faith

Don’t Get Lost in the Fog! Focus on the East!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Things cooled down a little overnight, and when the cool air met with the warm earth, the fog began to roll in. One minute, I could see the trees off in the distance, and the next minute, they were masked in fog. I didn’t just watch the fog roll in at sunrise, I could feel the heaviness in the air too! The longer I sat there observing the fog, the more it reminded me of what it feels like to navigate through this dark world at such a time as this. One minute you can see things so clearly, and the next minute life is “masked” by oppression that is so dark and so thick you could almost cut it with a knife. As a Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I don’t focus on the fog – I don’t fret over what’s masked – and I sure don’t scramble around in the “dark” or blame the politicians for the Spiritual state we’re in. I am certain of what we’re up against and I am Confident in how the Story ends, so I focus on the Eastern sky – rain or shine, fog or clear – because that’s the Direction Jesus will come Calling from for me One Day. The Time is near, and I have just a few goals as I live out these perilous times on earth. First, to be sure that I’m READY to meet my Maker, AND next I need to be sure to Help get as many souls as I possibly can Prepare to meet Him One Day too! Despite the insults thrown around the world right now, despite what you think someone deserves (or not), the King doesn’t want anyone to perish…although sadly, many of them will. There’s no time to linger in the fog when there’s Kingdom Work to do! Isn’t that the way you see these last days too?

The Bible says that in Hell there will be eternal “weeping and gnashing of teeth” for those who don’t believe – imagine that – torment with no ability to find rest or peace ever again. I’m sure it’s much worse than anything we can imagine, but I think we’re getting a small glimpse of Hell today. There is no rest in our world. There’s no end to the “gnashing of teeth” as the battle over “good and evil” goes on. There’s no end to the shaking of fists in anger. There’s no end to the violence. There’s no end to the lies. There’s no end to the immoral acts. There’s no end to the tactics some use to be heard. There’s no end to the greed. There’s no end to the selfishness. There’s no end to the violence. There’s no end to the harm that’s being done to “these little ones.” There’s no end to so many things that can discourage the Heart because of this small glimpse of Hell we’re seeing today, as the battle between “good and evil” goes on right before our very eyes. BUT I know the rest of the story. I Know that the Devil hasn’t been unleashed yet and that the Light of the world is the only thing holding him back. We need more Warriors – we need more Light and Salt in the world! Fortunately, I KNOW Who Wins and I Know how the story ends…and it ends well for those who have Surrendered to Jesus. Until then, I’m doing my own kind of fighting to share the Good News with this dark world so that the glimpse of Hell doesn’t become an eternal reality for them. This is the Key to living out our Great Commission…before it’s too late. This is the Key to being found worthy by the King!

The Bible says that “no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him,” and I’m looking forward to Heaven. I’m going to that Place where there’s no more sadness or sickness – a place where there are no more tears….EVER. A place where “evil” doesn’t exist, and Peace is Everlasting. Though I can’t imagine it, I long for it, and I want everybody else to long for it too! I am confident that “greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world,” so I’m Living out my Faith with boldness. I refuse to take part in debates over meaningless things that make no difference in the Bigger Picture of eternity. Instead, my Light will be shining brighter than it ever has before in the middle of a dark world getting foggier every day. I KNOW Who wins…and I’m on the Winners Team, so I can’t partake in that “glimpse of Hell” – I can only outshine it with Him – and FOR Him. Darkness can’t exist in the Light, and I know that if more people Believed in my God the way I Believe in my God they’d be shining their Light in this dark world too…instead of partaking in the war against “good and evil” on earth – so, I’ll be busy trying to (re)ignite their Faith while I’m at it. I’m looking East and I’m longing for Heaven. This is the Key to walking through the Journey of Faith with Peace in ALL circumstances. When I have Heaven on the horizon, why in the world would I focus on the fog?

There’s so much going on in the foggy world, but you could never prove it by the Peace I have within me. To some, it looks hopeless on the outside, but it’s not hopeless at all! To some, the main goal is to save the most amazing country in the world – to me, it’s to save the Heart of the Lost. Ready or not, the King is Coming, and when He does, believe it or not, EVERY knee shall bow and EVERY tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! I mourn for the ones who aren’t ready to meet Him. Yes, even the crazy ones who have taken to our streets to “rob, kill, and destroy”. Hmm…looks like their “agenda” is the same as the Devil’s, and there is only One Way to fight him and win! To be Ready for the journey through the fog, we need to be sure that we are Strengthened for Spiritual battle every single day, and we need to focus more on the Eastern sky where the King will appear than on the condition of the dark world or the latest word on politics. Those things are just a distraction the enemy uses to keep us in the fog! It doesn’t work on me – will you let his tactics continue to work on you?

