Unshackled Moments ~ April 30 ~ Hands Up!

Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. While Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand down, Amalek prevailed. When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.

Exodus 17:10-13

The children of Israel went into battle against the Amalekites.  The Lord won the battle for them, but the faith and obedience of Moses played a part. When Moses raised his hands the Israelite army prevailed. But even though he saw the importance of keeping his hands raised, Moses wasn't able to do it. Such a simple task. Raise your hands and God does the fighting for you. But he couldn't. In step Aaron and Hur to help him hold his hands up. The battle was won.

It's not by our might or power but by the power of God that our battles are won. We must remember to let Him lead the way and do the fighting. But we do have a part to play. Sometimes, no matter how simple that part may seem, we just can't do it on our own. We need to be quick to ask for help before the battle is lost. And when we see our brother or sister struggling to raise their hands, we need to be quick to step up and support them.

Abba, help me to remember that while You control the outcome and defeat the enemy, I too have a part to play. Let me be faithful in my part, quick to ask for help when I need it, and quick to help others. Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 29 ~ Vision Conrrection

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

I Samuel 16:7

Self examination is important. We need to check ourselves regularly to see where we are in our relationship with God and to make sure that we are on the path that leads us closer to Him. But it's important to remember that we need to ask the Spirit to show us our life through God's eyes and not our own. When we see our self through our own eyes it's hard to see rightly. It's easy to see only our failures and short comings and see unworthiness. Or adversely to see success and progress through our pride and miss how much we still need a savior. But God does not look at our life as we do. He looks at the inside, at the heart. He knows us and our motives better than we do. If we see our lives through His eyes will see His calling and guiding hand. We will see our acceptance as well as what needs to be changes, We will neither be quick to reject and berate our self nor slip into false security that comes from pride.

Abba, help me to see myself through Your eyes today. Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 28 ~ Stuck Between The Water And The War

Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you must camp in front of Baal-zephon, facing it by the sea. Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in. I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. Then I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.” So the Israelites did this. 

Exodus 14: 1-4

Most of us know the story of Moses and The Red Sea.The children of Israel found themselves trapped between the water and the pursuing Egyptian army that was bent on their destruction and bondage. But how many times do we forget that they didn't wander into that position but were specifically led there by God. God told them to go where they would be pressed on all sides. And let us not forget that their deliverance was not an instant thing.

If you're like me, when you think of this story you often see Moses stretch out his staff, the waters part and the people start through the wall of water. But it didn't happen like that. Moses did his thing with the staff, in obedience, and then the wind blew the water apart overnight. It wasn't until the next day that the waters were parted and the land between was a dry path.

Abba, help me to realize that when I am guided by You I will be led to places and situations that look hopeless so that my deliverance may bear witness of You. Let me also remember that that deliverance may not be as quick or instant as I would like but will always be on time. Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 27 ~ Goldilocks Growth

I am so grateful for the idea of progress not perfection. It's a reminder that God is changing us from glory to glory. None of become perfect the instant we become children of God. None of us will reach perfection on this side of eternity, but the goal is deeper relationship, to be a little more submitted and surrendered to our Heavenly Daddy as time goes on. If I am continuing to run the race, then hopefully I will be closer to the finish today than I was yesterday.

But even understanding that idea of pressing on toward the goal rather than being perfect now I sometimes feel the progress too slow. Sometimes it feels like the more progress I make the farther I have to go. I can so easily get discouraged when I realize how much I fall short of God's holiness. It's during these times that I more than ever need to remember that I am not responsible to make the changes in myself from what I was to what God wants me to be. It's my responsibility to surrender to The Potter's Hands, but I am only clay. I need to remain moldable to the only one capable of bringing about any change in my life. If I stay surrendered to Him and stay out of His way as He does the work, then He will transform me into His perfect ideal for the unique child of God that I am. But it will happen in His time and His schedule. I must not stiffen my neck and drag my feet to slow the process, but I also can not rush ahead of Him and succeed  either.

Abba, help me to hold on to the promise that You are faithful to complete the work that You have begun in me. Let me not get frustrated and impatient and try to force the process. Let me stay where You want me and need me, so that I will grow at the pace that You know is best for me and Your glory, not too fast or slow but just right. Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 26 ~ A Better Goal

When I first started the path to recovery, my goal was simply to get clean and to sober and to stay that way. I would pray every morning and ask God to grant me another 24 hours of freedom from my addictions. At night I would give Him thanks for answering that prayer.  But as I grew spiritually I realized that sobriety was not and is not the goal. It is a side effect. The goal, the purpose of our spiritual walk is to renew and strengthen our relationship with our Heavenly Daddy.

If our goal starts out to feel better, or to get free, or to escape destruction, that's fine. But if it stays there our progress and growth will eventually come to stagnation. As we get to know God, we come to the place where all that matters is loving Him and knowing Him more and more. It's no longer about what can I get God to do for me today and how blessed according to my own definition of blessed can I be, but rather it's about what can I do to love and serve Him today. This change in goals is what will get us out of our selfishness and through the difficult times. The focus being on Him and relationship rather than on us and how He is supposed to serve us is what provides peace in turmoil, joy in the midst of sorrow, a rock on which to stand while surrounded by chaos, and love worth living and dying for in the face of opposition, rejection and persecution.

Walking with God is not always an easy path. It's not all cool, spring days with roses and rainbows and birds singing to make our journey pleasant. Sometimes it's dark and cold and the wind threatens to blow us from the path. Other times the heat is unbearable and the breeze seems to have died forever. Our walk can not stay about our circumstances and situation. If it does, there will come a time of adversity that will stop us. But if our walk is about relationship, then job or no job, family or no family, health or sickness, blessings or adversities we will be able to stand firm in faith because we haven't lost anything that we're basing our motivation on. When it's all about relationship with God, nothing else that we gain or lose can effect that, for we have become convinced that neither death nor life, blessing or curse, nor anyone or anything can separate us from relationship and the love of God which has set us free.

