Category: Fear Not!

The Shepherd’s Lamb, and Ours, Too

Posted on by Dorci

A couple of blogs ago I gave a link to the series, The Chosen.  

This time I want to bring to you the short film that started it all. 

Writer and director, Dallas Jenkins (son of Jerry B. Jenkins who gave us the Left Behind series and more), shares here the story of how God led him to make The Chosen through a short film (24 minutes) he made for his church’s Christmas Eve service.  How at the moment he felt like a failure the Lord led him to depend on Him to make a series that is defying all odds.

The Christmas Eve special about the birth of Jesus is told from the perspective of the shepherds, one in particular.  

Grab some tissue.  And maybe share with your family and friends.  I’m going to. Hearing all God did to bring it to pass, I can’t wait to see what He does through it. 

Merry Christmas! 

 

Lesson From a Rescue – #2

Posted on by Dorci

 

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 34:18

 

It’s been almost two years since we rescued our furry, four-legged friend, and it continues to be apparent that he rescued us right back.  The last time I talked about how the Lord used Rocky to remind me that no matter what, God never tires of loving us or taking caring of us.  That He will continue to rescue us until that day He rescues us for the last time and takes us home to be with Him forever.  And recently He reminded me of that once again.

 

As much as I hate it, there are still times when the pain I’m feeling is so deep, so encompassing, so overshadowing, that I wonder where God is.  Is He still there?  Does He see me?  Does He know what’s going on and how much pain I’m in?

Recently I’d been suddenly faced with some new health issues, on top of an already far-too-full plate of them, and I was overwhelmed with it all.  They were bigger than my brain could handle and I didn’t know what to do.  I’d been running to try to stay ahead of them, but they caught up to me one day and I broke down in tears.

My bedroom door was closed and Rocky was at the other end of the house.

When I was finished, I knew when I opened the door Rocky would be right there. He always is.

And sure enough he was right there, waiting for me to open the door.  His rescued heart knows what pain is and somehow he understands when someone needs a comforting friend.

I immediately thought that if a dog with a brain the size of a walnut and a heart not much bigger is right there whenever I need comforting, how much more is my Abba Father who sent His only Son to die for my sins and filled me with His Holy Spirit near to me when my heart is broken?  And how much more will He rescue me when my spirit is humbled?

Sometimes I just need to open the door of my heart, to look up from the cloud of confusion and pain, to see that He is there.  And even in those times I don’t see or hear or feel Him, I can know He’s there, just on the other side of the door, because I am called to walk by faith and not by sight.  Sometimes pain is designed to be overwhelming, bigger than we can handle, so our faith will grow bigger than our need for sight.

The Friend we have in Christ knows what it’s like to suffer, to be in pain, and even to cry out to His Father, asking where He is.  He understands our pain and is compassionate toward us.  I’m convinced that when we’re prostrate on the ground in grief, He’s down there with us, holding us, and crying out to the Father on our behalf.

Rocky is my furry little illustration of that.

But the Friend we have in Christ knows our heart and our pain, inside and out, and His love and compassion bring Him near and rescue us, now and forever.

Lesson From a Rescue

Posted on by Dorci

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4 (NIV)

We had been scouring rescue facilities for months looking for just the right dog to adopt into our family. We finally found a little black Lhasa Apso mix who had a past only God knew. He had been a stray picked up by the county, full of ticks and matted hair. He seemed unfazed by whatever adventures he’d had while living on the street, and his big, brown eyes begged us to take him home. We instantly loved him.

We soon discovered he was not completely unaffected by his time lost and alone. Not only did his body need to be healed of an infection left by all those ticks, but his little heart did, too.

For months I never saw him close his eyes. He’d lie on the floor with his big brown eyes wide open, as if he were afraid to let down his guard. He loved walks to the park, but when that trip was taken too late one night, we discovered how afraid of the dark he was. And every once in a while while lying inside the house, with nothing going on around him, he’d jerk his head around looking for something that wasn’t there.

We treated his physical ailments and spoiled him with as much love as we could. I’d stroke his wavy black hair and remind him over and over “You’re safe now. We’re going to take care of you.”