I’m busier than I’ve ever been in my Life Serving the King, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I can easily cut through the fog with the Word of God, and I Receive my Direction from the Holy Spirit. He’s my Strength. He’s my Shield. He’s my Deliverer. I’m looking to the East with great anticipation! Fog? What fog?

How about you?

When Brokenness Transforms Into Testimony…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I approached the Throne of the Living God to offer my Praise, my thanks, and to make my requests known, I began to weep over where I’ve been and where I am today. I thought about the brokenness that has washed over my Life and I saw a clear Picture of how that brokenness shaped me for my Service to Him today. When God Decides to do a deeper Work in our Lives, Brokenness is always part of the Process, so He’ll bring Circumstances to drive us to our knees. BUT God doesn’t force us to a place of Brokenness…and we can’t force our way there on our own…we CHOOSE to Surrender to it instead. What an Amazing God I serve who Loves me enough to Grow me to a place where I can see the Power behind the Brokenness. Isn’t that the way you see it, too?

It’s mind-boggling to consider the brokenness people go through without ever reaching that point of Surrendering to Him by choice. Oh, plenty of people will Proclaim that God saw them through a tough time – or that He was always there – but very few ever PROCLAIM that they reached the absolute end of themselves and that they willingly Surrendered to the God of all Creation for a Purpose much greater than themselves. We’re more inclined to brag about being “survivors” instead of Proclaimers of Victory…because of the Brokenness, NOT despite it. Paul had to be led to Brokenness on the road to Damascus…that place where we stop excusing or rationalizing…that place where we KNOW He is EVERYTHING and we Surrender our all to Him. Joseph had to be taken to that place when He was thrown into a pit and left to die. Jacob had to be taken to Brokenness when He left his homeland a destitute and needy man. Every single beautiful Vessel we read about in His Word – every beautiful Vessel we’re fortunate enough to meet in this Journey of Life, has reached the place of Brokenness, and they CHOSE to Surrender. This is where Powerful Testimonies and rich Work for the Lord are found.

If I had to guess the reason WHY so many people have been led to Brokenness and yet REFUSE to be Broken for the Lord, I’d say it’s P R I D E. We would rather take credit for how strong we are than take credit for how Broken we have become in the Process. We’d rather hold onto the reins as we desperately try to control our lives than to drop those reins in the dust and Confess that we are absolutely Powerless without Him. We’d rather tell Him what we want the future to look like than to “blindly” Trust Him with it…and to be Excited without even knowing the Details. We’d rather move on from the Brokenness and live as if it never happened than to shout from the Mountaintops about the God who loves us enough to Break us. Brokenness is how He Builds His Vessels – but His people ALWAYS choose to be broken OR they blow it off as merely a “tough time.” Brokenness is where Powerful Testimonies are threaded together in His Name. Brokenness is where Strong Vessels are shaped and ministries are born. The Greatest Work of our Lord comes through His people WILLING to be Broken and then built back into something Beautiful. This is the Key to being Refined for the King, and yet, P R I D E keeps so many people from shamelessly sharing the Work of the Lord in their lives.

I wouldn’t trade the Brokenness experience in my Journey for anything in the world, and I’m glad I Surrendered my all to Him. When I share pieces of my life…and it’s been a wild one…sometimes people are shocked that I share without shame as if it has no Purpose now that it’s in the past. But Jesus paid the Price for my sin and my shame, so why would I still be carrying it around? Jesus Christ allowed me to be Broken to Glorify Himself! He Knew before the foundations of the earth that One Day I would crawl out of the valley and climb to the mountaintop to PRAISE HIS Holy Name to the world. Pride went out the window a long time ago when I made the choice to be Broken so that I could be Built back up into a Usable Vessel for the Lord Jesus Christ. I KNOW that there is “no good thing in me apart from Him,” and I KNOW that I am absolutely Powerless on my own. Freedom, Love, Joy, Peace, Strength, and Victory are ALL the result of having been taken to the breaking point and CHOOSING to be Broken.

What about you?

