Kissed by the Spirit

“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony….”

Revelation 12:11 (RSV)

I wrote last year about a post I found  on a Facebook site, written by a farmer, explaining how a rattlesnake bit one of his sheep on the face. Its face swelled and hurt, but the sheep kept up its usual activities, eating, drinking, and climbing. The farmer explained that a sheep’s blood naturally contains an antivenin which destroys the venom of a serpent bite.

I never heard of this, so I fact checked it, and learned that sheep’s blood is used to produce an antivenin that treats snake bites in humans. The immune system of sheep, naturally produces the antibodies that neutralize the venom of rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, and water moccasins.

Since this was new to me, I searched further and found a US Healthcare professionals website that also confirmed it. There is a product called CroFab® which is a sheep-derived antivenin, indicated for the management of venomous snake bites in adult and pediatric patients in North America. 

I cannot believe that I lived this long and never heard this fact before. It’s no coincidence that in biblical history, Jesus is known as the “Lamb” of God (John 1:29) while the devil has always been known as the “serpent” from the beginning to the end of scripture.

(Genesis 3:14) (Revelation 12:9)

In God’s infinite wisdom, everything He created has a perfect purpose in design, including sheep and snakes. He created sheep’s blood, to contain a natural immunity to the venom of snakes. This is not only a medical fact, but a spiritual truth.

In other words, the blood of the Lamb says to serpent’s venom, 

“Not here, devil !”

I thought it was interesting that the sheep who was bitten by the snake, never stopped eating, drinking or climbing, even though it suffered pain and swelling from the bite. Sheep have a built in confidence, and stamina to keep going, allowing their antivenin blood to do its thing, until they get well.

Maybe Jesus calls us sheep for this reason. We all have that same innate confidence and stamina. People show such resilience in times of trouble, as they keep climbing confidently, in spite of the painful bite of the serpent. We can trust that the blood of Jesus gives us resistance to the venom of our spiritual enemy. While we may suffer temporary afflictions, we keep moving forward, climbing upward, and following our Shepherd, because the antigen in the blood of the Lamb, is also flowing in us.

We can do all things through Christ, because His blood flows in us. His blood brings healing, forgiveness, deliverance and eternal life. The last book in the Bible, the book of Revelation, tells us how this world’s story will end. The serpent will be defeated once and for all, by the blood of the Lamb, which also flows in each one of us, since we are His flock.

At the last supper, Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for many. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Jesus didn’t just ask us to remember His blood, or to believe in His blood, but to drink it, and we drink it in memory of Him. His blood flows in us, so we can pray with confidence, since He is in us and we live in the power of that precious blood.

Lord, help us to live in the reality of being your sheep, with your blood flowing through us, which spiritually heals and neutralizes the venom of every evil, and leads all people to eternal life. Amen

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

2 Kings 6:16-17 (NIV)

Elisha, the prophet, gave advice and led the armies of Israel to victory. The enemy finally sought to capture and kill Elisha, and an ambush was set in place. 

Elisha’s servant saw all the horses and chariots of the enemy King of Aram, (modern day Syria) surrounding them. He became overwhelmed with fear, turning to Elisha, saying “what shall we do?” Elisha simply looked up to heaven and prayed “Open his eyes, Lord.” Immediately the servant’s eyes were opened and he saw a multitude of angels in fiery chariots, encircling Elisha and himself, shielding both of them. Heaven’s chariots of fire far outnumbered those of the Aramean army. 

The enemy of our soul tries to ambush us with fear and uncertainty by what we see with our eyes. When the eyes of our heart are opened to see who really surround us, we can know as Elisha did, that our support from heaven, outnumbers anything that comes against us on earth. Whatever fear or discouragement we encounter, God is with us, as are His heavenly forces who shield us with fiery chariots.

God’s weapons contain the element of fire, and fire in scripture has always been a symbol of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, God poured out His Spirit, which was evidenced by small flames of fire appearing over each disciple in the upper room. 

Inextinguishable fire represents God’s constant presence, passion, and purity, as when He called and spoke to Moses from the burning fiery bush.

