Letters From Christ

As I sit here, sipping on my coffee, memories of my mom rush through my head. I can’t help but smile and even burst into laughter at times we shared. As I journey through my memories of her, suddenly, a sober memory is brought back to me of a prayer she taught me and one that we prayed together nightly:

Now I lay me down to sleep

I pray the Lord my soul to keep

If I should die before I wake

I pray the Lord my soul to take

With my eyes closed, I am back in that moment, and I can vividly recall my feelings of peace and joy as I uttered these words aloud to God. I felt safe. As a child, I did not have a problem with the terms in this prayer; these words gave me peace and comfort that if for some reason I did not make it through the night, I would be with the Lord. Night after night, I allowed this prayer to sink into my soul. I did not fear death as I understood it would only bring me into the presence of the Lord.

Admittedly, as an adult, my prayer has changed. No longer the child that eagerly awaits God in her sleep; now a woman that contemplates death through a different lens, praying for the Lord to keep her and her family from it.

As I search myself for that little girl, so humble and enthusiastic about being with God, I begin to reflect on the prayer that once led me into worship and devotion to God; one that allowed me to believe His promises of eternity; one that assured me of His love and protection.

Now I lay me down to sleep

If there is one thing life has taught me, there is an ongoing battle between flesh and Spirit. Many times, I found myself, as I’m sure we all have, a casualty of this war that fights for my soul. Our adversary, the devil, is fully aware that keeping our fleshly desires at the front of our minds gives him place and opportunity. He knows that if we lay our flesh down to sleep and have a Spiritual awakening, he doesn’t stand a chance. A woke flesh puts humans at a disadvantage and allows Satan to take the lead. Allowing the Spirit to awaken in our lives will help us to put our minds on things of the Spirit:

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5, ESV).

I Pray the Lord My Soul to Keep

Our soul is who we are, our passions, emotions, appetites, desires, even how we make decisions. Should we trust ourselves with our souls, or is it wise to entrust our souls to God? Putting our souls under the divine care and protection of God will guard us against the risk of losing our salvation. As much as we may try, we cannot keep our souls from Satan on our own. The soul is the battleground between good and evil. Right now, inside of your very being, is a raging war between righteousness and wickedness. It is only through God’s power unto salvation that our souls are safe from evil. We should trust our Triune God and allow Him to be the keeper of our soul.

“Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You” (Psalms 25:20, NKJV).

If I Should Die Before I Wake

We can appreciate two things about death: 1) it doesn’t discriminate, and 2) we know that it’s coming. Seeing posts of friends and family losing loved ones seems to be a daily occurrence on social media. COVID-19 struck so hard that most of us were not able to get away unscathed. With each death that we experience, we vow to make a change and reverse the disastrous patterns in our lives, but then at some point, we find ourselves challenged with flesh once again. If we are going to protect our eternal state and successfully defeat the enemy’s schemes, we must Wake Before We Die. We need a Spiritual Awakening. The Bible teaches us that we all were once dead in sin, but Christ made us alive or woke us in the Spirit.

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others (Ephesians 2:1-3, NKJV)

We can’t get caught sleeping, allowing Satan to lull us into fleshly patterns of this world. We don’t want to die before we wake. We desperately need to WAKE BEFORE WE DIE!

So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. 1 Thessalonians 5:6 NLT

I Pray the Lord, My Soul, to Take

As a child, the confidence I had in God was a part of my worship of Him; I understand that now. As an adult, I realize that my confidence in Him has been challenged and shaken to the point of giving up. As I look back over my life, I realize those prayers as a child to my heavenly Father did not fall on deaf ears. He heard me! He kept me through the most difficult times in my life because He knew the little girl that was so excited to meet Him would come running back to Him someday. My soul has been damaged, abused, manipulated, forgotten, weakened, and trampled on. Still, Christ thought it was worth the price He paid. He answered my prayer, I Pray the Lord, My Soul, to Take, because now I belong to Him.

The Lord is coming soon. He has already paid the price for us to be with Him. All we have to do is Wake up Spiritually before dying and leaving this earth so that we can be with Him in eternal glory.

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed (Romans 13:11, NIV).