Unshackled Moment ~ April 25 ~ Transformative Forgiveness

Did you know that men who are not in prison can and do get raped? I'm not talking about molested, which is bad and horrible and happens all too often to children of both genders but brutally, violently beaten and raped? I didn't know that little fact. You hear about women get raped, but you rarely, if ever, hear of it happening to men, unless the word prison is added. The subject is almost a joke. but I can assure you it's not funny. Rape does a number on the victim, regardless of gender, but there is an aspect of our culture that makes it hard and confusing to be male and a rape survivor. No, I didn't know all of this, until I did. Then it took me years to tell the story through my tears for the first time.

Would it surprise you if I said that the church, or rather the broken people in the church, have done more damage to my mind and emotions over the years than those two with the gun and the twisted need for power who taught me that men can be raped? By the time I became a teen I identified more with Isaac than any other Bible character and felt like I had been shredded and left on the altar to die by God and the Christians who claimed to follow Him.

I have been seriously and severely wronged many times, in many ways. And unfortunately I have done serious wrong and damage to others. You can't try to escape your feelings through drugs and alcohol for over 25 years and not leave destruction in your wake. You can't live long ruled, consumed and controlled by anger without it damaging your life and the lives of those around you.  Sorry if you've bought into this idea of "healthy anger" being marketed to survivors of shredding and trauma to turn them into victims.

Yeah, I said that. The people encouraging us to get angry and stay angry at the serious wrongs that have been done to us are making us victims all over again. I am a survivor. I am no longer a victim. I stopped being a victim when I learned to forgive, not when I got angry. Anger made me feel less powerless. Anger made me feel in control. Anger made me feel justified to hold a grudge. Anger gave me the excuse to look out for number one and put my own needs and desires before anyone and everyone else. Anger makes us victims and keeps us as such.

When we fuel our life with anger we actually surrender our will and lives over the the people who traumatized us in the first place. They, whether they even have a clue or ever think of us at all, control our actions and reactions to other people, places and things for as long as we refuse to forgive. And you can't forgive and be angry at the same time. If you are angry about a situation or person there is unforgiveness in the mix.. We can't truly surrender and submit to God's will while holding on to our anger or allow the Spirit to control our lives because the monster or monsters alive in our past still hold the reins.

I know it doesn't feel right to consider forgiving those who have truly perpetrated horror and evil upon us. I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE ANGRY! Are you a Christian? Well, yes. Then no, no I'm sorry but you don't. No matter what's been done to you, no matter how much you didn't deserve it, we don't get to hold onto anger and follow Jesus' example at the same time. We can't. Because no one has ever deserved the damage done to them less than Jesus did, and His response, our example, was to forgive. We are not our own. We belong to God, and it's His job to administer and demand justice.

Anger and unforgiveness  make it impossible to heal. They make it impossible for our experience and pain to be recycled and used to help others, because you can't recycle something while you're still using it. According to the Mayo Clinic, refusing to forgive will bring bitterness and resentment into every relationship in our lives and taint every new experience, cause us to stay so wrapped up in the past and that we have been wronged that we can't ever truly or for any length of time enjoy the present, lead to anxiety and depression and remove sense of purpose from life while making it almost impossible to connect with others.

What are the benefits of forgiving someone according to that same well known and secular institution? Letting go of grudges and bitterness can make way for happiness, health and peace. Forgiveness can lead to: healthier relationships, greater spiritual and psychological well-being, less anxiety, stress and hostility,  lower blood pressure,  reduced number and magnitude of symptoms of depression, stronger immune system, improved heart health and higher self-esteem.

That's what world renown medical doctors say. But what does God say? James 1:20 tells us that the anger of people does not bring about the righteousness of God. It doesn't say, except for if you've been raped or beaten or betrayed or or or or...our anger simply does not produce God's righteousness in our lives. Sorry. And Ecclesiastes 7:9 says, "Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools." Ouch that one hurt. When I was angry all the time I lived my life as a fool.  Colossians 3 tells us to put away anger and wrath. We are told not to let the sun go down on our anger. Ephesians includes malice with the anger and wrath we are to put away. I could go on. The list of verses like the ones I reference here are many.

Jesus told us to pray for those who spitefully use us. The ones who traumatize and victimize us are ones we are instructed and commanded to pray for. Anger and vengeance and righteous indignation are not fruits of, or results of, walking in and by the power of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus forgave us all from the cross when none of us deserve it. We are to follow His example. But He doesn't make us do it for a pointless experience.

Forgiveness sets us free. It doesn't excuse what happened but rather makes it possible for God to use it for good and for His glory. Ask Joseph. He was hated by his brothers. They threw  him in a pit and left him to die but decided to sell him into slavery instead. As a slave he was falsely accused and convicted of attempted rape and thrown in an Egyptian prison. He made a deal after helping someone close to the Pharaoh that should have got him released, but he was forgotten about and didn't get out  for 17 years. His response when he finally saw his brothers who started it all? "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."

It wasn't that it was an accident or that no one really meant to hurt him. They meant evil toward Joseph. And there are those who have intended to hurt you and I, to do us evil. We can hold onto our right to be angry and stay sick victims. Or we can forgive, become survivors and be empowered by God to save many people alive through the power of the blood and the word of our testimony.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 24 ~ Staying Clean

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

Psalm 51:10

We come to that point when we are ready, or mostly ready to be rid of sin. We want to be the people that God has called us to be. We want right relationship with God. We want to deny self and follow Him. We've decided to surrender, no turning back and no compromise. We get closer to our Creator, and as we do so the more we realize our distance from Him. The more right our hearts become the more wrongness we see and can no longer deny.

With renewed determination and a desire to be the person we want to be, the person we were created to be, the person God wants to transform us into, we strive to rid ourselves of those character defects, those sins, that get in the way of our relationship with Good and interfere with us living rightly. Those habits and sins that we feel guilty about, that have kept us from whole heartedly serving God, that shame us...we're not going to do that anymore. Nope. From this point on we're going to do what's right in this particular area. Excited and encouraged we sprint out on the right road for a time, then we cramp up and run out of breath. We find ourselves fallen on the side of the road, temporarily out of the race. We've done it again. Whatever it was we weren't going to do, that's what we did. Why?