Months later he was lying on my lap and I reached over and held his prematurely graying paw, and for the first time I saw him close his eyes.

It suddenly occurred to me how much I was like him. I may not have lived on the street (although I came close), but for many years I was lost and alone.

Then one fine day God saw me and rescued me. He adopted me as His own. He removed the enemy that had so viciously attached itself to me, cleansed me from the inside out, and began binding up my wounds. 

Even though it’s been many years, that anxiety and fear can creep back in when I face a new hardship, or even the possibility of one. Will God still take care of me? Has He forgotten me? Is He tired of providing for me?

I turn and see Rocky at my feet and know it’s not too much to take care of everything he needs. He is my furry little reminder that if I can love and take care of a little dog like that, how much more will God love and take care of me? 

No, everything isn’t perfect. God hasn’t given us a dog’s life. But He has given us something infinitely better – a lifetime of walking with the Lord as He uses the imperfection of our lives to draw us closer to Him, to mold us into the image of His Son, and prepare us for a life when everything will be perfect.

He is our Provider, and not only will He provide for us in this life, He’s also preparing a home for us with Him in the next.

That word “sustain” in Isaiah 46 is the Hebrew word sabal.  It means to be gravid, meaning to be pregnant, to carry one’s young.  What a tender thought, that the Lord will carry us, as a mother carries her children, from pregnancy, and the Lord says, even to our old age will He carry us.  He will provide for our every need.

As our perfect provider, He is all things to us – our rescuer, our strength, our fortress, and countless other things, from birth to death, and beyond. We can live with confidence knowing that as we trust and follow Him, laying our needs at His feet, and knowing He’s well aware of them even before we do, He will provide for every one, both present and future, as He loves us and has compassion on us. We are His children, and He forever delights to show us His mercy.

 

 

Making the Impossible Possible

Posted on by Dorci

“…with God all things are possible.” Matthew 9:26b

With.

There are so many things we pay attention to in that sentence.  It’s a statement of hope, of open doors, of the assurance of God’s sovereignty.

Most of us have held onto those hopeful words at one time or another.  But I wonder how often its true meaning is overlooked and it’s reduced to an inspirational quote thinking all we have to do is know there’s a God, know He can do anything, and then do our best to get what we want or need and it will all work out.

Let’s see what that word with has to say.

With is para in Greek. It means near, beside, in the vicinity of.

We must be with God, and Jesus is the One Who connects us to Him.

It’s not enough for us to know who God is, or even to have invited Jesus into our lives at one point.  We must be with God through a constant relationship with His Son. Connected to Him, yoked to Him, side by side, arm in arm, doing life together.

Besides with, para also translates to the word friend.

Jesus called His followers friends. Not fair-weather friends when everything is working out.  Not long-distance friends. And certainly not just acquaintances.

He wants to be a friend closer than any other, communing with us as we bring to Him every need, every worry, every concern, even if it seems impossible. Especially if it’s impossible.

If you’ve had a close friend long enough, you know at some point you both start sounding alike, laughing at the same things, thinking the same thoughts.

Something like that happens when we walk side by side with Jesus, only more so.  With Him we are spiritually transformed from the inside out.  The closer we walk with Jesus the more we will be filled with His character, thinking like Him, and desiring what He desires. We begin to pray, not our own will, but His will.

And when we pray for something that is God’s will, there is nothing He won’t do, no mountain He won’t move to make it happen.

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”

We can do nothing spiritually on our own, or even with another person no matter how great their intelligence, how broad their education, or how full their bank account. In fact, Jesus was saying riches can make doing the impossible, well, impossible. Why?  Because then we can feel like we don’t need God.  

But when we join with God through Jesus, the impossible becomes possible.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a lot of impossible circumstances in my life. Seems most of my life has been impossible.

I think God loves to do the impossible in our lives.  I think He’s waiting for us to get to the end of ourselves so we will call out to Him “Abba!” And then He can, in His time, move the mountain, stop the rain, still the sun, soften the hard heart, bring home the prodigal child, save the marriage, provide a way where there was no way.