By far, the most controversial event in history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, has skeptics busy searching for objections and even has some Christians on the fence. The impact of this single event has been changing lives for thousands of years, and it is in no way close to losing its power and influence. Skepticism towards the resurrection is not new; even those who walked with Jesus had trouble believing He had physically risen from the dead. However, Jesus did not have a problem with proving He had risen.

 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe (John 20:27).

During Jesus’ time on earth, He did not keep this coming miracle a secret; He spelled out His own death resurrection for the disciples, and they still could not perceive it.

 “And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Luke 9:22).

Nevertheless, today, there is still much skepticism and angst towards the resurrection event. Christianity is the only religion based on the death and resurrection of its divine creator. Without the resurrection of Jesus, there is no Christianity, and according to the Apostle Paul, if the resurrection is not true, then the Christian faith is ineffective.

“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Cor 15:14).

The Facts of the Resurrection

God equipped His children with facts and evidence of the resurrection so that we can know without any doubt that His word is true. Take a look at some of the evidence that supports the resurrection event.

Eyewitness Disciples

The resurrection of Jesus changed the lives of the disciples for the rest of their lives, so much so that they were willing to be put to death proclaiming it. They had not all experienced a hallucination simultaneously; they were eyewitnesses of the actual resurrection. The disciples lived out the rest of their lives preaching, teaching, and converting others in the name of Jesus. This type of behavior is not built on a lie or hallucination but an actual life-changing event – the resurrection of Jesus.

Five Hundred Witnesses

A good defense team has only a couple of eyewitnesses to corroborate a story, but five hundred people’s testimony would close the case quickly. The apostle Paul wrote one of the earliest records of the resurrection, stating that more than five hundred people saw Christ. “After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15:6). To prove to the people that he was telling the absolute truth, he told his audience that most eyewitnesses were still alive during that time and could be questioned.

Conversion of James the Skeptic

Jesus had a half-brother named James. He was not necessarily a believer of Jesus, especially when he witnessed others question who he was and His authority: “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked. Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?” (Mat 13:54-55).  James and his other brothers did not understand Jesus’ ministry; they accused Him of wanting to be a public figure: “No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his brothers did not believe in him” (John 7:4-5). Something of great significance had to occur in James’s life to become a believer in his brother Jesus: the resurrection. The conversion of the skeptical brother of Jesus gives overwhelming evidence to the resurrection of Jesus and the power and influence over one’s life. Not only did James convert and become a believer, but he became a leading pillar of the church. James went on to author a book in the Bible dealing with faith and urging Christians to be doers of Jesus’ words and not hearers only (James 1:22).

Conversion of Saul the Church Persecutor

When Saul witnessed the stoning of Stephen, he went on a warpath to persecute more Christians. Saul was typical of those who hated Jesus and acted extremely to show it. “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison” (Acts 8:3). On his way to find and arrest more Christians in Damascus, Jesus appeared to Saul on the road, changing Saul’s life forever and even changing his name to Paul. From persecutor to evangelist and church planter, Paul’s conversion is by far the most dramatic in biblical history. Faced with similar persecution that he dealt out to Christians, Paul remained faithful to his call in Jesus Christ. He became a remarkable example of how to serve Jesus in the face of trials and adversity.

The Empty Tomb

Everyone saw Jesus crucified on Calvary and buried in a borrowed tomb, but no one could locate His body after three days of being buried. Many suggested His body was stolen, never put in the tomb, and some even went so far as to say He never actually died. No matter the excuse put forth into explaining the empty tomb, the fact remained that it was empty, and the body of Jesus was never found. This substantial piece of evidence gives the skeptic’s theories a hard blow. The crucifixion of Jesus was a high-profile event, and misplacing His body, especially under Roman rule, is highly unlikely. No matter the number of objections to the resurrection, Jesus’ body was never recovered, and the tomb remained empty; He had risen.

It is God’s prerogative to act in His creation. As the Creator, God has the right and ability to defy nature; He is not at the mercy of natural laws. When God decides to supersede a natural event supernaturally, He reveals Himself to humans and thus brings Himself glory. In other words, God is able to do miracles, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ was nothing short of a miraculous event.

Our world is in a storm of epic proportions, and it is affecting our way of life. Jesus often spoke of perilous times, and the Bible warned believers to be on guard, prepared, and ready to take action.