Because doing the wrong thing for the right reason doesn't make it right, nor does it make it work. The entire reason we need grace, why Jesus went to the cross for us, is because we can never do it for ourselves or on our own. Our desire to do what's right is good.  Our longing for closeness and intimacy with the Father is a just cause. But we can't get there on any road other than Grace Ave. While, My Efforts Dr. may look parallel and only be one street over, it's the wrong road. We'll never get to the Father that way. It's doomed to destruction, and when we take it, no matter how great the determination, no matter our motive, we will find ourselves failing.

It's not, "Hey God, watch me clean myself up!" or even "Father, I will clean myself up and do what's right for You." It's "Daddy, create in me for me a clean heart and help me to walk the way You want me to because I can't do it." It may not seem like there's a lot of difference. Both are an attempt to do the right thing, to walk with God. But one is life and the other is death. Choose life. Let God do the work and stop trying to beat sin by your own power. You can't. I can't. No one can.

Abba, forgive me for trying to walk with You on my own steam. Forgive me for my failure. Help me to remember that the battle is already won when I let You do the fighting. Help me to stay surrendered to You. Amen.

Child Like ~ Dependency

Dalyn Woodard shares on the call to come to Jesus as a child and one aspect of the implications of that instruction. The message, "Child Like ~ Dependency" is about 15 minutes long and was recorded at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on Wednesday, April 22, 2015. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 23 ~ Get Naked

In the beginning Adam and Eve had a unhindered relationship with God. They had no barriers between them and God or between them and each other. It's the way we seem to be born longing for our relationships to be, whether we realize it or not. Then it all went wrong, and the next thing that you know they're covering themselves with fig leaves and hiding in the bushes from God. Now the truth was that God knew what had happened and where they were. He even knew the How and Why better than they did. But He called for them to come to Him and asked them what happened so that they would have to look and acknowledge for themselves.

And so the years of human existence have come and gone, and even today, thousands of years later we haven't learned any better. We still hide parts of our hearts and minds and lives from God, and when we do respond to His call and go into His presence we clothe ourselves to hide our sin and shame. It doesn't work. Fig leaves rip, tear and itch. They just make a lousy covering. Only God can cover us in His righteousness and make us acceptable before Him. But the thing is that the covering that God provides is custom made to fit us perfectly. It doesn't fit right when we try to put it on over our fig leaves. We have to strip away our own efforts to cover ourselves and stand naked before the One who already sees us as we are anyway. When we stand naked before God, no longer hiding but willing to let Him have us, dirty and wretched as we are, we discover that He  clothes us in His grace and righteousness. We went to Him dirty and stand before Him clean. But we have to let go of the filthy fig leaves that we trued to clothe ourselves with and get naked before God before we can put on the grace suit that He made.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 19 ~ Fan The Flames

In the desperation of needing to be free, my relationship with God became a priority. The priority is a more accurate statement. I prayed regularly and often, I read, I listened to others, messages and music that kept my attention on God and contact with Him. The things of the Spirit and my relationship with God were constantly on my mind, and everything I did during the day went through my God and relationship filter. It’s the closest to pray without ceasing that I have ever personally experienced.

Then things got better. I felt better. God set me free from my addictions. I found a life worth living. The promises of God began to come true for me. And the desperation faded away. Life, routine and responsibilities began pulling on my mind for attention, and little by little, without even realizing it, things went from filtering everything through my attention on God filter to trying to fit God and my time with Him into my schedule. This is natural, and not just with our relationship with God. When we first fall in love with another person, every moment is spent with that person or thinking of them. We can’t do anything long without our minds going to them and our feelings about them. But with time and security can come comfort with doing and thinking about more and more that has little or nothing to do with that relationship. But we can choose to think more about that love, and when we do, we discover the flames of relationship rekindle and come alive.

This keeps our earthly relationships new and alive, and it’s the same with the relationship with our Creator. If things have begun to feel a little less and like the fire has died down some, we can fan the flames. Turn our eyes back to relationship. Stop trying to find a way to make God fit into our busy schedule but rather make our schedule fit into our relationship with God. The more our mind turns to Him and our relationship with Him, regardless of where we are or what we’re doing, the higher and hotter the flames of love within us will burn.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 18 ~ Need A Fix? Fix The Need

"Need a fix? Fix the need," is a saying heard in the rooms of drug recovery. It's an understanding that drugs were never the problem but rather an attempt to fix the real problem chemically. Regardless of who we are and what we've been through we all are born with a piece missing from a complete and joyful life worth living. That hole causes symptoms of misery, anxiousness, discontent, fear, etc that we try to fix. Some of us used drugs, or alcohol, or sex, or food, or relationships with other people, or use work, or shopping, or gambling, or _________________ (fill in the blank), or use a combination, but sooner or later our solutions start working less and less and cause more and more destruction and misery.

The pain from this causes us to look for another solution. Those of us blessed enough to find that the answer is relationship with God, that only He fits the hole perfectly and completely and without the side effects our solutions of selfishness caused, find freedom. But what we don't find is an instant cure to all our problems and issues. We are reborn free and new, but not yet perfect, and therefore our relationship with God is growing and not yet perfect. That means we still feel need from the vacuum in the places of that hole that we have not yet let God fill. So we feel the need, desire or temptation to try our old solutions again (even though we know that they lead to death and don't work long-term) or try something else. For whatever reason the temptation is to fill it with something other than God, but that never works. When we feel the itch, when we start jonesing for something old or new to provide instant relief over true freedom, we don't need to satiate the desire. We need to fix the need. The need is the absence of relationship with God. The cure is not in self indulgence of any kind but in running to Him, in being in His presence, in conscious contact with our Creator.

Lord, help me to respond to the pull of self to change the way I feel with more of You instead of more of me. Help me to fix the need rather than scratch the itch/ Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 17 ~ Rejected Of God

When we were babies our parents carried us everywhere. We were carried in their arms, in slings, in strollers, and yes, in carriers. There came a time as we grew that we learned to crawl. Our parents still carried us a lot as was necessary. I have never seen a baby crawling behind his mother down the aisle of a grocery store next to his walking older sister. The idea is ludicrous, but at that age a child can sure scoot around the house. Then they reach that next stage. My grandson Baiden is in that stage of walking, almost truly running, and he will wear you out trying to keep up with him at times. At other times though he's the one exhausted. Toddlers simply have no idea what it means to pace themselves. It's all out or done.