We all ask questions that Elisha’s servant asked, “What shall we do now?”, which becomes our daily prayer when faced with difficult situations. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is still our “eye opener” today. 

He can open our spiritual eyes to see beyond the problem that appears before us. We may not see physically the chariots of fire that surround us, but we have Elisha’s words in scripture to remind us, 

“Don’t be afraid,” Those who are with you are more than those who are against you.”

The Holy Spirit is our Elisha today, giving us an inner calm, and an assurance that God is right here, and will take care of us. He wasn’t finished with Elisha and his young trainee, and He had more for them to do in leading the Israelites into a deeper faith. The Lord isn’t finished with us either, so we can trust that those unseen chariots of fire will bring us through to our victory as well.

Elisha prayed that his servant’s eyes would be opened, and we can pray for our friends and loved ones who may also need their eyes opened. There is a powerful realm of heaven that we can tap into, which is the fire of the Holy Spirit. 

For Elisha and his servant, the victory was not in what they did, but in what they saw. At times, we feel the enemy’s attempt to attack our hope or our trust in God, but if we open the eyes of our heart, we will be assured that there is a spiritual hedge of protection around us. We are all surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses in heavenly places. (Hebrews 12:1)

We don’t need a game plan, or a strategy, we just need to know who is encircling us. Enemies are merely created beings, whether human or spirit, but our help comes from God, the Creator of all beings.

Paul’s words in the 8th chapter of Romans, can open our eyes to the chariots of fire, still surrounding us:

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Jesus who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Romans 8:38-39)

Lord, open the eyes of our heart to know that chariots of fire encircle us each day. Fill us with your Spirit to live by faith in what our eyes cannot see, and thank you for the victory and the hedge of protection we have through Jesus’ name. Amen

“For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”

Matthew 6:32-34 (RSV)

While at a church function a few years ago, I was able to finally get my anxious mind off my own issues, and focus on spiritual things. At the  time, I was seriously considering retirement, although I still had a mortgage. I had been wrestling with the options of whether to sell my home and downsize, or to remain in it and trust God to make ends meet, on a retirement income. I went to a church event that evening, hoping to take my mind off of all material things and focus on the spiritual. 

That evening, I was chatting with a lady in my church, who I had not seen in many weeks. She is a widow, much older than me, and battling cancer. She told me the cancer pills she needs, cost $2,000 a week, but that she was able to accrue a plentiful supply through free samples from pharmaceutical companies. So far she has not had to buy any of her costly medicine out of pocket. I was amazed, but glad to see how God took care of her.

She went on to share with me what her total monthly income was, and I was even more amazed that she manages to make ends meet, living alone in her own home and caring for herself with all the demands of a cancer diagnosis. I was impressed with her total trust in the Lord, in spite of the financial facts. She had a special grace of total reliance on God, which I wanted and needed as well.

She explained her situation not as someone seeking pity, but as one who is simply walking by faith, one day at a time. As she shared the details of her health and finances, it suddenly occurred to me that God was speaking to me through her. Before parting that evening, we discussed meeting for lunch one day, as she calmly walked back to her car, limping with her cane.  

After that conversation, I knew God was telling me to walk with her kind of faith and trust. In my heart, I could hear Him say, 

“Stop worrying, I will take care of you.” 

To bring the story up to date, she is still living independently in her own home, three years later, and still battling cancer. She still has much to be anxious about, but she has perfect peace. Through her example, three years ago, I decided to stay in my current home, and He is helping me to live in the grace of total reliance on Him.

Jesus told us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all the other things would be added as well. By realigning my priorities to keep Him first, He helps me to live in peace, one day at a time. Jesus never intended for us to be anxious about tomorrow.

Whether it’s a financial, health or any other need, we can ask God for the grace of total reliance on Him and He will take care of us.

Lord, thank you for your Holy Spirit, who gives us wisdom, direction and peace of mind. Help us to overcome worry with the special grace of total reliance in you. Amen

“I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink. Moses did this, in the sight of the elders of Israel.”

Exodus 17:4-6 (NAB)

When I first read this story I thought the point of the story was to teach us not to complain, after all that Moses endured by the constant whining of the Israelites. On this day, they blamed Moses, saying, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to have us die of thirst?”