So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. 1 Thessalonians 5:6 NLT

The Bible makes it very clear that when storms come, we are to seek shelter. Several examples in the Bible show the children of God taking shelter in times of trouble.

When God sent the seventh plague of hail, everyone was ordered to go inside if they wanted to survive.

“Quick! Order your livestock and servants to come in from the fields to find shelter. Any person or animal left outside will die when the hail falls.’” Exodus 9:19, NLT

Even the prophet Isaiah warned the people of God to take shelter in their homes until God’s wrath had passed:

Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. Isaiah 26:20 NIV

Let us not forget one of the most memorable events in the Bible when God’s people had to take shelter from a plague – The Passover, which is still celebrated today:

Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. Exodus 12:22-23 NIV

Now, as we face the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we are being told to take shelter once again. We are experiencing a modern-day Passover event. Whether you believe God sent the Corona plague, or whether you believe it is some human-made conspiracy, one thing is for sure, God is in control.

As humans, it is normal to feel anxiety and yes, even fear, especially when facing an invisible enemy that easily transfers from person to person. However, God told us to trust Him when we feel this way: When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3.  

As believers, we must be careful of another invisible enemy, Satan, who is trying to use this event to cause quarreling and confusion within the church. God is not confined to the church building. He lives in the hearts of His children and can be with us even in the shelter of our homes.

Let us change our perception of what is happening around us. Instead of being frustrated with a government ordained quarantine, let us make it a spiritual quarantine. I believe we can come out of this event more powerful, more prayerful, and more impactful for the Kingdom of God.

Prayer

But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:6

Let us step up our prayer life. Pray for our country and one another. Communication with God is essential during this time. He cares about what we are going through, He wants to comfort us, and He wants to hear from us.

Praise

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. Psalms 59:16 NLT

When David was in trouble, he praised God by singing unto Him. David remembered God’s love, mercy, and how He protected him during troubling times. Singing and praising God during this difficult time can only improve our situation and our state of mind.

Worship

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. John 4:23 KJV

The time has come for worship to go forth in spirit and truth. You have everything in you to achieve real worship because God made you in His image and likeness. Put all of your God-given faculties towards knowing Him in spirit and truth. God is seeking to build a relationship with you through your worship. He will keep you in perfect peace if you keep your mind on him.

Study the Bible

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

What is going on today does not make sense to most people. However, it should not come as a surprise to those who study the Bible and seek God for answers. The Bible has all of the answers we seek; it equips us and is our weapon. Studying the Bible provides answers to our questions, gives peace and comfort during perilous times, and explains how to achieve salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Fast

So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer. Ezra 8:23 NLT

Fasting has spiritual power and is a demonstration towards God that you are serious about your request. In the Scripture above, Ezra fasted and prayed that God would protect them from their enemies, and God did just that. Fasting is a powerful tool when seeking God.

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And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding. Jeremiah 3:15 NLT

It is vital for believers to be in community together and encouraging one another. During this spiritual quarantine, it is not physically possible to go to a church building, but thank God most churches have the capability to go live online. In this technology age, we can still hear the preached Word of God right in our homes, on televisions, computers, and cell phones. Let us be sure to hear the shepherds from God and the message that God has given them for us. For those who may not be technologically inclined, call your pastor or other ministers on the phone to get a Word of encouragement.

Not dealing with this quarantine spiritually may have severe implications for us. We are human! Without a spiritual regimen to get us through, we are at risk of getting sick, depressed, anxious, afraid, and may experience many other emotions and symptoms as a result of what is happening all around us. Now is the time to strengthen your personal relationship with Christ. Repent! Forgive! The world may not have been prepared for this pandemic, but Jesus has been preparing His people for these perilous times. There will be Glory after this!

For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison. 2 Corinthians 4:17

Tis the season to be jolly….but not everyone is excited about Christmas. If this holiday season brings you more anguish than jolly, it could very well be that you need to view it through a different lens. So, let’s try this again. Tis the season to more Christ Like. This holiday season is the perfect time to focus more on Jesus Christ than shopping, decorations, and cookies. I’m not saying that those things are wrong, I enjoy doing them all, but if it’s causing stress and consuming most of your time and focus, then it becomes problematic. I actually stopped Christmas decorating for a couple years to make sure my heart was guarded against idolatry and commercialism. I needed to make sure my intentions and my heart were in the right place. Being intentional about making Jesus the center of your Christmas celebration brings about peace and a sense of responsibility. When you’re focused on celebrating Christ, everything else is put in its proper place and doesn’t become burdensome.  So if you want to be intentional about having Christ be the center of your Christmas holiday, here are some activities you can consider to be more like Christ:

1. Forgiveness – Christmas is the perfect time to let go of past grudges and disagreements. In fact, this is so important to Christ, that He doesn’t even want you to give Him a gift offering until you do this.