Baiden has reached that point where sometimes he wants to be carried only to hear his Dad or Mom telling him that he is a big boy now and needs to walk. Of course sometimes they still carry him. He's not quite two yet. But other times they make him walk whether he wants to or not. It's important that he use his legs, learn to balance better, grow stronger, etc. The only way to grow in strength and ability to walk is to walk.

There will come a time when Baiden will grow to the point where it will be rare indeed for him to be carried by his parents. There will likely be times of joy in relationship as Justin carries Baiden on his shoulder, perhaps even when Baiden is as old as 5 or 6. I pray that it doesn't happen often or with anything majorly serious, but it's possible that Baiden may need to be carried at some point after an injury. My father has carried at least two of his grown sons in his arms, because we needed to be moved and couldn't walk.

But at no point in this process with Baiden going from being carried all the time to almost never is the insistence that he walk a rejection.  Neither Justin nor Brooke, or any of us his grandparents for that matter, rejecting him when we refuse to carry him. He's getting to that age when relationship is growing precious. Babies are amazing, but toddlers can really interact.

My point in all this rambling is simply this. Many of us have times when we feel we have been rejected by or forsaken by God. But Jesus has promised to never leave or forsake us. I feel forsaken, but Jesus said I'm not. Sometimes what we feel as rejection from God is God letting us, helping us grow. Justin and Brooke aren't rejecting Baiden by making him walk, but you'd never know that by listening to him fuss at first about not getting carried as he wants. But when he sees he isn't going to get his way, he surrenders to the adult, reaches out, takes a hand, and walks. Before long he's smiling and often trying to swing from the hand of love helping him walk.

Abba, thank you for knowing better than I when I need to be carried and when despite how I feel I am strong enough to walk. Thank you for making me walk, even though some of those times I want to be carried. I know it makes me stronger and teaches me to trust You. Help me not to feel rejected when You refuse to carry me, but let me instead simply take Your hand and walk beside You, swinging from Your loving arms. Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 16 ~ Self Pity Pitfall

Self pity can be so miserably comforting and enjoyable. It's also dangerous and as addictive as any drug. Really? Really? As dangerous as a drug that makes people hurt others, lie, steal and worse? Yes. Self pity is dangerous and deadly to our relationship with God. We can not walk with God and wallow in self pity at the same time. It's not possible. So when we sink into the mire of self we separate ourselves from our source of power and life.

What that means is that if we stay in such a place too long, those of us who have been freed from bondage will (not may but will) return to it "like a dog returning to its vomit (Proverbs 26:11)." But I've never been an addict or engaged in any seriously destructive sin, so how is it dangerous for me? Don't kid yourself. Praise God that you haven't been where some have gone, but all sin is destructive. And some of the sins of the "not so bad variety" or more deadly spiritually to us than the ones that lead to jails and living under bridges because of their subtleness and the slow death they bring into our lives without setting of warning alarms in our minds. Only the Holy Spirit can wake us up to the fact that the seemingly "little" sin is actually an ice berg with a dangerous unseen portion below the surface about to take us down. If we stay in self pity, we will turn onto the path of destruction, whether that's a slow path with hidden dangers or the fast path.

But why? First, we stop following Jesus. I'm not talking about losing salvation or anything like that. I'm saying that while we are savoring the meal of self pity we are not dining at the Lord's table. Jesus said if you want to follow Him you must deny self. Indulging in self pity is the very opposite of denying self. You can't do both at the same time. And when we don't walk with Jesus we lose access to the grace that gives us the ability to walk free from sin, not because Jesus withholds it but because we cut ourselves off  from it. If you are in a room without windows and the door is shut and you turn off the light switch the room will become pitch black. You will not have the ability to see. The power is still there. There is nothing wrong with the light. But you have cut off access to it by turning the switch to the off position. Self pity is a quick way to turn our spiritual switch to the off position.

Thankfully, turning it back on is as simple as realizing you are in the dark and crying out to God. Turn Your attention back to Him, to His great love for us, to what He wants and service to others, and you will see the light come back on. We don't have the power to light the room, that's the electricity of the Spirit, but our choice of turning to or from relationship with God is the switch that we control. To turn it off is to allow death and destruction access to our life. Every time. To turn it on brings a life worth living that overflows into the lives of those around us.

Father, regardless of the circumstance help me to remember that You love me. Protect me from feelings of despair that lead to self pity. I want to grow closer to You, and I know I can not walk with You and wallow in self simultaneously. I want life in You and not the death that comes in self. Give me Your grace to stay out of self pity today. Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 15 ~ Celebration Day

Today is my amazing wife's birthday. I celebrate her on this day because relationship with her is my greatest joy, pleasure and source of contentment outside of Christ. She is the cherry on top of my life worth living. This is a day that many Americans dread and see as negative, because of the association with taxes, yet it is one of my top five days of the year because of my love for her and how her birth would come to enhance and better my life.

It struck me that this is how God sees us. He rejoices over us and celebrates our life because it brings Him such pleasure and joy to have relationship with us. Our relationship with Him is the joy that made it possible for Him to bear the pain of the cross, His great gift to us. So on this day that I celebrate and rejoice over Leah's birth, let us all remember that God is rejoicing over our second birth into spiritual life and relationship with Him.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 14 ~ Free From Temptation

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

"I've been free from this area of bondage for a week, a month, a year, ten years, etc. but from time to time I am still tempted. When will I ever be free of the temptation to return to my addictions and or sins of the past?"

I'm sorry to say that the answer is most likely never, at least not on this side of eternity. When we get right spiritually and maintain our relationship with God, we will find ourselves freed from the obsession of the things that once held us in bondage, the temptations may become less frequent (probably will) and less severe in their pull on us, but temptations will come. You may walk free for quite some time, then out of nowhere it seems the thought comes that at one time would have led to an immediate reaction to engage in that old behavior, or at least begin the internal war that always eventually led to defeat.