I Have High Expectations! Do you?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I stepped out onto the front porch to enjoy a hot cup of coffee with a Heart filled with Gratitude and High Expectations about this new day with the Living God. This isn’t just any old day – it’s a New Day of a new week – and I’m not just any old Servant – I’m a Willing one with High Expectations about the Journey. My God has no boundaries, and it shows in my Life as He continues to use me in ways I could never have imagined could be possible…IF I look at my Life with my mind instead of my Heart, that is. As I stumble through the Journey called Life – as I fall down and get back up time and time again, I KNOW HE KNOWS my Heart for Him and I KNOW He’ll use me all the days of my Life because I Love Him. I am a Willing Vessel with High Expectations about doing the work of my God. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey, too?

These days, it seems to be so easy for people to lose hope in the face of adversity, but that’s because they don’t have High Expectations for the Journey of Life. Sometimes we focus on the surface of Life that can often resemble a train wreck with a million broken pieces – but that doesn’t slow down the God of no Boundaries, and He’ll always work it for Good IF we let Him. When we have High Expectations about the Work of His Hands, we Understand that there is always something Beautiful going on behind the scenes, and we look through the RUBBLE for the RUBIES every time. When we have High Expectations about His Purpose for us, we don’t allow ourselves to think that things are impossible, because we Know that ALL THINGS are possible with Him, so we Celebrate the Victory long before we see it. When we have High Expectations, we’re quick to hit our knees to ask for Forgiveness because how He sees us is FAR more important than how the world does. We Understand the importance of getting rid of anything in the Heart that has the potential to damage our Relationship with the King of all kings, and that if we want to be found Worthy to be used by the King, Humility is a Key Characteristic. With High Expectations, we don’t put God in a box and we NEVER quit believing in Miracles.

I don’t know ALL the ways my Redeemer will be using me here on this earth until He calls me Home – all I Know is how He’s using me right NOW. I’m an “alien in a foreign land”, and I’m here on Temporary Assignment on behalf of the King. I have High Expectations because I’m a Willing Vessel (with limited time) and I’m Ready to go where He tells me to go, and do what He tells me to do. I won’t be afraid, and I’ll never feel inadequate, no matter what He Calls me to do – not because I’m confident or capable – but because I have High Expectations for the Journey and I’ve already been Tenderized for the Job. I found the RUBIES in the RUBBLE, and it shows in my Life. I’m “pressing on” and I’m running “in such a way as to get the prize!” just like Paul did. When I receive my crown (reward) for what I’ve done in His Name during my time here on earth, I’ll be tossing it at His feet as fast as I can because it’s my HONOR to Serve Him and NONE of it would be possible without Him. What I do for Jesus Christ can’t be measured by human standards, and my Rewards won’t be seen on this side of Heaven. What I do for Him is done out of Love…and it’s that Love that keeps me going with High Expectations.

How about you? Do YOU have High Expectations for your Journey?

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Gratitude in the Simple Things…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. My porch time has been cut short lately because of the heat wave, and I’ve been hungering for my early morning Meeting with the King of all kings outside. A thunderstorm passed through last night, bringing cooler temperatures, so this morning, I crawled out of bed as the sun was rising, and when I stepped outside and onto the porch, it was as if I was seeing it for the very first time. That’s what Gratitude looks like. No matter where I go or what I see in this journey called Life, nothing beats time with just me and my God at sunrise from this front porch. It’s there where I find my Solitude and my Peace. It’s there where I Receive my Greatest Lessons. It’s there where I bask in His glory. It’s there where I shed my tears. It’s there where I reckon my wrongs. It’s there where I sing praises to Him. A front porch…a beautiful sunrise…a willing woman…and a Mighty God – could there be a more perfect combination? Sometimes it’s the simplest things that have the utmost impact on me. Isn’t that the way it is with you too?

There is so much to see and so much to do in this journey through life, and sometimes people have wondered why I don’t see and do more. I’m adventurous…I’m inquisitive…and I love to learn and love. But of all the things I’ve seen and all the places I’ve gone, the simple things bring me the most pleasure in life. I can be more entertained by sharing a cup of coffee on the porch with a friend or ministering to a suffering soul than I could ever be by visiting any other place in the entire world. I’d much rather look into a set of eyes than see any other sight there is to see. I’d rather tune in to the voice of someone I love (or of someone God sends my way to love) than hear any concert by any artist in the world. I’d rather belly laugh on the front porch with my family or friends than visit any comedy club on the planet. I’d rather wipe away the salty tears of someone else than tip my toes in the salt water of any of the oceans in the world. I’d rather discuss History from the point of Creation and ponder my God than visit any museum of history or art or any place else in the world. My Life isn’t as simple as it is Rich, and from where I sit, everything is beautiful to me because I savor this Journey of Life. BUT my Joy could leave as quickly as it came, IF ever I allow my life to become dull.