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God (Matthew 5:23-24 NLT).

It’s more important to Jesus that you make things right between yourself and others than giving an offering in church.

2. Serve Others – Jesus made it clear that He didn’t come to this earth for selfish reasons, but He came to serve others.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 NLT).

There are so many ways we can be in service to others this holiday season. Volunteer at a shelter, donate items that you no longer use to those who need them, visiting the sick and shut-in, are just a few ways to be of service to others. Think of ways to help someone who really needs it.

   3. Gift Giving – When Jesus was born, the wise men gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh that symbolized his role as King, Priest and Savior (Matthew 2:11). So as you are preparing gifts for your loved ones, give them gifts that represent what and who they are to you. Be thoughtful in your gift decisions and don’t base it on a quantity or a dollar amount. Let your gift demonstrate what you feel about them. Remind them of who they are, God’s masterpiece, by including a scripture with your gift.

 

   4. Hospitality – if you are hosting a party for the Christmas holiday, remember what Jesus told Lazarus’ sister Martha as her sister Mary sat at his feet listening to His message.

“But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her (Luke 10:42 NLT).”

Well, there you have it, Jesus wants us to choose the good part like Mary did, and that’s Him. Jesus is clearly letting us know that we shouldn’t be overwhelmed and consumed with preparing lavish dinners to the point where you become frustrated. Get some help, assign others responsibilities, don’t try to do it all yourself. Take some time to sit at Jesus’ feet, praying, listening to a message, or reading His word. You will be a more effective host if you are full of the love of Christ and not overwhelmed with details.

Remember Jesus is the reason for the season. Be more intentional about behaving like Christ and allowing His characteristics to show up in you. Let the Christmas frenzy be a thing of the past. Put Christ in the center of your Christmas. Let’s celebrate our King the way He showed us, not the way the world shows us.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT

Congratulations! You have made the best decision in your life. You have given the pastor your hand, and the Lord your heart. You are now a part of God’s family. So what’s next?

It’s when this question is not answered, that most new converts walk right out of the church and back to their sinful lives. You said the words, showed up for the first meeting, but somehow your conversion became perverted. It didn’t quite stick. What happened? I’m the right person to answer this question, since it happened to me.

I wanted to change. I wanted to be better. I was tired of being unhappy. So, I gave my life to the Lord. I made the right move by confessing that I needed Jesus in my life; no doubt about that. But, I went to God with my hand out, I needed Him to work miracles in my life and make me all better. I gave Him my laundry list of things I needed fixed.

God, please:

Fix my home

Fix my job

Fix my kids

Fix my bank account

Fix my heart

Fix my marriage

When it didn’t happen for me the way I thought it should, I found myself right back where I started. My conversion process had somehow become perverted. I struggled trying to understand how other people could stick to being saved and I was having such a hard time. Of course the enemy used this opportunity to make me feel like there was something wrong with me and that I quite possibly couldn’t be saved. Wrong! There was something wrong alright, my focus was off. I was so focused on God fixing me that I didn’t first come to the knowledge of who He is. My focus was on changing me, not changing my warped perspective of God. What I’m saying is, my conversion started off on shaky ground because I didn’t first work towards a real relationship with God to learn how to stay converted.

Galatians 4:8-9 NIV Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God–or rather are known by God–how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?

The key to maintaining your conversion is to know God; have a relationship with Him. Knowing God doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a process. He wants you to know who He is, intimately. That’s why He made it so clear in the scriptures:

Matthew 6:33 NIV But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Because of sin, we are not able to truly know God on our own. You must get under the teachings of a sent pastor, blow the dust off that Bible and commit to obeying the scriptures.