Moses interceded for the people and simply did what God told him to do. When they were hungry, God sent them manna, which was bread from heaven. When they got bored after eating manna every day, God sent them a flock of quail, so that they had meat to eat.

The Israelites consumed spiritual food and drink, and yet they found something new to complain about each day. This story shows that as self absorbed and impatient as mankind can be, God is steadfast in His patience, love and faithfulness to all of us. 

In today’s scripture, the people complained of thirst, since there was no water in the desert, where they were camping. God responded to their cries, by telling Moses to strike a certain rock at Horeb, saying, 

“I will be standing there in front of you and water will flow from it.”

There’s a familiar compassion in those words that God spoke to Moses. They’re words of assurance and comfort, that He will be standing in front of him, as He sends them water from a rock. It sounds a lot like something Jesus once said, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.”   (John 7:37)

Maybe, that’s because the divine person who stood with Moses at the rock of Horeb, was Jesus. 

Paul told the Corinthians that the rock at Horeb was Christ, so He was their spiritual rock, out of which streamed, an abundance of pure drinking water, once Moses struck it with his staff. (1 Corinthians 10:4) 

Archeologists found a rock in the same geographical area where the Israelites set up camp. There is evidence at the bottom of this rock which shows a smoothing process, caused by a significant volume of water that once flowed from the base of it. The spiritual rock of Horeb is real, and a picture is attached. 

The pre-incarnate Jesus stood in front of the rock at Horeb and He not only poured out water for His people, but brought comfort to Moses by His holy Presence. 

Whether in pre-incarnate form or as the incarnate son of God, in the gospels, Jesus is still our spiritual rock, who stands before us today, ready to pour out His living water.

I find it touching that God didn’t just tell Moses to go to that rock on his own, but assured him, saying, 

“I will be standing there in front of you…” The Lord offers His Presence to stand with us, promising to never leave us alone. God revealed His love for humanity at the rock of Horeb. He is a patient, long suffering and merciful God, revealing His love to us, in our most trying moments.

We are all hungry and thirsty for more than food and drink. Whether people realize it or not, every human being hungers and thirsts for the Presence of God. The Lord finds His own way of showing up in our lives, and becoming our rock.

Jesus showed up in the life of the woman at the well, who after five marriages, had a history of looking for love in all the wrong places. Jesus offered her everlasting love, through His living water. Whether through the words He spoke, or by healing lepers, or casting out demons, Jesus stood before every person He met, ready to pour His streams of living water into their lives.

I heard a true story of a woman who worked as a prostitute, and she noticed a bumper sticker on the car driving in front of her, advertising a Christian radio station. She flipped her radio station to that channel, out of curiosity and listened. Her life changed dramatically, as she heard something which led to an encounter with Jesus, who poured His living water upon her and gave her a new life. Jesus showed up in front of her that day, through a bumper sticker. 

When we lose our way, and get tangled up in our own troubles, Jesus finds a way to stand before us, ready to forgive, heal and set us free, even in the midst of our complaining. Jesus, the spiritual rock of Horeb, offers us unconditional love and friendship, continually reminding us, 

“I’m right here, standing in front of you. Receive my living water.”

Lord, Thank you for your steadfast love and patience toward us, and help us to make every decision, knowing your presence stands before us, pouring out living water upon us. Amen

“Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

Mark 2:21-22 (NAB)

Since antiquity, wine was stored in the carefully prepared skins of animals. A wineskin is made of leather, the most common of which is goatskin. Goatskin was better suited for craftsmen to handle because of its flexibility. It was also harder wearing, increasing the life of the wineskin. 

Jesus said not to put new wine into old wineskins, but I never really understood what that meant, until now. New wine is still fermenting in the wineskin, and fermentation creates the need for the wineskin to expand. Only a new wineskin could be stretchable enough to handle the fermentation process. If an old wineskin was used, it was already stretched to its maximum. To pour new wine into the old wineskin would cause it to burst or tear under the pressure of expansion. That is the mystery that I never understood before.