The good news is that there is a way of escape! Walking in the spirit does not free us from ever being tempted. But it does set us free from the power of the temptations! God always provides a way of escape. The truth is that He always did. We just didn't know how to see it or where to turn before. Now we do. The answer lies in Him. When faced with temptation we can turn our eyes upon Jesus. We can turn our thoughts to gratitude and praise. We can pray for help and strength. And then we can let it go. Continue on and treat the temptation like an ignoring pest. We don't have to fight it. In fact we can't. But we don't have to dwell on it either. As long as we stay focused on our relationship with God, His love for us and His will, we will always be shown something else to do or think about besides what the enemy wants to use to enslave us.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. 

Philippians 4:8-9

Reacting To Our Doubting Thomas's

Dalyn Woodard shares on the disciples' reaction to Thomas and his doubt, how it relates to us and the way that we treat others, and what we can learn from it. The message, "Reacting To Our Doubting Thomas's," is about 39 minutes long and was recorded at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on Sunday, April 12, 2015. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 13 ~ Don't Get Stuck

We live in a hectic and fast paced world. At times even our efforts to live and walk a spiritual life can be consumed and overwhelmed by plans and routines. I will pray this long and these certain prayers, and I will read this much material daily before rushing into the responsibilities of the day, etc. It is good and important to live a disciplined life, but do not forget to leave room for the extemporaneous move of the Spirit of God in our life. Do not let the routine that we design in order to get to know God better get in the way of experiencing relationship with Him. Let us not get so busy talking to God and thinking of Him that we forget to listen to Him. Take the time to be still and quiet before God and give Him a chance to speak to us as we start our days, go through them and wrap them up. Remember that no matter how good our intentions and well designed our daily disciplines are that sometimes in order to do something extraordinary through us He will have to have us step outside our ordinary schedule.

Lord, let me remain flexible to Your schedule changes and desires and not get so set in a routine that I turn my plan of spiritual action into a man-made law that makes it impossible for You to move through me and for me as You would like. Help me to remember that most of the 613 Mitzvot laws that the Pharisees created were first made in an  attempt to honor and serve You better but became a stumbling block that prevented them from keeping the spirit of Your law and seeing You in their midst when their tradition and routine became a rigid act of self-righteousness and more important than being led by Your Spirit. Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 12 ~ Life and Death

The moment I took my first breath, I began to die. When I take my last breath that is when I will become fully alive.
~ Leah Woodard

The above quote is from my wife, and my first response to it was, "This is so awesome and true!" Then, as I reflected on it a few moments later I realized it was deeper and more true than I had seen at first. It's easy to take a statement like this and see that we are all dying physically from the time we are born and that those who are believers will truly be well and have real life in eternity some day after we have closed our physical eyes for the last time. But there is more to it than that.

Not only did I begin to die physically from birth, but because of the curse of sin and death I began to die spiritually as well. We all did. Yes, there is a period of time when as innocent babes under the age of accountability we are blameless. But even during this time we are learning the path to death and destruction. From our earliest moments we learn that we are the center of the universe. Everything revolves around us and is about what we want. People around us coo and awe over us. They try to please us and make us smile and laugh. When we're hungry we cry and they feed us. When we need a diaper change we cry and they snap to. Life is about what we need and want and everyone else is there to serve us. Nothing matters and no one matters but us and our desires.

This is somewhat necessary behavior for a baby to survive, but as we grow, we don't escape it. Selfishness has taken root in our hearts and minds and controls our actions and reactions. Selfishness leads to death. Wanting our will over God's always results in destruction. Not because God is mean or wants to deprive us, but because in our selfishness we are blind to what is better. Then we encounter Jesus, and for those who respond to that encounter with "My Lord and My God," there is life. Relationship with God brings life rather than death. But the paradox is that in order to access that life we must die. As we die to self, we truly begin to live. So from the moment we learn to die, we learn to live. Not some day in heaven, but no, here, on earth. Even as our physical bodies are slowly but surely breaking down and heading to the grave, our spiritual bodies are growing and heading to life!

Lord, let me not wait for physical death to live in You. Let my life increase each and every day as I learn to die to self and surrender to Your will and life. Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 11 ~ Spiritual Spell Check

I am old, well, oldish. I am middle aged and often feel old. One example of my antiquity is that I remember the days before internet, or even computers in every house and pocket for the most part. I remember when a word processor was high tech and a typewriter with the ability to back up and correct mistakes felt like a wondrous thing. And spell check consisted of Mom and a dictionary.

Those days there wasn't anyone or anything sitting at my shoulder telling me that I was spelling something wrong before I even finished the word. Today as I write I get these lovely, annoying red lines under words that make me pause and back up. The sad thing is I've grown less vigilant with my spelling. In days of old I had to struggle to remember all the spelling rules and exceptions to those rules as I put pen to paper. Today I rarely use a pen and don't think about those rules much. If I can't remember how to spell something while writing an Unshackled Moment for example, I will type it in and respond to the red line by checking to see what the computer suggests. If I get close enough, the suggestions will usually have the word I meant. If not, it's time to open a new tab, type my error and let Google ask me if I meant to search for....

This is not really the best way to go when it comes to writing. I believe that it is important to learn how to spell and why words are formed the way that they are. But spiritually I find that the more I rely on Spirit checker the better off I am. First, Spirit check is perfect and way more accurate than my computer spell check.  The Spirit not only knows what I mean but what I should. When I focus on learning the laws and rules I begin to try to live righteously by my own understanding and power. Inevitably that leads to mistakes and failure. When I focus my attention on keeping the format so that there are no red lines in my life, I take my attention from the Master I serve to the task. Eyes on the task doesn't sound all that bad, but even doing good can distract from relationship with God, and relationship is what it is all about. But I can write with ease, not careless, but unstressed about the formalities, if my attention is on the only One who is righteous and able to maintain perfection. As long as my motives are love and getting closer to and serving Him, I can trust that if I start to get off course with my thinking, attitude, motives, etc., if I am heading in a direction that will take me or others further from God instead of closer to Him, the Holy Spirit can and will auto correct me, as long as I stay in a place of submission and surrender.