Proverbs 9:10 NIV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Oftentimes, when we don’t get what we want from God, we walk away from Him feeling that He’s not the answer we needed after all. But that’s not true at all. The key is knowing Him. Knowing Him is loving Him. When you love Him, you keep His commandments (John 14:15).

Yes He can fix the home, job, kids, bank account and everything else. But He first asks that you receive Him and get to know Him before you put your hand out or give Him your honey do list. I think that’s fair.

John 1:12 NIV Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God–

So, if you’re having a hard time staying on straight street, check your conversion. Answer the following questions truthfully to review your conversion:

1. Think about why you felt the need to get saved. What was happening in your life?
2. Did you walk to the altar because you were going through a problem? If yes, that’s fine. Change your focus now to knowing and fearing God.
3. Did you get saved to please someone else? If yes, that’s fine, change to just pleasing Jesus now.
4. Did you have an immediate need that had to be met? If yes, that’s fine trust God to supply all of your needs in His timing.
5. Did you truly desire to have a relationship with God and live a converted life? If no, that’s fine, make God a priority now.

It doesn’t matter why you converted, it’s just awesome that you did. Now do the work to stay converted. Know your heavenly Fatherly so that you can honor and glorify Him the way He deserves.

John 17:3 NIV Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

May the Lord God bless and keep you in His perfect peace. Amen!

As a child, I loved hearing the song “There’s a Leak in This Old Building”, even though I couldn’t really understand what the lyrics to this song meant. I would get chills seeing the reactions of the people and all of the screaming and shouting; I knew this song had a powerful meaning. I did my best singing along:

“There’s a leak in this old building

And my soul has got to move

To another building not made by man’s hands”.

In my young mind, I pictured a building with leaking rusted pipes, water dripping from the ceiling and toilets overflowing, it’s wasn’t a pretty sight. I didn’t blame the singer for wanting to move to another building, I would want to move somewhere else too. It was simple, if you live in a leaky building, move.

After years of living life full of hurts, pain, disappointments, rejection, and so on, I realized I had several leaks in my own building. I was supposed to use my body (building) to shelter and protect my soul; I hadn’t done such a good job. Every hurt I encountered caused a crack in my building. Disappointments caused more damaged to my structure and before I knew it, I had leaks everywhere. My soul was in danger and my heart was exposed and unguarded. I needed a new building, one that was not made with man’s hands; an incorruptible building.

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Corinthians 5:1 NIV

That settled it for me, I needed a new building. The only problem was, I found out I couldn’t get a new building until Jesus returned.

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. Philippians 3:20-21 NLT

There was no way I could let Jesus come back and find my building in such horrible shape; He may not even recognize me and tell me He never knew me.

But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws. Matthew 7:23 NLT

No way was I going to let that happen. I needed help. My repairs were significant and if I didn’t get help right away, I would have been wearing a sign saying “condemned”. Then this lovely scripture gave me the push I needed:

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 NLT

I needed to belong to Jesus. He is the one who could fix my brokenness and mend my shattered places together until He returns. He’s the only one who can repair me and protect my soul.

I can be a new creation now.

I can be whole now.

I can be delivered now.

I can be free now.

My new life begins now and yours can too!

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17NLT

“So, what do you do for sin?” I had never been asked this question until I gave my life to Christ. I must admit, I was stomped. I didn’t know how to respond and the person who asked me was waiting in anticipation for my answer. “Ummm, nothing, anymore”, was all I could muster up. I was on an out of state business trip and after that pretty much shunned for the rest of the night. “I don’t trust anyone who won’t have a drink with me”, another person said. I just smiled and said, “Well, which one of us do you trust to drive you back to the hotel?”

I sat quietly for the rest of the dinner, trying my best to endure the ridicule of being the only one not drinking alcohol. I thought about just having one drink to stop all of the jolts and stares, but I didn’t give in. I prayed within myself, “Lord, help me to be strong.” Knowing that God is everywhere, it seemed foolish to me to go back to drinking alcohol just because I was in a different state.

I began to recall similar instances that had happened to me since I walked up that aisle, gave the Pastor my hand and the Lord my heart. Every day from that moment was a struggle; a new temptation to fight. Family members made fun of me and friends brought up my past mistakes. Movies, bulletin boards, and music were constant reminders of who I used to be. Every day, in order to stay focused on God, I had to cut certain people out of my life, turn off radio stations, change television channels, not answer the phone, learn how to say no, and pray like never before. I was getting stronger. I was dying daily. I didn’t want to play dead to sin, I wanted to stay dead to sin. I wanted God to look at me and be proud to call me His child. I wanted to please God and not my sinful flesh. One thing I knew for sure was, if I didn’t kill sin, sin would kill me.