Jesus has new wine to pour into us, and we need to be flexible wineskins during the fermentation process. We were meant to stretch, not burst under pressure. Something may be happening in our lives that feels like a fermentation process, stretching us in some new or unpleasant ways. It seems like Jesus is saying to us,

“I am about to do a new thing in your life that will require some stretching, so please abide in Me.”

To abide in Christ is to accept the changes before us, and to remain open to learning something new, while we are expanding our spiritual boundaries. As we stay close to Jesus, He helps us to stretch flexibly, but not burst. 

When I received the inspiration for this meditation, it was seven months before my son’s motorcycle accident, in 2023. I had no idea that the Lord was preparing me through this message, to keep my wineskin flexible, for the changes that were coming in my life. In writing this, He was preparing me for new wine, soon to be poured into me. 

In going regularly to a Nursing Facility to visit my son, after his brain injury, my eyes were opened to the other residents who lived there. Previously, I never thought about visiting a Nursing Home as a volunteer. One day, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to a few residents sitting alone, and the scripture verse came alive to me, where Jesus said, “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for Me.” 

(Matthew 25:40)

The Lord took my focus off of my own personal tragedy and showed me other people who were lonely and had no one to visit them. Jesus revealed that by visiting those residents, I am bringing a little of His light into their darkness. Since I have been visiting there, over time, I have developed many friendships with the residents and I discovered that God had a beautiful plan, by pouring that new wine into my wineskin. 

We may not understand the new wine or the new thing He is doing, but God uses every trial in our lives, to begin a fermentation process in us. New wine bears new fruit, as He opens the eyes of our hearts to see things from His perspective. He develops new gifts of the Spirit in us and leads us into new areas of service. As we abide in Him, keeping our wineskin flexible, He helps us stretch with the plan. Jesus gave all of Himself for us, and He is worthy to have flexible wineskins to work with. 

Lord, thank you helping us to be flexible while the new wine is fermenting within us. Give us the grace to be led by you, as your new wine brings light to the darkness and glorifies you. Amen

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  1 John 4:8-10 (NIV)

God is love. He doesn’t just give love, have love, or know all about love. 

He is love. Jesus is the physical image and the human incarnation of the invisible God. All of God’s love was incarnated into Jesus, sending Him into the world as a living valentine. 

God loved us long before we knew anything about Him, and all through our lives, He continually draws us nearer to Him, through His son. There are no limits to the methods God will use to reveal His love to us. 

I once experienced a revelation of His love when I was in my late twenties, through a brief, powerful and unforgettable dream. There were no words or actions in this dream, just an overwhelming aura of love emanating from one smiling face.

I dreamed I saw the face of someone looking at me, from across a vast expanse, which separated me from him. His face was blurry and the facial features were indistinct, because of the distance of that expanse, but as my gaze locked onto his, I somehow knew it was Jesus. 

His smile permeated me with His loving Presence. It was all expressed explicitly, but without using any words. I had an overwhelming desire to be nearer to Him who was smiling at me, and to remain with Him forever. I was never so sad to wake up from a dream. 

The power of God’s presence is really summed up in one word, LOVE, and Jesus is the face and the embodiment of God’s love. 

We can learn of God’s love through the words in scripture, like, “God so loved the world, that He gave His son”… (John 3:16), or read how God described Himself to Moses, “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness “ (Exodus 34:6) 

Scripture can give glimpses of God’s abounding love but once we realize that Jesus is smiling at us, it all becomes very personal. 

We tend to think of God as the Supreme being who is holy, almighty and watching us from a distance, but Jesus constantly referred to God as both His Father, and ours. When Jesus talked about God, He never calls Him God. He refers to Him as “Father.”

God is holy, but He is also a good father, and good fathers smile at their sons and daughters. Jesus is the face of God sent to reveal everything we need to know about our Heavenly Father. 

There’s a beautiful song called “Truth”, sung by Megan Woods, which I attached below. One line of the lyrics, is “The truth is I am my Father’s child, I make Him proud and I make Him smile.” When I first heard this song, it reminded me of my dream. If only everyone took a moment to pause from the worries or distractions that fill our minds, and visualize Jesus smiling at us. 

