized the whole lower level was hard wood floors throughout. Not an ounce of tile aside from those found in the bathroom. The carpet in the main bedroom was brand new. It was in a style that we really liked but could never afford. Furthermore, the kitchen appliances were in excellent shape, looking brand new as were the cabinets. Every finish, every piece of hardware was just as we had picked out or better. Each part of this house was "our taste". Could it get any better?

Yes, it got better. Every single bedroom was freshly painted, carpeted, and excellently maintained. Bathrooms were immaculate. The best was arguably yet to come.

The backyard was a showstopper! Professionally landscaped with a great patio, a small amount of grass big enough for a picnic, large, mature, and healthy trees and shrubs. Perhaps best of all was a hillside waterfall and pond with a small bridge and outdoor fireplace. I could not believe what I was seeing! It was such a beautiful house inside and out. 

We walked inside, and I turned to our realtor friend, "Can we even do this?" His response was uncertainty because it was higher than what he thought we'd qualify for. And the interest rate had just gone back up that day. Additionally, we discovered the house had solar panels, which meant we would have to qualify to pay off those as well in addition to the asking price. My heart sank a bit, but he encouraged us to wait for more information.

A couple of days later, we made an offer. And then I took off for my overseas business trip. Trust me, the waiting game is harder when you're not home and can do nothing to affect the outcome. 

Just before I left, I told my wife about the dream I had. If it was truly God, I did not want to shortchange Him of the wonderful thing he had done. Honestly, I was afraid to attribute this to God in case it didn't work out. I am not one to be presumptuous about God or believe in the fully unbiblical "Prosperity Gospel" which turns the all powerful God into a cosmic genie in a bottle with endless wishes to grant. But I did think of the following verse- "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4). 

Days later, God showed His Hand- and the miracles began. 

While I was overseas, I received a message from my wife. Our offer was accepted. Due to the solar panel issue, things were still uncertain.

After some wise counsel and help from our loan officer (yet another friend), our realtor contacted the seller's agent. The seller agreed to pay off the solar panels. This took the pressure off quite a bit as now we only had to be approved for the agreed upon price. But we were still close to the top as to what we would be approved for. 

A couple of days later, all the inspection documents from a previous tentative purchaser were approved by the lending company. The folks before us had were newlyweds and had gotten cold feet in making the purchase, deciding to buy at a much lower price point. But the inspections were still within a few month timeframe and therefore valid for our pending purchase.

The next day, the seller decided to give us a substantial discount due to a somewhat older furnace even though it was in excellent condition and would lats for many more years.

Then to top it all off, our lender discovered we were still within our rights to make use of the lower interest rate we had on offer for the previous house. 

All things considered, these changes substantially lowered the amount we had to qualify for. We were approved for the loan. We closed and moved in one week after I returned home from overseas.

In the morning over coffee, we still look at each other in amazement for all God did on our behalf... with no painting or repairs necessary! God is good!