So now, if I’m asked what I do for sin, I can boldly answer “I kill it!”

How to stay dead to sin:

1. Make a decision to be real with God and His Word; stand on it.
2. Pray daily for strength. Repent and ask for forgiveness.
3. When temptation comes, and it will come, acknowledge God and not the sin. Give God thanks that you are no longer bound to sin. God will direct your path to an escape route.
4. Put a plan in place to hinder the sin. Take action and do something to replace the sin with a healthy and positive activity.
5. Read the Word, this is what cleanses you.
6. Repeat these steps daily

Remember, if you don’t kill sin, sin will kill you.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. Romans 8:12-13 NLT

As I was sitting there drinking my coffee and planning out my day, I suddenly escaped into a realm of paradise and peace. I owned my own business by helping others reach their goals, I had no money woes, I was a world traveler, my children were very successful and just as we were enjoying a family vacation in the Bahamas, “Mom, I can’t find my volleyball shirt!”, snapped me back to reality. For a few fleeting moments, my imagination played out my desires and dreams of the life I wanted to live here on earth. All of my senses were fully captivated and assisted in making my experience 4D High Definition. As I traveled to the laundry room to get my daughter’s volleyball shirt from the dryer, I began to wonder why God would give us such an amazing gift as an imagination. What does He want us to do with it? How should we use it?

Imagination is the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality.  God is showing us, that we can create mental images in our minds of things that are not present and that have never been achieved in reality so that we can see opportunities where other people see limitations. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him (I Corinthians 2:9 NLT).” God has given us our own creative space to tap into our potential.

I suddenly realized that it takes courage to walk into what God has planned for you. It takes courage to see something in your mind and act on it. I wondered if I had the courage. Having the courage to dream is an act of faith. It was coming clear to me, He gave me an imagination to show me that in Him all things are possible; I just needed to believe it.

I smiled at God and said, “God, you said in your word to acknowledge you and you’ll direct my path. Help my dreams to line up with the plans you have for me. Thank you for giving me a creative space to show me what I’m capable of in you. I’m ready to put my faith in action.”

Do you have the courage to dream?

“How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world”. Psalms 31:19 NLT

There I was again, panicked and frustrated because I knew I had made the wrong choice. “Something” told me to go back and check my email days ago to make sure I had the correct date for my deadline, but for some reason, I decided I knew better than that voice. As I scrambled to get things done, no lunch, no breaks, no small talk, just work, I began to pray. “God, I need your help in meeting this deadline. I have never missed a deadline before and I don’t want this on my record.”  As my hands shook over the keyboard, flying as fast as they could, I replayed the voice that tried to warn me over and over in my head. How did it know what was going to happen? Why did it want to help me? And more importantly, why didn’t I listen? Time was running out, I had all of the information, I just needed time to put it together. Deep down I knew it was God warning me to check the deadline; He knew I would be in this position and how bad I would feel. I scolded myself for being so careless. Suddenly, I received a new email alert, “Deadline has been extended to morning”. A wave of gratitude overcame me and I wanted to weep.

Have you ever been in a situation like mine, when a voice was leading you the right way, but for some strange reason, you decided to go against it? It’s difficult to believe that God would speak to us concerning matters that we don’t deem “God” matters. I was dumbfounded that God would tell me to go back and read a work email. I mean, He’s God, He has bigger things to think about, right? Wrong! He is God, that part is true, but He cares about everything concerning us, even the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). There are no big and little things to God, He’s bigger than it all, nothing is too hard for Him.

So, if you’re struggling to hear that still small voice with your heart, I recommend the following:

1. Realize that God cares about your situation no matter how big or small you think it is.
2. Believe that God speaks to us through His precious Holy Spirit.
3. Ask yourself if the guidance you are hearing would put you in a bad situation or not.
4. Think about if you disregard what this “Something” is telling you, would you be worse off?
5. Pray and ask God for clarity.

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This [is] the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” Isaiah 30:21