Unlike my spell check which sometimes doesn't know words that are actually spelled right, or doesn't know the word I meant so allows a correctly spelled mistake to stand in my writing, the Holy Spirit knows. He is better able to keep me right and on course and in the format that I need to live than I ever could, no matter how much I learn and strive to apply what I learn. And I still learn. I've noticed that the more I pay attention to when and why the Spirit backs me up and makes corrections that the less He has to do it. But when I start trying to write my life like I know how, I glance back to see way too much red on my days.

Lord, I know that how my life is written matters. Help me to strive more to learn about who You are than about proper spiritual "grammar," so that I can stay in submission and under the control of the Spirit. Auto correct me to Your will all through this day and the days to come before I even finish the thought or act or response that is wrong. Where I insist on typing it out, take me back and correct me before it is published and distracts from the prose You intend to write with my life. Amen.

The Doubting Thomas In Us All

Dalyn Woodard shares on the disciple Thomas, and what we can learn from him and the ways we often act like him. The message, "The Doubting Thomas In Us All," is about 36 minutes long and was recorded at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on Wednesday, April 8, 2015. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 10 ~ Jesus Wants You Dead

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

Matthew 36:34-25

Some folks will tell you that Jesus wants us to be rich and happy, to be free from trouble, heartache and want. But Jesus wants us dead. That's right. Jesus wants you dead. Yes, He also wants you to prosper, but if He gives life that the world doesn't give, where on earth did we get the idea that He wants us to prosper as the world prospers. It's the world's idea that to prosper means to want for nothing because you have all you want. It's not about what you want. It's about what He wants for us. What Jesus wants for us is so much more satisfying and fulfilling and yes, prosperous than the wealth and fame and power that we could imagine for ourselves.

God doesn't want to give us gold and influence and glory except in ways that will be of service to others and brig him glory. But He does want to give us peace, joy and love. Real peace that doesn't make sense and can't be taken away. Real joy that doesn't depend on our circumstances. Real love that isn't fickle and doesn't fade away, the kind of love we claim we would die for. Well, that's the price. We die. We die to our selves, our selfish desires, our me first attitude, our what's in it for me motivation. We become new creatures with a new life and a new spirit. We give up our life and get a better one. But you don't get the new life without the old life dying.

Lord I surrender to who You are, and I declare that You are Lord and God, King of my life. Help me to put to death my old nature, my selfishness, my desire to have my way, today. Let me say as Jesus did, not my will be Yours be done in every situation I face today. Thank You for Your great love and desire to give me life that is rich and full and satisfying, and help me to remember that Your gifts are not temporary as the world gives and seeks.

People Pleasing Peter

Dalyn Woodard shares on the disciple Peter, and what we can learn from him and the ways we often act like him. The message, "People Pleasing Peter," is about 25 minutes long and was recorded at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on Wednesday, April 1, 2015. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 9 ~ Worthless Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

A weed is a plant that is not valued where it is growing,

that often crowds or chokes out desired and cultivated plants and that is unwanted or undesired. This beautiful yellow flower is known as Bitterweed. I stopped yesterday and took this picture after seeing this field completely covered in the lovely yellow blooms. When I see this plant, I think flower. I love them and look forward to them every year. How could something so beautiful be considered a weed.

Well, they may be lovely to look at, but they're not great for farmers. Bitterweed will choke out more desirable plants and grasses. Cattle don't graze on it much, and that's good, because in large quantities, Bitterweed is toxic to cattle. Honey bees will mostly leave this plant alone as well, and when they don't the resulting honey is extremely bitter. So what I see as a beautiful blessing of spring and summer in East Texas is seen by others as not only a weed, but literally a bitter and hated weed.

Often we fall short of seeing the beauty and value of our own lives. We treat ourselves as though we are weeds, undesired and having no value. That's fine with the enemy, because Satan sees us as weeds too. If we are living for God and walking by the power of the Spirit we are of no value and dangerous to his system. We bloom and can be spotted so easily in a way that attracts others. We are not compatible to the ecosystem that Satan tries to maintain. In fact, we're toxic to it, causing the surrounding area to be transformed. He hates that and would like  to mow us down or pull us up by our roots. But God looks at us and smiles. He loves the fragrance and beauty of our blooms. Whether something is a weed or flower is largely determined by it's value and desirability. Whenever we start feeling like worthless weeds, let us remember that God created us flowers.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 8 ~ Surviving Saturday

The days following the resurrection must have been great for the disciples. Jesus came back! Sunday had to be a day of celebration, but the next days may have been even better as they got over the shock of His return and got to spend some time with Jesus. I don't know. It's all supposition on my part, and I could be wrong.

What I do know is that no matter how wonderful Resurrection Sunday and the days that followed may have been, Saturday sucked. That particular Saturday is the one day in history since Christ's birth where no one believed Jesus is alive. He lived part of Friday, and He lived again Sunday morning, but Saturday He was dead, and not one person believed differently.

Friday brought calamity. Destruction and death shook the very foundation of everything. The disciples faith shook as much as the earthquake shook the ground. Any prayers they lifted up to change the situation, to spare Jesus, seemed to fall on deaf ears. If they missed the not my will but yours part of the Gethsemane prayer at the time and thought only of Jesus praying for deliverance, then it appeared that even the Master's prayers went unanswered. Jesus Himself cried out the question of why God would forsake Him. With Friday came the cries to God, and nothing changed, or at least didn't get better. It only got worse. The worst case scenario had happened. God didn't answer the prayers and Jesus died a horrible death.

Saturday though was a day of hopeless silence. Everything they had hoped for was over and done. God had waited too long to answer their cries (Never mind Lazarus and four days dead, we forget that kind of thing when our current situation crosses the line into impossible). How hard those Saturdays feel! Fridays are bad enough when everything starts to go wrong and we reach that point when it becomes obvious that God isn't going to stop it, change it or fix it our way. Saturday we feel forsaken, adrift and directionless, and unsure what to do. During those silent times in life when the dream has died and it doesn't feel like God cares, we need to wait.