I’m not exactly sure how this new day will unfold, but I won’t be idle, and it won’t be “boring.” One thing I DO know for sure is that my day will be Shared with others…some of them my family, and some of them my friends, and some of them I’ll see for the very first time, and that each one will be certain of how Special they are to me. I’ll probably tune into a sermon spoken by someone Called to Speak it, and I’ll hear a few words of Wisdom along the way. It’s going to be another long day at the farm, and I’ll be making the most of every minute. You won’t find me looking for fun or striving to be entertained. You won’t find me whining about being bored or disappointed over something that wasn’t “fun” or people who weren’t my cup of tea. Instead, you’ll find me walking through this day with Excitement no matter who or what comes along, because I know that this day and everything in it has been Ordained by the Living God and that His Plans for me on this new day beat anything else I could ever have added to my own agenda. He’s a God of Perfection, and He’s the Master of my Life, and as long as I keep Him in First Position, every “simple” little thing will always have a huge impact, and those “simple” little things will always cause my heart to overflow with Gratitude and Joy.

My life is filled with simple things, but there’s nothing simple about my Life on or off the front porch of this old farm. I see my Life as an Adventure and my steps as a Journey, and I want to be sure that I savor the “simple” things until I draw my last breath because it’s the simple things about me that mean the most to Him.

How about you?

Philippians 4:11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

All it Takes is a Courageous Mockingbird…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I set out to spend my time with the Master of all Creation this morning, but I didn’t last long outside because of the scorching sun. The heat wave in Virginia is taking its toll, so I’ve gotten serious about praying it out of here soon. In the meantime, I thank God for cooler places. From this photo, you can’t tell it’s scorching hot, and it looks so calm and quiet, but don’t always count on what you see with your eyes. A relentless crow was giving it all it had to give from a limb high up in the tree, and for a while, all I could think about was the noise. It cawed and cawed as if it was telling the world to sit up and take notice, that is, until a mockingbird – a fraction of the size of the crow – ran it off. One little attack from the much smaller bird, and that old crow ran off like a wussie. As I watched the exchange, I thought about the Journey of Faith and how the Enemy likes to make a lot of noise in an attempt to stake his claim too. But all it takes is the Courage of a mockingbird to send him running off like a wussie, just like the crow. Isn’t that the way you see the Battle too?

We are living in the state of “lawlessness” the Bible warns us about, and the Devil is raging. We’re living in the days “when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear”, and the Devil is raging. We are living in the days of Noah, where “man exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator”, and the Devil is raging. We’re experiencing the Written Warning, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”, and the Devil is raging. We’re living in the days where, “They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law”, and the Devil is raging. There’s no end to the things we’ve been warned about that are playing out right before our very eyes, and there’s no doubt that the Devil is raging. It’s sad to see so many people wrongly believe that the Devil is gaining territory and that he has the ability to crush us at will…but that’s not true. He’s no different than the big black crow that parks itself in high places to threaten the world with its cawing. He’s big, and he makes a lot of noise, and to some, he even sounds scary. But all it ever takes is a Courageous “mockingbird” to chase him away and put him in his place. All it ever takes is a Fearless one who Understands that “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world” and that the Devil DOESN’T have power or dominion over Creation, even when it LOOKS like he’s winning. All it ever takes is a Mockingbird who Knows the Word of God so well that it can repeat what it’s heard a million times before, and before you know it, the Devil runs off like the wussie he is. This is the Key to Victory.

God used a relentless crow and a (not so) sweet mockingbird to speak to my Heart this morning. The Battle is real. The Warnings are spot on. The Time is near. The King is coming…SOON. He won’t find me hiding when He comes calling for me. Instead, He’ll find me fighting the battle like the Courageous Mockingbird I am. I’ve been Trained for Battle. I’ve already Claimed my Victory. I Know the Word of God, and I use it often to send the Devil packing. He might rage…But he doesn’t win. He has NO dominion over me or my family, and I’ll be Fighting until the End to keep it that way.

It might be hot in Virginia today, but otherwise, it’s just another day in Paradise for me.

How about you?

