Sign of the Times

I'm sure you have heard this familiar expression, "It is just another sign of the times." Most people don't realize that many of the expressions that we use in common speech have their origin in the bible. I suppose many of you have heard the saying, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning." Well, it comes from the bible. Jesus actually used it as an example to illustrate that he would one day return from the dead which would be the only sign needed that he truly was the Son of God.
He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away. (Matthew 16)

Today this familiar expression means that the world around us is changing and growing ever more dark as Jesus predicted it would prior to his coming again; a "sign of the times" in an indicator that we are growing closer to Jesus' return as evidenced by the way our world is going. By contrast, while the world is going in one direction, God is doing something entirely different with his church. He is using this time to prepare his bride, making her into a church that is authentic, pure, and living for his return. Our current 'signs of the times' are believers who put Jesus first. First before any job. First before any possession. First before anything else in their lives. Those kind of believers are like billboards to this generation that Jesus is alive, and he is coming back. This is the kind of church God is preparing; this is the kind of believer God is molding me to be, although sometimes difficult.

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." John 4:23
What is worshiping in Spirit and truth? It is going where God tells you to, laying down on his altar what he asks, and loving him completely. No matter what. 
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true act of worship." Rom 12:1

I've mentioned before that God has told us to sell our home. Let me tell you, when this year began that was definitely not part of my plan. But part of this journey has involved a constant dialogue with him regarding being willing to lay things down in my life on my altar of worship. Sometimes I placed them there, only to try to keep part for myself. ( A future post regarding this.) Other times, I've laid it there willingly but with eyes full of tears. I do feel though that this is what we are called to do and I know that God will eventually bless my obedience. Now to pray that it sells quickly! For us, it is a 'sign of the times' of what God is doing in our hearts and lives and ultimately in his church of believers. My prayer is that our obedience is sign to those around us; he is alive, he is coming back and he is looking for true worshipers. 

Gotta Move

Crissy Thibodeau, my instructor, and her twin boys

I am frequently motivated by music. I usually at any given time will have a particular song that is speaking in to my life/current situation. Right now is no different, and my anthem seemed so appropriate for the events of the day.  Today was quite a physical day. I started by running my first race since all the challenges at work had begun. It was the Blue Mountain 30 A 5k. There were small hills along the course; I could tell that all that weight lifting I have been doing really helped me push up those hills.  I finished first for females over 40. That made me the "Female Master" Overall winner. There wasn't a huge turn out for the race, but it was nice to win a medal my first time running again and I felt good when I finished with a time of 29:05.
Next I went to my regular Zumba class. I thought she was going to take it easy on us because today was Zumbathon/Party in Pink for Breast Cancer. I was wrong; class was as challenging as ever. So after class and Zumbathon, I did almost 4 hours of Zumba.

 It was challenging but I completed everything I set out to do. But more importantly, I succeeded in reminding myself how physical challenges are such good analogies for spiritual ones. That's why Paul used the examples of running a race so many times in his letters. Despite everything that has happened this year, I am actually now stronger. Both physically and hopefully in my walk with Christ more than ever before. All the training, which has been at time painful, has paid off.






So back to my song. My current choice is "Move" by Mercy Me.

The lyrics pretty much describe how I feel about Zumba and exercise right now as a physical demonstration of my faith walk. Lord, your word promises brighter days...so I'll keep dancing anyway. Gotta move!

I'm not about to give up
Because I heard you say, there's gonna be brighter days
I won't stop, I'll keep my head up
No I'm not here to stay, there's gonna be brighter days
I just might bend but I won't break
As long as I can see your face
When life won't play along and right keeps going wrong
And I can't seem to find my way
I know where I am found, so I won't let it drag me down
I'll keep dancing anyway
Gonna move, gonna move, gonna move

I've got to keep it steady, keep my head in the game
Everything is about to change
This hurt is getting heavy, but I'm not about to cave
Everything is about to change, there's gonna be brighter days
Just might bend, but I won't break
As long as I can see your face....

No matter what may come, gotta move to different drum, gotta move.

What's Your Jericho?

If you read my last post then you know that I participated in a church wide fast for 21 days. The goal was to set something aside for this period of time...to sanctify yourself...in preparation for seeing God work wonders. The inspirational scripture was from the book of Joshua as the Israelites are about to take possession of their promised land and cross the river Jordan. Joshua 3:5 "Prepare yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."
Our pastor told us that the first town that Joshua had to conquer among entering the promised land was Jericho. "Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in." Joshua 6:1
Jericho represents strongholds. Strongholds are ways of thinking, basically lies, that we adhere to strongly despite the fact that they are not of God; they hold us captive. No one gets in and no one gets out; at least that's how our enemy would like it to be. It is spiritually significant that the Israelites had to conquer this place first. Why? Because the battlefield for our souls largely takes place in the mind. Overcoming strongholds is the key to fulfilling your destiny in Christ and taking the land God has prepared for you.
How you do know what your stronghold is? Pastor Steve said, "ask yourself these questions."
Identify the king: Do you feel like what you battle constantly is becoming part of your identity? The enemy wants it to be that way. He wants it to be Jennifer, the _____________. (Fill in the blank here)  What makes you defensive...hopeless? That's what he wants to write in the blank.
I knew exactly what to write in the blank. My stronghold is rejection. It stems all the way back to my childhood and has controlled my behavior ever since. I see rejection even when it is not there. For most of my adult life, I was motivated by things I thought would gain approval from others. In many ways, I turned those things into idols because I was hoping to gain from them what only God can provide. God wants to tear down those walls and let the truth come rushing in. In my mind, it was 'jennifer', the despised, the rejected. I realized instantly that my current situation, with the other doctors, is my Jericho. (Have you noticed that SHHEC has a big 'tower' out front?)  I could choose to live inside those walls and further cement this as part of my identity, controlling my behaviors, or I could choose to make it the event that sets this captive free. Just like the cross at Calvary, the enemy was hoping it would be the death of one of God's beloved, but instead God will use this in my life to bring himself glory.
The way we weaken the walls of our Jericho is by meditating on God's word. Replacing lies for truth. I think God asked me to eliminate Facebook so that what people had to say would be so much less important than what God had to say. After 21 days, it becomes a habit/way of thinking. So for the last 7 days of my fast I read scriptures each morning that told me how God feels about the rejected of this world. I also walked around my house praying each morning; I encircled it once for 6 days, and then on the 7th day I walked around my home 7 times finishing with a shout of praise. The last day of the fast literally was a shout of praise. We had a "Night of Worship" at DWC and I sang with the choir, which I recently joined.
Here are some of the scriptures God gave me:
1st Corinth 1:27-29 " God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things- and the things that are not- to nullify things that are, so that no one can boast before him."

Psalm 22:24 "For he has NOT despised or scorned the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from her but has listened to her cry for help."

Neh 4:4 "Hear me O God, for I am despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.

Deut 7:6 "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the people on the face of the earth to be his...his treasured possession."

John 15:19 "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

Col 3:12 "Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."

No, nothing miraculous has changed yet with my call situation. In all honesty, I was hoping God was going to drop some amazing solution in my lap after 21 days. That didn't happen. But don't get me wrong, I do think things have changed...in my mind and priorities.