I know a lot of people who are hurting right now, going through some really tough trials, and at times they probably wonder if God is still with them. Life situations change, people change, our trust fluctuates and the entire earth is currently suffering birth pangs, but one thing is constant and never changes-the truth that we are truly loved by our Father in heaven, and Jesus is smiling at us. 

God has already sent us a living, breathing, valentine, who embodied all of His love. He left a throne in heaven, to live among His sons and daughters, and to be one of them. He knows everything we feel, since He also felt it.  For three years our living valentine dwelt among His sons and daughters. He touched them, healed them, hugged them, laughed with them, cried with them, and just like a valentine, as we open it and look inside, His words are,

“Will you be all mine?” 

“Will you trust Me?”

“I love you always”

We need to pause and stop judging our self worth based on what we have done or not done, instead of what Jesus has already done for us. He considered us worthy of His love, long before we did anything good or bad, because He loved us first. We made Jesus smile before we knew who He was, and He loves each of us as if there were only one of us. 

Lord, thank you for being our living Valentine and we respond to you saying, “I’m all yours, I trust you, and I love you. Amen”

❤️ Happy Valentine’s Day!

Megan Woods – The Truth (Official Lyric Video) – YouTube

“Even if you now remain silent, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another source; but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows—perhaps it was for a time like this that you became queen?”

Esther 4:14 ( NAB)

Esther was a teenage orphan who lived in the Persian empire in the 5th century B.C. She was raised by Mordecai, her older cousin, who was like an uncle to her, after her parents died.

The story of Esther begins in ancient Persia, in a kingdom that was ruled by a stereotypical, self aggrandizing King named Ahasuerus, who was staffing his harem with new women. Esther, who was raised by her pious Jewish uncle, was selected by no choice of her own, to be a part of that harem. Her destiny dramatically changed from that day forward.

Esther soon became the king’s favorite and was promoted from a concubine to a Queen, though he knew nothing about her Jewish ethnicity. She would never forget her identity or where she came from, since her uncle Mordecai visited her regularly at the palace each day. 

Women were treated as possessions in that ancient culture, and despite her status as Queen, Esther had no power or say over decisions made by the King. The book of Esther is the only book in the Bible that never even mentions God, yet the story reveals the divine gifts within women and how God was working through Esther’s life all along. 

Esther is one of many courageous daughters of God in scripture who influenced the powers of the day, by speaking out, in spite of a culture that treated women as second class citizens. Esther changed the destiny of her generation through prayer, fasting and carefully selected words.

According to Persian royal culture, the queen or any other woman was never permitted to approach the king without first being summoned by him, so Queen Esther could only see the king when he asked for her. 

Haman, a high ranking official close to the king, detested Mordecai, since he and other pious Jews never bowed down to him or showed him homage, as all other Persian citizens did. Not knowing that Mordecai was Queen Esther’s relative, Haman persuaded the king that the Hebrew people were disloyal subjects, and needed to be removed permanently. He not only plotted their genocide, but also had gallows built especially to hang Mordecai on. 

Mordecai heard rumors of Haman’s plot, and knowing that Esther found favor with the king, he began to remind her to speak to him and intercede for their people. At first Esther was terrified, since she could be killed for approaching the king of her own free will. Mordecai reminded Esther that she might have been placed in her exact position for this purpose, and now was the time to act on it. 

Meanwhile, the date was set for the annihilation of the Jewish people in the land. Esther began to fast and pray, for a way to intervene in the genocide plot. She decided to use a privilege she had as Queen, by inviting both the King and Haman to come to a special dinner party. 

Haman and the King came and enjoyed the evening, and after dinner, Esther found the courage to ask the King to grant her a favor, by saving her people from genocide. When the king asked who would harm her people, Esther bravely revealed her Jewish identity and pointed to Haman sitting at their table. Since Esther always found favor with the King, he granted her request. Haman’s plot was stopped, and he later ended up being hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai. 

Esther put her identity as a believer, above her status as the queen. She shows us that when we put God first, and speak out, as intercessors, He will intervene and miracles happen. 