Tune out the World…Tune in the King!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s going to be another scorching day in Virginia today, and my Time on the front porch was brief because of it. That’s okay – although nothing replaces being on the front porch, I’ve prayed over every inch of this farm for decades, so I can “see” it even with my eyes closed. I’ve been an eyewitness to nature being obedient to His Call as He wakes up the world thousands of times, and I can visualize play by play because of it. I’ve walked this Journey hand in hand with the Master of the Universe, and no matter how many times I see a sunrise, I’m in awe of Him, and because I am, I want to be Obedient to His Call. At the sound of His voice, the earth was formed. At the sound of His voice, the land was separated from the sea. At the sound of His voice, Adam was put into a deep sleep, and Eve was formed from his rib. At the sound of His voice, the stars were scattered in the sky. At the sound of His voice, the sun stood still. At the sound of His voice, the sea parted. At the sound of His voice, the rain was withheld for years. As I considered the Power of the sound of His voice and how nature so easily responds, I thought about how often man…the most Valuable Creation of all…willfully ignores the sound of His voice, and we struggle with Obedience when we do.

It can be so easy for us to tune out the Voice of God, especially when He Instructs us to do something that makes no sense to the human mind, but we miss out on the Opportunity to Serve and to Please the God of all Creation when we do. Somehow, when the rational mind kicks in, we convince ourselves that God would never Instruct us to do something that doesn’t make sense to us. But if it makes sense to God Almighty, that’s all that ever matters. God’s ways are not our ways, and His ways don’t need to make sense to us for us to be willing to be Obedient. I’m pretty sure not much made sense to Moses, or Elijah, or Daniel, or Joshua, or a host of other saints we read about. But the biggest Miracles the world has ever seen were born out of Obedience to things that didn’t make sense to the human mind- and the same is STILL true today. Being willing to be Obedient to His Instructions, ESPECIALLY when they don’t make sense to the human mind, is the KEY to a Rich Relationship with the God of Miracles. The surest Sign of Trust is Obedience through it all.

The Bible says, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me” – this isn’t referring to age, but to Maturity instead. Most of the rules we teach a child make no sense to the young human mind, but when they’re taught to listen to the voice of their father and mother and they see the rewards of obedience, they mature into rule-following people able to accept authority, and they don’t hesitate to do what they’re told to do. If only people Walking through the Journey of Faith would do the same when they Hear the Voice of the Master of all Creation! IF only they would “let go and let God” the way they claim to! If only they would step out in Faith when God Instructs them to do something that makes absolutely no sense to the human mind. If only they could Trust Him. This is the Key to being a Willing Vessel – a Participant in the Master Plan that might not make a whole lot of sense to the human mind on this side of Heaven, but one that makes Perfect sense to the Perfect God.

When I was a child in my Journey of Faith, I “passed” on plenty of things because they didn’t make sense to my human mind. Today is a different story – today I’m Mature. At the sound of His voice, I’m Obedient and I Trust what He wants to do through me. My world sees the God of all Creation work in my Life in ways that sometimes leave them breathless – but what they see in my Life over and over again has nothing to do with me. What they see is the Hand of God working Miracles…Miracles born out of Obedience. Every single day, I work on “dying to myself” – to set aside my own will so that I can do His instead. Every single day, I ask Him to examine my Heart to see if there is anything inside that I need to purge and repent of. I can’t hear His voice if I have sin in my Heart (and neither can you!) I listen to His Voice with an open Heart and I set out to Serve the One Who died for me, ESPECIALLY when it doesn’t make sense to me at all. That’s what Trust looks like!

How about you?

Is it Business as Usual For You Today?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. We’re experiencing a heatwave in Virginia, so it didn’t take long for me to drag myself back into the house to find relief from the heat. After I settled myself inside the cool farmhouse, I sat there talking to the God of all Creation about His Plans for me on this new day of a new week, it occurred to me that for wildlife, it was business as usual this morning…heat and all. It was business as usual for the rabbits and squirrels. It was business as usual for the deer. It was business as usual for the birds. Watching them going from Point A to Point B with no real direction at all reminded me of the way so many people live. They go through the motions day after day, and they seem satisfied as long as nothing bad happens. What a sweet Reminder straight from the Throne of a Mighty God that Life should never be just business as usual for a Child of the King.