What a privilege to do life with God.

I’d love to hear your stories about how God’s made the impossible possible in your life.

Heavenly Father, we desire to do this life with you. We know that we can do nothing without you, but everything with you. Help us to intentionally draw nearer and nearer to you every day.We want your mind to be our mind, your heart to be our heart, your will to be our will. Please give us faith to expand our prayers to the things that are impossible for us, but oh so possible for you. And may we be careful to give you the glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Goodness of the Son

Posted on by Dorci

Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life…
Psalm 23:6

It is the goodness of God that overflows into this world and makes it habitable. It is His goodness we experience that make our lives bearable, even enjoyable.

But sometimes that goodness becomes overshadowed by pain, grief, disappointment, disillusionment.

Like thick billows of never-ending clouds, they can block out the light. And sometimes there’s rain for days, weeks on end. Maybe it’s like living in Seattle.

I’m sure it can get dreary, and even depressing, and yet, there’s a certain beauty to Seattle.

The frequent drizzles allow for some of the most beautiful growth in the world, and also some of the most diverse, life-giving wildlife.

 

No matter how many weeks the shadows overtake the city, no one wonders if the sun is still there. They know it is, and they trust they’ll see it again.

I have to remember that when my world has been darkened with shadows for too long. The Son is still there. And His goodness will shine whether there are rain clouds that bring new growth, and maturity, and life, or He moves them away.

I have to remember that when everything in me, all my feelings and understanding want to tell me that because I don’t see or feel the Son He isn’t there.

I have to set aside my understanding and believe in what I know to be true – surely His goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life…

Because that’s who He is. What I feel doesn’t change that. What I see doesn’t change that. And I am thankful.

 

“Lord Jesus, help us hold onto our confidence that you are who you say you are.  That you are good, and that you love us, and no matter what’s happening in our lives you’re still there, and you are still pouring out your goodness into our lives, and we are thankful.”

Victory

Posted on by Dorci

“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

‘Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?’

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:54-58

The apostle Paul wrote these passionate words in a letter to a church he founded in Corinth, Greece.  I can imagine the pleading of his heart as he wrote to encourage them to not be lured back into the materialistic and immoral world that churned around them.

He reminded them, and us, that this life is not all there is.  There is a resurrection, Christ being the first, and because of Him, we will follow.

We no longer belong to this world, and our victory is not here.  Our victory has already been won through Christ – the gift of our immortal souls and our resurrection to the next life with Jesus Christ, our Great Reward.

There is no shortage of attention-grabbers whether it’s social media, or the news, or just the busyness of our own lives.  They can suck us in, altering our perspectives from spiritual matters to earthly ones, and rob us of doing the work for which we’ve now been called.

Not much has changed in the 2000 years since Paul wrote to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

All of us who have put our faith in Christ know how difficult it can be to keep our hearts and minds focused on the Lord, especially when the world revels in sin all around us.

After all, sin looks fun, and we can feel like we’re missing out on something.  Well, we are, but nothing good.  We miss out on the consequences of those sins; we miss out on feeding our flesh but not our spirits; we miss out on a life of fruitlessness.  We miss out on leaving our faith behind.

But Paul reminds us there is so much more given to us in its place.

We have a real Christ-given hope that when our bodies die, our immortal souls will live on for eternity in the joy and peace of the presence of God.

While, tragically, those who lived for the temporary thrills of this short life will abandon all joy and peace when their mortal bodies die, and their souls will be given over to judgment and eternal death.

While we who have put our faith in Christ may have to give up a few things here, we already have the ultimate victory through the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, what do we do?  We get back to work.  We let go of the distractions of this world and stand firm in the faith, being about our Father’s business and fulfilling the calling given to each of us just as our brothers and sisters in Corinth did almost 2000 years ago.

“Let nothing move you.”

Nothing.  Don’t look to the left or to the right at what others are doing.  Don’t worry what others may say about your faith in God.  Don’t worry about what can be done to you, even if it means your earthly life, because we already have the victory.

Look to Christ and “give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.”

The text in the Greek puts it like this: “always abounding in the work of the Lord.”  