We need to wait. Weeping may last all night, but joy comes in the morning. The disciples didn't feel and know that Sunday morning would be a day of celebration as the Father would raise Jesus up and bring something multiple times better than what they had wanted Friday. We may not know what God plans to do, but whenever He says no and seems to leave us hanging there's something amazing in our Easter around the corner. Just wait and remember that God loves providing the light of joy after periods of darkness and despair. The Saturdays aren't the end, they are the tension before the grand victorious climax!

Abba, help me not to lose heart during the Saturdays of life. Help me not to get angry at not getting my way on Friday and run from You. May these periods be times of continuing to seek You regardless of my feelings and emotions, and may I eagerly anticipate the resurrection and life of the third day. Amen

Unshackled Moments ~ April 7 ~ Learning From A Toddler

This afternoon my wife and I were blessed to be able to lunch with her two adult children and our grandson. The food was sub par, but the company rocked, especially my grandson, Baiden. Baiden is almost two years old now and a true joy to have around. He sat in a high chair at the end of our table. Time and time again as people walked by, Baiden would smile, wave and say hi. No one even glanced his way or acknowledged him, but Baiden was not deterred. He would do it again as they came back by on their return trip from the restroom, or he would eagerly try the next person. No one responded, or paid him any attention, but he kept right on smiling and greeting. Finally one man said hi back, and Baiden engaged in a back and forth of smiles and salutations until we left the restaurant.

Jesus said if we want to be His we need to come as little children. I know this is not exactly what He meant, but I think it's part of it. Baiden loved on everyone that came near. Their response or lack of it didn't effect him or change his behavior one bit. The next time he saw them he tried again.

The next person that came by got the same attention and love no matter how many times he'd already been ignored. Oh that we could be that childlike, to meet and greet each person with smiles and love, and if they ignore us, just keep loving, keep waving, keep smiling, keeping treating each person that we run into or that comes our way as though we are happy to see them and want to interact with them. That's how Jesus was, That's how children are. That's how we can be when we are filled with the love of the Spirit.

Lord, help me to welcome and love as You do, as Baiden did. Let me not be discouraged  by apparent lack of response or negative responses. Let me love at every opportunity. Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 6 ~ Reacting With Love

The night before last I stayed up too late trying to finish something that needed to be done before yesterday morning. Unfortunately being up late didn't set back the time the alarm would go off. It rang as early as it always does on days I need to work. Couple this with a general lack of rest lately, and I woke yesterday morning exhausted and grouchy. I could hear the frustration in my voice with everything. I wasn't so much upset at anything other than not being in bed asleep, where I really wanted to be.
At one point I realized I was short and snappy with Leah. She hadn't done anything wrong. I was just in a bad mood. About the time I realized how I sounded and worried that I may have hurt her feelings, she walked over to me, gave me a kiss and told me how much she loves me. It was the high point of my day.
I was being a jerk. I didn't mean to be, but while I saw what was happening I couldn't seem to stop it. It was like seeing the wreck about to happen when the car spins out of control and knowing that there was nothing to do but pray and wait to see how bad it would be in the end. Leah had two choices. She could get hurt and angry, let my bad attitude ruin her day and build a (temporary) wall between us, or she could choose to react with love and bless me, even though I wasn't blessing her. She chose love.
This is how we are to react to the world, to everyone in it.

But she loves you! That makes it easier, right? Wrong. Think about it. We all too often allow impoliteness and frustrations to leak out all over those we love in a way that we would guard against with strangers. And when someone we care about is hurtful or insensitive toward us it hurts much worse than when a stranger is rude. So Leah being able to choose love over anger with me is a greater task of love rather than a lessor one.

I want to open myself to the control of the Spirit so that more and more I choose to act and react in love. This is the example we see in the life of Jesus as He loved the ones who would cost Him His life...us. I am so grateful for the reminder by example that Leah showed me. We all have bad days from time to time, but if we stay surrendered we can avoid having a bad attitude to match and not take it out on others. And for the record I apologized to Leah and did my best to make it right.

Abba, help me to be quick to get out of self when my mood begins to crumble. Help me not take my off days and frustrations out on those around me. And when I encounter someone who is acting unloving, for whatever reason, help me to choose love over any negative reaction. Amen.

He's Alive ~ Spoken Word Poetry

Dalyn Woodard recites He's Alive, a song written by Don Francisco, as spoken word poetry during the Easter Sunday service at Nacogdoches Christian Fellowship on April 5,2015. It's our prayer that you are blessed and ministered to as you listen. May God bless and keep you.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 5 ~ He's Alive So We Can Live!

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!..."

 Luke 24:1-6

Why do you seek the living among the dead. the angel asked. It makes me think of a similar question. Why do we so often seek life in the things of death. The things of God bring life. That which is not of God always produces death. Death sometimes comes quickly, sometimes slowly, but it will always materialize if we choose to walk in the world apart from God. Jesus defeated Death and the grave, and on Easter Sunday morning, He walked unhindered from the Death of Friday. The power He demonstrated He has given to us so that by that power and through that power we can walk out of the tombs of our own lives, find freedom from the the graves of addictions, selfishness and sin. Take off your grave clothes and leave them behind. Follow His footsteps out of the graveyard! Find life! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! And He came, died and rose so that we could  have life, abundant life full of love, peace and joy, in place of death.

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Unshackled Moments ~ April 4 ~ It Is Finished

He {Jesus} said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

John 19:30

Jesus said it's finished, it is complete, and then He died. To those hearing His words from the cross it must have seemed like Jesus was simply stating the obvious. He was done. Death had come. It was over. But Jesus wasn't talking about His life. That wasn't done. In three days He would rise again.

What Jesus called complete was the bridge He built between us and God. Everything that ever had to be done so that we can have relationship with our Creator was done. There is nothing that needs to be added to His work. It is perfect and complete as is. Jesus' broken body and blood paid the full price for our sins, and His sacrifice defeated death and fulfilled the law. We need do nothing to earn our place with God, because He did it all. The costly price of grace had been paid. It is totally complete. Accept that we're accepted by God, acknowledge that Jesus is the way to the Father and that we don't have to and can't add to that road ourselves.