Most people live like rabbits and squirrels, except they have more intellect. They scurry through life in survival mode without any purpose at all. They go to work, pay the bills, mow the lawn, play with the kids, and then it’s lather, rinse, and repeat all the days of their lives Their days turn into weeks – their weeks into months – their months into years and they seem to be satisfied with business as usual as long as something bad doesn’t happen today. I’ve gone through plenty of motions in my lifetime – going from Point A to Point B – and I’ve always been grateful for God’s Provision and Protection as I scurried about. But I’m not satisfied with just nothing bad happening…I’m not satisfied unless I see Good in each day..The kind of Good that pleases my God and the kind of Good that makes an Eternal difference. I don’t wait for Good things to happen by chance like a squirrel or rabbit hoping to stumble upon a morsel. I LOOK for Good. I anticipate Good. There is Good in everything IF you look for it, and I’m excited about the possibility of sharing Good every single day of my Life. This is the Key to living a Life with God given Purpose, and it’s the Key to Fulfillment in the Journey called Life. Why would anybody be content just as long as something bad doesn’t happen when there’s SO MUCH Good to be discovered in each new day?

There’s really no nice way to say this, but all those people going through the motions day after day obviously aren’t ALL IN for the One they claim to Know and Love…the One who GAVE it all for them. Many of them have a false sense of security about their One Way Ticket to Eternity, and most of them will never Fulfill their Purpose for their time here on earth because of it. They never learn to look for the Good because they’re satisfied as long as there’s nothing bad. They never jump into the deep end of the pool for Jesus Christ, and they make excuses for why they don’t Serve Him beyond going to church or (maybe) tithing. They believe they’ve done their part if they whisper a prayer for someone in need, but out of the same mouth they Praise the King of kings, they’ll curse another one of His Creations. I feel bad for the shallow ones, just barely making it to the Jesus Team and satisfied with business as usual. I pray nothing bad happens to them too, but MORE than that – I pray they learn to find the Purpose for their time here on earth before it’s too late. Who wants to live like the rabbits and squirrels – merely going from Point A to Point B each day when we can Live like Royalty and Serve like Jesus?

From the outside looking in, you’d think I live a simple life…and in many ways, it is. But when it comes to the Journey of Faith there’s nothing simple about mine. I refuse to live a life like an old shoe; scuffed and beaten…predictable…comfortable…and never moving unless the reason for moving makes logical sense. I’ll leave that up to the ones satisfied with watching life pass them by and too afraid to move for fear of something bad happening. For as long as I live, I will look for the Good, and I won’t rest unless/until I find it. I have a Purpose that sometimes keeps me awake at night with excitement, and one that could easily exhaust me if I didn’t include Jesus Christ in the Journey. It will NEVER be business as usual for me, and I won’t squander even one day of the Journey. Any chance to Serve the One who died for me is the Greatest Honor of all. I’ll leave the scurrying around with no direction to my furry friends. As for all the rest, I won’t stop doing my Part to wake them up!

The King is coming, and He’s coming soon. Will He find you sitting still for fear of something bad happening, OR will He find you pressing on and fighting the Good Fight all the days of your life?

Outshining the Darkness!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One who Breathed Life into this new day, and everything about it is a Reflection of His Hand. The birds sound like they’re celebrating the morning, the squirrels look like they’re celebrating a feast, and my Heart is celebrating another Day to Serve. I don’t know exactly what He has Planned for me today, but I do know that after my Time with Him, I’m ready for whatever it is. As I looked out at the shadows on the field, it made me think about how the Light always casts a shadow on the things in its path, but the Light has no shadow of its own. Darkness can’t exist when there is Light. No doubt I’ll encounter some dark things today because the world is filled with darkness, but when I do, my Light will Shine so bright that I’ll cast a few shadows of my own, and darkness will flee from me…every time. Isn’t that the way you “fight the good fight” too?

It’s not easy to encounter the “darkness” sometimes, but that darkness can’t exist with my Light. Darkness is darkness, but it comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and I could be easily fooled if I didn’t know the Light so well. Sometimes the darkness shows itself boldly, and it’s easy to spot when it’s nearby, and sometimes the darkness is so subtle that I could get deceived if that were possible. Sometimes the darkness masquerades as Light, and it could win an Academy Award for its effort to fool…but when you Know the Light so well, it’s not possible to be fooled by darkness. Sometimes the darkness shows up in the form of dissension, and sometimes it shows up with the sweetest looking lure – the kind that Adam and Eve refused to Resist. The only way to walk through this dark world without being overtaken by the darkness is to shine the Light so bright that the darkness disappears and not even a shadow is left in its place. This is the Key to battling the war that takes place “in the heavenly realms.”