Most women in that culture would have no influence over a King’s edict, but Esther was a brave intercessor who broke her silence, instead of conforming to the rules of a pagan culture. She broke the mold and through fasting and prayer, she prevented the genocide of her entire generation. 

An author and theology professor, Dr. Nina Heereman, has written a book, “Athirst for the Spirit”, which shares unique insight into the scriptural role of women. One statement in her book that I found to be profound is, 

“Women are channels of God’s wisdom, created to give counsel to men and intercede for all.”

I can see this played out in scripture so many times, not only with Esther, but with Abigail who pleaded with David not to shed blood in a moment of anger. Deborah, the only female judge in scripture, gave wise counsel to kings and military leaders, and she made such an impression on the military general, that he wouldn’t go into battle unless Deborah came with him. There have always been women of God, who were channels of God’s wisdom throughout history. 

There’s a reason that God chose Mary Magdalene, a woman, to be the first one at the tomb, and have the honor of being the first eyewitness of His Son’s resurrection. She tried to persuade the apostles that Jesus was alive, even though they thought she was crazy. Her spiritual maturity was beyond her male counterparts. 

Dr. Heereman reveals a feminine mystique through the wisdom of scripture, instead of what the decades of feminism has taught regarding women. Women have a divine role in giving counsel and interceding for people. It’s all based on the word, helper, (Ezer) in the book of Genesis. 

Eve was created to be “Ezer” or helper, which entails more than the common meaning of a helper as we know it. Eve fell in disobedience, but she was originally intended to be a counselor and intercessor, filled with the wisdom of God. Women often perceive what God is doing more easily than men do, and through redemption in Christ, women can resume their role as the “Ezer.” Women do not replace men, since both have a divine calling to fulfill.  

Whether we are male or female, God can give us courage like Esther, to speak out and intercede for people, in our present world, for the sake of justice and to fulfill all that Jesus taught.

Lord, help us to live out our identity as believers, putting you first, and interceding for others, whether through prayer or speaking on their behalf. We believe we are where we are today, for a time and a purpose to glorify you. Amen

“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

John 12:24 (NIV)

Jesus talked about seeds more than once. He talked about the seed that falls on thorny, rocky or shallow ground, verses the good soil. He talked about how one wheat kernel, planted alone in good ground, bears a plentiful harvest. He also talked about the transformation of a tiny mustard seed into a huge fruit bearing tree. For as often as Jesus talked about seeds or gardening, His common message in every parable is growth. 

Since many of His parable lessons compare the kingdom of heaven to the growth that begins with a tiny seed, we can conclude that one signature attribute of God is in taking the small, ordinary or insignificant, and bringing about a growth that transforms into the extraordinary and miraculous.

Every living thing grows physically, but spiritual growth happens through the Holy Spirit, who works within us. We were all meant to keep growing spiritually, for as long as we live. God planted a seed of faith in each of us, with the intent to walk closely beside us, that our lives will glorify Him. He thoroughly believes in each person He created, since He foresees all that they were meant to be.

No one is insignificant to God or to His purpose, but we occasionally need reminding that His greatest work is not in what He does for us, but what He does through us.

Jesus chose twelve ordinary and uneducated men, according to the world’s view, but after being filled with His Spirit on Pentecost, they all  became extraordinary men of faith and courage. They changed the world, by doing and being all that the Spirit of Jesus empowered them to be.

The poor widow used the last of her flour and oil to bake bread for the prophet, Elisha, which represents giving all of our emptiness to God so that He can refill us. It was in that moment that her empty jars were miraculously refilled, each day, according to her need.

God has a history of using the most insignificant people and things, to reveal His power and glory. Jesus fed 5,000 people with one single serving of an ordinary boy’s lunch. 

He used a simple, harp playing, unarmed shepherd boy, to bring down the giant who bullied the entire armies of Israel. God is known for turning ordinary and small things into super extraordinary things, through spiritual growth. We are no different than any of those people, and God is eager to manifest that same kind of growth in our lives. 