Abounding is the Greek word perisseuō which means “to superabound, be in excess, be superfluous; to excel, abundance, be the better, enough and to spare, exceed, excel, increase, be left, redound, remain (over and above).”

If there’s anything we should strive to do with excellence, it’s our work in the Lord.

He’s not only given us life, but He’s give us an abundant afterlife.  He sees our labor in His name, and He will reward us with eternal treasures worth far more than the trinkets of this life.

 

Heavenly Father, please help us keep our minds focused on you and not get sidetracked by the world or even by fear. Help us serve you with all our hearts, with the excellence that you deserve, that through our lives the world may see your love and grace and you may be glorified in the salvation of many. Thank you for the victory you’ve given us by clothing us with immortality and preparing a home for us in heaven with you. We praise your glorious Name, Jesus, and pray it all in your Name, amen.

Cast It All!

Posted on by Dorci

Why is it so hard for some of us to go to God when we’re hurting?

I know for me at least, when I’m feeling down or anxious I naturally want to retreat from everyone and everything.  I don’t want to have to put on happy face and pretend everything’s okay.  I want to find my corner of the world and hide, and that can mean from God, too.

But instead God says to be “…casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.”  1 Peter 5:7

The word “casting” is the same word that’s used in Luke 19:35 when the disciples cast or threw their garments onto the colt that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem.

We are to take our garments of anxiety and worry and grief and discouragement – all that we care about, big or small – and lay them upon our Savior.

Why?

Why can’t I huddle in my dank little corner of the world until I feel like coming out again?

Because Jesus tells us in Mark 4:18-19 that if we hold onto the cares of this world, we will be consumed with them instead, and the Word will be choked out and rendered unfruitful in our lives.

So I have to decide to walk in the Spirit, doing what is supernatural instead of what is natural, come out of the darkness and into God’s light, giving Him those things and people and circumstances that I care so much about knowing and trusting that He cares for me.

I hope you know that He cares for you, too.  Everything that concerns you, concerns Him.  Nothing is too big or too small or too old or too anything.

And the thing with God is, we don’t have to put on a happy face.  He knows our heart’s pain anyway, and He hates hypocrisy.  We can be real with Him.  He wants us to be real with Him. We can trust Him with our deepest desires and emotions and conflicts.  And then, in place of our garments of anxiety, He’ll give us a garment of praise. 

 

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Psalm 139:7-12

Don’t Be Surprised

Posted on by Dorci

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 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.

Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.” John 15:18-21

Don’t be surprised when the world not only doesn’t believe you, or understand you, but even hates you because of the One you proclaim and represent. Jesus warned His disciples long ago this would happen.

But we’re in Good Company, and His light will shine through, so “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

More Rope!

Posted on by Dorci

“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal.”
Isaiah 26:4 NIV

Every time I’m sure I’m at the end of my rope, God gives me more.

And I rediscover all over again that He’s the keeper of the rope.  He’s the giver of the rope. He’s the maker of the rope.

He is the rope.

He is my hope, my peace, my breath, my life.

He never lets me fall.

Oh, I’ve come close.  You know that scene in the first Mission Impossible where Tom Cruise hangs from a cable and absolutely cannot touch the floor or his cover will be blown, but his partner gets spooked and lets him go?  And suddenly Cruise is free-falling, his partner stopping him only at the last second.

via GIPHY

That’s me.  Only I’m the one who gets spooked, lets go and careens toward the bottom.  But with God there is no bottom.  Not really.  There’s always more rope, and what I thought was the bottom, wasn’t.

And however close I come to it, God is always there to break my fall.  At least He is as long as He’s the one at the end of the rope I’m holding.  As long as He’s the one I’m ultimately trusting.

Are you trusting God today?

If not, He’s only a prayer away.  Tell Him you’re putting your trust in Him.  And if you struggle with trusting Him, tell Him that, too. He already knows, and He loves you.  Open a line of communication with Him right now.  And grab the rope.

The Resurrection and The Life

Posted on by Dorci

Easter resized

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here;
He has risen, just as He said.'”
Matthew 28:1-6

 

Happy Easter!