It’s sad to see so many people attempting to battle the darkness with their words when there’s a much Bigger way to Battle and only One Way to win. I’m pretty sure that darkness just laughs when it sees us trying to use our own words and our own intellect to win the War that can ONLY be won by the Spreading of the Light. When it’s time for words, ONLY the Words that were breathed by Him have any Power at all, and absolutely none of the others will repel the dark or produce Good fruit. But time and again people of Faith spit out insults and dim the Light instead of “spitting” out love and turning up the Light of Faith…the kind of Light that makes the darkness flee. I know that every time I say the name of Jesus, I can cause every demon in Hell to shudder, and I say it often each day. It might be a really dark world we live in, but the Light of the World will always outshine the darkness IF…and ONLY IF…we turn up the Light of our Faith and we Fight the darkness with the only thing it can’t withstand. This is the Key to willing the war.

Darkness nipped at my heels for so many years of my life, that is UNTIL I learned about the Light. One day, I invited the Light in, and I’ve never been the same again. My Light outshone the darkness that so desperately wanted to thwart the Plans God had for me…but darkness has no power in the Light. Darkness can no longer have power OR Victory over me because I belong to the Light! Today, I make the liar from Hell sorry that he ever messed with me as I Shed the Light of Jesus Christ on the dark world as much as I possibly can. This is the Key to Freedom.

I’m ready for this new day, and although I NEVER look forward to encountering the darkness here and there, I Know how to fend it off and snuff it out. Darkness, aka the Devil, has no power over me because I know the Light, aka Jesus Christ, so well. It could be that Brightest Lights (the biggest risk) deal with the darkness a little more than all the others…I’m not sure. But I DO know that the darkness would LOVE to dim my Light IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE, and I guess I can’t blame “it” for trying to take me down when I stand SO boldly for the Light.

Yes, it’s a battle…but I’ll always be Victorious because I focus a whole lot more on the Light than I do on shadows of darkness…and THAT’S the source of my Strength in this dark world.

How about you?

    A Journey Down “Broken Lane”…

    / www.LivingLarger.life

    Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I met with the Living God this morning to give my Praise, my Thanks, and to make my Requests known, I was feeling a little inadequate to accomplish all that He has for me in this Journey called Life. So, the Author and Perfecter of my Faith walked me down Broken Lane to remind me of how Strong I really am and just how it came to be. There are lots of things in the past I’d much rather forget…at least in the human sense…but the Hand of God brought calamity my way many times in my life…not to break me…but to Build me into a Usable Vessel and to make me strong for Him. I went from feeling inadequate to BELIEVING I have everything it takes to Serve the King of kings…ALL because of my brokenness. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

    It can be so easy for most people to throw in the towel when they experience brokenness, but they miss out on all the Strength that can be found in Victory when they do. Some people shake their fists at God and demand answers when calamity strikes, and some people hide under the bed. Some people spend what seems like forever “asking” for explanations for why the trials showed up in the first place, while others are consumed with self-pity because God is being so “mean.” Some people gloss over the “break” experience as if it’s just a minor setback and they’ll brush it off without a second thought. Some people experience brokenness, but they stay so busy trying to hide it from the world that they miss out on the Beauty that is just around the corner if they’ll just let go and let God do what God does best. It makes me sad to see all those wounded people so clueless about the process, and it makes me even more sad to know that they can’t be Used by the King as long as they remain on Broken Lane. God takes Brokenness and Spins it into Strength IF we just accept the Purpose behind the storms.

    I wish I could have avoided the pain and suffering of Broken Lane, but I wouldn’t be a Strong Vessel for Him today had He not taken me there to Shape me into what He needs me to be. I find comfort when I read about all those Saints of the Bible who were Broken for His Purpose too – like Paul on the road to Damascus and David after his sin with Bathsheba (and the list could go on and on) about people He walked down Broken Lane JUST so they could become Strong in His Name. Brokenness doesn’t end well UNLESS we accept His Purpose for our lives in the good times AND in the bad ones too. It takes understanding that brokenness comes with a Purpose much bigger than we can see on this side of Heaven…but we never fulfill the Purpose if we aren’t willing to look at Brokenness for what it really is…a chance to be Readied for Service… an Opportunity to become Stronger than ever. I’m not sure if I’d refer to what God does as a “test,” but He definitely forces us to flex our Spiritual Muscles to make us Stronger. The Author and Perfecter of my Faith has a Perfect Master Plan, and He longs for each one of His children to be willing to walk down Broken Lane with Purpose! Will we become weaker or stronger in the end? Will we see Broken Lane as a sign of a “mean” God or a testimony we’re willing to share with someone traveling down Broken Lan,e too?