When Moses led God’s people out of slavery, the path led them to the sea, and as they stopped, Pharaoh’s army was pursuing them. Scholars say that there was a different and shorter route to the promised land, on dry ground, avoiding the sea all together. The Lord deliberately led His people by that longer route, planning to take them through the sea. By miraculously parting the waters, God revealed His might and His great love for them. 

Sometimes spiritual growth comes when we are led down the more difficult path, instead of the easier one. God leads us according to what He intends for us to learn, to grow and bear fruit during our journey. He wants to take us through our Red Sea to reveal more of His love for us. 

We can learn so much about God’s nature and His purpose for believers, through what He has shown us in biblical history. It’s in the nature of God to take the small or insignificant persons or things, and anoint them with His power, to raise them up to a place where He will accomplish the impossible through them. 

The power of God is perfected in us, through our weaknesses, rather than through our strengths. He leads us to places we’ve never been before, and puts us in situations that make us feel inadequate and unsure of ourselves. In these situations, God is watering the seeds of our faith, which causes our spiritual growth. 

 When God is watering our seed of faith, we may feel like that wheat kernel Jesus spoke about. At times, it feels like we are struggling to stay alive, yet God is working through us, for our good, taking us to our next stage of growth, where we sprout and bear fruit.

Spiritual growth removes the barriers that hinder us. God teaches us to trust that He is enough, and He is glorified in breaking through all our barriers. He causes walls to crumble and fall, and creates a dry path through the sea in front of us. The mustard seed represents what God can and will do through our growth, when we trust in Him. We belong to a loving Father in heaven who wants to do the impossible through us. 

On that note, Paul tells us that we are all predestined to be transformed into the image of His son, Jesus. (Romans 8:29)

Lord, we surrender ourselves to you. Please unleash your divine power in us, and bring the growth which transforms us from a seed to a tree, in your name and for your glory. Amen

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Our faith is reflected to others without words, even though we may not realize it. Inner peace shows through our entire demeanor. The same goes for love, joy, or patience. People can sense a certain aura around believers who have a personal relationship with Christ. I know this because I remember a time in my own life before I had faith, when I recognized something special about certain people of faith, who I knew at the time.

Sharing one’s faith doesn’t always require words. People can observe it by how we treat others, or by acts of kindness. We’ve all heard it said, that our lives might be the only gospel that some people will ever read. 

Peter tells us to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in us. Moments will arise in conversations that offer an opportunity to share our personal faith story. 

Today’s scripture is a reminder to stay ready for that special moment when words are necessary.

At the age of 19, I reached a turning point, after surrendering my life to Jesus. For the first time in my life, I truly understood the gift of God’s grace, the cross, the resurrection and the peace of forgiveness. During a  four year obsession with the occult, during my teenage years, all of my energy had been spent in making astrology charts, palm reading, practicing witchcraft spells, and reading cards. It may sound crazy to those who never dabbled in any of these things, but I was finally set free from the grip that those mind controlling black arts had over me.

When I prayed a simple, sincere prayer to Jesus one day, something radically changed within me, and His mercy washed over me in a powerful way. I had no doubt that I received amazing grace, but I had no idea that it showed on my face. 

Afterwards, I was walking home one day, and a neighbor asked me, “Why do you look so different lately?” I was surprised by his question, but I told him that I recently surrendered my life to Jesus. I had no idea that my external image could possibly reflect what was happening within my soul. That was the first of several opportunities I had to give an explanation of the hope that was within me. 

During that same period of time, my cousin Clifton, had joined the army, and before he left for basic training, I remember a conversation I once had with him. I was sharing my faith and explaining what Jesus did for me, but he wasn’t very receptive. His responses carried a tone of mockery and total disregard for anything about God. It frustrated me, but after he went off to basic training, I continued to pray for him. 

I wish the story ended on a more positive note, but several months later, he was out drinking with his army friends while stationed in Hawaii, and they had a head on collision. My poor cousin, only in his early twenties, died instantly. It made me very sad, but it also made me realize that we never know how sharing our faith with someone, could be the last time we ever see them again.