We could never live in relationship with God. We are total failures at holiness and always will be by our own strength. But Jesus made a way. His grace makes it possible for us to live free from sin. His spilt blood bought our forgiveness and salvation, and only His blood. The bridge is built by Christ alone, and it is finished. Don't try to add to it. Simply rejoice in its presence and walk across it into the waiting arms of the Father.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 3 ~ Good Friday

Today is Good Friday, and if you think about why it becomes obvious that good is relative. It all depends on your perspective. It seems odd to commemorate an execution with a holiday, especially one with Good in the title. It would be difficult to imagine that Crucifixion Friday was a good day for Jesus. Walking on water was probably pretty cool. I would think that was a good day. But the day He was beaten to a pulp and suspended by nails from a cross just doesn't seem to fit the definition of the word good.

                                                                                              But to Jesus it was. It was for the joy that He knew would come from restored relationships that He chose to endure the cross. Yes, chose. Jesus had the power to stop the pain, to deploy angels to take care of those who wanted to kill Him, but He chose the cross for me, for you. Like a women celebrating the day she endured the pain of childbirth out of the love she has for the one she bore, God and the angels celebrate the cross for the love of those who through that horrible pain would become the children of God. And we can celebrate it as well in gratitude for the great price that He willingly paid in order to redeem us from our former master and to set us free from the law of sin and death. 

Thank You Jesus for the price that You paid, for everything that You endured for me. There is truly no date in history that can so accurately be called Good, for nothing outside of You will remain, and the cross brought us to You.

Jesus on Cross painting by Debra Hurd

Unshackled Moments ~ April 2 ~ Every Dog Can Have His Day

This hungry hound cross has been running up and down the road and through the fields near where I work for a while now. I don't know if he ran off from where he belonged or if he got dumped. But he's been losing weight and looking rough. The day before yesterday a friend of mine coaxed the shy and wary dog to her and put him in a collar and on a chain for the night. She left him some food and went home, planning to take him to the vet to see if he was microchipped. In the meantime she sent photo to her husband who immediately wanted the dog and asked her to bring him home.

Yesterday I arrived at work about the same time my friend showed up to take care of the dog. She told me about him and how her husband wanted him. As we got to the spot where she'd left him we noticed he was gone. The dog had eaten the food left for him, broken his collar and fled. He's spent who knows how long fending for himself, barely surviving, and had run from an amazing opportunity. He was about  to be cared for, have a home with AC and Heat and a back yard to play in, a master who wanted him to enjoy life and be happy and would provide for his every need, to have all the food he could eat and live the rest of his days in comfort. But he ran from the perceived restriction of the collar.

A few hours later he showed back up, and my friend caught him again. He was worse. At some point after his escape he had been shot with a pellet gun. She scooped him up, took him to a vet and treated his wound while checking for the microchip. With no microchip or tag to say who he belonged to, she took him home. By the end of the day, he was comfortable,

well fed and had his wounds treated. If someone shows they're missing a dog, my friend will gladly return him, but if not, he will have a loving home with her and her husband. He will have a better life. If only he hadn't fled the night before he wouldn't have gotten shot before finding a home.

Too often we are like the stray. We want to fend for ourselves, to run our own life. We want freedom and to have no master but ourselves. But at best we barely survive. We got sick. We go hungry. And from time to time we get shot. There is One who loved us from the first moment and has called us to him. He wants only the best for us. He wants to give us purpose, relationship, nourishment and love. He wants to give us the paradise of a home, sheltered from the elements and protected from enemies. He wants to give us heaven. But in some misunderstanding of freedom verses the collar, we try to take a little food and then run away again to do our own thing. It usually ends with us being shot and crawling back, wounded for help. We can avoid all that extra pain by just letting our new master love us and care for us without running. Life will be so much better and easier. It's not too late for us old strays to learn this new truth.

Lord, help me to remember that You love me and want only the best for me. Let me not try to break Your collar to be my own master any longer. Let me settle into the comfort, safety and pleasure that comes from belonging to You. Amen.

Unshackled Moments ~ April 1 ~ No Joke

Welcome  to April Fool's Day. Some love this "holiday," while others hate it with a passion. Either way, there is no going on with life as though it isn't a factor. Whether we participate in the foolishness of pranks and tricks that accompany this day or not, we must go through the day with our guard fully up. It can be exhausting. Every Facebook post must be questioned, every statement by a friend or coworker must be carefully evaluated. We even have to be wary of newspaper and radio/TV news reports. If we don't want to be duped we must beware and approach every  bit of information and every situation as though it's bogus or about to blow up.

When I look at myself, the truth of who I am, especially in those hard to reach dark corners of my mind and heart that I can never seem to clean well and try to hide from the guests of my life, it's hard to believe that anyone could, much less would, love me as I am. I have trouble liking myself sometimes. Then here comes Jesus saying that He loves me so much He'll die for me, even if I never accept it or appreciate it, if I never change for the better, if I stay a selfish, rebellious fool who lives like there is no God, His love for me never decreases. He loves me as I am, not as I should be. And He loves you the same way.

And if you're anything like me, that's where we start treating the message of who Jesus is and what He did as though it's all God's spiritual April Fool's prank. Surely it must be a horrible, cruel hoax. Could it really be true that we could be loved like that? We can't love ourselves that much. We're not that accepting of ourselves, no matter what mask of pride we show the world. How could a holy God accept us as we are?

I don't know  how. I know that it has something to do with a love so great and perfect that we can't really comprehend it on this side of eternity. And I know it's real. I've seen it. I've seen the miracles it brings and the lives it has changed. I promise that on spiritual April 2, the first day of eternity, when all of this is over and done with, it won't be those who listened to the call of love who will realize with shame and sadness  that they have been tricked. There is a trickster out there trying to get us to believe news that isn't true. Sadly though, his pranks are far from harmless.

Today the Ultimate Love is calling you, desiring relationship. Just as you are, with all your flaws and imperfections, He is totally, hands and heels nailed to a tree, in love with you. It's not a joke. You don't have to qualify. Just say, "I want that." Relationship with your Creator is not only possible, but it's the missing piece that makes everything else in life on this floating rock fall into place. Don't let fear of looking foolish in the eyes of others today keep you from the love of eternity. The foolishness of the cross is not God's prank. It is His promise of acceptance to those who embrace His gift.