    I started off this new day feeling inadequate for the Job, but He set me Straight by walking me down Broken Lane all over again. He reminded me of where He’s taken me and how Strong I really am in His Name. He Encouraged me with Heavenly Reminders that I have EVERYTHING I need to do what He’s Called me to do and that Victory is mine. I Serve Him well…I Love Him and Trust Him completely…and I’m grateful for Broken Lane….the place where I found my Strength through Him.

    I’m a Vessel for the Living God…an Ambassador for Jesus Christ. I’m a force to reckon with in His Name…and it all began with brokenness.

    How about you?

    “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.” – 1 Samuel 2:4

    “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve”…

    / www.LivingLarger.life

    Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One Who Knew me before the earth was formed, and we had a long chat about my Life. My Biggest Priority in this Journey called Life is to be Pleasing to Him… and not necessarily to those around me. Though I’d love to please everybody all the time, I know from my Instruction Manual that it isn’t possible to please the world. So, as long as I’m Pleasing the Master of the world by the way I Live, Love, and Speak, everything’s going to be just fine, and all will be well with my Soul. When I looked at the flags on the front porch on any given day, they reminded me of my Life…I’m many things to many people, and I’m often wearing more than one hat. And just like the flags on the front porch, when you mix all the colors of Life together, you get a Masterpiece painted by the Hand of God. I AM A MASTERPIECE because of Him, and all the pieces of my Life work together for Good because I LOVE HIM and I’ve been Called according to His Purpose. Isn’t that the way you see your Life, too?

    It can be so easy to worry about what everybody else thinks about who we are and what we stand for, but when we worry more about what people think than what God thinks, we become useless to Him. Refusing to stand up for the Living God is a form of denying Him, and He makes it pretty clear that “Whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in Heaven.” Some people feel better about defining God as “the same god to all religions by a different name,” AS IF the Living God is okay with being mixed up with untruths. No matter how many people worship whatever form of god they design in their own mind, there is only One God, and He makes it perfectly clear in His Word – “Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Plenty of people spend a lifetime making sure a loved one did not die in vain, and they do whatever they can do to be sure they aren’t forgotten…and that’s a beautiful thing. If only people had as much love for Jesus – if onlythey were Determined to Share His Messege so that He didn’t “die in vain” either, and IF ONLY they could love Him enough to make sure He’s never “forgotten,” the world would look a whole lot different than it does today. Unfortunately, with so many people of Faith opting to ride out their Journey as spectators, the world keeps getting darker and darker. As for me, “this little light of mine – I’m gonna let it shine” no matter what and what Jesus did for me will be shouted from the rooftops all the days of my Life!

    As surely as I would stop to help someone with directions to a nearby destination, I will never lose the opportunity to Redirect a lost person when I see them being deceived. When I’m asked to “tolerate” other gods all in the name of acceptance…I refuse…because the Living God can’t be pleased with me if I entertain untruth just to be nice. I know that if the lost ones don’t get headed in the Right Direction, they’ll be lost for eternity, so I do my part to Redirect them before it’s too late. I have the Only Solution and I’m obliged to Share it with as many as I can in my Lifetime. I make sure to share the Truth with Love, and I know that lost people can’t deny the Joy they see in me. If they’re “offended” by Truth, there’s nothing I can do about that except to pray. I don’t Share because I judge them or because I don’t like them…I Share because I LOVE THEM! I stand Strong as a Messenger of Truth and an Ambassador to the One True God, no matter the price I pay because of it. The Living God has already warned me about how I’ll be treated, so it comes as no surprise to me – “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” There’s not much to “hate” when we are silent, and there’s not much love in withholding Truth. It would be nice to be more popular for who I am and what I stand for but as long as I’m “popular” with the King of kings, all is well with my Soul.

    I am many things to many people, and sometimes I wear lots of hats in this Journey called Life, BUT when you mix it all together and stir it up you’ll see that I really only have One Job, One Agenda, One Role and that’s to serve Him with everything I’ve got. I care a whole lot more about Pleasing the Living God than I ever could about offending man with Truth. I may not win a popularity contest in this Journey called Life because of it, but that’s okay because I’m much more Focused on being “popular” in His Eyes than I am the world.

    That’s what Love looks like…that’s what Faith looks like…that’s what Surrendering a Life to Christ looks like.

    What does your Life look like?