Sometimes an opportunity comes when we least feel like talking about it. In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he encourages the church to be ready, whether in season or out of season, to speak and encourage others in the faith, and to do it with great patience.  (2 Timothy 4:2) 

We all have those “out of season”days, when it doesn’t feel like the right time to talk about our faith, or when we try to explain ourselves, but nothing is being received, requiring great patience with certain people. Paul tells us to speak, whether in season or not, always being ready to give an account of the hope that is within us, and to do so with respect and gentleness.

Whatever season it is, when Jesus is seated on the throne of our hearts, the more He reigns in every area of our life, the more we will naturally want to talk about Him. The throne of our heart is never empty, because if Jesus isn’t reigning there, then someone or something else will be. 

The beauty in all of this is that we each have our own unique story to tell, and Peter encourages us to be ready to tell it. Some have a story to share of a radically transformed life, or of receiving a miraculous healing of some kind. Some people’s story has little drama, but is about simple, steadfast faithfulness, despite years of difficult trials and afflictions. Each person’s story is so valuable to someone’s listening ears. 

Christ has reconciled the world to himself, and since we have all been reconciled, we tell our own unique story of redemption. We may never be called as missionaries or to any ministry, but we are all called to be “ambassadors for Christ”. To be His ambassador is defined by Paul as, God pleading through us, yet using our words to invite others to come back to God.  (2 Corinthians 5:20)

Lord, help us to live out our calling  as ambassadors for Christ, to be always ready in season and out, to share our story and the hope that is within us. Amen

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”

Luke 15:22-24 (NIV)

The Father of the prodigal made a feast and ordered his servants to bring the finest robe and put it on his son. This was the son who took his inheritance money and estranged himself from his family, until he finally returned home after living in a pen full of swine. Though he urgently needed a bath, his father wanted to first shower him with love, rejoicing in his return. The bath could wait until later. 

The prodigal son story reveals many truths about how extravagantly God loves us, first, by receiving us as we are. The bathing and deep cleaning can wait until later. He sees us as sons or daughters, and it doesn’t matter where we’ve been, He is looking for all of His children to finally come home.

Paul said that if we were baptized into Christ, we put on Christ, as one puts on a garment. (Galatians 3:27)

Putting on Christ is like putting on the Lord’s robe of righteousness and His garment of salvation, as described by Isaiah. (Isaiah 61:10)

The father of the prodigal put his  finest robe on his son, honored him with a ring on his finger and new sandals on his feet. He made it clear that this was his beloved son. The father did all this, not because his son was deserving or righteous, but because he was his son.

We are all undeserving, but we wear that robe by the grace of our Father in heaven, who loves us. Every lesson from the prodigal story, centers on relationship. God is our Father, and we are the sons and daughters He loves, and He merits us to wear His finest robe, which is Christ. He wants all His children to keep coming home and regularly receive the grace and forgiveness that He so generously offers.

The finest robe was a gift given, not as a reward for any good deeds that were done, but simply for being his son. We have all been reconciled to God, and are predestined to be conformed to the image of His son, Jesus. He invites us to also wear the gift from of our heavenly Father, which is Christ, His finest robe. 

(Romans 8:29)

Jesus, who knew no sin, wore our sins on the cross, and then gave us His robe of righteousness to wear forever. That kind of exchange reveals the extravagance of God’s love for us. It’s incomprehensible, but it’s the truth and essence of the gospel message. 

If we feel unworthy, it’s because we are. We are recipients of grace, His undeserved favor, because our heavenly Father loves His sons and daughters, like the father of the prodigal in this story. God has called all who are baptized in Christ to wear Him as our finest robe. 

We wear Christ in gratitude, publicly, not in secret, and not hiding Him from the rest of the world. People often say that their faith is private, but the father of the prodigal celebrated his son’s return with a public celebration. His father never intended it to be a private matter, and neither does our Father. 

Redemption is too great a gift to be kept private, since it was meant to be shared with others. Jesus is waiting for more prodigals to return home, so that He can place His garment of salvation and robe of righteousness upon them. Heaven still has a huge celebration every time a son or daughter comes home. (Luke 15:10)

Lord, thank you for wearing our sins on the cross, and clothing us in your finest robe of righteousness, and most of all, thank you for your love, and the free gift of grace, that brought us salvation. Amen